Todays costs putting things in perspective

[CommanderLee]

Jesus Fuck I can’t even AFFORD to go be poor somewhere else.

Same!

 

[Taboma]

@Taboma , I was lucky/unlucky with timing. I never shorted a supplier or an employee, and my kids ate...while the world crumbled and my Mom was ill. I was still kind of blind to time, even though I myself had already been a "flatliner" on a table in '05. It took the additional forces brought by the pressures of running crews, feeding their families and ultimately losing my Mom, to truly realize how lucky, in fact, I've been. Without those lessons, the times I've had recently could have possibly ended me. "Whatever doesn't kill you..."
More truth to that than people think. The strength isn't meant as a physical condition, but the ability to endure.

Your time may be limited, but no more so than anyone here. We weren't made with an expiration date, and the world is a variable in everyone's equation. We just ride that wave to the shore, occasionally getting tossed on the way.

Oh really, well if I said, hey MW, let's meet in another 20 years or even 10 and toss a beer or three, which of us has a much higher probability of realizing that commitment ???
Don't shoot the ole messenger

 

[bk2drvr]

View attachment 1341346

This is the 10 wide and it’s got 500’s so it’s in the upper echelon of things.. but that is 450k for a toon and they will get it.

I wonder if pricing is set by throwing a dart at a piece of paper on a wall?

 

[Bobby V]

That’s more than I paid for the house I live in. A lot more.

Same here. And I live in Yorba Linda, CA..

 

[monkeyswrench]

Oh really, well if I said, hey MW, let's meet in another 20 years or even 10 and toss a beer or three, which of us has a much higher probability of realizing that commitment ???
Don't shoot the ole messenger

Probability and reality are different things. By all rights, probably a good chance niether of us should be here now.
If I promise to pay, it almost guarantees your survival...the powers that be seem hell bent on not letting me skate on a bar tab

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

I honestly couldn't get $450,000 worth of fun on a boat. I buy based on smiles per dollar. I can have MORE fun on a $50k boat and invest the $400k. The $50k boat you don't have to spend hours cleaning when you get off the water, if you kid scratches it, it's not a big deal, if the market tanks and you lose 30% it's not the end of the world.

 

[Taboma]

Probability and reality are different things. By all rights, probably a good chance niether of us should be here now.
If I promise to pay, it almost guarantees your survival...the powers that be seem hell bent on not letting me skate on a bar tab

I'd be willing to pay more for a painless drama-free death, than a guaranteed painful and prolonged life as I pay the experts for just one more day of ---- yet more pain.

I avoided all doctors for over 25 years, my problems only started when I heeded the advice of others and got trapped in their system of "Prolonging life for Great Financial Reward".
But yes, you're correct it would seem I was subconsciously trying to commit suicide under the guise of fun for years. Now I'm paying the sins of those failed attempts.

 

[Backlash]

Man I wish you were right on your depreciation comment.. but they fucking things are going up in value..

It's only a matter of time. If that's what you're into and waiting for, I don't think it will be long.

 

[17 10 Flat]

Don't get me wrong, pontoons have their place in a family setting. I'm not saying they don't. Floating on a pontoon fishing for crappie on Lake Poinsette is a blast! Been there done that. But it was on a small pontoon with a whopping 90hp Mercury that probably cost about $7K. THAT makes sense to me.

Taking a pontoon boat and hanging 1,000 hp worth of outboards off the transom, is about the dumbest thing I've ever seen. It makes no sense to me. Then, to add insult to injury, charging $450K for this bastardized abomination is just plain stupid. And the fact there are people willing to do just that, cracks me up. Talk about throwing money out the window.

Depreciation on a scale larger than a 2004 Cadillac Escalade with 160,000 miles!

I'm right with you on that. Not spending 200k on a toon.

 

[whiteworks]

$50-$75k tops for any pontoon, it’s a fucking pontoon boat a couple tubes with a wacker hanging off the back, so much cool shit to do with $500k, this isn’t one of them for me

 

[Orange Juice]

Who’s the member rebuilding the floors in their 30’ Pontoon boat?

 

[traquer]

That's $440k worth of lipstick on a $10k pig.

Pontoon will always mean this in my mind:

 

[Sportin' Wood]

One of the most attractive value propositions to sell on is status. The perception of price = quality is alive and well.

 

[Orange Juice]

One of the most attractive value propositions to sell on is status. The perception of price = quality is alive and well.

I’m sure, in the right location this would be cool for a small family…..but the Twin 500’s kind of throws me way off. ( Tim Allen - Tool Time)
Maybe east coast inter ways or rivers?

I’d like to see the boat after a few years of use. I bet those engines are removed, and used elsewhere.

I’m thinking fuel economy, and big fuel cells. I like the twin engine setup for maneuvering around the docks.

 

[Bigbore500r]

MEANWHILE AT THE PONTOON FACTORY . . .

 

[petie6464]

Wow 19.55% in four years.. good job Joe!

 

[RiverDave]

I’m sure, in the right location this would be cool for a small family…..but the Twin 500’s kind of throws me way off. ( Tim Allen - Tool Time)
Maybe east coast inter ways or rivers?

I’d like to see the boat after a few years of use. I bet those engines are removed, and used elsewhere.

I’m thinking fuel economy, and big fuel cells. I like the twin engine setup for maneuvering around the docks.

Zero chance those motors are coming off.. unless they are being replaced with something bigger.. but when you are at this level you generally just trade the boat in on the annual service.

RD

 

[boatnam2]

One thing for sure, i use to make enough money to afford a pontoon boat and a house in Havasu, that ship has long sailed, prices are just insane.

 

[monkeyswrench]

A few years back @sirbob posted some pretty cool, affordable, smaller offerings from a pontoon manufacturer. Nice little 18ft...like a nice picnic setup for the river. Unfortunately, that was pre- covid I think.

Now every toon needs twin engines, a fridge and seating for 40. An old pos 20 or 22 with a 125 would do fine. If I wanted to go fast with a small herd, I'd go with an E-ticket...like a Ferrari family car.

 

[zhandfull]

Well that would be quite the commitment even with monthly payments.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

That is a very nice boat, but the price...the price is so far from the real world as I know it that it boggles the mind.
If I had that kind of $ to spend on a pontoon boat I would already have the isolated ranch I dream of, and would use the extra half a mil to dig the moat around it and put in the gun towers and draw bridge.

 

[SJP]

So I was thinking back to a conversation I had in the channel with an older guy that bought his first boat. A new Southbay Pontoon with twin 300 verados, nice interior, at the time unique composite floor - not carpet. He basically said give me your best boat on the lot I am not taking the money with me. He bought a 169K pontoon. He was having trouble figuring out how to start and put into gear it was fly by wire touch. Honestly was worried about him killing himself or someone back to his slip. I helped him out. This boat was about the cost of a used DCB. 1/2 the cost of a new DCB.

Flip to today that boat is about the cost of a used DCB and 1/2 the cost of a new DCB / MTI. Houses are about twice as much. Basically we are paying more for the same product (you can argue HP and technology differences). Inflation.

 

[OCMerrill]

I think the Majority of that cost was purchasing all the beer needed to construct the toons.

 

[2Driver]

I remember leaving Gaines marine with our new fully optioned JC Tritoon with a 5.7 merc thinking, good god did we just fork out $23,000 for a pontoon boat?

 

[monkeyswrench]

That is a very nice boat, but the price...the price is so far from the real world as I know it that it boggles the mind.
If I had that kind of $ to spend on a pontoon boat I would already have the isolated ranch I dream of, and would use the extra half a mil to dig the moat around it and put in the gun towers and draw bridge.

It appears as though there are state and local rules about digging a moat here in AZ.
As it turns out, if you have Ag on your property, cows and stuff, you can have a "tank" for water....
They don't say what shape the tank must be dug

 

[Rajobigguy]

Well as long as were putting things in perspective. The year is 1956 and my dad is making $10,400 dollars per year. He bought a nice new home in Downey Ca. on a corner lot for $10,000. That house today has a market value of $838,000. So dad was able to buy that house for just tad under a years wages. Dad has been gone for many years but if he was still alive and still working I doubt that he would be making a tad over $838,000 per year.

 

[lbhsbz]

but if he was still alive and still working I doubt that he would be making a tad over $838,000 per year.

unless he was selling pontoon boats

 

[paradise]

A few years back @sirbob posted some pretty cool, affordable, smaller offerings from a pontoon manufacturer. Nice little 18ft...like a nice picnic setup for the river. Unfortunately, that was pre- covid I think.

Now every toon needs twin engines, a fridge and seating for 40. An old pos 20 or 22 with a 125 would do fine. If I wanted to go fast with a small herd, I'd go with an E-ticket...like a Ferrari family car.

If these had a steering wheel I would have one just for the hell of it LOL

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sea-doo.brp.com

Edit- Even these ugly things almost doubled

 

[RiverDave]

So I was thinking back to a conversation I had in the channel with an older guy that bought his first boat. A new Southbay Pontoon with twin 300 verados, nice interior, at the time unique composite floor - not carpet. He basically said give me your best boat on the lot I am not taking the money with me. He bought a 169K pontoon. He was having trouble figuring out how to start and put into gear it was fly by wire touch. Honestly was worried about him killing himself or someone back to his slip. I helped him out. This boat was about the cost of a used DCB. 1/2 the cost of a new DCB.

Flip to today that boat is about the cost of a used DCB and 1/2 the cost of a new DCB / MTI. Houses are about twice as much. Basically we are paying more for the same product (you can argue HP and technology differences). Inflation.

This is so true.. go back to la boat show report even four years ago the fully loaded crest single was 85k.. now that boat is almost 200.

These guys are gouging and getting away with it.

 

[lbhsbz]

This is so true.. go back to la boat show report even four years ago the fully loaded crest single was 85k.. now that boat is almost 200.

These guys are gouging and getting away with it.

Is it gouging or is it all the dumbass features like 83 color LED's everywhere and 47 cupholders and all the other crap that won't work in 3 years that nobody needs, wants, or uses but pays for anyway for some reason because their buddy who bought a boat last year only had 58 color LEDs and 32 cupholders?

 

[ChrisV]

Is it gouging or is it all the dumbass features like 83 color LED's everywhere and 47 cupholders and all the other crap that won't work in 3 years that nobody needs, wants, or uses but pays for anyway for some reason because their buddy who bought a boat last year only had 58 color LEDs and 32 cupholders?

Keeping up with the jones is a real thing.

 

[pixrthis]

In 1986 I bought a 24’ Valco double deck twin toon with a 90 hp Merc in a slip at Pine Flat for $3,000. I bought a Honda 1000 generator, blender, tiki lamps and a hammock for it and called it my summer home away from home for 8 or 9 years. It was as our basecamp for all of our lake activities and when we needed more room we rented another from the marina and tied them together. It was so much fun.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Keeping up with the jones is a real thing.

F' that, I just want the Jones' 3rd to last trade in from 8-10 seasons back!

 

[PlanB]

Zero chance those motors are coming off.. unless they are being replaced with something bigger.. but when you are at this level you generally just trade the boat in on the annual service.

RD

There is a guy on the Bennington FB page that gets a new boat every year. The dealer picks up the old boat from his lift and puts a new one on. He does not own a trailer and never deals with servicing. To him it’s worth the yearly depreciation to always have a new boat.

 

[Dana757]

Tell me you're old...

Without telling me you're old.

Yeah I’m old … ish but the house is new to me. Bought it last September in So Cal.

Not hating the toon, the price or anything. To me it’s inspiring that someone can reach success to have toys like that. Probably parks it next to his helicopter or something like that.

 

[petie6464]

Anyone that thinks these boat manufacturers are gouging people or even financially strong have never been in the boat business. .

If you can read and understand a balance sheet on any of them the only gouging you would be doing would be you on your own eyes.

 

[Orange Juice]

That is a very nice boat, but the price...the price is so far from the real world as I know it that it boggles the mind.
If I had that kind of $ to spend on a pontoon boat I would already have the isolated ranch I dream of, and would use the extra half a mil to dig the moat around it and put in the gun towers and draw bridge.

Stock market changed things for many. Some are bankrupt, while others made a quick $1M, and own a weekend hobby farm.

I don’t think you can run anymore. Amazon delivers everywhere, and they have drones.

 

[RiverDave]

Anyone that thinks these boat manufacturers are gouging people or even financially strong have never been in the boat business. .

If you can read and understand a balance sheet on any of them the only gouging you would be doing would be you on your own eyes.

On production pontoons I’d take that wager.. albeit with the market change now shit is gonna get ugly in this market pretty quick.

That has to do with too much expansion etc.. though

 

[Cole Trickle]

On production pontoons I’d take that wager.. albeit with the market change now shit is gonna get ugly in this market pretty quick.

That has to do with too much expansion etc.. though

I would add production wake boats as well.

 

[BabyRay]

I had a pontoon that I sold a few years ago. It was 22’ and had a a 125 HP ouboard (if memory serves, haha). I paid $26k for it, including the trailer.

It had a basic stereo (never cared for sharing my music with everyone on the lake anyway), comfortable but cheap-looking seating, and had zero fancy lighting. We had many fun days and relaxing evening cruises with it. If the geese shit on it, somebody spilled red wine, or my grandson made a mess with fish slime, we just hosed it off and didn’t freak out. Paying crazy prices for a pontoon makes no sense to me.

 

[PlanB]

My first Bennington was a 2005 28’ with a 350 Mag / Bravo 3. Top of the line boat at the time and it was 65k. What would 65k in 2005 be worth now?

The price on the new toons is crazy but inflation has to be playing a roll.

 

[Gelcoater]

My first Bennington was a 2005 28’ with a 350 Mag / Bravo 3. Top of the line boat at the time and it was 65k. What would 65k in 2005 be worth now?

The price on the new toons is crazy but inflation has to be playing a roll.

105 and change

 

[RiverDave]

My first Bennington was a 2005 28’ with a 350 Mag / Bravo 3. Top of the line boat at the time and it was 65k. What would 65k in 2005 be worth now?

The price on the new toons is crazy but inflation has to be playing a roll.

They don’t make the IO anymore but used ones are fetching a 100’ish

 

[PlanB]

There is an almost identical boat to the one in the OP docked down in the channel right now. Only difference is 450’s instead of 500’s.

 

[rivermobster]

I had a pontoon that I sold a few years ago. It was 22’ and had a a 125 HP ouboard (if memory serves, haha). I paid $26k for it, including the trailer.

It had a basic stereo (never cared for sharing my music with everyone on the lake anyway), comfortable but cheap-looking seating, and had zero fancy lighting. We had many fun days and relaxing evening cruises with it. If the geese shit on it, somebody spilled red wine, or my grandson made a mess with fish slime, we just hosed it off and didn’t freak out. Paying crazy prices for a pontoon makes no sense to me.

If you have the money? Spend that shit! You're only gonna live once.

Me on the other hand?

I'm gonna go be poor, AND enjoy my life, somewhere else.

 

[FlyByWire]

They don’t make the IO anymore but used ones are fetching a 100’ish

Dang maybe I CAN sell mine and get that E ticket after all.

 

[throttle]

There is an almost identical boat to the one in the OP docked down in the channel right now. Only difference is 450’s instead of 500’s.

Its there often, love that damn boat!

 

[brgrcru]

Good for whoever can spend 450k on a toon.
Me personally having more than 4 people on my boats. Is 3 to many .

 

[DLC]

Well I guess all the toon manufacturers will have 100’s of high performance toons at a fire sale -
here shortly ….


Curious-
How many have of you have bought a BRAND new boat in the last 8- 10 years? Or the last 4-5 years? Or ever?


Mc D‘s combo #1 is $14 bucks 2 days ago! Bought one for a worker….

Thats like Crazy - stupid……
a $14 turd

 

[throttle]

Well I guess all the toon manufacturers will have 100’s of high performance toons at a fire sale -
here shortly ….


Curious-
How many have of you have bought a BRAND new boat in the last 8- 10 years? Or the last 4-5 years? Or ever?


Mc D‘s combo #1 is $14 bucks 2 days ago! Bought one for a worker….

Thats like Crazy - stupid……
a $14 turd

I have been waiting for that fire sale... its starting to cost me more now to wait. Last new boat I bought was 2019, put 100 hours on it and sold it 3 years ago.

Funny you mention Mc D's, I had a gift card for In & Out given to me, I pulled it out to use it the other day... figured it was at least worth 20 bucks, nope $10 (WTF, can't buy a combo with that)! LAME