Boats on Used Victoria and Other Areas

That 235 outboard version is freeking sweet.

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I went to Monaro in 2018 when I was boat shopping and their first 235 was on the floor at about 80% complete. We showed up on a Saturday when they weren’t actually open but the old man and his son were very gracious and gave us the full tour. Part of their business at that time was refitting some of their own late model boats. They showed us one of their biggest 298 models they were remodelling for a customer out of Chile and they had another smaller pre-owned boat in the queue.
I talked to the owner of Hourston at the time as well with the idea of getting a factory custom built but he was getting priced out of his lease. He told me he may resurface in a year if he could find an appropriate space but we now know that didn’t happen.
I ended up buying the Campion 682 and they are done now as well.
Foot for foot all three manufacturers made comparably priced boats at the time and it’s somewhat alarming that they’re all done in a short span.
 
I went to Monaro in 2018 when I was boat shopping and their first 235 was on the floor at about 80% complete. We showed up on a Saturday when they weren’t actually open but the old man and his son were very gracious and gave us the full tour. Part of their business at that time was refitting some of their own late model boats. They showed us one of their biggest 298 models they were remodelling for a customer out of Chile and they had another smaller pre-owned boat in the queue.
I talked to the owner of Hourston at the time as well with the idea of getting a factory custom built but he was getting priced out of his lease. He told me he may resurface in a year if he could find an appropriate space but we now know that didn’t happen.
I ended up buying the Campion 682 and they are done now as well.
Foot for foot all three manufacturers made comparably priced boats at the time and it’s somewhat alarming that they’re all done in a short span.
Interesting local story. Campion was the only mass produced of the three that are gone or going, but look at the aluminum builders now. They seem to be doing well with a line up for builds.
 
Interesting local story. Campion was the only mass produced of the three that are gone or going, but look at the aluminum builders now. They seem to be doing well with a line up for builds.
It seems counterintuitive considering how much more expensive a comparable aluminum boat is than fibreglass.
I subscribe to the old business adage that it’s always best to own your location if you possibly can but it’s difficult to be immune to residential development forces like Campion succumbed to. When the property you are on becomes too valuable relative to the income you earn from it, something has to give.
 
It seems counterintuitive considering how much more expensive a comparable aluminum boat is than fibreglass.
I subscribe to the old business adage that it’s always best to own your location if you possibly can but it’s difficult to be immune to residential development forces like Campion succumbed to. When the property you are on becomes too valuable relative to the income you earn from it, something has to give.
sad truth right there
 
It seems counterintuitive considering how much more expensive a comparable aluminum boat is than fibreglass.
I subscribe to the old business adage that it’s always best to own your location if you possibly can but it’s difficult to be immune to residential development forces like Campion succumbed to. When the property you are on becomes too valuable relative to the income you earn from it, something has to give.
There were ownership issues with the property, for when Campion sold years ago, the people that bought it either ran into trouble or sold the property back to the original owner and leased it back. So it was the original owners that eventually sold the property but the rumor was that the boat company was not doing well and the lease was in question plus a possible move to Mexico. That property was in a prime location, you would think that the owners of Campion would move it to a more industrial area or out of town in a bit to cut their lease payments down. That just adds to the rumors that the company was not doing good, and the sale of the property might not have had much to do with the demise.
 
There were ownership issues with the property, for when Campion sold years ago, the people that bought it either ran into trouble or sold the property back to the original owner and leased it back. So it was the original owners that eventually sold the property but the rumor was that the boat company was not doing well and the lease was in question plus a possible move to Mexico. That property was in a prime location, you would think that the owners of Campion would move it to a more industrial area or out of town in a bit to cut their lease payments down. That just adds to the rumors that the company was not doing good, and the sale of the property might not have had much to do with the demise.
I don’t pretend to know all of the issues leading to Campion shutting their doors but finding suitable and affordable industrial property is much easier said than done. A lot of growing communities are sacrificing industrial/commercial for residential. The reality that industrial taxes are a net positive relative to services provided while residential taxes don’t cover the costs outlines a disturbing trend. Residential taxes are going to have to increase to cover the gap. We are seeing this inevitability come to fruition in many municipalities currently.
 
I'm really surprised to hear Dan and his son are closing up shop, they have indeed been budding new boats for sure. But selling off molds is a shame to see. Dan was sharp as a tack last time I was there last year.

BTW the camp fire rumors on Bluewater closing up was due to lack of skilled labor too.
Lack of skilled management too haha. Mislabeling parts and charging them out for pennies on the dollar is not a good business model
 
I don’t pretend to know all of the issues leading to Campion shutting their doors but finding suitable and affordable industrial property is much easier said than done. A lot of growing communities are sacrificing industrial/commercial for residential. The reality that industrial taxes are a net positive relative to services provided while residential taxes don’t cover the costs outlines a disturbing trend. Residential taxes are going to have to increase to cover the gap. We are seeing this inevitability come to fruition in many municipalities currently.
although they built some crap early on, I was a fan of Campion (owned an 1988 19'5 Allante with a 350 magnum) and did not want to see them fold. Some of their recent purpose built sport fishing boats in the 18-23' range lately were really well thought out and popular. Dealers lost another product line.

The property in question might have been considered out in the sticks years ago, but then the city kept growing, and now it was prime city land.
 
I went to Monaro in 2018 when I was boat shopping and their first 235 was on the floor at about 80% complete. We showed up on a Saturday when they weren’t actually open but the old man and his son were very gracious and gave us the full tour. Part of their business at that time was refitting some of their own late model boats. They showed us one of their biggest 298 models they were remodelling for a customer out of Chile and they had another smaller pre-owned boat in the queue.
I talked to the owner of Hourston at the time as well with the idea of getting a factory custom built but he was getting priced out of his lease. He told me he may resurface in a year if he could find an appropriate space but we now know that didn’t happen.
I ended up buying the Campion 682 and they are done now as well.
Foot for foot all three manufacturers made comparably priced boats at the time and it’s somewhat alarming that they’re all done in a short span.

Hourston owned the owned the property, sold the first side off to the nursery up the street then the wizards at the DofNV would not get them a building permit so it is a holding area for a car dealer. Then the Hourstons sold the main shop, lock, stock and barrel to the Bluestar automotive guys so not too sure what lease Bill would have been talking about? Maybe that was Pete you were talking to perhaps? As an owner, it would have been great to see the Hourston brand carry onwards, but that wasn't in the cards unfortunately. Would have been great to have the ongoing opportunity to yell at them every time we find something stupid in the build haha.
 
Hourston owned the owned the property, sold the first side off to the nursery up the street then the wizards at the DofNV would not get them a building permit so it is a holding area for a car dealer. Then the Hourstons sold the main shop, lock, stock and barrel to the Bluestar automotive guys so not too sure what lease Bill would have been talking about? Maybe that was Pete you were talking to perhaps? As an owner, it would have been great to see the Hourston brand carry onwards, but that wasn't in the cards unfortunately. Would have been great to have the ongoing opportunity to yell at them every time we find something stupid in the build haha.
I may not have all the details as to why but it was the owner who told me he had to find a new place to do business. At the time (2018) he expressed that he was hopeful to be building boats again in about a year but couldn’t accommodate my build request before then.
 
This is my Dad's boat. He is 85, so not a lot of use in the past few years. Boat is in decent condition and everything works other than the kicker needing a new tiller.

 
This is my Dad's boat. He is 85, so not a lot of use in the past few years. Boat is in decent condition and everything works other than the kicker needing a new tiller.

I don't see any prices
 
nice boat. Love that they do a video these days on their more expensive boats. 200k for for a used boat 23 with no locking cabin or trailer makes aluminum boats seem like better and better value.
Interesting. Less than 50 hours on the Monaro. $329,900 for a 23' Cope Walker.


Screenshot 2023-04-06 100143.jpg
 
Pursuit 2800 w/ trailer- twin Yamaha 300's, 220 hrs - $125k

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https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:b17a11dd-994e-445b-9329-b3254134f7c7

Nice boat. Was listed and well-received back in 2021. Only 55hrs in the last 2 years.
 
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