No gloom and doom at local boat show!
Depsite all of the headlines proclaiming the boating industry is
falling on hard times, you wouldn't know it by visiting our local boat
show.Attendance so far is either record breaking or just better than any
show in recent memory. We brought the same amount of material to the
show we had last year, when we "sold out" about 1/2 hour before the
show was over. We'll be lucky to have anything left by Wednesday
night, and the show runs through next Saturday. One dealer I know, who is normally able to get several boats allocated
each month, is only halfway bemoaning that as of mid-afternoon
Saturday he was sold out through June. "Telling people they have to
wait until July for a boat puts a damper on things," he said, "but its
a nice problem to have and we are way, way, up from last year." Boating is a great respite from all of the problems and turmoil in the
world. Who knows why there is so much enthusiasm for boating this
year, but perhaps it is a response to the international tensions and
the impending general ugliness of another race for POTUS. |
Chuck
Jan 28
|
| >falling on hard times, you wouldn't know it by visiting our local boat
>show.
>
Bass pro shop opened here in Estero last month and they are doing
about a million bucks a week, mostly boats.
From the traffic I see on the water, people are using them too. |
gfretwell
Jan 28
|
| I can't give any percentege stats, but I've noticed that on Ebay, and
in general, it seems like the used boat market is selling as higher
prices than the last year or two.
And that's even in the off season. |
Tim
Jan 28
|
| CMTA show was this weekend and from what I'm hearing, it's a disaster
for both attendance and boat sales. |
Short
Jan 28
|
| http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-2570050,00.html I was complaining about this years ago after losing out on some items
to fake bidders. Even caught one red handed and eBAY did nothing bout
it. Now people are finally catching on. |
Short
Jan 28
|
| I have taken the attitude of using eBay simply to try and gauge market
prices. I wonder if the number of fakers out there are skewing my
statistics. |
DownTime
Jan 28
|
| gfetwell: Been there a couple of times, and is it just the newness of the store or
simply the deals are too good to pass up? I noticed a few things at good
prices, but I think ALOT of their stuff is over-priced. p.s. We are are in this hood, Cape Coral to be more specific. Where's
your local hangouts? I like stalking redfish at a number of my new
secret locations. |
DownTime
Jan 28
|
| We decided to add a WaveRunner to our water toys. And I have not seen
any real off-season deals either. Even the use ones (yes selection is
limited) have sellers that are asking prices that make me all consider
going new. Saw one that the guy had listed for about 600 bucks more then
I could get the same model new. He did have a trailer that made it a
wash. But no 2 year factory coverage on the craft. His was a 2005. I figure he will be looking at it for a while :-) Capt Jack R.. |
Jack
Jan 29
|
| I have purchased from BassPro for years. Being from Missouri we use to
go to the original one in Springfield Mo. Now that I am in Atlanta there
is one just down the road. That being said I would not call BassPro a discounter type shop. They do
have very competive pricing, but I am sure if you wnat to hunt for a
deal on just about anything you can save a little money. But they do carry a huge selection of just about everything you could
need for the outdoors in one place. Capt Jack R. |
Jack
Jan 29
|
| I have several Basspro rod/reel combinations and they are really
quality - not first class certainly, but very serviceable and
virtually indestructible. They made a Quantom Pro series rod/reel combination a few years ago
and they really have held together - I haven't had to replace a guide
or do any rod repair and other than oiling the reels every winter, no
problems there either. And I beat the hell out of them. Bass Pro markets some good stuff at a reasonable price. |
Short
Jan 29
|
| Agreeded :-) Capt Jack R.. |
Jack
Jan 29
|
| I'm in the Estero River up near the FPL lines. My neighbor says bull
reds are running right offshore FMB. He was surprised. I don't really
fish these days but I watch people fish. Most suck at it. |
gfretwell
Jan 28
|
| yup, been hearing the same reports from a few of the lucky ones who have
run across the schools. those who can find them, great fun! |
DownTime
Jan 29
|
