I recently moved back to the states after living abroad for awhile, and had my boat shipped back here as well. I couldnt help but notice that a substanial amount of boat yards have closed shop as well as less perfromance boaters, I hope that this is not a sign of the times

Marinas are now selling out to condos around me and some shops are just closing up also Phila/ NJ area

perf boating is a specialized market......in days gone past any old car engine builder thought he could build a marine engine and charge a zillion dollars to us rich boat guys........wrong.......the motors went Bang!

Word gets around and alot of the chitty ones are gone

perf boating is alive and well here on OSO!!

amen to that...........

Righto!! cars are cars & boats boats.. They are similar, but there are a lot of differences too..

I think this site has weeded out dozens of these crooks, I still hear about it happening, I have a neighbor with a 65 Egg Harbor, he has gas and wanted diesel, he found an "engine builder" who would set him up with 2 rebuilt Cats for $60,000. Complete install, turn key right down to the new fuel tanks and all. When I heard this price I said scam to myself, then he said he had sent $30,000 and never heard back and could not find him anywhere. He is livid, that is a ton of cash. So now he sits, the old power is out getting ready for new that will never come. I asked him why he did not tell me he was doing this, this guy does not even have a hammer or wheel barrow, he borrows mine....he sees me work on my boat, bikes,sleds, he knows I know motors and what they are worth....he said he did not want to bother me, I said next time bother me....my advice is free.

I'm gonna rebuild the 5.7 liter outta my truck, and put it in a Piper Cub. Anyone want to go flying??

Actually, It seems the performance boat market continues to raise the bar - both in quality and in $$. What was acceptable a few years ago is considered average (or less) than what is out there today.
A few years back, who would have believed that production boats would be capable of running the century mark.
By raising the bar to what a "performance boat" is considered these days, alot of people are pushed out of the market - myself included.
Having a "performance boat" that run's in the 60-70's, and getting passed by a ski boat, or worse yet a PWC - kind of humbling - if you're into the "meat-swinging" contest.
There is impressive technology out there being put to use, and the people that aren't keeping up with it are going away.
Good for performance boating?? Or limiting the market of what is considered performance boating??

I heard that all the major manufacturers sold alot a record amount of boats at the Miami show this year. While that is good news, the bad news is that boat prices are way too high, insurance premiums are too high and gas prices are way too high--and going higher.
I just bought another boat, but I'm wondering where gas prices are going to be over the summer and 6 months from now?? I have been wondering, at what price of gas would I actually not use the boat and sell it? What I'm afraid of, is that day may come soon.

I went to Crystal Cove Starbucks (Newport Beach, Ca.) yesterday, where people drive their exotic cars there and park them in the parking lot like a car show. It was cool, I went with my neighbor in his Ferarri 360 Spyder. What a bada$$ car!!! It has the F-1 shifting paddles on the steering wheel. Anyway, I was thinking................my boats holds 190 gallons of fuel. Let's just say at an average (right now) fuel cost of $3.25, it would cost roughly $615.00 to fill up the tank. $615 would probably last me for six months in the car

Yea but I wonder how many of those checks were written from Insurance claims from people who didn't get their boats out of the marinas from Katrina. Then they complain about not being able to get insurance coverage this year.