Tbone......you got that right......its getting to the point now that if you dont have a hundred mile an hour boat.....you are in the back of the pack on any given Poker Run.....but in the end with the heritage thing aside......if you have two boats in the same price range...and one is faster ...requires less maintenance....and is more reliable.... all things considered....it's going to make it tough to get the money out of the older Apache...

My observation is that a few years back, 3 to be exact, Cigarette was nearly on the skids much in the same way as Apache is now. In my husbands words in order to go fast with that much displacement it took big, big power. They then launched an aggressive marketing campaign with some new technology involved, steps or something like that, they took the marketplace by storm. Being in marketing Apache would have no problem doing the same thing. But thats a womans perspective in a mans so called hobby.

That is a good point.....I think it especially applies to the endeavors like Searace is embarking on.....manufacturing old technology......if the boat is still heavy and requires big power to push it......I think it is going to severly limit its appeal.....in today's "stepped marketplace"

If I may jump in here.... TOO OLD makes a strong arguement for the CIGARETTE name recognition.... I believe we are all still using "XEROX" machines so to speak.... so for APACHE, et al... to be able to market thier name as affectively as CIGARETTE has.... I'm not sure.... but on the other side.... If APACHE were to come up with the next "Dodge RAM" ..... I think it would certainly help elevate the older models resale as well... the older CIGARETTE's are surely enjoying a resurgence because of the newer boats popularity.... and I think thats great! If APACHE could bring something new and different to the water.... and maybe they already have... I think it will help the older boats resale... look at the mid 70's to late 80's Corvettes.... or Harley Davidson's.... they were not great.... no offense... but now that the new models are really great products..... the old models are in demand... Owners can state they own a Vette or a HD & be proud... even if it is an AMF Harley Davidson.... if you know what I mean....

Fred,
Undoubtedly, Cigarette has the best brand recognition in the industry. But it's like.......let me use an old analogy of my husband and to quote "The Illustrious Sean Stinson", There's strippers and then there's strippers but they all want to be "The Stripper".....it goes something like that anyway. Now Cigarette has lipstick but the Old Apaches had makeup. Once the battle for the Apache sandbox ends we can then establish marketshare again but right now you have to dodge too many arrows, no pun intended, from the various factions. Again, this is a womans point of view.

i dont know about boating outside of the great lakes, but on lake michigan, a boat with a deep vee and a little weight such as an apache seem to be very desirable to lots of boaters.

steps? who needs them when lake mi. is airing out the bottom for you. we probably average 2-3 footers everyday. and when it gets a little nasty out there how many boats can run and trim out to get that last 5 mph in 4-6 footers?

Again...Steps are a marketing strategy

I agree steps are a marketing strategy, On calm flat lakes they work. On rough lakes they are a waste. Do you folks consider 9600 lbs to be light in a 41 foot boat??? Saber 28 do you know where I'm going with this?

They sure are...It ruined a lot of great bottoms.
I agree with what Saber said...On lake Mich a stepped bottom is worthless.

Crashbrain did any of your offshore boats that you owned make it to the water?