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

[Aquaholic]

And to make it worse….that’s really a 21’ boat plus the integrated swim grid. There are a few other known builders that measure them like that. Just a pet peeve of mine.lol

The hull is that complete 23’ 2” length though. No pod or grid.

 

[kaelc]

Lol I love when guys in there 3025 park beside me I always tell them my boat is 24-26’ just to watch their head spin! They have nice paint though

9' 6" beam, though or is that stretching it too?

 

[bryce]

9' 6" beam, though or is that stretching it too?

Have never measured the width myself but I know my boat that measures out 28’6 is about 4 feet longer then a 30

 

[bryce]

KF bashing.
It's an addiction.

I never said it was a kingfisher your just assuming

 

[ReelSlim]

The hull is that complete 23’ 2” length though. No pod or grid.

View attachment 89981

I’m talking about advertised length vs usable deck space. The last two feet is an integrated grid or whatever you want to call it.

 

[Aquaholic]

I’m talking about advertised length vs usable deck space. The last two feet is an integrated grid or whatever you want to call it.

Can we call it actual hull?

 

[ReelSlim]

You can call it whatever you want. It’s not the same as a 23’ boat with a full hull extension pod is all I’m saying. My boat is a 25’ with a full extension pod so close to 28’…..however I don’t say I had a 28’ boat built.

 

[Samnjoe]

Sounds like a deck measuring contest.
Had one of those skiing this weekend......I won.

 

[Rain City]

Sounds like a deck measuring contest.
Had one of those skiing this weekend......I won.

It's all about the beam anyway.

 

[Samnjoe]

It's all about the beam anyway.

118mm and that's the skinny part.
What are we talking about here???

 

[Bifmalibu]

It's all about the beam anyway.

chicks dig beam.

 

[fish4all]

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.

Pret

I have owned a few different boats aluminum and glass. I always liked the aluminum for durability and running them on the beach. That being said most don’t ride nearly as well as a heavy glass boat. A family member bought a duck worth for $280k and I can say I definitely don’t see or feel the value. Personally holding off a bit longer to purchase another glass one when the reality of our economic **** show kicks in and prices come down.

 

[Smellslikefish]

I've got a 9' beam on my 22' Daigle walk-thru windshield inboard with a swim grid that gives it an overall length of 24'. I bought it used in WA where it was advertised for sale with a 8'6" beam - I didn't know it was actually 9' until the folks at BC Ferries measured it for me on the way home! The luxury of having that extra 6" of beam means that I have to buy an oversize permit from BC Transportation, which I can do over the phone, for as many days as I want, at a cost of.... are you ready for this?... $1/day ($153 for May 1-Sep 30)! Daigle made a virtually identical outboard version that has an 8'6" beam, but I think that the weight difference stemming from the extra 6" of beam and the inboard (5.7 Vortec + DPX outdrive) would make this an apples and oranges comparison. I absolutely love the ride, comfort and stability of my boat - and the absence of one of those silly outboard motors hanging off a pod out back means that I can use the swim grid to land fish - even though Daigle sold it as a 22' boat I can actually use the full 24'!

 

[Smellslikefish]

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

 

[onefish]

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?

Because you have to buy a replacement home when you sell.

 

[Smellslikefish]

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

It isn't just the cost of aluminum that has caused prices to skyrocket (although aluminum prices are ~double what they were 20 years ago). The cost of building a welded aluminum boat includes paying for the design, aluminum cutting fabricating & welding, engine and rigging, other equipment/accessories, electronics, shipping, labour & management & marketing. It isn't just welded aluminum boats either - the cost of fiberglass boats has taken a similar path on price inflation. The reason for this is that the pandemic and retirement of babyboomers caused demand for boats and motors to increase substantially and boat and engine builders didn't see this coming - when supply is low and demand is high... prices go up. In theory the opposite is also true - the solution to high prices is high prices because manufacturers will respond to a potential to earn profits, supply will go up, demand will stabilize as buyer interest is sated and price competition will cause prices to come back down.

 

[Clint r]

Well the aluminum part is pretty cheap. I just paid $780 cash for the pieces of 5052 grade to build a hardtop on my aluminum boat. Windows….not so much. I’ve been quoted nearly $2k for just the 2 side sliders