Used boat market "Demand Destruction"

[born 2 fish]

Your assumption is 100% correct!!! The new stuff is junk, just go to the service trailer at any tournament you will find 5 or 6 guys every tournament that had to catch a ride back to the ramp. Most times they are outboards that are 4 or 5 months old. The new style Vault or oil bath hubs are not even close to the old bearing buddy's for reliability. I as posted get a new boat every 5 years, I have always had to replace Vault style hubs about every 2 to 3 years due to seal failure.

Out of curiosity What brand motor are you putting on your new boat?

[Highcentered]

I really think you are grossly over estimating the amount of people that owns bass boats as a business and have a true plan to make it to the top.

Yeah, competitive fishing on the higher levels seems like a good way to end up broke and filing for bankruptcy unless you're really lucky. And no way in hell I would buy a boat from MOST pros. If they've been through several powerheads on each boat it makes you wonder how they treated the rest of the boat.

[AustinV]

Well if I’m going to spend 65k for a used one or I could spend 75k for a brand new one I’ll probably get a new one. With that being said maybe this will get a lot of people to quit getting a new boat every year. Honestly a pain in the rear rigging and getting everything right. My favorite part is when someone only has like 30 hours on it and takes a decent beating on the resale. I think the beating is only going to get worse with most people financing that kind of purchase.

[born 2 fish]

Well if I’m going to spend 65k for a used one or I could spend 75k for a brand new one I’ll probably get a new one. With that being said maybe this will get a lot of people to quit getting a new boat every year. Honestly a pain in the rear rigging and getting everything right. My favorite part is when someone only has like 30 hours on it and takes a decent beating on the resale. I think the beating is only going to get worse with most people financing that kind of purchase.

That’s exactly what I did for the extra money I have the piece of mind that I know the entire history of the boat done the way I want and I know it wasn’t best to death by someone.

[GEEBASS2000]

Out of curiosity What brand motor are you putting on your new boat?

Either another Honda if I have time to coordinate the rigging or a Yamaha SHO if I only have time for factory rigging. The Honda is BY FAR my favorite of the outboards I have owned. It is just as reliable as a Honda Automobile, extremely quiet and great on gas not to mention only requires 87 gas.

I have owned 3 brands of outboards "Mercury, Yamaha and Honda" I have family that I have used their Evinrude's a lot. I have not owned a Suzuki, but I would love to test drive one on a hull I know.

[Bass in the grass]

Doesn’t take a genius to figure out that every damn thing in the world has gone up over the last 2 years and student loans are now being repaid again. Many people’s fluff money is now consumed by the real inflation, not the fake inflation that the gov’t tries to spin.

[bassfisher444]

Either another Honda if I have time to coordinate the rigging or a Yamaha SHO if I only have time for factory rigging. The Honda is BY FAR my favorite of the outboards I have owned. It is just as reliable as a Honda Automobile, extremely quiet and great on gas not to mention only requires 87 gas.

I have owned 3 brands of outboards "Mercury, Yamaha and Honda" I have family that I have used their Evinrude's a lot. I have not owned a Suzuki, but I would love to test drive one on a hull I know.

Mercury and Yamaha only require 87 gas also.

[Mcjenson]

They’re getting the money from somewhere.

IIRC there were 90 something who entered the Opens this past season trying to qualify for the Elites.

The economy is worse this year, but I bet when they open registration up they’ll likely be close to that number. And I’d wager a large chunk of them will be in a new rig.

It was 175ish guys. Of course not all finished, but the initial signup was crazy.

[dean c]

Isn’t the bottom line supply and demand? Your boat just isn’t worth what it was 2 years ago. Price accordingly and it will sell. Might not be the number you expect, but it will sell.

[ThomasD]

Mercury and Yamaha only require 87 gas also.

Yamaha recommends 89 for the SHO

[GEEBASS2000]

Mercury and Yamaha only require 87 gas also.

Not true 89 min for Yamaha. This makes the cost to run highest of the 3 I posted.

[GEEBASS2000]

Not true 89 min for Yamaha. This makes the cost to run highest of the 3 I posted.

And yes if you look around you can find 87 non ethanol.

[JACQUART21]

The high level tournament side of the sport will always be there. 75% or higher of those individuals are financially independent and will pay whatever is required to compete at that level. It's the boat manufacturers, electronic companies, outboards, etc. that will take the hit. The trickle down effect of extremely high new boat prices is high used boat prices, which in turn will cool the buyers. When those pricey lightly used boats quit selling, then in turn less brand new boats are purchased. Boat mfg will produce less new boats until inventory reductions cause demand to go back up. Or inflation/prices drop which may in turn cause demand to go up. We are in the nastiest part of this supply and demand cycle.

[bassfisher444]

If you are trying to sell one with a Honda then that is one of your main problems, not many people want a bass boat with a Honda, it's about like trying to sell one with an Evinrude.

[basscat tyler]

I don’t think it’s quite like selling one with an Evinrude. But you’re right, not many want a Honda. While their dependability is great, their performance isn’t on par with the rest. The small dealer network doesn’t help either. Though the funny thing is, I have two Honda dealers closer than a Yamaha dealer

[davidsa]

for people of average household income and average financial sense, taking out 8% loans of 50K or more for a used boat is likely a hard No. for the guy who can write a check for $60K, they likely can write a check for $90K and get a totally new boat. I can understand why a $75k used boat is a tough ticket.

[davesz518]

I've fished for close to 50 years and have owned so many boats I've lost count. Bottom line for me, I've never made money on a boat.....just the way it floats. All throw away, but hours and tons of enjoyment.

[Bogeypro]

Mercury and Yamaha only require 87 gas also.

Pretty sure my Yamaha sho manual says 89. Not really much an added cost.. that's what, a bucks more on a full up. People spend more than that buying cigarettes.

[Highcentered]

If you are trying to sell one with a Honda then that is one of your main problems, not many people want a bass boat with a Honda, it's about like trying to sell one with an Evinrude.

At least the Honda is known for being reliable even though it's slower. I'd buy one with a Honda before I'd buy one with a DFI Evinrude. I'd even choose the Honda over an Optimax or HPDI.

[skeeterator]

You think the future of bass fishing is a few hundred guys trying to compete at the top level vs the thousands of weekend warriors? I think the marketing departments for every bass boat manufacturer, outboard manufacturer, lure manufacturer, reel manufacturer, sun glasses manufacturer and all the other stuff bass fisherman use would beg to differ.

Exactly, he's so out of touch it's laughable.