Now its getting crazy!!

[ae74_tx]

I think you are right Dank. I think the used market might be soon saturated with lightly used quality boats. I just think a lot of people spent their 10K they normally use for annual and semi annual vacations on down payments without really knowing if "the boat thing" is for them.

Eventually, they are going to realize that the cost and care of running, storing and maintaining the boat exceeds what they had anticipated. Plus, the payments get a little harder to swallow when there is snow on the ground and the boat is taking up your garage space or storage unit.

I know I will probably take a good beating by ordering a new boat this year, but the cost and availability of quality used boats out there this year made the cost delta marginal between the two. All the meticulous, lightly used premium brands in my area were north of 120K. It would have made financial sense for me to hold off and wait for a market adjustment , but my family has a only a few years left all together under the same roof and not missing the memories we will create in the next year or two helps to offset any loss to market adjustment.

We are in the same boat. Our current boat is a I/O that is 16 years old. We missed the window before COVID but my kids are only getting older so I either bite the bullet now and get a new boat or wait a couple years and get one but miss out on memories with the kids. I only have 3 more summers with my oldest. The used market now is garbage so we are going new. Got a moomba max with a build date in March. We were looking used at first but that market is toast now.

[larry_arizona]

I don’t see the new market MSRP’s being corrected ever. Skiers sells out every year.

The market has proven the 200k-300k ceilings have been sustainable so anything under 200k is a bargain.

Master craft and Nautique sell more than SC yearly at significantly higher MSRP’s.

Entry level boats are now near 6 figures and still selling even before the pandemic rush.

The used market will get an adjustment just based on supply and demand in the next few years, but it will likely be a 1-2 year dump for those who didn’t like the experience. But it’s not like prices are going to be $25k less, maybe $5k-$10k less.

It’s still a growing sport, market saturation has not occurred yet even with a 355% increase in boat sales.

I am out in the next 5 years, but at the current pace of boat pricing, I would not be buying a Supra in 2026, they would officially be out of my price range and I would shopping Moomba.

Not sure how much more significant tech upgrades or hull designs are coming in the future.


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[Isaguel]

I echo the sentiments of those who point out the value of memories. My daughter will be out in another 2 years, my 12 y/o son is loving watersports, he is getting his 360's every time we go out. The pictures, memories , the stories are invaluable to me, no matter what the market correction does.
Additionally, one must consider these are not short term purchases. I plan to keep my boat for at least another 6-7 years. Market corrections are cyclical. If there is a correction in next 2-3 years, by the time I'm ready to upgrade it'll likely be on the upswing again. It only hurt those who are getting out of the sport.
IMO the most important thing is to buy within your means. If you do your boat will never be a burden, regardless of what the market does.
When we built our house in '06, a financial manager friend of ours recommended we buy the biggest house we could afford. "House prices will never come down", its yearly return, 10-15%, was better than any investment, blah, blah blah. We looked at >$800k houses. I felt somewhat uneasy about the whole idea. We did not risk it, instead we built a house that fell comfortably within our budget. The same year we closed the market collapsed. I have never lost one night of sleep over it, why? because it was not a investment, it was long term, it was our home. I eventually heard he lost one of his high end homes. Point is, if you buy a boat today, most likely its a long term purchase, the market may correct but it'll adjust back up, don't worry, just follow one simple principle, if the payment ever keeps you up at night, stop, reassess and adjust down until you feel at ease with it. And then enjoy all the awesome memories.

[zabooda]

We will probably never buy again. Now that we moved near Table Rock Lake, we may join a boat club. It would be interesting to see what boats are available.



Branson Boat Club – Boat more, Work less!
http://bransonboatclub.com/

[larry_arizona]

We will probably never buy again. Now that we moved near Table Rock Lake, we may join a boat club. It would be interesting to see what boats are available.



Branson Boat Club – Boat more, Work less!
http://bransonboatclub.com/

Wouldn’t it be a constant battle to get a club boat to produce a good wake? Different boat every time?


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[Dank]

We are in the same boat. Our current boat is a I/O that is 16 years old. We missed the window before COVID but my kids are only getting older so I either bite the bullet now and get a new boat or wait a couple years and get one but miss out on memories with the kids. I only have 3 more summers with my oldest. The used market now is garbage so we are going new. Got a moomba max with a build date in March. We were looking used at first but that market is toast now.

You totally did the right thing... the Max is a freaking awesome boat. You'll be looking at years of problem free boating.

[Dank]

I think you are right Dank. I think the used market might be soon saturated with lightly used quality boats. I just think a lot of people spent their 10K they normally use for annual and semi annual vacations on down payments without really knowing if "the boat thing" is for them.

Eventually, they are going to realize that the cost and care of running, storing and maintaining the boat exceeds what they had anticipated. Plus, the payments get a little harder to swallow when there is snow on the ground and the boat is taking up your garage space or storage unit.

I know I will probably take a good beating by ordering a new boat this year, but the cost and availability of quality used boats out there this year made the cost delta marginal between the two. All the meticulous, lightly used premium brands in my area were north of 120K. It would have made financial sense for me to hold off and wait for a market adjustment , but my family has a only a few years left all together under the same roof and not missing the memories we will create in the next year or two helps to offset any loss to market adjustment.

totally agree.

[BizzyC]

Market correction is coming.... thats for sure.

I’ve been on the fence about a new (or used) boat for a couple of years and I’ve heard this sentiment often, so I’ve waited.

Well, even during a pandemic nothing has “corrected” and my window with the kids is closing, so I’m pulling the trigger.

There may be a correction, but it would be 10-15% which I can live with. My dealer was telling me the investment banker they (and some of the OEMs) use for forecasting is pointing to 2023 at the earliest for a slow down (which doesn’t necessarily mean correction). BTW he’s sold all of his Supra and Moomba slots for 2021.

I agree with OP, buy what you can afford today so you don’t freak out or panic about what happens tomorrow.


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[larry_arizona]

With some brands sold out or very limited stock at best, spring time will kick in the used market again, although stock will be limited as sellers will only be those getting out of the sport.


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[2in2out]

With the number of new and used boats being bought, I have real concerns about lake traffic. Last year was the worst I’d seen on two lakes.

So far out west, snow fall is well below average. Our lakes were already in bad shape, and if we don’t get sizable snowfall in the next 3 months, launching past July 4th won’t happen as the lakes will be too low.

If that happens, you’ll see a flood of boats hit the used market July-October 2021. If winter pans out and give enough snowpack to keep the lakes full, I can see summer being aquatic mayhem.