Aluminum boat builders - why have they become so greedy???

[AndrewH]

I can understand that the prices have to go up a little but they should be leveraged on the current price of aluminum shouldn't they?

Example - a Silver streak 18'6 challenger HT ran 60k all in with new power back in 2018. Present day they are going for 120k even though the price of aluminum is back down close to 2018 levels. What is the story???

I even have the build sheet for a 24' SS Swifture from 2021 and the hull (no power) was 118k.... Now it is well over 200 with cheaper aluminum prices.

Pretty frustrating

 

[Sea Chaser]

I can understand that the prices have to go up a little but they should be leveraged on the current price of aluminum shouldn't they?

Example - a Silver streak 18'6 challenger HT ran 60k all in with new power back in 2018. Present day they are going for 120k even though the price of aluminum is back down close to 2018 levels. What is the story???

I even have the build sheet for a 24' SS Swifture from 2021 and the hull (no power) was 118k.... Now it is well over 200 with cheaper aluminum prices.

Pretty frustrating

Yah the prices at the boat show were shocking . Will have to win the lotto to afford anything .

 

[Rain City]

Looks like podding an old glass boat is the way to roll these days. Half the cost of a new aluminum and still have brand new power.

 

[walleyes]

I’m glad I bought when I did,, well thats not entirely true I should have bought 2 years earlier when I was thinking about it would have saved another $20,000. As it would have it mine was a year newer than year purchased so ended up with a 2021 in 2020. But they have went up close to $30,000 from when I bought the summer of 2020. The low hours and pristine condition mine is in and all rigged with electronics I could make money on it if I wanted I’m sure of it. Not that I want to.

 

[ryanb]

Demand is high still even with the inflated prices. Labour costs are way up, prices for power and electronics way up, availability still low (though I think that's going to change soon). Boating industry might finally be in for a bit of pain. I thought that was going to happen at the start of covid but was obviously wrong about that.

 

[AndrewH]

Demand is high still even with the inflated prices. Labour costs are way up, prices for power and electronics way up, availability still low (though I think that's going to change soon). Boating industry might finally be in for a bit of pain. I thought that was going to happen at the start of covid but was obviously wrong about that.

Ya but I am talking hull only, no power and/or electronics. I know labour has gone up but I highly doubt they have added much to the welder's salaries...

 

[Rain City]

Ya but I am talking hull only, no power and/or electronics. I know labour has gone up but I highly doubt they have added much to the welder's salaries...

Maybe the shops realized how little they were actually making after R&D and warranty issues.

 

[ship happens]

I can't get over the fact that these aluminum boats that cost between 100 and 200 k and they all have plywood ******* decks!

 

[Aquaholic]

I can't get over the fact that these aluminum boats that cost between 100 and 200 k and they all have plywood ******* decks!

most of the North River boats, even smaller ones had self bailing, however I do believe it is optional.

 

[ship happens]

most of the North River boats, even smaller ones had self bailing, however I do believe it is optional.

North river boats are absolutely pieces of total ****.

 

[Brando]

Walked around the boat show today lots of questionable work, can’t say I was a big fan of many of the aluminum rigs lot of bad fitup, spatter that was painted over undercut poor stop starts, porosity etc. one of the kingfishers had horrible grind/cut marks on the front window stiffeners no way I could dish out 300k and look at that.. ss sure looked good and the big raider seemed like decent value.

 

[Fisher_dude]

welding thing’s properly is to expensive apparently.

 

[pescador]

Aluminum boats = sharp cold edges and zero personality.....Nothng like an inch or two of glass.....The only benefit of an alloy boat is being able to drag it up on a beach, preferable Wreck Beach. Let the battle begin.

 

[Sr SQ]

Talked to a dealer at the show yesterday, he told me the same 20' welded aluminium boat model was up over 20k this year from last year.......
I doubt that profits at any level in the chain increased that significantly over that period, sure some but you won't be in business if you don't, and competition in this arena has grown significantly.
Production costs are up exponentially for everything, shipping costs being one of the largest.
Talented labourers are like unicorns right now and a good welder will likely cost you twice what a glass layup guy will cost.

Consumer demand drives every market, regardless if the consumer is experienced or educated on the products.

Retailers have to sell what sells weather its anyone else's idea of good or not, I seems the market right now believes welded alloy is what they need for every type of boating.

Marketing is a wonderful thing

 

[Cookie's Cutter]

It’s all supply and demand.

Boat builders got behind on orders due to covid buying frenzy, labour shortage and supply chain.

So they drastically increased prices.

If consumers hold off on buying a 17ft boat with a 7 foot beam for $100k for 6 months the builders will have a glut of inventory and it should make the prices go back down.

I can guarantee you the dealers at the boat show sold at least half the number of boats they did at the last show.

 

[Rain City]

It’s all supply and demand.

Boat builders got behind on orders due to covid buying frenzy, labour shortage and supply chain.

So they drastically increased prices.

If consumers hold off on buying a 17ft boat with a 7 foot beam for $100k for 6 months the builders will have a glut of inventory and it should make the prices go back down.

I can guarantee you the dealers at the boat show sold at least half the number of boats they did at the last show.

Yup. The only time I increase my rates is when I've got a few projects stacked up. You can afford to not make the sale.

 

[wdlfbio]

Why is it that home owners had/have gotten so greedy and home prices, for literally the same house, have risen so ridiculously high? And on homes that are used. No new pool. No new yard. No new kitchen, yet $100-$200k more??? Same with the entire vehicle market, including used, and including private sellers. Supply and demand.

If you had something for sale and had two guys offering to buy it, one offering $8,000 and one offering $10,000, who would you sell it to?

 

[Fisher_dude]

I think another question should be, how is it that the price has gone up so much but the build quality is still $hit? I’m not saying that’s all aluminum builders but I still see it on the new KFs. SrSQ said it. Good quality tradespeople are hard to find. I work in the manufacturing industry working with stainless steel and it’s impossible to find talented workers as the companies still pay **** despite everything else going up in price. No one wants to tig weld stainless for $25/hr. These companies need to work on employee retention, not retraining new people all the time.

 

[Brando]

I think another question should be, how is it that the price has gone up so much but the build quality is still $hit? I’m not saying that’s all aluminum builders but I still see it on the new KFs. SrSQ said it. Good quality tradespeople are hard to find. I work in the manufacturing industry working with stainless steel and it’s impossible to find talented workers as the companies still pay **** despite everything else going up in price. No one wants to tig weld stainless for $25/hr. These companies need to work on employee retention, not retraining new people all the time.

My industry is no different, our company has raised their rates almost 100% in the last couple years and I have hardly received any increased compensation(2%). It’s all going to the top end and shareholders. Hard to believe that some of these “well educated” people can’t understand why no one sticks around or does the bare minimum..

 

[zurk]

maybe they took inspiration from my CL advert....