Posted on 03/15/2009 4:37:56 AM PDT by fight_truth_decay
PORTLAND There may be financial turbulence outside, but inside the Cumberland County Civic Center on Saturday, it was smooth sailing.
Boat sales are holding up despite the ups and downs of the stock market, according to Sean Brogan, a salesman for Port Harbor Marine who was one of his company's representatives at the Maine Boat Show, which wraps up a four-day run today.
"People that are coming out aren't talking about a recession, they're talking about boating," Brogan said, noting that he sealed one deal as soon as the doors opened at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Brogan said the foot traffic at the show seemed down this year, but many of the visitors are there for more than just a look at the latest in fishing boats, pontoon boats and yachts.
"They're serious buyers, rather than people just coming to kick the tires," he said.
Brogan said Port Harbor Marine has had a busy spring. He said the company sent several salespeople and boats to the Boston boat show recently, which usually yields a handful of sales. This time, he said, they came back with 18 orders.
The key, Brogan said, is that a lot of Mainers are avid boaters who aren't going to let news about financial crises, bankruptcies and rising foreclosures keep them from getting out on the water during the state's brief summers.
"People that are out there to boat and recreate are still going to do it," he said. "They're going to do it regardless of a recession or the price of fuel."
Steve Arnold, owner of Yarmouth Boat Yard, agreed.
"People want to go boating. They are going to go boating," Arnold said. "The sun's going to come up tomorrow."
Arnold admitted that his outlook wasn't very bright just a few months ago, when he forecast that his sales would drop by 30 percent this year.
Instead, sales are up about 10 percent, he said, "knock on fiberglass," tapping the hull of the largest boat he had at the show: a 35-foot, $350,000 Prowler outfitted with twin V-8 outboards.
It was sold before the show, Arnold said.
Jim Boyle admitted he's not likely to add to Arnold's bottom line anytime soon.
Boyle, who was at the show with his son, Jared, said this isn't the time for someone who's in real estate to sink thousands into a boat.
"If it turns around, maybe next year," he said.
Still, the idea of selling his own house and moving onto a boat had some appeal, Boyle said, until he thought about what it would do to his business if others followed his example.
"I've got to start selling the water," he said.
Nearby, Steve and Megan VanRensselaer were checking out the latest models with their daughter Ashley, 5, but admitted they weren't in the market for what was parked on the floor of the Civic Center.
Steve VanRensselaer said it's nice to look at the new boats, but if the family decides to buy something, it's likely to be an older model.
"I don't know if any time is a good time to buy a boat, but the prices for used boats are attractive," he said as Ashley scampered around an $28,000 outboard.
Besides, thinking about boating made for a nice diversion from the still-frigid weather outside, VanRensselaer added.
"It's nice just to get out and do something other than shovel snow," he said.
The dealer sold 28 at the show. Furthermore, three of our friends at the lake just bought new boats as well.
So we'd rather get some use out of our savings than see it disappear overnight.
sw
Lots of money, on the other hand lots of fun. Our season is about half the year, so for 6 months we get to stop the financial hemmoraging and save up for next year’s expenses. LOL.
My brother is desperately trying to get to day number two, the freakin’ thing is sitting at a marina in Spain eating up hundreds of euros every week, last month there was a sniff of a Russian who might take the damn thing off his hands but that fell through and so gurgle, gurgle, gurgle more of his money slops down the expensively fitted vacuum toilet system (which never actually worked properly anyway).
I’ve told him for ten per cent of the insurance I’ll take her out into the Med and...well of course I’m only joking.
Stand under a cold shower, argue with your wife and tear up $100 bills if you ever want to understand the true pleasures of owning a boat.
A house on the ocean nearby community is being built in the 11M range and boat designers/craftsmen are doing the interior of the home. The best craftsman with years of experience, working with "trees" (woods) I never have even thought of. These guys still continue to be in demand. Solar generators are being built in another boatyard.
The Mega money is still spending, the semi rich are said to be more cautious and holding their cash tight to the chest. The smaller earners have not saved, get they may be hourly and still continue to keep the revenues up at Wal Mart. So the guy in the middle gets the biggest blow.
But you are correct..a boat can be a lot of tending unless that too is hired out.
Looks good, but I was looking for something in the “Pocket Battleship” type. With all the trouble with pirates and all, I wanted something with a little more punch.
Boat trader magazine seems thinner than usual of late. My guess is a retail advertisers are cutting back.
Those you named are more of a lake boat here. Lake Winnipesaukee in NH or Sebago, ME etc. The ocean can get pretty rough. Tides are different as well.
Nice photo.
After looking at that, I now know how my cat feels when it looks at the TV.
Sounds like the kind of press I was seeing fifteen years ago for the small offset printing equipment that I used to live on. Small Mom and Pop printing operations were closing right and left but the trade magazines were running glowing articles about how the market was growing. Based on the magazines I should have been getting rich but I was watching all my customer base shut down operations.
“If there is someone you really hate, give them an old wooden boat.”
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I remember two sayings, “A boat is a hole in the water that you throw money in.” “There are two good days for a boat owner, the day you buy it and the day you sell it.”
Im expecting more people that live near water may leave their homes and become more gypsy like in the near future, too much property tax, highway tax, its going to make people walk away from a lot of things.
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The new luxury status symbol will be a small cabin set up for minimum cost living, hillbilly style, far back off the beaten path with good hunting and fishing and a good place to grow a garden and easy to defend. I surely do want one.
You can always consider Alaska, just steer clear of Anchorage, and from real factual observations if by chance you do consider it take it from me that a good place to look for affordable semi-off the beaten path but still able to get some utilities I suggest anywhere north of Willow to Talkeetna heading roughly 60 miles north of Wasilla, close enough to hop down to the big box stores in Wasilla but away to where you can “cough” grow your own, shoot your own, fish your own lifestyle.
I may be buying a second property myself in that direction this year, good luck!
LOL! Enjoy it!
Bayliner is a good boat, especially for the money. I talked to a licensed sea captain here in NJ yesterday, and he compared them to a good buy Chevy truck.
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