Are boats being made out of GOLD these days?

I may be wrong, but the way I look at it is that a nice bass boat, whether its brand new, or relatively new, is an investment. Everyone looks at things from a different perspective, but I personally would rather spend more money on a boat than, say a pickup truck. Some will argue that a boat wont get you to work like a truck will, but the best auto manufacturers, such as Toyota for example will see more depreciation than a high end boat brand such as Bass Cat. If we viewed other forms of capital, whether it be cars, homes, clothing, etc., we wouldnt buy anything, because everything costs more money now than ever. I hate it as much as anyone, but its far beyond our control.There are many scenarios in which spending a little more on a boat can be beneficial in my point of view. The banks are extending term length on boats just like they have on cars, to keep the payment down where its either manageable, or to the point that the sticker shock doesnt drive someone away. I know plenty of people that could afford a $800-900 boat payment, but cant get past the idea of a $400 boat payment on something that gets used 1 or 2 days a week at best. You can spend less on another brand, but I have learned that lesson the hard way. The comparable boat from another brand that is 10-15% less initially will depreciate by the same amount in a few years. Another factor to consider that, in my opinion, sets BCB apart from all other brands is that now you see every major boat builder coming out with special pricing on package boats, just to compete in sales of a certain size rig with a major competitor. All that does is screw the owners who purchased a boat the previous year. It will take several years for skeeter owners to recover their resale value since they introduced these package deals on the ZX series. The same can be said about what Triton is doing with the TRX 20. I agree that both of those boats are fine rigs and come at a good price with the equipment installed, but I do believe that is something we as BCB owners will never have to worry about. Another thing to consider when weighing the expenses is that I can tell you from experience that the bitter taste of constantly working on a 2-4 year old boat lasts a lot longer than the sweet taste of know you saved $5-7K from what you wouldve spent on a premium boat. If you plan to keep the boat for several years, dont be afraid to make a drive out of state to get a boat either! All dealers price their boats differently, so you can either save thousands of dollars and/or get the exact boat you were looking for by widening your area that you are willing to cover.I am only 28 years old, but I just bought my 7th boat in December, so Ive learned a lot about the financial side of owning a boat, most of those lessons were learned the hard way. I dont have children yet, and Im still in the process of convincing the fiance that bass boats arent the devil LOL, but as long as owning a boat doesnt prevent you from providing for your family, or staying the course on long term financial goals, then there are far worse things to invest in!

Have you tried looking at a previously owned rig? A boat with that has two to three years on it will be considerably less then a new one. You will still have warranty on the engine and the electronics will be fairly new. A good chunk of the depreciation will be with the first owner as well. I got a great deal on my 2007 model when I bought it in 2010. In 2010 there was no where near as many used Bass Cats on the market as there is today so selection should be great. When you show the wife the amount of savings between new and used she will likely tell you to go boat shopping. Good luck in your endeavor.

Im alright with boat prices. Its the 1.50 for a candy bar that really pisses me off.

I know it is not traditional but my wife and I keep separate bank accounts, she buys what she wants and I buy what I want and split the monthly bills. Works really well for us.

Would you consider a very nice 2010 Cougar FTD……….Im considering down sizing .Has tandem w /brakes on both axles , 1 pro power pole . 250 pro XS . 36 volt motorguide , smartcraft gauges , bird 957 on bow . bird 997 si on console .