How long do you keep your boat?

[gregski]

I recently sold my '89 DD. It's 25 years old and still running great. I had to put a few thousand into vinyl but other than that had no major expenses. The steering and throttle cables have failed recently which is really about the worst of the age related failures. We only "upgraded" because we wanted a V-drive.

One thing to consider is how simple these boats really are. There's a motor, some cables, a (simple) transmission, a prop and a rudder. I'm actually wondering if the newer boats will last as long as the older ones due to the increasing complexity. For example: ballast system components, hydraulic systems for control trim tabs/wake plates, electronic controls etc. all add failure points that may require more dealer specific parts that will go obsolete at some point. I cringe thinking about the longevity of the newest wakeboard boats that have the fancy touch screen controller. I'm sure they are the slick, but how will you repair those when they fail after 10 years?

[Sharpshooter]

Not counting bass boats
2004 stingray 190lx 2 yrs
2006 Moomba Outback 5 months
2013 Moomba LSV 13 months and counting
and looking to trade in on a 2015 MOJO