Increase In Water Ski Boat Prices

[GMLIII]

Found on web and thought members may be interested in the information

Let's talk about boats
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In 1985 a top-end water ski boat cost less than $20,000 USD, within the budget of many middle class families. Since 2010, the cost of a new tournament boat has been higher than the median household income in the United States, and the gap is widening every year.

[fsts2k]

bananas... that is a lot of money

I like my old 2002 196

[MN Ryan]

Kind of nuts when you see an '89 SN 2001 listed for $20K.

[swatguy]

These are no longer towsports boats …….the shift is now luxury inboards. I’d be willing to bet 50% of sales don’t ever se a rider behind on their boat on a regular basis if at all. They’ve priced the average Watersports enthusiast out of the market. Can’t fault them , it’s obviously a great business move, but the mfg have completely left the people they built their product on in the dust

[Shamsra]

I'll join the priced-out-of-market chorus. My poor negotiating skills got me to within $20k of a 2022 S23. Corporate greed saved my bank account and maybe even my marriage. Thanks, Nautique and giant public company dealership! Now, instead, I'm looking forward to buying a pandemic boat in the near future that has 25 hours and 2 years of dust. It could happen!

[hal2814]

How many are they selling? Ski boats have become a niche of a niche. Towboats are their own small market and ski boats are now a tiny part of that. It makes sense that it’ll cost more to have a purpose-built ski boat when the primary Watersports today aren’t even ski-related.

[Tchur1]

I'll join the priced-out-of-market chorus. My poor negotiating skills got me to within $20k of a 2022 S23. Corporate greed saved my bank account and maybe even my marriage. Thanks, Nautique and giant public company dealership! Now, instead, I'm looking forward to buying a pandemic boat in the near future that has 25 hours and 2 years of dust. It could happen!

Im right there with you. Was close to ordering a new X24 this spring but the 100k jump over our 2020 xstar wasnt going to happen. Now ill gladly wait until something like you outlined pops up in a couple years.

[NautiqueJeff]

I like my old 2002 196

Just FYI, there is no such thing as a 2002 196. The 196 moniker did not start until 2003. Your boat is a 2002 Ski Nautique.

[bturner]

I think this is my third go around on this cycle of boom-bust for the boating industry. One thing that is certain is that this rate of price increases across the board can't continue. There will be a retraction and as in the past the boating industry will take it in the shorts once again. Swat is spot on about the market that is buying these boats but this is nothing new. The owner of the Malibu I knew fairly well told me a story about 3 neighbors on one of our high end inland lakes that were buying new boats every or every other year to compete with the other 2. He said most times the boat would come back with less than 40 hours. He wanted to sell me one of them but they were so loaded I couldn't afford even a used one.

[Interjon]

If one is really interested in a competent ski boat, a 196 is a perfectly capable slalom tow. You can find one in excellent shape for $20 to $30K. Bet you can sell it for more than that after 500 hours of use.

[fsts2k]

Just FYI, there is no such thing as a 2002 196. The 196 moniker did not start until 2003. Your boat is a 2002 Ski Nautique.

Said differently.. I like my old 2002 Ski Nautique

[wakeslayer427]

I just entered the used boat market myself and looking for a 1997-2001 SN or a 1991-1994 MC 190 and these boats aren't priced much different than new, as mentioned above. We have several lakes around the Dallas area where top of the line WB boats will tie up and owners will drink beer all day, with maybe a couple of rounds of surfing involved, I don't get spending $200k to surf. With that being said, no one Slaloms or barefoots anymore, so maybe I am the odd one

[swatguy]

I With that being said, no one Slaloms or barefoots anymore, so maybe I am the odd one

can’t argue that either. Kids are soft these days , nobody wants to put in work or take on anything that requires skill , muscle , toughness and work It’s all about instant gratification. It’s sad. Masculinity is almost dead.

I thought wakeparks would spark wakeboarding as those e wolves around the time wakeboarding started to tail off. Nope. Not really much of a change. I know our prop shops don’t do much in the way of slalom or wakeboarding anymore.

[morfoot]

I just entered the used boat market myself and looking for a 1997-2001 SN or a 1991-1994 MC 190 and these boats aren't priced much different than new, as mentioned above. We have several lakes around the Dallas area where top of the line WB boats will tie up and owners will drink beer all day, with maybe a couple of rounds of surfing involved, I don't get spending $200k to surf. With that being said, no one Slaloms or barefoots anymore, so maybe I am the odd one

Slaloming still lives but in small #'s. After skiing behind my 88' SN for many years then going behind my neighbors 03 SN in the course, I went on the hunt for a SN with the TSC hull. Scored one last December and have enjoyed it tremendously. They're out there but hard to find as owners don't wanna let them go as they are fantastic Slalom tugs. It's up to us Swervers to keep it alive and I've found that if once you get a newby up on slalom they find out how much fun it is. It's a full body workout. Problem is finding good water to do it on as the WakeHoles have taken over. Same story no matter where you go. The bad apples in the wakesurfing industry are ruining for the considerate ones. Lakes are cracking down on the tidal waves generated by the surf machines because some wakeholes refuse to go out to open water and stay in small coves wrecking havoc on shorelines, docks and boats.

It may take awhile to find one but keep searching and don't give up. They're out there.

[Nautiquehunter]

The problem with wakesurfing is the only one having fun is the wakesurfer . Everybody else has to put up with the Tsunami size wake left behind