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I visited the Annaplolis boat show this year and after I talked with some people in the boat business it turns out not many "New Boats" were sold...Got me thinking it must be the rising cost of fuel and maybe everything else? I don't see it affecting my boating. I just love getting out on the water and can't see it stopping me.

Has it affected anyone else? Anyone considering downsizing or even looking to get into a larger Whaler?? (I have seen some nice 25's on boat trader that seem to be priced right compared to new boats)........

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In general, I think your going to see a downsizing due to fuel costs/costs in general. Good freind with high income has 2 boats - spends most of his time in the smaller boat - more fun, less cost.

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I have a '76 15' sport with a 50 H.P., when I first bought my boat, everyone said that I paid too much money for too small a boat, and that I could have gotten more boat for my money If I did NOT buy a "Whaler", I still have the boat 17 years later, with a re-power in '05, none of those people have the same boat anymore, I'm very happy with what I have, and for Bay use in my "shallow" area of operation (west end Bays of southern Long Island), the 15' sport is "PERFECT", all day fun on only 6 gallons of fuel !

mw

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Hehe MW. My Outrage 20 doesn't do too bad, but our sport 13 skimms accross the water like there is no resistance at all.

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I think you'll see the 20' and under Whalers doing pretty well...the 20-27 foot range is the squeeze zone...guys stretching a bit perhaps, etc.

Also - in the general industry, I think that the availability of credit allowed some families to "trade up" faster than they were really able to handle. With the current tightening of credit, the pool of qualified buyers for the large boats (35' plus) are really now just getting back to people who are just that: qualified. That's a much larger pool of persons - and those people didn't get to where they are by spending cash fast (generally speaking). The industry was really overproducing in the late 90s and early 2000's - we're seeing that correction.

That's all just my opinion...but even on the used market, there sure are a lot of those "stretch" level boats out there on the market.

I think the upper echelon of boat buyers (65' plus) are relatively insulated from the current situation.

Interestingly enough, these past two years, my outboard dealer has had record sales for his business...and that business has a 100 year old history. This in a town that has been, and continues to lay off or offer early retirement to thousands of auto industry workers (Detroit). What is he selling? Small outboards and fishing boats.

I think guys are definitely making some changes and driving harder bargains with dealers.

What I'd be curious to know is this:
If women were influencing the buying decisions that caused larger boats with more amenities (head on board, etc)...what is happening now that the smaller boats without these amenities are really selling? Did the men of the households just put their foot down or something?!

(This from an unmarried guy who is still looking for that Whaler appreciating, outdoor-sy woman!).

Dave

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Years ago a man told me that if you had to worry about the price of gas, you couldn't afford a boat. While there's a lot of truth to that, it's not absolute. I can chase birds all over the lake and fish all morning on 2.5 gallons, so the price of gas doesn't change my boating at all. People who can afford a large whaler probably don't worry about fuel costs. As long as I can get out on the water, I don't either.
Mike

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Even with my 22 foot Outrage and the great gas mileage i get with it, its nothing to drop $100 to spend a weekend cruising around and generally having a great time. Thing is, what else can you do, travel, touring, spending a single night in a hotel your not going to spend a hell of a lot more! :D

Duf

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...or, if you're like me, you travel 95 miles one way just to get to your boat; another 30 miles to the ramp...at 3 bucks a gallon and 16 MPG that's about $25 spent just to get the boat to water.

Add ice, bait and refreshments and you're at $50 at the ramp....add 63 gallons of fuel and the trip back home and you're damn near $300.

That's for an 18' Outrage.

I can't imagine feeding a SeaRay 560 Express Cruiser!

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Guess i got you then buckda. Mines on a boat lift so the only cost to the water is a 1.5 drop straight down, and i have an ice maker that handles the rest. :D

Duf

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Don't feel bad Buck. One of my wife's brother's boats holds 600 gallons, the other holds 3200 gallons of diesel. Needless to say he has a LOT of skymiles from fueling them up.

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I had our Outrage on a mooring for the first time this summer and it was absolutely great to just get in and go, then hook up at the end of the day and not have to deal with loading it on the trailer, etc. I actually felt a little guilty for the first few days as it was too easy! Now the incredibly thirsty old 225 looper on the back was another story entirely...

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I have a couple of friends that didn't even put there 26' boats in the water this year. That is sad. :(
My Outrage 20 seems to skim accross the water just fine at 25 mph. I haven't checked the mileage, but I know for sure it isn't bad enough to leave my boat out of the water.
I go out zipping around every chance I get.
I'm still wondering if I'll have to take it out for the winter. :D

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I only got out maybe a dozen times this year:@ because of "Marcella" 6/29/07, it was just myself and the little guy out there (Christopher) he's 5yrs old. I felt bad going out because, "Mrs mw" loves the Whaler so much, and could not go even once, I want to get out one more time this weekend and then I would like to haul out for the season (getting into the 30's at night here already). One time I hauled out late (DEC.), and a very thin sheet of Ice broke away from the dock around the Whaler and went with me for about 10 feet, then broke apart, people were pointing at me, I was like "This stuff ONLY happens to ME", Marcella will be going down the creek next year in her NEW Mustang PFD, growing up on a "Whaler", something I used dream about as a kid, I would be fishing on the dock, and a 13' or 15' would go by with kids my age in it, grinning ear to ear, I would practically fall off the dock waiving to them "C'mon gimme a ride".

mw

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I didn't do as many offshore fishing trips as last year but that was due to poor weather and the fishing was just bad. I did use the boat on the bay alittle more then last year so I guess it equals out. However, burning 15-30 gallons on the bay vs. 115 gallons offshore is alot easier on the wallet.:D Then again the crew pitches in when fueling up.

Since I began this thread I think the fuel in our area has gone up about .16 cents!

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I know one thing for sure...the value of those little whalers should be going up! :) Since I currently have a 17' Outrage...I guess I'm one of the lucky ones...it's light weight, easy to tow and launch alone...it's still for sale, thinking I wanted to move "up" to either an 18' -20' Outrage but now I'm on the fence...I guess some decisions are good to have...My Outrage has a 32 (or 34) gallon tank...nice and easy on the wallet...now, if I don't sell, perhaps I could convince the Admiral it's better for me to repower...crud...more decisions! :)

I've seen many boats on other boards, mostly the larger ones, listed for quite a while...I can't tell you how many "price reduced!" postings I've seen...