Eye popping numbers

[gim]

Hit up the Minneapolis Boat Show today for a few hours.  I am currently not in the market for a new boat, I just like looking at them.  It gives me a small taste of spring, if only for a short period of time, in the middle of a Midwest winter.

 

Some of the prices are just outlandish.  They had a Ranger Z series tournament bass boat 55 year anniversary special edition that was 111,000 bucks.  I had to sit in it.  A guy can dream, right?

[MN Fisher]

 

That's over twice what I paid for my house when I bought it.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I was in the high end tackle store the other day, and a mother was in there barking about her college age son not using the 75k rig she bought him with another 5-10k in electronics including Garmin Live Scope. 

 

Some people are blessed like that young adult kid and never realize it before it's too late and he's squandered his incredible opportunity and boat.

 

I might go to the show in my town this weekend because a neighbor wants me to help her get a new to her pontoon.    I don't want to go because I don't want to see a bunch of Skeeters ?

[Craig P]

We have one in Pa next week. We always go and just like you, it’s a good way to get out of the winter mindset.  A friend and I were joking about a boat he has interest in over the years and we are wondering if the price would be double compared to 4 years ago. I bet it will be close to double, especially since the price was a really good “show” price 4 years ago.  No deals now…..

[Swamp Girl]

Wh-wh-what? I had no idea you could spend so much on a boat. If I had $111,045, I'd buy a cabin on the Penobscot River and fish out of my canoe. 

[Susky River Rat]

High end boats are so cool. The technology they are  engineered with. They luxuries they have.  I will never own one. I will probably never been in one. I am just not in a geographical area for them. I would have to move to get any real use out of one. Any fiberglass boat for that matter. That was one of my biggest shocks when I went to stonewall Jackson. 60-80k trucks pulling 60-80k boats plus electronics. I’d say it was about 75% of the boat/trucks there.  I said to my wife those guys have more money wrapped up into electronics on their boats then I have total in my boat as a whole. If you got it spend it. 

[A-Jay]

8 hours ago, gimruis said:

 

And you look so good in it !

You should get one.

A-Jay

[Captain Phil]

Today's boat prices are ridiculous.  In the 90s, I bought a 21' custom built Gambler bass boat fully rigged with a 225 Mercury ProMax, trailer, trolling motor and all the electronics for $32,000.  I haven't priced one, but a friend just bought a new Skeeter for $70K.  The 32' twin diesel sport fish I bought new in 1984 for $85K is now a quarter million.  I have no idea who's buying these boats?  There can't be that many Bitcoin millionaires left.

 

My little Ranger RT178 cost me $27K out the door.  That's a lot of money for a 17' aluminum boat, but it does most everything a $70K bass boat does only a little slower. It doesn't have $4K worth of power poles or a TV that can see fish.  I could easily spend three times that much and not catch any more fish.

[BrianMDTX]

Too $$$ for my blood. Nice if you have the scratch for it, but OMG that’s big coin for a bass boat. I’d want to be able to sleep IN it for that money. 

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, Captain Phil said:

Today's boat prices are ridiculous. 

 

The 32' twin diesel sport fish I bought new in 1984 for $85K is now a quarter million. 

Old people think everything is too expensive, $85k in 1984 is around $245k in today's $.

[BrianMDTX]

1 minute ago, Deleted account said:

Old people think everything is too expensive, $85k in 1984 is around $245k in today's $.

$85K was expensive in 1984! 

[Captain Phil]

In 1980, I was making $200K a year.  I was 35 years old and was buying everything I could get my hands on.  I had a 30 foot boat docked in a marina.  A Boston Whaler flats skiff.  A condo in Key Largo and a house with acreage in the country. My company car was a Ferrari 308 GTSI.   I traveled the world fishing.  I had so many debts, I had a full time bookkeeper just to keep up with my payments.  I was on a hamster wheel and couldn't get off.  One day, my accountant told me I needed to start saving money for retirement.  I told him I didn't need to because my company was making me rich.  He told me the company may not make it.  I thought he was crazy, but I started saving.  I invested my money in the stock market and never touched it.   I happened to buy some stock in a company that most people didn't think much of at the time.    That stock was Apple.  I am on this forum today because I took his advice.  I was extremely lucky and fortunate that I didn't go bankrupt.  Always have a backup plan because you never know what's ahead of you. 

[Catt]

I went to our local Boat & RV show last weekend. They had a Caymas CX19 with a Merc 225 ProXS for $92,000. I don't even think it had electronics. There was a Allison with a Merc 250 Racing Motor, fully equipped, & no price tag.

 

I stick with my little Alweld 

[Motoboss]

My Nephew sells Phoenix boats at $60-90k every week to twenty somethings. Where they get the money, I have no idea. Other than the beginning of a looooooooong trail of debt.

 

 

 

Been there, done that, aint going back!

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, Captain Phil said:

In 1980, I was making $200K a year.  I was 35 years old and was buying everything I could get my hands on.  I had a 30 foot boat docked in a marina.  A Boston Whaler flats skiff.  A condo in Key Largo and a house with acreage in the country. My company car was a Ferrari 308 GTSI.   I traveled the world fishing.  I had so many debts, I had a full time bookkeeper just to keep up with my payments.  I was on a hamster wheel and couldn't get off.  One day, my accountant told me I needed to start save money for retirement.  I told him I didn't need to because my company was making me rich.  He told me the company may not make it.  I thought he was crazy, but I started saving.  I invested my money in the stock market and never touched it.   I happened to buy some stock in a company that most people didn't think much of at the time.    That stock was Apple.  I am on this forum today because I took his advice.  I was extremely lucky and fortunate that I didn't go bankrupt.  Always have a backup plan because you never know what's ahead of you. 

LOL, the eighties were a trip, I was in my 20s then. I tell everyone I worked my way down the corporate ladder, for me it's been like a Forrest Gump trip, I just always seem to land in a good place.

[volzfan59]

I noted while going through my new BPS master catalog that there were several Ranger models in it. The Z521R anniversary edition was (cough) $109,995.00! The Z520R anniversary edition was $104,995.00! Both boats had Mercury 250's and two power poles, looked to have Minn Kota T/M's, not sure about electronics. These boat prices are nuts. P. T. Barnum was right.

[Darth-Baiter]

if (big if) I ever buy a bass boat, I am buying one used.  I see so many people that buy them and NEVER use them.  they have to work OT to pay for the dang thing.  I prefer they take the time depreciation hit.  not me.  

 

my friends brother bought one, used it once and then parked it in his mom's garage.  he wife doesn't even know about it.  crazy.  I would use the heck out of it.  

[Kyle S]

I'd love a bigger, 'better', faster and more well equipped bass boat. I know many others would also. My 1648 Grizzly will have to hold me over until such time I can afford something 'better'.

I bet that boat would be nothing short of amazing.

Thats a LOT of money though.

Unless one has the cash to buy it outright, imagine what you'd end up actually paying for it once your loan is all paid in full...

I'm scared of debt.

 

 

 

[Johnbt]

Nice boat. I keep looking at James River-size boats - it's tidal for 100 miles to Richmond and there are some tugs and barges and container ships. Just one more thing to take care of. Maybe I should get a small bay boat.

 

Meanwhile -

 

In 2014 a 1648 bare bones, no console, no trailer, no nothing, Tracker Grizzly hull was $2599.

 

Now? Only $5595. A trailer is another $2k. Was $1250 more in '14.

 

-----------------------

 

2023

GRIZZLY® 1648 JON

National Price

$5,395

Freight:	$200

Your Price w/ Prep & Freight:

$5,595

[Motoboss]

I have to admit, as @Deleted account noted todays dollar -vs- “our day” dollar is much different. I purchased my last new truck (literally!) in 2019 and had sticker shock then, but in reality I probably paid just as much (relatively) to my new 2003 truck.

 

Although it sure seemed much cheaper back then. ?

[Swamp Girl]

@Kyle S You are smart to be scared of debt. Debt is servitude. 

 

If I see a guy with a $100,000 bass boat, I'm thinking, "You better outfish me...by a lot...with all those advantages."

[WRB]

We all have different levels of disposable income. If the price is too high pass, if it fits your needs and comfortable with the price buy it.

The mom who bought a “toy” for her son should sell it he obviously doesn't need or use it. Let him earn his next purchase.

Tom

[jhoffman]

$700 a month for 20 years if you put down $10k and get an unbelievable rate for todays rates

I just paid cash for my "new boat". I tried owning a brand new skeeter that I paid on, didnt like that too much when it sat unused. This boat, if I dont go for 6 months I dont care.

[gim]

9 hours ago, Catt said:

They had a Caymas CX19 with a Merc 225 ProXS for $92,000. I don't even think it had electronics.

I saw three of those there too.  I had never heard of that brand.  They are a spin off of Triton.

 

About half the show is fishing boats, and the other half are recreational-type boats like pontoons, cruisers, runabouts, jet skis, and wake boats.

 

I was with a friend who is in the market for a fish/ski combo-type boat.  He is very interested in a 17-18 foot Lund aluminum, so this was a great opportunity to sit in them, look around, and check it out in person.

 

By far the most popular spot was the area with pontoons, particularly Bennington.  They had about 20 of them lined up and you could just walk in and out of one to the next.

[slonezp]

5 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

@Kyle S You are smart to be scared of debt. Debt is servitude. 

 

If I see a guy with a $100,000 bass boat, I'm thinking, "You better outfish me...by a lot...with all those advantages."

Taxes are servitude. Debt is a choice.