New boats seem cheaply made.

[Philster]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

What is this "but" stuff? Really, I am not the one to preach that to. Follow this chain of thought:

The business model that is the boating industry respectively disagrees with jkust. Case in point: Cheap boats that live on to be made another day versus all the defunct boat builders. Whatever they can do to hang on is better than dying off.

I'm not the one to preach to here. Find cheapo boat makers about to go belly up and convince them they need better junk hanging in front of their glove boxes and better whatever to make sales.

The entry-level buyer tends to buy entry-level junk at boat shows. For whatever reason, cheap plastic stuff does not -- I repeat: does not -- hurt them.

These aren't my 'rules'... it's called reality. Back to economics class.

In other words we care about the glove box.

--maybe you do, but you are not sufficient data to be considered statistically valid. Again, the move to sustain boat builders is a move to cheaper stuff, because that's where the sales and margins are.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

Philster . . . you're gonna give yourself a heart attack.

I think I will take pictures of all the glove boxes at the New England Boat Show on Sunday . . . Then I can post them and we can discuss the pro's & con's of the various types.

 

[Philster]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

LOL.

I really need to avoid this thread!

Anyway... cheap parts can get people into boating! The big mechanicals on expensive rides are often the same on cheaper rides! The cheap parts keep companies afloat, and we can't afford to lose more!

More builders are adding entry-level boats. They need to survive!

Peace to all!

 

[viper1]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

Well guess performance really isn't exactly what I meant either. More along the lines of engine and out drive or out board improvements. Along with hulls shape and metal. I worked as a die maker for many years in automotive. And I can tell you thickness means very little in metal. Its tensile and burst strength and all that. A .050 steel can be stronger than a .200 steal. All depends on material. Really I probably shouldn't be in this conversation either. As I am a disabled retired senior. I really in all probability will never be able to afford a new boat. And I know even a used one wont be over 21 foot. This puts me out of most of your class. My Star Craft 19.2 will have to do for Erie. Also the biggest I ever had was 22foot. But it it's like a lot of things i seen in my day bigger or thicker or newer is not always better or worse. LOL

 

[tpenfield]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

EDIT

. . . now about these glove boxes . . . I can go around the boat show an take a Pic of each brand of boat's glove box. Then, I'll post them and we can guess which brand of boat, etc. . . .

Sounds like fun ????

 

[cyclops2]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

I am too cranky. ( Happy face )

 

[mickjetblue]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

Well, I am in the same situation about buying a "new" boat when it is a few years old, although I know that
my concerns will be about the overall quality and suitability of the boat.

I will not care about what material the glove box is made of at that time, and I really would not make that
an issue in a new boat, either.

Nothing like a good boat show, and thank goodness they are still there for us!

 

[gobbler boat]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

Go to EBBTIDEBOATS.COM and watch the "Words from the President". After watching that I could not imagine owning anything other than an Ebbtide. Had a Chaparral b4 and thought it was the best boat ever at the time. You would have to drive them all to really know for yourself as opposed to listening to all us blab. You have the right approach by researching early and not impulse buying. Couldn't be happier w/my Ebbtide though.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

Boat shows & test rides.

PURRFECT together.

( And bank rates )

 

[shooterclay]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

Go to EBBTIDEBOATS.COM and watch the "Words from the President". After watching that I could not imagine owning anything other than an Ebbtide. Had a Chaparral b4 and thought it was the best boat ever at the time. You would have to drive them all to really know for yourself as opposed to listening to all us blab. You have the right approach by researching early and not impulse buying. Couldn't be happier w/my Ebbtide though.

I've got to agree with you, we bought an '11 2300 ztrac this past october and we love it.. but i'm going to have to go out and check the glovebox now..

 

[zagger]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

Wow, feels like I just graduated collage with a degree from economics. My take is totally the same as the manufactures one, and that is to protect my dollar and profit line barring any excuse to compromise. That translates to getting the best glove box for my hard earned dollar with no regard to manufacturers profit line. And yes the glove box how ever insignificant is an indicator of the overall build quality of the product. I have a two year old Regal which I purchased new and did so after extensive research (kicked many brand name tires) and I have to agree with the OP on the overall decline in build quality. While the few independent builders still in business tried to hold on to the image of quality by offering better hardware etc., the large box brands decided to cut corners in order to protect their bottom line, again not my concern. I'm very happy with my purchase, both the new boat and the company behind it has lived up to all my expectations but this does come with a higher price. It was my decision and it was not based on an excuse said manufacturer made in order to keep his margin. After saying all that I still think new boats are build more efficiently and are of better quality than boats from
10-15 years ago. This is due to use of new manufacturing techniques as well as choice of materials, it's just that some shine better than others. But again that is how it always was.

 

[hostage]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

To be honest I would rather have no glove box cover, than the ones they have on some of the new boats. I don't see how the covers could last more than a year or two of constant boat use. Please by all means go to the shows and check out the glove boxes and you will understand how quickly those things will break.

I did see a lot of manufactures use netting and cubbies instead of having a enclosed storage. It is a cheaper alternative, though at the same time it didn't look disgustingly cheap. There are ways to reduce costs, w/o making it look cheap. Even on the Motery they didn't have the cooler in a completely inclosed spot. Though I liked how they did it as you can tell where the cooler is as apposed to the Regals, where it is enclosed completely. A guest on the boat then would have to more so guess where the cooler is.

For a boat like the Natique, which is cost about half the price of my house, I was really suprised they had such a nice looking boat and cut the corner on the glove box.

 

[Philster]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

Wow, feels like I just graduated collage with a degree from economics. My take is totally the same as the manufactures one, and that is to protect my dollar and profit line barring any excuse to compromise. That translates to getting the best glove box for my hard earned dollar with no regard to manufacturers profit line. And yes the glove box how ever insignificant is an indicator of the overall build quality of the product. I have a two year old Regal which I purchased new and did so after extensive research (kicked many brand name tires) and I have to agree with the OP on the overall decline in build quality. While the few independent builders still in business tried to hold on to the image of quality by offering better hardware etc., the large box brands decided to cut corners in order to protect their bottom line, again not my concern. I'm very happy with my purchase, both the new boat and the company behind it has lived up to all my expectations but this does come with a higher price. It was my decision and it was not based on an excuse said manufacturer made in order to keep his margin. After saying all that I still think new boats are build more efficiently and are of better quality than boats from
10-15 years ago. This is due to use of new manufacturing techniques as well as choice of materials, it's just that some shine better than others. But again that is how it always was.

You're the minority.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

Anyway... cheap parts can get people into boating!

Couldn't agree more. The popularity of old Starcrafts exemplifies that perfectly. When the economy is hurting the builders AND the buyers are too. The builders (industry in general) pay the buyers a salary who pay the builders to build a boat. Everyone's belt tightens at the same time but not necessicarily at the same rate!

 

[tpenfield]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

. . . now about these glove boxes . . . I can go around the boat show an take a Pic of each brand of boat's glove box. Then, I'll post them and we can guess which brand of boat, etc. . . .

Sounds like fun ????

OK, I went to the boat show today and took pictures of various boat's glove boxes . . . I believe that some of the sales staff though I was a bit weird taking pictures of the glove box instead of something more exciting, like the instrument panel, but no worries.

Overall, I was OK with the quality on display - the boats - not just the glove boxes. I went through the place a couple of times and did not see Larson, Regal or Tahoe . . . I was dying to take a picture of the Tahoe glove box.

Anyway, one take-away from the show that I noticed was that the seats on the boats are getting smaller . . . this is at a time where the American population is generally getting larger . . . the seats are getting smaller. It seems to me that this may be a way of having the boats 'look' bigger, by making the seats smaller.

Anyway, here are the glove boxes in the attachments, some were pretty good and others not as good. Judge for yourself. Most of the boats had a molded in glove box, not a separate fastened in style. Some did not have a strut or anything to hold it open . . . I guess they save the $25 on that hardware.



Some are give-aways, but others might be harder to guess.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

Here are a few more . . .



I did come across the new Pursuit ST310 that I had been eying . . .



. . . but as luck would have it, I was a couple $100K short.

.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

My gloves seem to be ok with their home on my boat - or they haven't yet complained.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

I did come across the new Pursuit ST310 that I had been eying . . .

View attachment 132529

. . . but as luck would have it, I was a couple $100K short.

.

I can picture you (inviting me out for a ride) in this more reasonably priced used Pursuit: http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2007-Pursuit-345-Drummond-Runner-Ls-101658184

 

[tpenfield]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

I can picture you (inviting me out for a ride) in this more reasonably priced used Pursuit: http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2007-Pursuit-345-Drummond-Runner-Ls-101658184

Hi Dave, I should do that . . . Florida would be a bit of a drive, but I am going down there next month to visit my wife's Dad. Maybe I can borrow some money from him and bring the boat back.

I think that I am going to keep my Formula for a while longer and then maybe just buy a second boat in the 30'+ range. Then, I'll have the best of both worlds (sort of).

Are you going to the boat show? I was going to go tomorrow, but the prediction of snow made me change my weekend plans around, so I went today. Of course, no snow after all . . .

I still have some tools to give back to you, but if you want to wait until Spring time that is OK too. The engine still sits in my garage waiting for warmer weather.

 

[KDAVID1]

Re: New boats seem cheaply made.

Cash is king and you have to make the bottom line. A business is in business to make money--that is it. We may think it is to make us the consumer happy--but the only reason they do that is so that we will buy the product so they can make the revenue (enough to cover overhead and have profit that goes to the bottom line). No need to hate it--it's the same thing we do everyday. We work to make money to pay our bills and hopefully have enough left over to go in the bank (so we can buy the stuff with the plastic glove box )