Comparing yesterday’s boats to today’s for price comparisons isn’t realistic. Costs of the resins to build as well as the EPA mandates on manufacturers has risen 400-500% since the early 2000’s. Even the fuel tank hardware is considerably more complicated. The overall complexity of today’s boat vs 20 yrs ago isn’t even comparable. The costs have to go up to compensate. It’s a luxury. The every mans boat is still a 16’ tin with a 25hp outboard.
https://basscat.com/bass-cat-models/deluxe-tournament/
We’ve came from this to where we are today in 50 years. Imagine what a bass boat will look like 50 years from now.
Let’s ASSume that rig was 5,000 in 1971. Can you still buy a 16 or 17’ boat with a 115 for 33,773 today? Based on inflation that’s 5K today. I have less than 33K tied up in my pretty well loaded Ranger RT188…and that’s with the longest platinum warranty Mercury offers.
If you’re going to compare prices to the past, IMO you also need to look at what consumers get for their dollars today.
Why does everyone feel like they should be able to buy a new bass boat or new fully loaded truck? Should have started saving your money earlier or got into a different profession. Maybe not pop out a family of 6 you can’t afford. 100k is a drop in the bucket to many. I can’t afford a Lamborghini, so guess what, I don’t buy one…….pretty simple. I don’t go on a Lamborghini board and cry about it.
Exactly, I really love the “ I’m not going to spend a hundred grand on a new boat but I could if I wanted and pay cash”. These threads are always the same and pop up often.Originally Posted by 32regulator
By the time this is all over it just might be a good investment lol. Prices keep going up so you should do well when you sell.
I'm 69 and waiting on my new Ranger to be built and don't give a crap about investment or resale value , to old and to smart to care .
I remember looking at a new Ranger in the Late 70's that was listed at 16,000 and thinking to myself we've certainly reached a ceiling they couldn't possibly get any more expensive....
Well congrats.
I remember sitting in a 90’s vintage 400 series Ranger at a boat show..it was 35K… I could only dream about it at that time.
Not around here. There isn't a high school fishing team anywhere in the nearby areas. Plenty of surfing team sports but no fishing. The bas clubs in the area can't even get enough members to grow. They are shrinking as the population ages, and the fishing declines. So Mr Perry your blanket statement does not hold true in central florida.
Didn’t they just have a 162 boat HS tournament out of Palatka couple weeks back?
Palatka is quite a ways north of me, so if they did, I didn't hear anything about it. Sure it was high school and not college?
Given the fact that they're essentially order to build these days with a 3-5 month turnaround for delivery - does it really matter what we think of the cost.....
Just with BASS Nation alone they have an entire central FL division that draws very, very well. Looks like close to 200 boats at times. Looks like FWC promotes HS fishing in FL via grants and setting up clubs.
https://www.floridafederationnation....chool-results/
100% agree! Boats have gone to an astronomical level and electronics by comparison are the same. No one will ever make me believe the blah blah blah of why they are. It’s total horse crap! But…..to have all the nice toys, you have to suck it up the tail pipe and bow down to these companies.
2008 BULLET 21XD 2007 Merc 300xs
Here was page one results you can go Florida board where I asked about the results if you want to see all the results
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Bay boats are a lot cheaper…why well we all know that reason
Why?
Cheap Bay boats are cheaper !!!!
High School fishing in this area is still growing like crazy. The club my son started at his high school has at least doubled in size if not tripled. A friends son is a freshman this year and the dad told me initially (back before school started) there were quite a few kids without boats and now pretty much everyone has a boat because the parents went out and bought one.
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