Well I must be the last person in the US having fun with my Mustang GT. Point here is that maybe expectations changed but $500,000 entry level has killed the sport, it's now 1% of the 1% and a big reason I'm out clomping around in my Pursuit instead of a OBC. Sure it lives in pockets around the country but it's nowhere where it used to be.

Bad Example LOL. Mustang culture runs deep. I pull up to my local track in a Civic at 45 yo just like I did when I was 16. I do feel our expectations as boat consumers have shifted away from what people were buying 20+ years ago.

Depends on who "our" is.

Seems to me it's the VERY VERY well healed, when it may have been a little further down the income scale.

Well Drag, I’m with you. Having fun with my Mustang GT convertible and Baja Outlaw. Both are bright yellow. They’re good enough for me

Oh Yeah!

Same goes for new car shows. Miami was the big one, never the level of NYC or LA but it was still a strong show. A few years ago I took my kid to look at new cars, she was turning 16. Admittedly I went annually for decades but hadn't been in 5 years or so. I think 4-5 big manufacturers simply stopped doing shows (Mercedes was one of them, Porsche was basically bringing last years models, whatever dealers had as leftovers on the lot I guess). I couldn't believe it!

Boat shows are a financial drain on the manufacturers. I had a brother in law that was a yacht manufacturer, it cost them 1/2 million to attend a big show like Miami. Sure sell 2-3 boats and its no big deal but if you pay that and sell nothing it hurts bad. Don't show up at a big show and suddenly the dock whispers start, "they are in trouble."

I think there are too many similar boats looking for too few buyers. Add in storage rates/ insurance and suddenly you need 2k month BEFORE you buy figure out what the boat will cost you!

I like those Pursuit S288/328s with the pair of 300 Yamahas! I think they are sharp and simple (no triples/stupid options you won't use etc).

Braaaaap!!!

Agree with Matt. And Matt and I are also dinosaurs, so no disrespect to the dinosaur community. But most manufacturers can't afford the show. Regional niche shows are way more beneficial for both customers and manufacturers.
Many people were talking about this at the show. Monopolies get predatory in pricing and practice.

Same with Boats Group who owns the trader listings and gouges brokers. New ones like boatsonly.com are broker friendly but up against a giant.

Niche is the way to go. Grove harbor as a stand alone would make sense.

My Miami article is up and it really revolves around grove harbor on the water with Mercury Racing, and a couple new things.