Are you building a new boat this season?

[FROGMAN524]

How many members are on this boating forum? Are any of them building a new boat? Hard to believe how few people post about building new boats on a boating forum. For example, if you go to any of the truck forums people are constantly posting their brand new trucks and same goes for a host of other forums that are dedicated to a certain motorsport.

Let’s hear it. Yes or no or maybe so.

 

[RiverDave]

With the prices of new boats, new builds are pretty rare..

I think it’s crazy the mfg’s don’t post every build in the from the mold section. It’s literally free advertising to a target market

RD

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

We are not. Simply because one you spend the coin on a new boat, and if you're not a baller that can change toys like underwear, then you want to get some time with it.

The thing with boats is you can upgrade/change so much, you can almost have a whole new boat, both inside and outside, if you want it. All cheaper than a brand new boat.

Only reason to change would be you need to go bigger or smaller, or change from a V to a cat or vice versa.

 

[Dog]

As what the others have said, also people have to express their opinion on how everything someone does is wrong and the way they would do it would be better...

 

[77charger]

Not in my budget lol.I’ll keep my old elim 207 going.

 

[paradise]

Nope, I’ve been exceptionally happy with our boat for the last seven years.

 

[HST4ME]

Yeah, but it only cost $4,700 and I have to just bolt the motor on and strap in a 6 gallon tank and very small battery box.

 

[rivrrts429]

With the prices of new boats, new builds are pretty rare..

I think it’s crazy the mfg’s don’t post every build in the from the mold section. It’s literally free advertising to a target market

RD

Back log is probably still deep with the major manufacturers so they don’t need to dedicate any time to it.

Once the backlog begins to get thin they’ll be back posting.

 

[hallett21]

I want to lol. What’s a 255 with a 600? 200k?

 

[NicPaus]

I want to lol. What’s a 255 with a 600? 200k?

60 panel upgrades...

 

[NicPaus]

My boat is perfect. Trying to buy a storage to keep it in though.

Probably buy another work truck next.

But a new SuperJet is still on my list. Started buying dirt bikes and forgot about the water. Rode my new waverunner maybe 5 times.

 

[hallett21]

60 panel upgrades...

Damn that made it way more achievable lol

 

[HPBoats83]

At this point, I'm just happy to have my 17 year old boat. Wish I could afford a new build but at 250k for a new 28 deck boat......

 

[USClb41]

I have had two Shockwave boats, a 1999 skier and a 2009 Tremor, thinking of building a new 21' Skier

 

[mbrown2]

Buying a new to me boat … was gonna build one but decided to look at used…

 

[PlumLoco]

After not boating in nearly 10 years I set about a full restoration. New tires, bearings, wiring, lights, and winch. I was going to do the boards next as the boat is empty.
Joel at Fiber Composites replaces the floor and his cousin replaced all the electrical wiring, gauges, batteries, etc. I had a 468 BBC built to replace the 455. All that is left is too get the interior redone and engine installed.
Probably be all in for $25K. We love the uniqueness of the hull and it is perfect for the kind of boating we do. 23' jets aren't being built anymore, and if they were they would be $100K. My hats off to all of you guys that can swing a new build, I could never sleep knowing I had that kind of coin wrapped up in a toy.

 

[Orange Juice]

Those big pontoons with twin 500’s seem to be selling.

How long do you think before the price drops into $30k-35k range?

When I bought my new 21’ Eliminator, It was about the same price as a loaded Corvette.

 

[azsunfun]

I couldn't afford a used boat I would love to have! but the boats I do have I have a good times with.

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

I’m over new builds I just bought my first used boat 2 years ago and I enjoyed not paying sales tax

 

[Roosky01]

With the prices of new boats, new builds are pretty rare..

I think it’s crazy the mfg’s don’t post every build in the from the mold section. It’s literally free advertising to a target market

RD

It seems like they just don’t get it? I thought DCB at least had it figured out, ibut maybe they don’t need to worry about the common folk?

Regardless, build posts are well received on here and as stated…FREE ADVERTISING!

 

[Bpracing1127]

It seems like they just don’t get it? I thought DCB at least had it figured out, ibut maybe they don’t need to worry about the common folk?

Regardless, build posts are well received on here and as stated…FREE ADVERTISING!

I think part of it is a couple of things. They building boats that none of us can afford. So the dream wears off. Second the outboard cats and twin toons started to get repetitive and just insert your choice of color for the most part. At least that’s how I felt.

Back in the magazine days I read every boat review from the 21 jet to the 33 Daytona. They were call cool.

Now with the twin cats and toons i feel they are all the same. Same with center console. No variety now.

Early 2000s you had 21 tunnels. 21 skiers. 23/25 vee, 25/27/28 cats. Deck boats, toons, wakeboard boats. Jet boats all brand new any given weekend

 

[Roosky01]

I think part of it is a couple of things. They building boats that none of us can afford. So the dream wears off. Second the outboard cats and twin toons started to get repetitive and just insert your choice of color for the most part. At least that’s how I felt.

Back in the magazine days I read every boat review from the 21 jet to the 33 Daytona. They were call cool.

Now with the twin cats and toons i feel they are all the same. Same with center console. No variety now.

Early 2000s you had 21 tunnels. 21 skiers. 23/25 vee, 25/27/28 cats. Deck boats, toons, wakeboard boats. Jet boats all brand new any given week

How many of us had a cheap ass poster of a Countach on our wall? How many watched Miami Vice and the Testarossa and the boats? You are hard pressed to touch either one of them now for less than $500k+. All the while they have driven an impressive demand for current offering products starting from those simple things from our youth.

People when they hit it big will purchase hot ass boats (if that's their thing?) and the rest of us that do ok just want the opportunity to purchase some model from the lineage somewhere down the line. The last few years have been really good and high end builders have all been spoiled, IMO. It will not last for ever as history has shown multiple times.

Any opportunity to create the positive mystique for a brand and not doing it with easy work is a lost opportunity. The fact that there are not weekly additions to build threads on here just absolutely baffles me and makes me think the marketing departments are t-shirt salesmen. A lot of us on here are "Dreamers" and for some of us. those dreams will come true...hopefully!

 

[FROGMAN524]

How many of us had a cheap ass poster of a Countach on our wall? How many watched Miami Vice and the Testarossa and the boats? You are hard pressed to touch either one of them now for less than $500k+. All the while they have driven an impressive demand for current offering products starting from those simple things from our youth.

People when they hit it big will purchase hot ass boats (if that's their thing?) and the rest of us that do ok just want the opportunity to purchase some model from the lineage somewhere down the line. The last few years have been really good and high end builders have all been spoiled, IMO. It will not last for ever as history has shown multiple times.

Any opportunity to create the positive mystique for a brand and not doing it with easy work is a lost opportunity. The fact that there are not weekly additions to build threads on here just absolutely baffles me and makes me think the marketing departments are t-shirt salesmen. A lot of us on here are "Dreamers" and for some of us. those dreams will come true...hopefully!

Apparently their backlog, the manufacturers, has not ceased or they would be hustling up the marketing department and doing more than paying for header scrolls here. I get that. What I don’t get is this; RDP is the biggest west coast boating site on the internet today and has been for years and yet there’s almost zero posts about LAM and my new west coast, or even East coast, builds anymore. Doesn’t have to be from the builder it could just be from the customer.

I know people are building new because none of these west coast high performance boat companies we know and love have closed their doors, so that’s one indicator, and two, on the rare occasion I do get to havasu, the west coast Mecca for high performance boats, i see new boats all over the place. Why it’s not here is what’s hard to imagine. I guess for every member on here that owns a west coast performance boat and lives west of the Rockies, there’s 100 who don't but still get the river every summer and don’t post about it on this website

 

[SJP]

I really like the boat I have and honestly do not get to use it like I would like to. I put in PCI and boat to boat coms and have not taken it out since. My boys are super busy and I am traveling with them. Figure the boat and Havasu will be there when they go off to college.

 

[RIVERBORN]

Nope… built a house in havasu 2 years ago to put my current boat in. Lol. Good enough for awhile. Probably never build a boat….

 

[C-Ya]

FWIW……….

I spoke with a large boat broker recently. It is his belief that one of the reasons why the used boat market is softening right now is because of all the new boats that are starting to languish on dealers lots.

Personally, I wouldn’t even consider buying a Havasu style go-fast. Just not enough buyers in the resale pool compared to the equivalent size ocean/sea worthy type boat. I also believe that the SoCal Custom style boats are way overpriced for what little you get. No hardtop. No Electronics, No scuppers. No Head. No Luxury. There is a lot more important stuff to consider, than just a Pretty paint job. Just my opinion.

I am getting old because in my mind……… There is no way whatsoever that I would trade Speed for Comfort.

 

[Singleton]

Not building new = allocated my fun money to other toys.
However, I am most likely going to strip the boat and have the clear coat redone on the boat. Have a few bad blend spots from repairs and half-cap and going to finally fix that.

 

[Bowtiepower00]

Apparently their backlog, the manufacturers, has not ceased or they would be hustling up the marketing department and doing more than paying for header scrolls here. I get that. What I don’t get is this; RDP is the biggest west coast boating site on the internet today and has been for years and yet there’s almost zero posts about LAM and my new west coast, or even East coast, builds anymore. Doesn’t have to be from the builder it could just be from the customer.

I know people are building new because none of these west coast high performance boat companies we know and love have closed their doors, so that’s one indicator, and two, on the rare occasion I do get to havasu, the west coast Mecca for high performance boats, i see new boats all over the place. Why it’s not here is what’s hard to imagine. I guess for every member on here that owns a west coast performance boat and lives west of the Rockies, there’s 100 who don't but still get the river every summer and don’t post about it on this website

IMO, it’s because no matter what the boat is, or how cool it is, some asshat is going to post some negative BS in the thread (too expensive, wrong color, ugly interior, wrong power, etc) and the thread will end up going sideways. There is no benefit to the builder or buyer to post in here.

Another is that most performance boaters aren’t on RDP, or are occasional lurkers at best. I have a couple of buddies (both Havasu/ River guys) who have built or rebuilt their boats in the past couple of years. I have asked both of them if they were interested in posting them on here and both respectfully declined. See above.

I think the biggest reason is because a new build is unattainable for the vast majority of us. I purchased a new production boat with a SBC/ Bravo in 2017, and it was high 40s OTD. At that same time I called around and and most 21s from the popular west coast manufacturers started around 80 on a trailer with basic power and options, but were closer to 100 if you added tabs, bigger stereo, etc. I remember Lavey running a deal on a 24 for 80ish at the time which was a great deal IMO.

Today, that same 21’ production boat is 80k, and the custom 21s are double that. 150k (at the very low end) for a new boat is a ton of money. All of the stories about builders running off with customer money don’t help either. A (new) DCB level boat is something that even with hard work, most of us will never even dream of owning. I like looking at the high dollar builds and admiring them on the water, but I prefer to read (re)build threads about attainable stuff, like ChrisVs DCBs or your 335.

Finally, for every one of us who owns a performance boat, there are 10 boaters with a toon or wakeboat, that is what sells. Havasu is a unique market similar to LOTO in that there are lots of performance boats on the water- most lakes are not like that. When I vacation in the Midwest for a week or two I can count on one hand the number of performance boats I see in an entire week.

 

[SOCALCRICKETT]

I'd love to build a new 210 hallett with a 450, but what would I really gain from my current situation?


Besides with a brand new boat you notice every little scuff, beach rash etc. I have a 5 year old son and a 7 month old son, trust me, with those 2 little juggernauts new scuffs will be had!

 

[C-Ya]

. When I vacation in the Midwest for a week or two I can count on one hand the number of performance boats I see in an entire week.

I live right on the intracoastal in a high boat traffic area.

We don’t even get 5 Havasu style performance boats in a month.

It is extremely rare to hear high horsepower inboards go by. Almost non-existent.

Btw, where I live……. Nobody likes a LOUD boat. Just saying

 

[JFMFG]

Back log is probably still deep with the major manufacturers so they don’t need to dedicate any time to it.

Once the backlog begins to get thin they’ll be back posting.

I tried to build with Nordic back in April they couldn’t even respond to my emails with questions etc. so I bought used. They were 5 months out on a new 29 with twin 400s

 

[69hondo]

LOL I guess this could tie into the thread about "how we are doing compared to our parents"
My mom and dad had a new boat built when I was young. I have never had a new boat built
My wife and I almost pulled the trigger on a new Shockwave 21 step skier at the 03 boat show but pulled out last minute.
I guess I am getting old and cant comprehend what a new boat costs so I will likely never have one built.

 

[Orange Juice]

Apparently their backlog, the manufacturers, has not ceased or they would be hustling up the marketing department and doing more than paying for header scrolls here. I get that. What I don’t get is this; RDP is the biggest west coast boating site on the internet today and has been for years and yet there’s almost zero posts about LAM and my new west coast, or even East coast, builds anymore. Doesn’t have to be from the builder it could just be from the customer.

I know people are building new because none of these west coast high performance boat companies we know and love have closed their doors, so that’s one indicator, and two, on the rare occasion I do get to havasu, the west coast Mecca for high performance boats, i see new boats all over the place. Why it’s not here is what’s hard to imagine. I guess for every member on here that owns a west coast performance boat and lives west of the Rockies, there’s 100 who don't but still get the river every summer and don’t post about it on this website

Nothing ever is positive on RDP. It’s always a shit show with their vendors.

If I was building a green boat, I certainly would not let RDP members critique it.

 

[Orange Juice]

I tried to build with Nordic back in April they couldn’t even respond to my emails with questions etc. so I bought used. They were 5 months out on a new 29 with twin 400s

April is not a good time of year to start a boat build, if you need it before summer. As you realized, if you want a custom boat, it’s going to take 6 months or more.

 

[JFMFG]

April is not a good time of year to start a boat build, if you need it before summer. As you realized, if you want a custom boat, it’s going to take 6 months or more.

It’s not the wait that bothered me. I had the magic with fresh power that I was ready to rock all summer. Nordics service sucked. And even after I called trying to get advice on best prop to run on my set up and they kept telling me every boat leaves with a 26 pitch on it but someone would call me and never did. I think they build an outstanding product but customer service is lacking.

 

[Tamalewagon]

Does rebuilding a boat count?

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

IMO, it’s because no matter what the boat is, or how cool it is, some asshat is going to post some negative BS in the thread (too expensive, wrong color, ugly interior, wrong power, etc) and the thread will end up going sideways. There is no benefit to the builder or buyer to post in here.

Another is that most performance boaters aren’t on RDP, or are occasional lurkers at best. I have a couple of buddies (both Havasu/ River guys) who have built or rebuilt their boats in the past couple of years. I have asked both of them if they were interested in posting them on here and both respectfully declined. See above.

I think the biggest reason is because a new build is unattainable for the vast majority of us. I purchased a new production boat with a SBC/ Bravo in 2017, and it was high 40s OTD. At that same time I called around and and most 21s from the popular west coast manufacturers started around 80 on a trailer with basic power and options, but were closer to 100 if you added tabs, bigger stereo, etc. I remember Lavey running a deal on a 24 for 80ish at the time which was a great deal IMO.

Today, that same 21’ production boat is 80k, and the custom 21s are double that. 150k (at the very low end) for a new boat is a ton of money. All of the stories about builders running off with customer money don’t help either. A (new) DCB level boat is something that even with hard work, most of us will never even dream of owning. I like looking at the high dollar builds and admiring them on the water, but I prefer to read (re)build threads about attainable stuff, like ChrisVs DCBs or your 335.

Finally, for every one of us who owns a performance boat, there are 10 boaters with a toon or wakeboat, that is what sells. Havasu is a unique market similar to LOTO in that there are lots of performance boats on the water- most lakes are not like that. When I vacation in the Midwest for a week or two I can count on one hand the number of performance boats I see in an entire week.

I've said it elsewhere but the new builds threads should be locked off to zero comments other than what the builder posts. That would keep the negative BS out of there and just document the build.

If someone wants to critique the build they can start a thread in the lounge. But the builder doesn't have their build thread polluted with Monday morning quarterbacks.

@River Dave what say ye? Can that be done and then let the builders know they have a way to advertise with no BS?

 

[evantwheeler]

I'm a broke dick that will never buy anything new. Ever. I can't get over the depreciation hit just for the ego stroke of having something "new". I also do not have the OCD to keep something brand new looking perfect and brand new, so it would lose value even quicker....

 

[Flatsix66]

it should go in the mold soon. My retirement gift to myself.

Will need room in the garage by the end of the year, Lavey 29 for sale.

 

[Uncle Dave]

With the prices of new boats, new builds are pretty rare..

I think it’s crazy the mfg’s don’t post every build in the from the mold section. It’s literally free advertising to a target market

RD

Great question Dave.

Posting a new build, much less every new build is a huge catch 22 for the manufacturers.

I could write a book on how many times I got burned doing it in just the 5 years or so I worked with Lavey.

You have to protect the client no matter how bad they fuck you - they drop the ball all the time, run out of money, money is slow, or their connections drop the ball and fuck everyone. Get divorced in the middle of the build, dad dies, baby girl gets knocked up - it's worse than the days of our lives. They get cold feet, and just walk away leaving you high and dry with some partially finished project and their outstanding bills.
Sometimes clients make bad choices - and you have to answer to these.

Financial entities only lock for 90 days. Unless you are selling a pre made boat you arent making that timeline so the client has to keep applying for financing and sometimes shit happens and they lose their ability to finance, like a guy gets in a wreck at glamis and is now out of work.
No biggie for the guys paying cash, but those clients are pretty rare.

You have to protect the vendors who fuck up ALL THE TIME -its more often than you are aware and in every facet of the and area of the build. Lots of stuff gets done twice, isn't right, you have to send back for tweaks, they get pissed, you get pissed. We're not talking little stuff either - Im talking major stuff.

You have to take all these hits on the chin as you being slow, and now its worse because people are wondering whats going on because they haven't seen any progress on the build.

Nothing happens as fast as anyone would like. I can think of many times when some manufacturers who never finished jack shit would try to take a customer saying you'll wait forever if you go with them all the while they were worse by far, or never actually built a boat from scratch.

Clients rightfully expect everything to be as close to perfect as is possible and that just takes a ton of time, but they are fed a bunch of malarky by mainstream media and their expectations are out of whack. People are used to bullshit chopper and car shows where everything happens in the blink of an eye because they don't really build anything, maaaybe they make a tank and a fender, all the parts show up in the mail, and these products are often garbage and devoid of any critical testing after delivery.

Boat shops are TERRIBLE at documentation of projects.
Documenting builds and posting and answering questions takes time and dedication.
A flying saucer could land in the parking lot, bigfoot could come out and stroll through the shop, and they guys wouldn't get a picture of anything.

The playing field isnt level - You have to compete on prices with guys running illegal shops without AQMD paperwork, or shops without insurance.
Bring it up and you are the bad guy.

Want to do something different say build something for someone else ?
Everybody that owns a mold thinks he's a boat builder and that they can do it better and cheaper.

It's nearly impossible to meet all expectations and boat magazines and forums are highly influenced by who pays them and pays attention to them so they look for reasons not to support, or be critical of anyone that doesn't.

There is a price to be paid even for "free advertising".

 

[Gelcoater]

IMO, it’s because no matter what the boat is, or how cool it is, some asshat is going to post some negative BS in the thread (too expensive, wrong color, ugly interior, wrong power, etc) and the thread will end up going sideways. There is no benefit to the builder or buyer to post in here.

In a nutshell this is pretty accurate.

 

[C-Ya]

Nothing ever is positive on RDP. It’s always a shit show with their vendors.

If I was building a green boat, I certainly would not let RDP members critique it.

That’s an understatement……….

I made a post about my broken boatlift. The “ass hat” from Long Beach accused me of being a shitty boat captain because of it. My solution……. No more posts like that. What a dick.

The content creators are being run-off by the negativity.

 

[JL95]

You guys have boats???

 

[Bajastu]

I change boats like underwear, and out of twelve boats, I have only bought one new one. We ran the new boat for two years, sold it for more than I paid for it. I was bored with it. Same went for an almost new Nordic I bought. You can’t tinker on a new boat that only needs the occasional service.

I'm back into a v-drive and my hobby of tinkering on a boat is in full swing. I'd rather have a classic hotrod than a shiny new one.

I did own center console that was an ocean boat, the work required for a saltwater boat is too much. I'd gladly charter or ride on my brothers 25'Parker to go fishing. Saltwater is a whole other level of maintenance.

 

[OCMerrill]

60 panel upgrades...

So like $220-250k. Seems to me you would need about 100 panels to cover the labor.

 

[Dannyo]

Neighbor last year tried to get a DCB built but was way backlogged, so he cancelled and bought a MTI that was already available. So there are people out there with $$$

 

[rivergames]

Not 100% new, but 97% new!

-Re-power a 24' Tracker Pontoon with a Mercury 200 Outboard. Transom already beefed up and in the process now of re-wire and plumb fuel line

-Complete rebuild of 10' Mini Schiada

-Complete rebuild of 12' Daytona

-Complete rebuild of another 12' Daytona

 

[FROGMAN524]

I'd love to build a new 210 hallett with a 450, but what would I really gain from my current situation?


Besides with a brand new boat you notice every little scuff, beach rash etc. I have a 5 year old son and a 7 month old son, trust me, with those 2 little juggernauts new scuffs will be had!

Let me tell you Ive got a four-year-old and An about to be two year-old and a newborn, all boys, and that’s probably why I didn’t spend 30 grand redoing my interior this winter.

 

[JFMFG]

Let me tell you Ive got a four-year-old and An about to be two year-old and a newborn, all boys, and that’s probably why I didn’t spend 30 grand redoing my interior this winter.

I have a 4 and 3 year old. They run wild no matter what we do in the boat. I’d wait a few more years before re doing it also.

 

[riverroyal]

I might build a rc sailboat for the pool.
It will be in the from the mold section