Say goodbye to Glastron as you know it

[briangcc]

Been half heartedly looking at Glastron since they're one of the few boat manufacturers still doing Fish & Ski glass boats. Noticed quite some time ago the dealer network is AWOL - no one around me sells them anymore, used to be a couple dealers within an hour drive. No new boat models released either and anything you see on their webpage is Dealer Inventory only.

Got really curious and found this:

Boat Brands Ride the Wave

Beloved boat maker Glastron reinvents itself for a changing market with the help of Minnesota-based Your Boat Club.

tcbmag.com

They're only producing boats for a boat club, no more public sales.

 

[redneck joe]

Well, there will be used ones available....

 

[tpenfield]

Kind of like the rental car market for boats. One thing for sure is that boat prices going up over the years have pretty much prohibited the budget-buyer from owning a new boat. Boat clubs seem to be popular for those who just want to enjoy boating, but don't have the means or desire to own a boat.

Interestingly enough, is these 'rental' boats age, I assume they will end up on the used boat market . . . much like rental cars have done.

The article talks about Glastron designing more 'rugged/durable' boats for the rental market. It will be interesting to see what changes they make. I wouldn't consider the traditional Glastrons as all that rugged.

 

[Lou C]

My boat brand Four Winns went from affordable (40s) to just absurdly expensive for a 20’ boat. The unintended consequences of this is it makes it easier to justify continuing to fix your old boat!

 

[Scott06]

My boat brand Four Winns went from affordable (40s) to just absurdly expensive for a 20’ boat. The unintended consequences of this is it makes it easier to justify continuing to fix your old boat!

They all have I think you are looking at $60-70 for a typical 21 ft er, and its inane what folks are paying for wake boats.

Don't get me wrong if I had the $$ I probably wouldn't be resealing my outdrive this winter ...

 

[harringtondav]

Seems we struck when the iron was hot. Our Regal 19.5' came in just over $42K. ....I did a $3.5K upgrade buying my own Shoreland'r trailer vs the Heritage packaged with the boat. With the $7.5K I got directly selling our previous boat we're at $37K
Regal dropped that 1900 ES, now 20' is as small as available. No more 'build your boat' with pricing online. Seller's market.....if you can find a seller.

 

[Scott06]

Seems we struck when the iron was hot. Our Regal 19.5' came in just over $42K. ....I did a $3.5K upgrade buying my own Shoreland'r trailer vs the Heritage packaged with the boat. With the $7.5K I got directly selling our previous boat we're at $37K
Regal dropped that 1900 ES, now 20' is as small as available. No more 'build your boat' with pricing online. Seller's market.....if you can find a seller.

I guess I was off by $10-15k... this one is barley used 14 hrs- $69 k https://www.boats.com/power-boats/2022-sea-ray-21-spx-8514695/

If you are up north like we are you only use it 3-4 months a year its a big investment...

 

[Lou C]

Agreed, I don't see the value in it, at that price point, due to the fact that you're using it maybe from May to Oct here. If you have an older boat that has a solid structure, repowering, replacing a drive etc makes much more sense.

 

[aspeck]

I will stick with my mid 90's vessel and keep patching her up. She ain't a beauty queen, but she is durable and functional.

 

[Scott06]

Agreed, I don't see the value in it, at that price point, due to the fact that you're using it maybe from May to Oct here. If you have an older boat that has a solid structure, repowering, replacing a drive etc makes much more sense.

The only only issue will be when it needs upholstery. I had my sun pad redone 2 years ago was just under $1k. and took 4 months. I guess even if you spent $5-7 k on interior and $10k on engine/drive you would still be money ahead.
My repower including buying a 21 ft bowrider with known cracked engine- boat, new partial engine, trailer tires/brakes, props was just under $11k (not counting my time. By the time I sold off parts I didn't need and my 25 year old 17 ft bowrider it netted out to $7200. Glad I did it then.

 

[Lou C]

True upholstery work is expensive, I have a guy who fixes stuff for me for a good price, esp being in NY where everything is more expensive than anywhere else. I keep the boat covered all the time so what I fixed, is still in good shape, you can make it last a lot longer that way, the cushions & canvas he did for me in 2003 still look good. I used standard Wise seats for the helm seats and the rear seats, for those it is easier/cheaper to just replace them when they start to fall apart. I replaced a lot of the wood bases that rotted out and re-used the old upholstery. I have a bunch of left over vinyl from the repairs done over the years that I saved for whenever I need it.
The rest of it, well I have a spare Cobra drive I am going to have rebuilt. I have a complete transom assembly that I got from a fresh water region and spare trim cylinders I am going to rebuild this winter.
The engine I rehabbed 7 years ago with a top end overhaul is still running well, when the time comes I'll get a local speed shop to build me another 4.3 V6.

 

[racerone]

My brother had a simple 14" boat in the late 1960's with a 1965 Evinrude 40 HP.----Had a lot of fun with it.---Rebuilt the motor in 1972.----I go to a boat show and say ---" how can you ever do major repairs " on both the new motors and these beautiful boats that have more curves than ---Gina lollabrigida !

 

[airshot]

Banks and other finnancial institutions create monthly payments and convince folks they can afford it.. Telling them they " deserve it" something they are "entitled to" if they like it !! Same with car salesmen, convincing people they can afford it if they want it. People find out later they can't actually afford their boats then need to sell them. The next problem becomes finnancing a used boat, much higher interest rates andvrhe new owner becomes deeper in debt then the original !! A viscious circle developes and only the banks end up making money....
Years back, a good friend was the top Cadillac salesman in the country, he sold more than anyone ! His system was to sell to people that couldn't really afford them. Soon they were repo'd and returned to the dealer only to be resold again. Credit was given for each sale made in that model year. At one time he sold the same car seven times in one year and was credited for those seven sales as new cars. Unfortunately there are also seven people with bad credit ratings because they were convinced they could afford them !!

 

[harringtondav]

If you are up north like we are you only use it 3-4 months a year its a big investment...

It was for a five month season & +- 25 hrs/year. But we the have river house with a marine rail lift. The house without a boat is like a cocktail without the booze. The whole expensive works is for our pleasure for hopefully 15 more good years. Then our two adult kids get to sort it.

 

[Scott06]

It was for a five month season & +- 25 hrs/year. But we the have river house with a marine rail lift. The house without a boat is like a cocktail without the booze. The whole expensive works is for our pleasure for hopefully 15 more good years. Then our two adult kids get to sort it.

Oh cocktails are guaranteed in this scenario. Same here, if we didn't have a place to keep the boat I probably wouldn't have one. My dad has a house on the same lake about a 1/4 mile from where my grandparents had a cottage starting in the early 60's. My kids are now hang a round with kids of my friends growing up, makes it all worth while. Folks are in their 80's so passing the financial responsibility baton now...

With my kids old enough to take the boat out on their own the last couple years getting more hours on it- just about 330 hr over last 8 years. Was pissed a couple years ago had a cold rainy summer and barley made 20 hrs...

 

[Scott Danforth]

the business model of selling direct to the rental market probably cuts down on warranty claims as there is a dedicated maintenance crew for the mechanical stuff, and all the soft surfaces are not covered under warranty in a commercial use application

are they built any better? probably built with the lower cost vinyl, etc. that holds up a bit more than the soft sileather or other high end fabrics

 

[dingbat]

the business model of selling direct to the rental market probably cuts down on warranty claims as there is a dedicated maintenance crew for the mechanical stuff, and all the soft surfaces are not covered under warranty in a commercial use application

Warranty claims (Reserve) are typically in the 1- 4% range of COGS.

The big savings of going direct is the Marketing, Sales and Distribution costs.

Contract and liability requirements are much different in business to business verse retail transactions as well.

 

[Scott06]

the business model of selling direct to the rental market probably cuts down on warranty claims as there is a dedicated maintenance crew for the mechanical stuff, and all the soft surfaces are not covered under warranty in a commercial use application

are they built any better? probably built with the lower cost vinyl, etc. that holds up a bit more than the soft sileather or other high end fabrics

The Glastrons I've seen at the lake are pretty disappointing in terms of fabric and gel coat haze. This is in a northern climate where season is 3 months and and 20hrs a year or less is typical