This threads carried a lot of comments and a lot of opinion. It’s notable that last quarters annual aluminum and fiberglass bass boats were up 2%, on the registration data released two weeks ago, mid June on an R12. Yes, some of that is dealers reducing inventory, while the other part is people must be in a buying mode. It’s nice to see normal as we are well into those 2017 normalcy year patterns on the bass market. Mercury and others primed their lines to run during the largest market expansion we’ve seen since the mid 1980’s. No way that was sustainable as they reached to expand when their foreign competition couldn’t.

SC-001 is right in the only thing that will bring them down is the coming of a Great Recession. That’s money losing survival modes, cut your losses if you can and operate. During the 1980’s and 2009 (‘10) era downturns people bought less all the way around also. Less boats, less boat, less gear and settled for less in some cases. During the 1980’s downturn the market lost 66% of HIN registrations. That’s 66% of bass boat builders that went out of business during that economy. A solid number was lost in fall of 2000, before 9/11/2001, when OMC filed bankruptcy, as did many others.

Then there are those which had an incident that drives them to buy, when they otherwise wouldn’t, much like totaling a truck, or blowing an engine. There are all sorts of driving forces that control markets. Most on the comments here are based on their finances and plan over time. Not everyone’s on the same financial plane.

Rick

Then there are those which had an incident that drives them to buy, when they otherwise wouldn’t, much like totaling a truck, or blowing an engine. There are all sorts of driving forces that control markets. Most on the comments here are based on their finances and plan over time. Not everyone’s on the same financial plane.

Rick

There are probably a lot of people waiting things out, with the general economic environment, primarily cost of goods and interest rates, really holding people back. And I’m referring to people who have the means and desire to purchase but choose not to out.

I am in the market for another boat. I am an able buyer. I’m torn between being cautious with my money and realizing also I’m not getting any younger.

In my case Im holding my boat another year, if i were to sell i'd take a big loss. I see prices of new boats falling now. all these people that bought in 2021 to 2023 will prolly be in the same situation.