20 year old boats?

[Mcjenson]

Could be the upgrades, but just like trucks, at some point the value really doesn't drop anymore. It used to be, you could get $1,000 out of any truck as long as it was running. Now it is around $5,000. Same thing with some boats. If it is 20' has a motor that checks out and upgrades like new trolling motor, electronic and shallow water anchors, it is going to be worth 10 to 15 depending on a few other factors.

100%. Hell, if your are talking trucks and it’s got 4wd, v8 and not beat to death you are talking 10k nowadays regardless of years / miles. Boats are the same deal, if it’s a 20ft or bigger hull in good shape, the price is going to be high.

[BigFishSteve]

Mine is a 1991 with a 1998 motor. A single Helix on the console. Minn kota w/spotlock. No poles. Standard single axle trailer. You could not buy it for $20K. Original owner and still love it. Why would I sell it for anything reasonable, when it would cost $60K+ to replace?

[jcdogfish]

I don't see a blanket statement of boats were built better 20 years ago. I've owned a fair number. Newer boats are built very, very well. I feel like my 2021 is built as good as any I've owned.

I would agree with that. Beside the fact that some materials were better that can't be used anymore, I think the overall construction is better in most brands. At least we don't have the issue with rotting transoms, floors and stringers like we used to. My last boat was 10 years old when I sold it and it was as solid as new. My current boat is 7 years old and I don't see getting rid of it anytime soon or ever, I do see a repower in the future.

[TDobb]

I've got a 2008 P2 with about 270 hours on the Optimax, and I have it loaded up with great electronics and lithiums. If someone offered me north of 29 for it I would be hard tempted not to take it, but anything less than that and I would probably pass. It has been a fantastic boat and a hell of a lot of fun to fish out of. I bought it in 2021 with a single graph at the console and no graph on the bow, simple MG Tour 81 troller. I've spent a lot of time on the electronics and setup and other than wanting a new 4 stroke, there is really no need for me to change anything else on the boat.

[paulrodbender]

No worries. Let me help......... Mine can be had for $19,999.99

[Stein]

The thing with boats is that 5, 10 or 20 years old there isn't a huge difference in the basic boat. Thus, when new prices rise the used prices do as well. Same with cars and trucks lately and more so with houses. Look at any 10 or 20 year old house value. Nothing is different but the value has increased by 50% along with the new prices. Plus, in reality most boats get very little use. Even a heavily used boat may have 700 hours over 10-20 years. It's not much when compared to a car or truck.

[Thamelau]

Really? Wasn’t that about the time the EPA made manufacturing change resins resulting in tons of hull blisters?

Do not think about facts here. Older things were always built better. That is the way it is with rose colored glasses.

[creekchub]

Really? Wasn’t that about the time the EPA made manufacturing change resins resulting in tons of hull blisters?

that happened early 2000’s my buddy has a 2002 zero blisters , mine zero blisters ,I think around 2004 is when a lot of that started occurring

[basscat tyler]

Really? Wasn’t that about the time the EPA made manufacturing change resins resulting in tons of hull blisters?

I believe that was around 2004-2006 range were the worst years for blisters, if I’m remembering correctly

[jcdogfish]

Hell, even if it has blistering you can put a gorilla hull on, hang a new motor and still be half the cost of a new one

[LateralLine]

Finding someone to insure an older boat with those values is your greatest challenge.

Not an issue at all. Insure for an agreed value.

[dean c]

This guys says y’all’s boats should only last two years. One of the silliest threads in while.

https://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=1240546

The reason why we will see a decline is because, you are correct you don't need a new boat every year if you are a 50 to 60 hour per year weekend angler. However, the future of our sport is not federation or club guys. The future of our sport is found in the 20 to 30 year old Anglers that are working thru the B.A.S.S. opens or Toyota series trying to qualify for the Top level tour. I have several friends that are either EQ's, Toyota series Anglers. They will all tell you they put 150 hours on the outboard just with the tournaments not to mention most start guiding right now and will have over 200 hours on an outboard that is 9 months old. The trailers get hammered traveling all over the U.S. most do tires and bearings twice per year. They will all tell you 2 years max for a rig. I have seen some open level anglers keep a rig three years and sold their 700 plus hour rig and they all told me the same never again. They took hits of more than 50%. With today's math at 50% the Open level anglers can't handle $60,000 hit minimum every 3 years.

[marlon crowder]

1999 tr 21 with 2020 pro xs 225. 3 gen 4 hummingbird helix 12 hummingbird mega 360 Garmin livescope lv34 trans with 12xsv head unit. 4 lithium batteries and 10’ power pole blade. Boat was also recently wrapped new carpet and seadeck in the floor. You can get a 20 year old boat to 20k in a hurry. I purchased the boat for 12k in 2015. Without all the upgrades I would think I would atleast get my money back on the original purchase? Boat was insured at an agreed amount of 42k

[Dixie-Raven]

1999 tr 21 with 2020 pro xs 225. 3 gen 4 hummingbird helix 12 hummingbird mega 360 Garmin livescope lv34 trans with 12xsv head unit. 4 lithium batteries and 10’ power pole blade. Boat was also recently wrapped new carpet and seadeck in the floor. You can get a 20 year old boat to 20k in a hurry. I purchased the boat for 12k in 2015. Without all the upgrades I would think I would atleast get my money back on the original purchase? Boat was insured at an agreed amount of 42k

As I already stated mine is same as yours without any of the upgrades you mentioned and I wouldn't take less than $20K for mine simply because I think I could get it and also how much it would cost to replace with something newer.

[dwtaylor]

In case you haven't noticed, people want more money for their stuff in the last two or three years.

Our dollar is worth less than it was 8 years ago for example when these boats were posted for about half of what they are now. Early/mid 2000s Triton Tr-185/186 boats were between 6500 and 10k in 2015 when I bought mine depending on condition and features. Now you see them between 12 and 20k depending on condition and features.

Look at it this way too, the construction of the boats in the early 2000s to about 2008 was pretty solid overall, IMO. People still seek those years for Tritons, Stratos, Skeeter, Ranger, Champion, etc. Add your new electronics and maybe even repower, you have a solid tournament boat for less than half the cost of a new boat.

[Jbass123]

I would agree with that. Beside the fact that some materials were better that can't be used anymore, I think the overall construction is better in most brands. At least we don't have the issue with rotting transoms, floors and stringers like we used to. My last boat was 10 years old when I sold it and it was as solid as new.

Everything looks better in the rear view mirror. I was heavy into bass tournaments all through the 80s, 90s, up to the present day and with very few exceptions see better builds and performance now than ever. Most of my boats from 25-40 years ago were sold or traded after 1-3 years, and almost all of them developed their share of loose fittings and stress cracks. From 2000 to the present, I’ve never experienced a single gel coat crack: 8 boats in that span. So in that sense, any of the major brands from 2000 or so onward, reasonably well treated and maintained, is a good candidate for maintaining value.

[Mcjenson]

This guys says y’all’s boats should only last two years. One of the silliest threads in while.

https://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=1240546

That thread had some gold in it.

[rodney_h]

Many of todays boat buyers are only concerned with making the payments, sell it at monthly payments they can afford and they don't care what the total price is.

[Mark Perry]

That thread had some gold in it.

I'm still looking for all of these " pennies on the dollars" deals that one guy said was everywhere right now.

[geobass]

Because few can afford to spend $100k on a new boat at 10%. If you can good for you.