I have seen various posts such as Nascat purchasing his new Nor-Tech through a dealer and thought why not go straight to the manufacturer? So I was wondering, most of the high performance, custom boat builders do have small dealer networks, however, I would assume you could go straight to the manufacturer.

What are the advantages of dealer or manufacturer? Cost, options, guidance? Do dealers help bring prior builds likes and dislikes into play, and try to steer the buyer to what they want, verse a 100 page list of options an colors to try to sort through.

I am sure there have been great successes with both paths, I was just wondering why choose one over the other?

Nor-tech will not sell direct..

Those that have dealers will not (or should I say, should not) sell direct. Why have a dealer network if you plan to undercut it? Why then would the dealers have any incentive to advertise or stock your product?

I can't speak for other manufacturers, but Checkmate/Hustler is the same as Nor-Tech. You can go to the factory and pick out every option you want on the boat. Once you have it designed, they tell you to go see one of their dealers to get it ordered.

You cannot buy direct from Sunsation either. Must go through a dealer.

What about cigarette? Can you not go directly to them? Is PBC not a dealer for them?

Or I guess for Formula, you can spec a boat out online through them, however that would get sent to a dealer for the actual deal?

service service service

Service? The Verados can be serviced by anyone in the country under warranty and anything else on the boat would be either sent back to the manufacturer or independent vendor. Dealerships today rarely want to be involved in warranty work outside of engines because they often never get paid for it!

There was a big multi-brand dealer in Florida that was at all the poker runs, put on a big show and stocked a nice selection of boats. One high end brand owed the dealer 100K in "warranty work" and kept telling them to sell a few more boats and we will settle up........never heard of the settle up part ever happening.

I understood it as they would sell direct if you lived outside a dealership area and Skip would give some type of kickback to the dealer nearest by as a consolation prize.

Biggest reason to go through a dealership is the trade/financing issues. If the boat needs major warranty work it would be returned to the manufacturer anyway.