What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

[korygrandy]

Okay, I here the term "entry level" used all the time in these forums and my question is, What determines an entry level boat vs say a mid-level or even luxury boat?

 

[Daley]

Re: What negates a "Entry Level" boat

Re: What negates a "Entry Level" boat

Short answer: maintenance. What's involved in launching/retrieving, taking care of it, etc. Smaller boats are easier to tow and maintain because there simply aren't as many moving parts, and the parts are generally smaller. Get into the bigger boats (or high-performance) and you're looking at more know-how and experience requirements.

I grew up on boats (35' Chris Craft, etc) but that's a whole different story than the kind you tow to the launch and back into the water. When the family decided we needed a boat, I started with the one in my sig and have been extremely pleased with it. It's small enough that any of us can manage it, it fits just about anywhere for storage and there really isn't much to it with regard to maintaining it (not much more than a lawnmower).

Now that we've had this one for a bit, we're starting to outgrow it. We're looking at upgrading the tow vehicle, so once that's done daddy can get a bigger boat

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: What negates a "Entry Level" boat

Re: What negates a "Entry Level" boat

Entry level is basically all the essentials without the bells and whistles.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: What negates a "Entry Level" boat

Re: What negates a "Entry Level" boat

I agree with KenMyFam. Normally when you see that term, they are specifiying a boat that is usually the smallest/lower priced model in a certain manufacturers lineup. You don't normally hear about entry level boats in regards to a 24'+ boat. Most of the time in the runabout category, it's a 17 or 18' open bow with the bare essentials for operation.

That being said, there's a big difference between Bayliner's entry level boat and Cobalt's entry level boat. Doesn't necessarily make a bad boat, but each manufacturer is going to determine the ammenities based on the targeted audience.

 

[180Fisherman]

Re: What negates a "Entry Level" boat

Re: What negates a "Entry Level" boat

Another aspect of entry level is cost. If you are new to boating you want your 1st boat to be inexpensive as you'll quickly find out that 1) you don't use it as much as you thought you would or 2) you find out the boat is all wrong for the kind of boating you evolve toward whether it be fishing, day boating, overnight cruising, going slow, going fast, whatever.

 

[ajgraz]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

Kind of like the difference between a Chevy Cobalt and a Caddilac CTS-V. Both are cars and both will get you to where you want to go...but clearly they are aimed at different target audiences.

 

[Kracken]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

I will take a CRACK at this.

An entry level boat can be defined by 1 thing.... MONEY.


As not to offend anybody, all names have been changed to hide the identities.

Example A:
let?s call this boat Atomic27

22 foot bow rider, Volvo Penta 5.0 GXI
MSRP: $101,073.00

Example B:
Let?s call it: Forehead Breeze

22 foot bow rider, Volvo Penta 5.0 GXI
MSRP: $62,126

Example C:
let?s call it: Cove Squiggler
22 foot bow rider, Volvo Penta 5.0 GXI
MSRP: $35,499

I would call Example C, the entry level boat. But that just my opinion. Maybe they are all actually the same and Forehead Breeze is just greedy and Atomic 27 is just really greedy. Its all opinion I guess.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

The only problem is that many refer to entry-level cruisers, or entry level offshore speed boats, entry level bass boat. The price points can be all over the place depending on what type/size of boat you're looking at. An entry-level cruiser is a lot different than an entry-level runabout in price and operation.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

I regard "entry level" as cheap boats made cheaply for the mass market. Fro some baoters, that's all they need and all they can afford. Fine.

Once the "entry level" boats circulate into the used boat market, their status depresses their value (selling price) way below the quality boat of similar size, design and power. They also start showing their age and lack of quality.

A boat can be stripped out and basic, like parker's used to be, and not tbe entry level b/c the work boat/fishing crowd (a) didn't want the crap on them and (b) knew the quality in both design and construction. In fact, a lot of crap boats are loaded up with stereo's and towers and such, to lure in the non-boater and distract him from the important things that are lacking--like a bilge pump or a decent motor.

therefore the cobalt/cadillac analogy is better than the "start small" analogy IMO.

 

[PGFISHER]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

Entry level should mean; easy to operate so that you can learn about boating; and cheap enough so that when you screw up you won't have to mortgage the wife and kids to pay for the repairs.

 

[KermieB]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

SO maybe I'm the idiot.....


.....I've never heard the term "entry level" when referring to a boat.

 

[JimS123]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

Entry level has nothing to do with size. There are entry level 18 footers and entry level 26 footers.

Entry level = cheep. That means made for people who possibly never had a boat before and don't really know what they want. Or, it means that that's all they can afford.

Entry level may have a smaller HP motor, but not necessarily. It probably does not have a Blaupunkt stereo, and maybe the trim is polished aluminum rather than SS. Probably no teak trim and not a lot of available options.

Resale value is probably less than a major "upscale" boat, all things being equal, unless there are major differences in the way the boat was maintained and cared for.

Regardless, on the used market, condition is everything. An older meticulously maintained garage kept entry level 18 footer is worth its weight in gold, while an in-water kept, not covered, poorly maintained Caddy is just another Craigslist castoff.

 

[45Auto]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

An older meticulously maintained garage kept entry level 18 footer is worth its weight in gold

So what's that make the brand new entry level 18' worth, since it'll be at least 3 or 4 times more than the older one? Rhodium maybe?

 

[notsunkyet]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

ok my turn... I have an entry level boat its an old 1986 bayliner capri.. It was built for the lower end people.... ya take it out play then take it back home. there is nothing really extravigant about it. ive rebuilt the whole thing and i can tell you is was built cheaply but sturdy enough for the weekend first time boater, i took on the project to learn about boats as i knew nothing other than i didnt have one and they float... but ive learned alot. there is a definate difference in the quality of this boat verses ones that are better made, better designed and fitted out better.
the other as was said is cost.... now that im done working on it ,per se, i take it out buzz around the lake, dunk the kids and have a great time. then take her home....
it fits our needs now but it quickly wont. an entry level boat, to me, is something that your not sinking a house payment on and you can learn and enjoy so you can find out if the boating life is one you want to stay in.....

 

[Bayliner175xt]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

Entry level is a tricky question, could this be entry level ????

 

[Stachi]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

Entry level is a tricky question, could this be entry level ????

looks like a healthy start!!

 

[JimS123]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

So what's that make the brand new entry level 18' worth, since it'll be at least 3 or 4 times more than the older one? Rhodium maybe?

It all depends what part of the country y'all hail from I guess. "Weight in gold" is merely an expression, meaning "good".

Another common one is to tell a lady she looks lilke a million bucks. Or, just like when a southerner calls somebody "Bubba", he means "good friend". But, where I live it means "idiot". Its like calling somebody a dumb *****, when you have no idea of his mental capacity, nor do you know his lineage.

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

here's another analogy, corvette and chevette. Both Chevys, but big
difference.

This is obviously NOT entry level

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

Here's the ultimate entry level boat. LOL!

 

[Tig]

Re: What denotes an "Entry Level" boat

It's all relative. I once asked an experienced west coast sailor what he throught about a Carver. He described it as a nice entry level boat. Where as a boating friend of mine in the Thousand Islands considered them high end luxury.