Our declining hobby...sad days
06-13-2016, 09:16 AM
#41
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Location: Boonville, NY USA
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So many dynamics to this sport.....
I can remember the days of looking at Top Guns for sale... late 90's early 2000's.... was having the time of our lives and performance boats were going strong. Was in a boat club that was bursting at the seams with new entries, fun-runs/poker runs, awesome awesome times.... just memories now... performance boats/boat club just sort of fizzled away..
I've been working in the communications/IT business my whole career, but I've talked to others in different careers and it's the same story.... we were earning good wages and 5-10% pay increases year to year, steadily making good money with low interest rates... purchasing power was strong.... then... companies starting hurting... banks starting hurting.... many-many reasons... but wages stalled,, 1-2% increases/yr--- health care going up 25%/yr (employee contribution)(there was a time it was zero). Cost of living out-paced our wages... things just leveled-off/ plateaued.
We started cutting back... recreation time became less as we were working harder to get ahead or stay ahead... but eventually we gave-up. It's just not worth killing yourself to maintain this high-rolling lifestyle, and very little time to even enjoy it anymore. That, coupled with most of us being upside down in the boat we were in... we were up against the wall, and then started engaging the back-up plan just to keep what we had...
We got stung... and stung hard.... it's going to be a long while before I go out on that limb again...
We are now much wiser and live within our means.
I'll always be on the water... like others have said... it's my escape/my happy place/ the place I am the most relaxed... only now it's an old cruiser or runabout....
I can remember the days of looking at Top Guns for sale... late 90's early 2000's.... was having the time of our lives and performance boats were going strong. Was in a boat club that was bursting at the seams with new entries, fun-runs/poker runs, awesome awesome times.... just memories now... performance boats/boat club just sort of fizzled away..
I've been working in the communications/IT business my whole career, but I've talked to others in different careers and it's the same story.... we were earning good wages and 5-10% pay increases year to year, steadily making good money with low interest rates... purchasing power was strong.... then... companies starting hurting... banks starting hurting.... many-many reasons... but wages stalled,, 1-2% increases/yr--- health care going up 25%/yr (employee contribution)(there was a time it was zero). Cost of living out-paced our wages... things just leveled-off/ plateaued.
We started cutting back... recreation time became less as we were working harder to get ahead or stay ahead... but eventually we gave-up. It's just not worth killing yourself to maintain this high-rolling lifestyle, and very little time to even enjoy it anymore. That, coupled with most of us being upside down in the boat we were in... we were up against the wall, and then started engaging the back-up plan just to keep what we had...
We got stung... and stung hard.... it's going to be a long while before I go out on that limb again...
We are now much wiser and live within our means.
I'll always be on the water... like others have said... it's my escape/my happy place/ the place I am the most relaxed... only now it's an old cruiser or runabout....
06-13-2016, 09:57 AM
#43
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Another thing hurting the performance segment is the "affordable boats" are all too old to finance now. You are stuck buying new from the handful of manufactures left or paying cash for what you find.
06-13-2016, 10:17 AM
#45
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Correspondent
This conversation was ongoing when I started at Powerboat magazine—in 1995. When I interviewed Lee Kimmell (then the head of Donzi) in the early 2000s, the topic of the declining high-performance marine industry dominated the interview. As longtime observer, and one who certainly doesn't have all the answers, I believe the decline is the product of multiple factors from economics to legislation to a shift within our own culture away from "mechanized things." (Worth noting: $100,000 wakeboard boats are still selling.) But there's really not one "cause." The decline has happened over time for multiple reasons.
06-13-2016, 10:22 AM
#46
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Being a younger person (25) tomorrow, I'm trying hard to find a boat that I want and that is feasible for me financially. But, unfortunately most good boats that I want are more then I can afford. My friends think I'm crazy for wanting to buy performance boat, what they don't understand is like you guys said it's an escape for me and a happy place. I have been fortunate enough to have caught the performance boat bug by getting to use my dads 292 Fastech and before that a 22 Scarab at a young age.
Lucky enough for me I have no more student debt and I have had good jobs through University and a good job since I graduated, I'm in a much better situation than the majority of my friends who still have student debt and living hand to mouth most months. Whatever money I might spend on a boat digs into what a future down payment would be on a house. I have been in quite the battle of deciding should I or should I not be even looking, and its just the cold hard reality of performance boating is unfortunately expensive to get into and maintain ownership once you're in. I consider myself very, very lucky to even be in the position to get a boat, like I said earlier it cuts into other necessities that are higher on the priority list. With that said I'm crossing my fingers that hopefully one day soon I'll be on the water with my very own performance boat!
Lucky enough for me I have no more student debt and I have had good jobs through University and a good job since I graduated, I'm in a much better situation than the majority of my friends who still have student debt and living hand to mouth most months. Whatever money I might spend on a boat digs into what a future down payment would be on a house. I have been in quite the battle of deciding should I or should I not be even looking, and its just the cold hard reality of performance boating is unfortunately expensive to get into and maintain ownership once you're in. I consider myself very, very lucky to even be in the position to get a boat, like I said earlier it cuts into other necessities that are higher on the priority list. With that said I'm crossing my fingers that hopefully one day soon I'll be on the water with my very own performance boat!
06-13-2016, 10:35 AM
#47
Registered
I do minor mechanical in my driveway (oil change, tire rotation, wheel bearings on trailers etc). Neighbor and his kid (sophomore in college) were driving 1200+ miles in a beater so the kid could play summer baseball (kid got drafted out of high school by MLB, chose college instead and won college world series as a freshman).....kid has talent on the field. So I ask did you do a once over on the 15 yr old, 180K mile beater?......nope. Could have been a bad road trip starting off.....Spare....dead flat. Front passenger tire 22 lbs, oil a quart low. So as I am going over the car, I tell the dad it would be good if Jr. learned a few things. He didn't know how to work a tire gauge! Oil/tranny fluid check was easy enough but not sure he could locate both. This kid is not mechanical at all, my guess is he would never own any type of I/O and if he did own an OB then it would be used like a car (turn the key and go, call someone if it doesn't start).
We have been blessed to have a summer place in southern Michigan - inland lake - very nice and for the most part quiet. We have our 226 Cobalt out there most of the time and enjoy the skiing, tubing and just being on the water.
We have neighbors that can't find their bottom with both hands. Talk about DUMB -- not stupid -- DUMB. For the most part the homes around the lake are seasonal. While many have central heating/air-conditioning mostly everyone does not keep the heat on during the winter and drains their water systems. The 1st year that her neighbors had their summer home they decided not to drain the water nor keep the heat on. As a result when they showed up in the spring there was water almost everywhere. The commodes cracked pipes split-and the long and short -it was a mess. Of course they have funds to call a plumber, carpenter and have everything replaced/repaired. So the next year one would have assumed that they would have drained the water or at least keep the heat on. WRONG!! I kid you not for the next 3 years they did not change this behavior and for 3 years in a row they had plumbing and floring issues in the spring. In fact they have replaced their water heater no less than twice because it froze and cracked. Now we are not talking about stupid people. One of the owners is an attorney and the other is a IT administrator. But they do have an attitude well if it breaks we have enough money to just call somebody to have it fixed.
Regarding their boats-this is another story. They have owned this summer place for approximately 8 years. Within that. They have replaced a pontoon boat twice-not because it was inadequate for the use- it was for lack of common sense maintenance and upkeep.
Seats were left exposed, water would set in the wells and mold and rot settled in. When the Marina came to pick up or drop off the pontoon boat I spoke with the delivery person. He mentioned that there were 3 or 4 batteries in the boat that were perfectly good except that they were discharged and needed a charging. What the owner did was leave the radio on and the battery would drain. Instead of charging the battery he would just go out and buy a new one and leave the old one somewhere in the boat- some of the acid leaked out and wrecked the floor. Their speed boat and boat lifts are another story. The 1st week that they had the boat they didn't realize that out drives don't work well in shallow water and proceeded to rip the lower end off the boat. Of course they had that replaced. I've lost count on the number of propellers that have been replaced on the boat for sitting something or having the ski rope wrapped around it. They haven't changed the fuel filter or cleaned the air cleaner since new- at least they have the marina drain the block and change oil once a year. Then they complain that the boat is running right - and when the marina says they needed to do x y and z as routine - they didn't do it because it seemed to cost too much. Then we have the boat lift - The bunks are rotted and the carpet is all but gone. Rather than replace the wood they turned the bunks on edge and are using that to support the boat. However, the brackets that held the bunks extend about an inch on either side of the wood and are now being gouged into the fiberglass. Realizing that that was not a good thing they now have the boat on the boat lift but most of the boat is still in the water because they can't raise it up to get it out of the water without putting a hole in the bottom -- but don't have the sense to fix the primary cause. Far be it from me to comment on their party/drinking activities but they literally have a outbuilding that is filled with beer cans and bottles because they haven't had sense enough to thrown them in the trash. They have more trees on the property than you can shake a stick at - do them trim them - NO. So each year we have their branches into our yard and we haul away. The real problem is that some of the upper branches are rotted and it is only a matter of time before one goes down thru their house.
They have a cleaning service that comes out once a week to clean the interior of their house and a lawn service to mow the lawn. So from the outside things look relatively well-maintained but when you get to the nitty-gritty they don't know and they don't care. It really makes me sick to see people that have been given so much and yet can't take care of the basics.
3pointstar
06-13-2016, 11:28 AM
#48
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I think a lot of it is due to the new generation of young people. The kids just don't seem to be interested in the outdoors or anything that doesn't involve electronics. I see it when I coach youth sports. Have to force the kids to put their phones away and go play ball! Even my own kids sometimes balk about going to the lake. Then they sit there playing with their phones the whole day. Kids today can't entertain themselves, they have no interest in anything mechanical and they expect everything to be handed to them. I think there are still the select few who are going for the wake board/surf boats which is great, but if there isn't something to entertain them, they aren't interested. Just being on the water, enjoying nature and the sights, smells and sound isn't of interest to our youth. Where I can sit on my boat all day alone and be happy as a clam! I know with my nieces for instance, if we don't take them tubing or boarding for 8 hrs, they don't want to go on the boat. They must be entertained! I feel that this is a big part of whats killing the whole boating industry.
06-13-2016, 11:33 AM
#49
Registered
OH Have I Got A Story For All
We have been blessed to have a summer place in southern Michigan - inland lake - very nice and for the most part quiet. We have our 226 Cobalt out there most of the time and enjoy the skiing, tubing and just being on the water.
We have neighbors that can't find their bottom with both hands. Talk about DUMB -- not stupid -- DUMB. For the most part the homes around the lake are seasonal. While many have central heating/air-conditioning mostly everyone does not keep the heat on during the winter and drains their water systems. The 1st year that her neighbors had their summer home they decided not to drain the water nor keep the heat on. As a result when they showed up in the spring there was water almost everywhere. The commodes cracked pipes split-and the long and short -it was a mess. Of course they have funds to call a plumber, carpenter and have everything replaced/repaired. So the next year one would have assumed that they would have drained the water or at least keep the heat on. WRONG!! I kid you not for the next 3 years they did not change this behavior and for 3 years in a row they had plumbing and floring issues in the spring. In fact they have replaced their water heater no less than twice because it froze and cracked. Now we are not talking about stupid people. One of the owners is an attorney and the other is a IT administrator. But they do have an attitude well if it breaks we have enough money to just call somebody to have it fixed.
Regarding their boats-this is another story. They have owned this summer place for approximately 8 years. Within that. They have replaced a pontoon boat twice-not because it was inadequate for the use- it was for lack of common sense maintenance and upkeep.
Seats were left exposed, water would set in the wells and mold and rot settled in. When the Marina came to pick up or drop off the pontoon boat I spoke with the delivery person. He mentioned that there were 3 or 4 batteries in the boat that were perfectly good except that they were discharged and needed a charging. What the owner did was leave the radio on and the battery would drain. Instead of charging the battery he would just go out and buy a new one and leave the old one somewhere in the boat- some of the acid leaked out and wrecked the floor. Their speed boat and boat lifts are another story. The 1st week that they had the boat they didn't realize that out drives don't work well in shallow water and proceeded to rip the lower end off the boat. Of course they had that replaced. I've lost count on the number of propellers that have been replaced on the boat for sitting something or having the ski rope wrapped around it. They haven't changed the fuel filter or cleaned the air cleaner since new- at least they have the marina drain the block and change oil once a year. Then they complain that the boat is running right - and when the marina says they needed to do x y and z as routine - they didn't do it because it seemed to cost too much. Then we have the boat lift - The bunks are rotted and the carpet is all but gone. Rather than replace the wood they turned the bunks on edge and are using that to support the boat. However, the brackets that held the bunks extend about an inch on either side of the wood and are now being gouged into the fiberglass. Realizing that that was not a good thing they now have the boat on the boat lift but most of the boat is still in the water because they can't raise it up to get it out of the water without putting a hole in the bottom -- but don't have the sense to fix the primary cause. Far be it from me to comment on their party/drinking activities but they literally have a outbuilding that is filled with beer cans and bottles because they haven't had sense enough to thrown them in the trash. They have more trees on the property than you can shake a stick at - do them trim them - NO. So each year we have their branches into our yard and we haul away. The real problem is that some of the upper branches are rotted and it is only a matter of time before one goes down thru their house.
They have a cleaning service that comes out once a week to clean the interior of their house and a lawn service to mow the lawn. So from the outside things look relatively well-maintained but when you get to the nitty-gritty they don't know and they don't care. It really makes me sick to see people that have been given so much and yet can't take care of the basics.
3pointstar
We have been blessed to have a summer place in southern Michigan - inland lake - very nice and for the most part quiet. We have our 226 Cobalt out there most of the time and enjoy the skiing, tubing and just being on the water.
We have neighbors that can't find their bottom with both hands. Talk about DUMB -- not stupid -- DUMB. For the most part the homes around the lake are seasonal. While many have central heating/air-conditioning mostly everyone does not keep the heat on during the winter and drains their water systems. The 1st year that her neighbors had their summer home they decided not to drain the water nor keep the heat on. As a result when they showed up in the spring there was water almost everywhere. The commodes cracked pipes split-and the long and short -it was a mess. Of course they have funds to call a plumber, carpenter and have everything replaced/repaired. So the next year one would have assumed that they would have drained the water or at least keep the heat on. WRONG!! I kid you not for the next 3 years they did not change this behavior and for 3 years in a row they had plumbing and floring issues in the spring. In fact they have replaced their water heater no less than twice because it froze and cracked. Now we are not talking about stupid people. One of the owners is an attorney and the other is a IT administrator. But they do have an attitude well if it breaks we have enough money to just call somebody to have it fixed.
Regarding their boats-this is another story. They have owned this summer place for approximately 8 years. Within that. They have replaced a pontoon boat twice-not because it was inadequate for the use- it was for lack of common sense maintenance and upkeep.
Seats were left exposed, water would set in the wells and mold and rot settled in. When the Marina came to pick up or drop off the pontoon boat I spoke with the delivery person. He mentioned that there were 3 or 4 batteries in the boat that were perfectly good except that they were discharged and needed a charging. What the owner did was leave the radio on and the battery would drain. Instead of charging the battery he would just go out and buy a new one and leave the old one somewhere in the boat- some of the acid leaked out and wrecked the floor. Their speed boat and boat lifts are another story. The 1st week that they had the boat they didn't realize that out drives don't work well in shallow water and proceeded to rip the lower end off the boat. Of course they had that replaced. I've lost count on the number of propellers that have been replaced on the boat for sitting something or having the ski rope wrapped around it. They haven't changed the fuel filter or cleaned the air cleaner since new- at least they have the marina drain the block and change oil once a year. Then they complain that the boat is running right - and when the marina says they needed to do x y and z as routine - they didn't do it because it seemed to cost too much. Then we have the boat lift - The bunks are rotted and the carpet is all but gone. Rather than replace the wood they turned the bunks on edge and are using that to support the boat. However, the brackets that held the bunks extend about an inch on either side of the wood and are now being gouged into the fiberglass. Realizing that that was not a good thing they now have the boat on the boat lift but most of the boat is still in the water because they can't raise it up to get it out of the water without putting a hole in the bottom -- but don't have the sense to fix the primary cause. Far be it from me to comment on their party/drinking activities but they literally have a outbuilding that is filled with beer cans and bottles because they haven't had sense enough to thrown them in the trash. They have more trees on the property than you can shake a stick at - do them trim them - NO. So each year we have their branches into our yard and we haul away. The real problem is that some of the upper branches are rotted and it is only a matter of time before one goes down thru their house.
They have a cleaning service that comes out once a week to clean the interior of their house and a lawn service to mow the lawn. So from the outside things look relatively well-maintained but when you get to the nitty-gritty they don't know and they don't care. It really makes me sick to see people that have been given so much and yet can't take care of the basics.
3pointstar
06-13-2016, 12:40 PM
#50
Banned
iTrader: (9)
outboard boat sales are killing it and then outboard pontoon sales. By far is where all the sales are taking place
http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/2016/0...sletter-061316
http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/2016/0...sletter-061316
