Why no 150hp rated boats anymore.

[davidsa]

IMO where it shines over aluminum is fishing in wind, doesn't get blown around as bad.

my experience as well. Even a glass fish and ski gets blown around too much for me or burns up the TM battery really quick. I fish alot in higher winds (e.g. 12 to 17) and don't try fighting against it and can drift in glass at a reasonable speed

[boatinpete]

Marketing, do what the pro's do and many follow.

[BassinPaPaw]

Yes, but unfortunately we are not the same now as 20-30 years ago. And that’s why we like comfort in our boats more than we did then.

That’s right. I’d be akward and clumsy now in my little hydra sport I had. That thing beat you to death.

[Mark Perry]

The market has spoken. You might not like what it says ir try abd downplay it but smaller boats just do not sell well. You can blame on whatever you like but the reality is the market has spoken.

[davidsa]

The market has spoken. You might not like what it says ir try abd downplay it but smaller boats just do not sell well. You can blame on whatever you like but the reality is the market has spoken.

i do think the new market says this. But, the small boats appear to sell quickly used.

[Mark Perry]

i do think the new market says this. But, the small boats appear to sell quickly used.

I think the OP was asking why so few new 18' boats are being made these days.

[bassfisher444]

I think the OP was asking why so few new 18' boats are being made these days.

I believe the market for them is definitely there but the product isn't. There are boats already available that would be perfect with a 150hp motor but are only available with a 115. The Triton 179 TRX for example 18.5' long 91" wide, for some reason only rated for a 115, their next model up is the 18TRX rated for a 200hp. I believe the 179 TRX would sell well with a 150hp and so would the Nitro Z17 if they offered it with a 150hp.

[Mark Perry]

I believe the market for them is definitely there but the product isn't. There are boats already available that would be perfect with a 150hp motor but are only available with a 115. The Triton 179 TRX for example 18.5' long 91" wide, for some reason only rated for a 115, their next model up is the 18TRX rated for a 200hp. I believe the 179 TRX would sell well with a 150hp and so would the Nitro Z17 if they offered it with a 150hp.

You can believe what you want but manufacturers spend a lot of effort and money on understanding market trends and it appears the market has definitely spoken. You can has, rehash it and argue it all you want but I doubt it's a conspiracy plan by every brand working together to eliminate the 18" market.


Like any item if the demand is there and there is profit in building it them it would get built.

[davidsa]

I think the OP was asking why so few new 18' boats are being made these days.

I know what the OP asked. My point is we have kinda contradicting information about what the market wants. Maybe the market believes the 18ft boat is garage kept and run gently and that explains the used market. Maybe the tin market owns the 18ft class

[Highcentered]

I believe the market for them is definitely there but the product isn't. There are boats already available that would be perfect with a 150hp motor but are only available with a 115. The Triton 179 TRX for example 18.5' long 91" wide, for some reason only rated for a 115, their next model up is the 18TRX rated for a 200hp. I believe the 179 TRX would sell well with a 150hp and so would the Nitro Z17 if they offered it with a 150hp.

The 179trx and z17 are both price point boats. A 150 would add probably 4 grand at least these days to the cost of those boats. The people buying those boats most likely just want something pretty to fish out of with a motor that will get them from point A to point B in a timely manner. No different from the people who get the 60hp on a 175txw or rt178. They just want something nice and new to fish out of.

[Highcentered]

I know what the OP asked. My point is we have kinda contradicting information about what the market wants. Maybe the market believes the 18ft boat is garage kept and run gently and that explains the used market. Maybe the tin market owns the 18ft class

Well, when I look at a big used glass rig with a 250 I just ASSume it's been beat on in a tournament setting by someone pretending to be a pro. Chances are high it hasn't been but just the first thing that pops into my head when I see a used one for sale. People beat on smaller boats too so it's really a crapshoot unless you know the seller really well.

[bassfisher444]

The 179trx and z17 are both price point boats. A 150 would add probably 4 grand at least these days to the cost of those boats. The people buying those boats most likely just want something pretty to fish out of with a motor that will get them from point A to point B in a timely manner. No different from the people who get the 60hp on a 175txw or rt178. They just want something nice and new to fish out of.

Yes, they can still offer those boats with a 115 as well, but give them a 150 hp rating.

[Mark Perry]

I know what the OP asked. My point is we have kinda contradicting information about what the market wants. Maybe the market believes the 18ft boat is garage kept and run gently and that explains the used market. Maybe the tin market owns the 18ft class

Used boats will be cheaper which might explain why that class boat sells better on used market. As is being shown there appears to be little true interest from buyers on the new boat side of things in that size class. I don't think a handful.of guys on here talking about being interest is 100% indicative of what the actual buying market might be.

[BroWhoop]

I asked Phoenix at the classic in Shreveport a few back. A 819 is rated for a 200, a 919 is rated for a 225. They the same hull, just a lot of upgrades on the 919. It is all marketing, regardless of brand and size.

[Highcentered]

Yes, they can still offer those boats with a 115 as well, but give them a 150 hp rating.

I don't think you understand the marketing side of things. Rate those boats for a 150 and people would see a 115 on it with a 150 rating and not buy it. Guarantee it. Then they would see the price on one with the 150 and get even worse sticker shock. That said, back in 2015 I inquired about a new Margay with a 115 and they got belligerent with me at my local dealer. It's a small boat and I would have been OK with that hull with a 115 on it for the water I fish. Saw more of them with the 115 than I did with a 150 the first couple years the Margay (now the Bobcat) was back on the market. A year or two before that I was in there looking at a Sabre and he said they rig all of those boats with a 150 because the little gain you get with the 175 isn't worth the price jump to most people. The Sabre is a boat that you seem to see mostly with a 150 and it's a good running boat with that HP.

[Grizzly]

Marketing, do what the pro's do and many follow.

I got a great deal on my 18' 150hp boat. Dealer said everyone wanted 21' 250hp.

[Jbass123]

I got a great deal on my 18' 150hp boat. Dealer said everyone wanted 21' 250hp.

Which is precisely why boat manufacturers and dealers [who have good sense] stay away from 18 foot fiberglass boats rated for 150. They sit, and sit, and sit until the dealer ends up taking a loss just to get them out the door. Yes, the used market for this type of rig is strong, but again that’s based on market conditions: *because* these rigs don’t sell well when new, there are very few for sale when used, and there is a segment of the boat-buying public that wants the cleanest boat they can buy for the lowest amount of funds. Their choices are heavily used bigger rigs or cleaner/newer small rigs. Don’t confuse a sharp demand in a small group of buyers with there being a large group of buyers who’d choose an 18-footer if they had their druthers.

[Highcentered]

Marketing, do what the pro's do and many follow.

Yup, pros sure are good at getting people to spend their money.

I remember when my friend's uncle was done with his sponsored 01 Champion 196 with a 200 Optipop. 2002 was his first year with Ranger. Anyway, that very clean Champion sat there for a year at the dealer without selling because everyone was wanting a boat with a 225hp because that's what the pros were running now. I know how Scott runs his tournament boats and wouldn't hesitate to buy one he ran for a year. Scott's dad was going to buy a new Etec 150 in 2003 to replace the tired XP150 on his Charger 180. His grandson (my best friend) talked him into paying 5 grand more to buy Scott's previous tournament boat. That Champion is still a great boat and still looks really good for its age. My friend inherited that boat and he's never getting rid of it.

So yes, the pros are indeed influencers and salesmen. If the pros went back to an 18' rig with a 150 I bet they would outsell the big boats with a 250.

[Boat4Life]

So yes, the pros are indeed influencers and salesmen. If the pros went back to an 18' rig with a 150 I bet they would outsell the big boats with a 250.

Yep, no doubt, kinda funny actually.

[fishnfireman]

So yes, the pros are indeed influencers and salesmen. If the pros went back to an 18' rig with a 150 I bet they would outsell the big boats with a 250.