Boat builders shut down plants

BillP

Captain
Joined
Aug 10, 2002
Messages
3,290
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

I didn't see mention of Bayliner in Washington so maybe they didn't get hit has hard as others. Could be the big boat buyers are downsizing and the lower end boats will absorb some of it. We saw big boat owners downsizing to trailerables (that they could tow out of storm paths) after the hurricanes wiped out Florida a few yrs ago. It kept the small boat maket going while bigger boats weren't selling.

On a side note...yesterday afternoon I was browsing in a gun shop. The shop owner said they had an unusually high increase in gun sales for the last month or so. He said people are getting paranoid about the downturning economy causing major crime now.

bp
 

lets_fish

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 9, 2008
Messages
46
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

A little off topic but does anyone know where to see pictures of the building process inside any of these plants? Mainly Brunswick?
 

lockey32

Cadet
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
20
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

VIP is reopening one of there plants here in NW louisiana .
 

wca_tim

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 28, 2007
Messages
1,708
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

when you think the stuff is goig to hit the fan and everyone starts stocking up on food water, batteries, gasoline, etc... don't worry about all those seemingly important items, buy extra cases of ammo...

I didn't see mention of Bayliner in Washington so maybe they didn't get hit has hard as others. Could be the big boat buyers are downsizing and the lower end boats will absorb some of it. We saw big boat owners downsizing to trailerables (that they could tow out of storm paths) after the hurricanes wiped out Florida a few yrs ago. It kept the small boat maket going while bigger boats weren't selling.

On a side note...yesterday afternoon I was browsing in a gun shop. The shop owner said they had an unusually high increase in gun sales for the last month or so. He said people are getting paranoid about the downturning economy causing major crime now.

bp
 

Tafflad

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 23, 2007
Messages
536
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

Just my thinking, but wouldn't the lower cost, entry level manufacturers be better positioned for this economic downturn? They should already have minimal overhead in their manufacturing process which in turn allows them to offer a $12K boat into the market. I think they'd be best suited?

Thoughts?

You have been proved right .... entry level Bayliner kept - Maxum closed - and Sea Ray kept.

It's the middle market that is proving to be hit.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Re: Boat builders shut down plants

at close to $30,000 Bayliner is not entry level anymore.
 

Capt'n Chris

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May 21, 2009
Messages
461
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

Due to the backlog of 2006 boat inventory still sitting on dealer lots, combined with closings, I suspect we are going to see a no boat model yr policy coming soon too...just like the no model yr motor policy to unload old stock from warehouse shelves in the name of keeping up with technology. We consumers will be expected to pay 2009 prices for 2006 inventory that sat for 3 yrs and take the hit out of our pocket for their poor mfg mgt.

bp

Back in the 1960's and for the most part the 70's, during my early formative boating experience in my teens, boat year models were unheard of. We just waited for the new styles and colors. Those years were the heyday of boating where boat dealers flourished and few ever thought about financing a boat. Outboard motors were somewhat more focused on year models and increasing hp; however. It was during those times that one could buy a boat, choose his motor brand and hp and trailer and would be rigged accordingly without regard for year model...it just was not important. There were dear few factory rigged "combos" which did not offer a choice and they proved short-lived and pretty much unpopular. Today, a leftover boat, and particularly a motor, is the kiss of death for a boat dealer. Sans pointing the finger, deep-pocketed boat manufacturers, coupled with the amalgamation of marine industries and bottomless advertising budgets, presented "factory-rigged-out-the-door" boats targeting "model conscious" first time buyers with easy financing in tow...and it worked. The marketing trend followed suit and look where we are today.
 

Jeep Man

Commander
Joined
Oct 17, 2008
Messages
2,803
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

Resurrecting year old threads again?....!!!!!!!!
 

DECK SWABBER 58

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
1,913
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

Crownline Boats in my little neck of the woods here in S.IL. is back in business. They totally shut down last year laying off at least 300 hundred.
This sept. the company sold and they are back producing boats, with 1/3 of the employee's they once had. But this is good news here, we have the highest unemployment in the state, this is coal mining country and things have been really bad here since the 80's.
 

kregars

Cadet
Joined
Jun 21, 2007
Messages
23
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

Not really related to manufacturing, but I've been seeing several of the dealers on Kent Island MD that are shuttering. Also saw that at least 1 of the dealers in Woodbridge VA was either moving (with no new address listed) or they were getting out of the business in Woodbridge.

Along those same lines, there's another dealer in Woodbridge that had seemed to want to move only to the Maxum brand away from Bayliner/Trophy. With Maxum closing down and ceasing production, one is left to wonder if they will move back to the Bayliner/Trophy line or if they are next on the block of dealers to get out of the boat selling business all together.

Several of the Yamaha dealers (for the jet boats) have also stopped carrying inventory and will only order one if they have a certified (ratified?) deal.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
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Messages
51,019
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

of course, not having inventory cuts the cost of the finance floor plan for the dealer, every boat on his lot, is financed thru his floor plan, which he pays interest.

I mailed more than 100 request for door prizes, for this years Florida get together, more than 50 came back with "no forwarding address"
 

T Wardy

Cadet
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
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Re: Boat builders shut down plants

Great! I just ordered a new ALumacraft.....god knows when it will come in now, lol. :mad:
 

Subliminal

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
555
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

Back in the 1960's and for the most part the 70's, during my early formative boating experience in my teens, boat year models were unheard of. We just waited for the new styles and colors. Those years were the heyday of boating where boat dealers flourished and few ever thought about financing a boat. Outboard motors were somewhat more focused on year models and increasing hp; however. It was during those times that one could buy a boat, choose his motor brand and hp and trailer and would be rigged accordingly without regard for year model...it just was not important. There were dear few factory rigged "combos" which did not offer a choice and they proved short-lived and pretty much unpopular. Today, a leftover boat, and particularly a motor, is the kiss of death for a boat dealer. Sans pointing the finger, deep-pocketed boat manufacturers, coupled with the amalgamation of marine industries and bottomless advertising budgets, presented "factory-rigged-out-the-door" boats targeting "model conscious" first time buyers with easy financing in tow...and it worked. The marketing trend followed suit and look where we are today.

You know, this is something that bothers the crap out of me. For example, I bought last year's iPod Nano. It works perfect. They came out with a new one, which is basically identical, but with a camera. Yeah, like my iPod was really suffering for lack of a camera! But, you gotta get a new model out there asap, or else you can't get people to sell their perfectly working last year's model.

Same for our car. We have an 08 Chevrolet Equinox. It was the same as the 09 that came out right afterwards, except the 09 has bluetooth support. And then they totally changed it up for 10...which is fine...if you have actual improvements for '10, that's kewl...but don't just do it to make the last year's model outdated.

I just looked at the 09 model of the 08 leftover Monterey 180FS I just bought...any differences? None that I can see...but pump out that new model! DURP!
 

204 Escape

Ensign
Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Messages
909
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

I took my boat over to the dealership, 2 weeks ago, and they told me that they had ordered "3" new Chaparrells, MONTHS ago, and the boats were on hold, BECAUSE they couldn't get the finish parts needed to complete the interior of the boats.

The dealership said that the trailer company was putting some pressure on them for an order date, as they are hurting for work as well.
 

thedukeryan

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 21, 2009
Messages
298
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

On a side note...yesterday afternoon I was browsing in a gun shop. The shop owner said they had an unusually high increase in gun sales for the last month or so. He said people are getting paranoid about the downturning economy causing major crime now.

bp
I am in the firearm business and you would not believe the HUGE spike in sales after the election. For MONTHS you could not get many black rifles aka Ar-15's, Ak's etc... What you could find where at prices that where 3-4x the original market value. Same with ammo. Most popular calibers could not be found and again what was available was at prices through the roof. For example I used to buy 7.62x39 ammo for $70/1000 I think the price is somewhere like $350 now and even that is considered a decent deal. The prices/inventory of many firearms have since returned to normal but you still see people trying to cash in on the political/economical climate. Ammo prices are still high and I am afraid that the days of cheap ammo have came and gone :-(
 

marine4003

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
1,119
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

I am in the firearm business and you would not believe the HUGE spike in sales after the election. For MONTHS you could not get many black rifles aka Ar-15's, Ak's etc... What you could find where at prices that where 3-4x the original market value. Same with ammo. Most popular calibers could not be found and again what was available was at prices through the roof. For example I used to buy 7.62x39 ammo for $70/1000 I think the price is somewhere like $350 now and even that is considered a decent deal. The prices/inventory of many firearms have since returned to normal but you still see people trying to cash in on the political/economical climate. Ammo prices are still high and I am afraid that the days of cheap ammo have came and gone :-(

More due to the political climate than paranoia, democrats favor gun control.
 

Navy Jr.

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 14, 2007
Messages
738
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

Great! I just ordered a new Alumacraft.....god knows when it will come in now, lol. :mad:

I think Alumacraft is #2 behind Tracker in tinny sales. I had the honor of doing a tour in their St. Peter, MN factory a couple of years ago. Highly respected and a very popular boat brand, so I wouldn't lose too much sleep. Nevertheless, we'll keep our fingers crossed for you!:)
 

werthert

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 4, 2009
Messages
209
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

Heck, if I was in the weapon business I'd spread political FUD too, rednecks believe all that stuff. "Get' yer gun bafoor them demoncrats tak'em away!"

Yeah, that was reeeeaaally gonna happen. Anyways, I'll save that for another forum.

Is it me, or is there crazy markup on boats? I mean with all the long term contracts for parts, etc, that Brunswick has... they can beat our pricing by miles - pennies on the dollar. I dunno, I just think the industry could cut prices by a full half and still make a killing. Maybe their business model just sucks... ??? Am I way off base here?
 

sickwilly

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 9, 2007
Messages
1,089
Re: Boat builders shut down plants

Hey, I resemble that redneck comment! And as a former resident of MO, I have to tell you some of the reddest I ever hung with were Show Me state rednecks!
 
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