Shell Shock: NY Boat SHow Prices

[HDGWJOE]

Well, I'm glad I'm not buying a new boat this year!!! Here are some Grady prices at the boat show... and they were in line with prices on competitors boats (like Pursuit & BW... also Tiara Open's). All of these boats were similarly equipped with twin F350's (trips on the 360), generators etc. The Marlin 300 didn't have outriggers... all others did.
(The Marlin and 305 Expres must fly with these F350's)

Show prices were about 8% off retail "as shown". I don't think that included delivery , prep, bottom paint etc.

MSRP(not including delivery, dealer prep, tax etc)

360: $487, xxx (about $100k more than when introduced)

330: $366,6xx YIKES ($104k more than the Marlin... difference use to be closer to $60k about 3yrs ago)

305: $284,8xx

300: $262,6xx

The 315 Pursuit is a VERY nice boat in same $$ range as the 300-305.

THe BW 30 cabin boat still has vberth that is way too short.

The Grady's were fantastic but I definitely loved the helm area and hardtop configuration on the Pursuit 315. plenty of helm seating and all glass up front and 1/2 back on each side. Forgot to check if their helm had a/c. Didn't like the head(sink in particular) or the berth area. For sitting & eating or whatever the large round table was very nice. I didn't get a good answer on how to drop the table and then fill in the gap in front of the table so you would have a full length berth down the middle. I did learn they use TWO different pedistals for the table... one for upright position and one for lowering it to a berth. For some reason they didn't use a telescoping pedistal like Grady. Pursuit did have an 18gal holding tank... I wish Grady would learn from that.
I still like the transom configuration best on the 30 Whaler. Well laid out with integrated angled rod holders (great for trolling). One thing I can't do on the Marlin.

Also could not tell if Grady raised the scupper outlets to compensate with for the F350's?? Didn't look like it. Maybe they feel their cockpit deck is high enough above the water line to not need it.

Anyway... have to keep buying lotto tickets if I ever hope to move up to that 330.

 

[megabytes]

Great report Joe.

I received my tix last week and will attend the last weekend in Jan. If I stay on my typical 7-8 year plan I am halfway toward my next boat although it may be tough to afford. My boat is perfect for me so the only reason to buy down the road is simply age and possibly some new features. A 30' is as large as my marina can handle.

Did you get any looks at the new Navnet 3D. Those should quiet the folks who said Furuno was behind in plotters. Looks like they caught up in a big way.

 

[HDGWJOE]

Hi Cummins, I read about the Navnet 3D systems in Soundings and never got to the Furuno booth... intended to but forgot all about it.
Price tags on those will make you choke also

By the way:
I did see the new Regulator 30' Express. Not a well thought out floor plan. Just going through the cramped cabin door and down the steps is a chore. The center of the console had a raised flush mount electronics box which was very high profile which I think will create a blind spot dead ahead. It went down hill from there. The motors are on a bracket that created a good 6+'(maybe more) reach over the motors when fishing. The claim is a bigger cockpit... but i didn't see it.... and those motors looked like they were waaaay out there. For a 30' boat the size of a Marlin it sports an LOA of 38'... so you pay for that over and over for winter storage and dockage. The claim is they count the motors... but that has to be in the down position. My marlin is charged for 34' with motors in the down position. Check it out if it is at your show. I know there were other things in the cabin I didn't like but I have a brain freeze right now.
Regulator makes a good boat and I'm sure they will come around and go through some growing pains in a new market. They did offer their hardtop pipe work in satin, brite or white powder coat($2000) which I think is a plus. Maybe we didn't spend enough tme on it to give it a fair shake.

 

[megabytes]

From the pix the new Reg looks weird to me as well. It is all bracket. Did you see the new SP 28 Express. It has a lot of pluses from looking at pix. I am anxious to see it and the new 315 Pursuit at the show.

BTW: I have been pressing GW on two issues for consideration.

1. House battery bank with deep cycles
2. Slick finished underside of hardtop with recessed lighting like the Pursuit 28 (and I assume the new 31 as well). It gives a "big boat" look and feel.

 

[gradyfish22]

I have to agree with the responses on the regulator express. Layout did not seem like it could compete wel with other boats. They build one hell of a center console, but their cabin boats...well lack a bit. Their 26' cabin boat they sold a few years back was a flop as well. Such a shame coming from a great company. I feel the same way about the Southport 28 express. Beautiful boat, but the cockpit is too small for what they designed that boat for.

It is sad that prices are increasing so fast, with the prices of oil going up, it won't get any better. I have seen significant increases within my companies boats as well, this was one of our biggest increases in a while for a new model year.

 

[megabytes]

Co-ownership may be the way to go in the future. IF you can find two compatible owners. That is the tough part.

 

[Kevcros]

dont buy new-- buy mine !!!

 

[wrobinson]

I will say the new 330 has a lot of features I wish I had:

A/C in the helm
Freezer Plates
A/C in the head
Upgraded Interior

Plus of course the big motors. Comparing the 2008 330 to my 2002 ain't exactly apples to apples.

But you guys are right, who would have thought dang near a half million bucks for an outboard fishing boat?

 

[HDGWJOE]

Cummins... Southport wasn't at the NY Show. I would imagine they will be at the Hartford Ct. show... they are sold in southeastern Ct. and I think that dealer covers the Hartford show.

 

[Scarlet Knight]

Prices were increased on 2008 models, but they were offering $4,000 rebates on the larger GW boats and Yamaha had $1,000 rebates per engine plus extended warranty. Attended all day Wed and it was not crowded at all.

 

[Gary M]

But you guys are right, who would have thought dang near a half million bucks for an outboard fishing boat?

15 years ago I thought that spending $100k for an OUTBOARD boat would be insane! And yet, we have well over $100K into our Marlin and when I look behind the boat I still see YAMAHA decals! :shock:

Personally, I don't care for the big wrap-around glass windshield on the new Pursuits. It makes me feel confined. I much prefer the option that lots of Isenglass gives me.

The new 275 Pursuit debuts at the Miami Show and I hope to see it at the Palm Beach Boat Show in late March.

I'd hate to be a boat dealer now. Prices of new boats are skyrocketing and gas at my local fuel dock is approaching $4 a gallon! That must make it hard to "sell" a new boat!

 

[BobP]

The price of the Marlin, 30 express, and 33 express, all with the F350 twins went sky high from 2007.

I have the numbers home, I recall the 2008 Marlin was $40-50K more than 2007 w twin F250s.
The Sailfish with F250s as last year was close to last years price.
I have the Gulf numbers from this year only.

The big Regulator express, had the biggest twin bracket I've every seen, with a V shaped bottom too. Massive. Transom must be tremendous to hold all that cantilevered weight.

 

[megabytes]

Some of that must be due to the F350 cost so a 300 w/250s should be less. Neese said they would rig the 300 with the big iron but it still blows my mind to think of my hull going over 50 kts. Hate to hit a wave at that speed. I am guessing that option would be more useful for cruising. I rarely would feel comfortable going over 30 kts offshore. Evben in nice seas there is always a wave which is 2X steeper then the average (read The Perfect Storm).

Gary: another issue facing dealers in some markets is dockspace. If you want to buy a GW around my area, you better have a place to keep it. Otherwise your choices are 10 miles south or north. Neither location has an inlet near as nice as Masonboro which is stabilized on both sides with rock jetties.

I have heard from several sources that deals for nice boats have fallen through or put on hold pending dockage.

 

[BobP]

I don't see why anyone would want a derated F300 that has the same weight (similar price too?) as the F350, and can the 600 HP hull take the extra several hundred lbs per?

Yamaha left the F175 and F300 crowd in need, to look elsewhere, in my opinion.

My buddy with a twin F250 HP Marlin would like more speed for calm day runs to the dinner dock, twin 300s would be the ticket. I don't think the added weight of the F300/350 is going to do what is expected.

 

[MRT]

Some of that must be due to the F350 cost so a 300 w/250s should be less.

When we bought our 330 in sept it was $8,000 to go from f250s to f350s on comparably rigged 08 330s.

 

[HDGWJOE]

$8000 - $10000 difference for jumping from f250's -> f350's is what I'm coming up with also on boats.net.

$40-50K more from 2007-2008 WOW.... On the positive side this sure doesn't hurt the resale value of our current boats.

 

[BobP]

Can someone verify my numbers - 2007 vs. 2008 Marlin NY Show boat prices ? Or 30X, or 33X?

 

[tuxedospike]

Navnet 3....

Got a invite to attend a Furuno "You bought it, now use it!" class in Nov. at Bethel Marine in Brevard Co. FL...While the new Navnet3 was still not available there was a demo presentation running on a Raymarine E120...Same..same said the Furuno man.....All I can say is you better have a youngster who is deeply into "gaming" to handle it for you. 3D, bottom tracking, different Radar Ranges displayed together....I was suprised that someone forgot to include the option that turns down your bed and leaves a chocolate on your pillow at the marina. Price jump,,,yes.
My Navnet 2 install costs about $17,900...the Navnet 3 would cost roughly $22K before install. I'm suprised to hear myself say it but I'm kind of glad it wasn't available when I had mine installed.

 

[megabytes]

Ever since I started following GW boats (around 88) the typical yearly increase was around 1-3%. The Marlin price from my 2004 to the 2007 model is up over 20% and I am now hearing another 10% more for the 2008 model. At some point many will be priced out of the market.

The trend seems to be industy wide so I am not blaming any one manufacturer. There is a lot of competition is the boating space which will ensure fair market pricing. Even so, boat price increases are far outpacing inflation much in the same way college tuition is rising.

My last semester was a bit under $500 in 1988. Here is the bill for Spring 2008 from the NCSU website: $2,558.50. Over 500% increase in 20 years. WOW!

At this rate many middle class kids will get priced out. The same may happen for boating. My 2004 Marlin is looking real affordable these days, especially with a 5.75% loan.

 

[Gary M]

Gary: another issue facing dealers in some markets is dockspace.

Same thing down in South Florida. We are seeing Marinas as well as Dry-Stack Marinas being bought, then torn down to build waterfront condos!

Seven years ago, we were lucky enough to have scratched our way into a tiny, 1,694 sf, 2/2 old home that is on 90 feet of deep water, just one canal off the Intracoastal Waterway in Ft Lauderdale. My former neighbor was a yacht broker and he encouraged me to build my dock out to 80 feet long so that he could rent dock space from me for $10/foot/month!

Each year, I'm just glad that someone is out there buying brand new boats! I wonder when the buyer of my future boat is taking delivery?