When will you buy your LAST boat?
07-18-2018, 07:57 AM
#1
Gold Member
Gold MemberThread Starter
When will you buy your LAST boat?
Talking with someone today who is looking to upgrade his boat. He's a cruiser guy, currently owns a 60'er so he's way out of my league and he's looking to update to something new or very close to it. What he said got me thinking......
At 62 years old, he says this next boat will be for 7-8 years and his last boat. With that thinking, he'll probably go over the top to make sure this is his ultimate dream boat.
I'm still a way off 62 but it's got me wondering, do other people think about their 'last' boat and if so, when do you start planning? I know some guys will own boats 'till they die but surely others see this as a finite hobby. Just curious.
RR
.
At 62 years old, he says this next boat will be for 7-8 years and his last boat. With that thinking, he'll probably go over the top to make sure this is his ultimate dream boat.
I'm still a way off 62 but it's got me wondering, do other people think about their 'last' boat and if so, when do you start planning? I know some guys will own boats 'till they die but surely others see this as a finite hobby. Just curious.
RR
.
07-18-2018, 08:02 AM
#2
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
iTrader: (6)
I already have, this one checked all the boxes on the list
07-18-2018, 09:19 AM
#4
Registered
iTrader: (1)
Don't think I'm anywhere near owning my last boat, but I'm pretty sure I've owned my last HP boat. That might be a better question to ask - "Have you already owned (or currently own) your last High Performance boat? To that question, I would likely answer "Most Likely."
I started at the bottom of the V-bottom world and have climbed my way up. First boat was a 12 foot GW Invader, then a 18 Baja, then a 21 Baja,, then a 27 Checkmate, then a 35 Fountain, then a 38 Fountain. (I also currently own a 29 Advantage X-Flight - but it's a people hauler-deck boat on steroids that I don't consider to be a real HP boat, - in comparison to my previous Fountains and my current Donzi). As far as I'm concerned I have reached the top rung of my HP V bottom journey with my 38 Donzi ZRC. I have no desire to own anything else.. I may play around with power or the drives to make my ride go faster (and have kicked around the idea of starting a GoFundMe page to buy me a set of Merc 860's) but I have no desire to own any other V bottom - and in kind I have zero desire to own a big cat. So my HP journey is probably finished with my current 38 ZRC. But hey, you never know.
But as far as owning other boats, I can see upgrading my pontoon to newer one, owning a cruiser at some point, and even buying a small bow rider and coming full circle on my journey up the ladder.
I started at the bottom of the V-bottom world and have climbed my way up. First boat was a 12 foot GW Invader, then a 18 Baja, then a 21 Baja,, then a 27 Checkmate, then a 35 Fountain, then a 38 Fountain. (I also currently own a 29 Advantage X-Flight - but it's a people hauler-deck boat on steroids that I don't consider to be a real HP boat, - in comparison to my previous Fountains and my current Donzi). As far as I'm concerned I have reached the top rung of my HP V bottom journey with my 38 Donzi ZRC. I have no desire to own anything else.. I may play around with power or the drives to make my ride go faster (and have kicked around the idea of starting a GoFundMe page to buy me a set of Merc 860's) but I have no desire to own any other V bottom - and in kind I have zero desire to own a big cat. So my HP journey is probably finished with my current 38 ZRC. But hey, you never know.
But as far as owning other boats, I can see upgrading my pontoon to newer one, owning a cruiser at some point, and even buying a small bow rider and coming full circle on my journey up the ladder.
07-18-2018, 10:07 AM
#5
I have seen this happen a few times. Guys get older, they don't want hassle and most buy a smaller boat!
I worked for a guy that had a 55 Viking (captain/mate) and downsized to a sweet 34 Gamefisherman (day boat with a tower, small cabin). He never stayed on the boat so the 3 stateroom Viking was just a waste of fuel pushing that around.
Another guy I know has a 100 ft motoryacht, he treats it as a moving condo more than a yacht. He moves the boat to where he wants to be. His favorite boat he uses the most, his 20 ft flats boat!
A friend is a captain and he always says the hour meter predicts the future. His last job was a 68 Ferretti yacht, guy was good for a solid 200-250 hours a year in use. It dipped to 100 hours or so then the next year was 80ish and boom the boat went up for sale. Owner said he needs to sell the house so he can upgrade the boat (dockage was limited to a 70). Guy sold the house and the boat and replaced neither.
I think the go fast stuff's limited resale is probably its biggest deterrent to buying. For me, the sun exposure on a go fast is brutal combined with S. Fl's love of no wake/slow wake zones.
I worked for a guy that had a 55 Viking (captain/mate) and downsized to a sweet 34 Gamefisherman (day boat with a tower, small cabin). He never stayed on the boat so the 3 stateroom Viking was just a waste of fuel pushing that around.
Another guy I know has a 100 ft motoryacht, he treats it as a moving condo more than a yacht. He moves the boat to where he wants to be. His favorite boat he uses the most, his 20 ft flats boat!
A friend is a captain and he always says the hour meter predicts the future. His last job was a 68 Ferretti yacht, guy was good for a solid 200-250 hours a year in use. It dipped to 100 hours or so then the next year was 80ish and boom the boat went up for sale. Owner said he needs to sell the house so he can upgrade the boat (dockage was limited to a 70). Guy sold the house and the boat and replaced neither.
I think the go fast stuff's limited resale is probably its biggest deterrent to buying. For me, the sun exposure on a go fast is brutal combined with S. Fl's love of no wake/slow wake zones.
07-18-2018, 10:37 AM
#6
Registered
My next will be my last, not because of age, but because I plan on retiring in 9 years. Thinking a 22 Progression or 21 Tuff with a 300R will allow me to pick my days on big water and run on more of the local inland lakes. I’m already planning, but the warranty on my current motor lasts through 2025, so it’s going to be a few years before I move down in size.
07-18-2018, 10:44 AM
#7
21 and 42 footers
Platinum Member
I get the logic, I'm just not old enough yet (47). My father said that when he bought his last bass boat though (he's had them for almost 50 yrs) and I believe him. He also has a open bow for hanging out at the sandbars and will likely get another like it in the near future. He's financially able, and slightly interested, in a 40ish cabin boat but my step-mother has no interest in a cabin boat.
As a kid we always had bassboats.
I bought a few cabin cruisers as my first boats.
Then I went to bow riders
Next came a few cigarette boats
Right now I own a small CC
And literally today I plan to sign papers on another cabin boat (Formula 400ss)
Next????? I could see another go-fast one day....but it will likely be O/B and NOT a CC.
As a kid we always had bassboats.
I bought a few cabin cruisers as my first boats.
Then I went to bow riders
Next came a few cigarette boats
Right now I own a small CC
And literally today I plan to sign papers on another cabin boat (Formula 400ss)
Next????? I could see another go-fast one day....but it will likely be O/B and NOT a CC.
07-18-2018, 11:31 AM
#8
Member #154
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: SW CT & Long Island Sound
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As long as my age/health and finances allow. With that said, I'm 61 and probably seen my last offshore boat, crawling around a bilge is not as fun as it used to be. Outboards appeal to me more, so does a boat with some sun protection and a pump-out head. Maybe a sporty senator council.
07-18-2018, 11:47 AM
#9
Registered
I am 69 and very happy with my Velocity but if I see something I like/want and I can afford it it will be my next boat not my last. Guarantee that it will be a performance boat and definitely not a fishing boat masquerading as a performance boat. LOL
Padraig
Padraig
07-18-2018, 12:52 PM
#10
*
Platinum Member
As long as my age/health and finances allow. With that said, I'm 61 and probably seen my last offshore boat, crawling around a bilge is not as fun as it used to be. Outboards appeal to me more, so does a boat with some sun protection and a pump-out head. Maybe a sporty senator council.
Oh , oh , ok , I get it now .. Took me a minute or two . A Center Console .. . lol
