State of the Industry
02-18-2018 | 10:51 PM
#22
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Joined: Jun 2014
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From: Thailand
yes well in 1970 we had hemi cuda's, LS6 chevelles, 429 boss mustangs and more. a few years later they were on used lots after being traded for vega's and pinto's. ten years later K-car chryslers were flying off the lots, then minivans. now suv's and pickups for soccer moms to get groceries. times change, like it or not, agree with it or not. I think some of it was self inflicted. non stop chasing after more power and speed got us to a point that it is all on the manufacturers radar but there is a point of no return. lots of buyers dont need or want to run 150 mph or want to spend the money for twenty steps on the bottom. used to be you could buy a 30-35 foot v bottom with 420's and trs drives without steps that would run all day at 60 in 4+ seas for reasonable money and it lasted for years. now you have to spend double the value of your house to buy something with bravos that need rebuilding every year and is ill handling in real offshore water. lots of guys finally said enough and decided to have fun on the water with out financing the weekend. you have to really look at the market size. even when times were good all the marine engine suppliers combined that used GM based engines (mercury, volvo, pleasurecraft, etc etc) only amounted to about 3% of the engines GM produced. that makes it tough to make money when the economies of scale are nonexistant. right now I think we are at a time when the devoted still want performance but the majority want fun and reliability. 10 years from now it could all be 18' bowriders or 50' magnums. who knows.
Draw a parallel to the motor industry, moving forward all the time. Models change, customer needs and wants change and the industry tries to keep in line with all that. I haven't spent time in the U.S. so I'm not familiar with all your car models but I did sell cars most of my working life in Aus and when I started, if you told me 4wd and SUV is where the market is going I'd have laughed in your face.
Every year, car sales numbers increase so the market is definitely not dead, it's just changed. Buyers want practicality with comfort and the same has happened with boats. I don't think many would disagree on the practicality of CC's and the levels of comfort now available.
Just like owning a Ferrari, Lambo, etc, etc, Cigarette, Outerlimits and a few others will always be there but they won't be the boats that keep the marine industry alive.
My 2 cents...
RR
Last edited by rak rua; 02-20-2018 at 02:39 AM.
02-19-2018 | 02:55 PM
#23
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From: Murrayville Georgia
02-19-2018 | 07:06 PM
#24
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From: NW Michigan
What's really to bad is some went way over board with colors and graphics etc that dates a boat more so than anything. I've seen some pretty awesome ones and some pretty ugly ones over the years yet at the time most looked fine and went with the times if that makes any sense. Good/ok then but today. Just had to post a couple pics of a 12 meter that most wouldn't think is an old 84. Something to be said about your very basic colors and lines.
02-19-2018 | 09:33 PM
#25
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From: IL
What's really to bad is some went way over board with colors and graphics etc that dates a boat more so than anything. I've seen some pretty awesome ones and some pretty ugly ones over the years yet at the time most looked fine and went with the times if that makes any sense. Good/ok then but today. Just had to post a couple pics of a 12 meter that most wouldn't think is an old 84. Something to be said about your very basic colors and lines.
02-19-2018 | 09:48 PM
#26
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From: Chicago, IL; Onekama, MI
What's really to bad is some went way over board with colors and graphics etc that dates a boat more so than anything. I've seen some pretty awesome ones and some pretty ugly ones over the years yet at the time most looked fine and went with the times if that makes any sense. Good/ok then but today. Just had to post a couple pics of a 12 meter that most wouldn't think is an old 84. Something to be said about your very basic colors and lines.
I couldn't agree more. Late 80's & 90's had some hideous paint jobs. I'm sure they were cool at the time, but so were parachute pants. Formula had some of the worst offending graphics, again, cool at the time. I'll take classic colors and design any day over the flavor of the month colors and designs. If you look at the current options, most are going back to simple, classic, options. Your 12 meter, has that simple style. Might not be the flashiest boat on the lake (well Portage Lake it might be), but I doubt anyone is going to be calling it ugly either.
02-19-2018 | 10:20 PM
#27
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From: NW Michigan
its wrapped with a foam back vinyl. To my knowledge was done to prevent the hull bottom from banging into it while loading etc. If that's not why then I honestly have no clue. I haven't paid much attention yet however I would imagine I will be adding some additional bunk boards. If I had to guess the trailer is moreless universal. Tows extremely well and looks fine behind the padding but...
