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Boats simply cost what they cost...
I’m always amazed by how buyers look at new boat costs. I’ve talked to
the same want-to-be owners for years. Their argument is always the same.
Everything is just too darn expensive. Some lookers will even admit
wishing they’d bought some certain boat years ago. They didn’t then,
they won’t now, I suspect that a decade in the future we will be having
the same conversation.
The truth is, the cost of a boat is what it is. Boats don’t cost a lot
because “Big Boat Building” is conspiring to keep prices elevated, or
because the greedy “Fat Cats who build them” need to suck more money out
of your wallet. They cost a lot because boats are expensive to
manufacture. Any time you build something that is complex, completely
hand made, and produced in small quantities, it is going to be reflected
in the price. A boat, even a modest size boat, takes thousands of
man-hours to produce. Then there’s equipment. Despite the “keep it
simple” mindset, today’s yachts include stuff that would have been
unheard of 20 years ago. Then there’s expectation. Everything must not
simply perform its function. It must do so with a level of safety,
environmental friendliness, and functional durability never before
imagined. All laudable goals, but all with a price tag. Buying cheap is
rarely the answer. Where and how a boat is built can add risks that
offset any perceived saving.
I wish there was a simple answer, but boats will always cost too much;
just like houses, vacations, and gas. It’s cheaper to buy now than
later. My only suggestion is look for quality. A boat pretending to do
more than the dollars allow, is rarely the best choice. Look for good
“bones” (solid structure). It will serve you long after that plasma TV,
or fancy oven has found its way to the landfill.
But then that’s just my opinion.
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