Used Boats of the Future

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Originally Posted by villain

You said it perfect. I work at a tige dealer and would rather take my Sunsport out than the shops z3. Cheeper on gas, more reliable ballast and options, and will still do everything that the 100k boat will do. Most if the time just as good.

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Well, I for one am looking forward to having more and more V-drives drop into that $10k to $20k range. While my sunsport will kinda do everything the $100k boats will, there are most certainly things that I want out of a newer boat that mine doesn't have:

• Fuel Injection
• V-drive
• Rear storage lockers which will allow the installation of HIDDEN hard plumbed auto ballast.

That's more or less it. But being able to sack it up for surfing without having to manually fill bags and without having bags laying around everywhere taking up people space. Being able to fill/drain on the fly so you're not wasting ride time or daylight waiting for your ballast.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Sunsport and it's been a pretty versitle and amazing boat that I don't regret. But my future is in a v-drive.

When George Fowler started Supra in 1982 it was a passion driven company . George didn't build for high profit he built to the highest quality and unique design . Unfortunately he is a better boat builder than a business man. Supra today is just like most other company's bottom line is a big factor in the build . That dosnt mean they build a bad boat but as haugy pointed out with the cars there are very few Classics being built these days . Most company produce cookie cutter look alike models to sell for profit. Much like a 95 Taurus it was just an OK car it did the job but very forgettable and who would want to restore one in 28 years. I agree there isn't much buzz with the newer Supra owners.The Moomba guys are much more passionate. I cant say the company is to blame but they don't do much to fire up the stoke. Look at Harley Davidson they don't build the best bike but they do more to promote the lifestyle than any other builder. I think my wife said it best some company's just want to sell their boat the best ones just sell fun.

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Originally Posted by michael hunter

When George Fowler started Supra in 1982 it was a passion driven company . George didn't build for high profit he built to the highest quality and unique design . Unfortunately he is a better boat builder than a business man. Supra today is just like most other company's bottom line is a big factor in the build . That dosnt mean they build a bad boat but as haugy pointed out with the cars there are very few Classics being built these days . Most company produce cookie cutter look alike models to sell for profit. Much like a 95 Taurus it was just an OK car it did the job but very forgettable and who would want to restore one in 28 years. I agree there isn't much buzz with the newer Supra owners.The Moomba guys are much more passionate. I cant say the company is to blame but they don't do much to fire up the stoke. Look at Harley Davidson they don't build the best bike but they do more to promote the lifestyle than any other builder. I think my wife said it best some company's just want to sell their boat the best ones just sell fun.

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Very, very well said. I agree, I have seen that passion from the Moomba owners. I think it's because SC gave them a unique identity that they could embrace... They have a line of boats that are in that "bang for the buck" category. A way to get performance into the hands of people that don't have quite as deeper pockets. Moomba owners seem to be quite proud of that value proposition.

New Supra's are fantastic boats, but it's hard to say where they fit in the grand scheme of the newer boat landscape... I mean, we all know who the "big three" are. And then there's other brands that have taken various niches (like Centurian going after the surf market). I'm sure they do have a unique identity now-a-days, but it's harder for me to nail it down I guess...

Very cool observations. Thanks for the insight/comments.

the Supras of the late 80's early 90's sold for around 20,000 give or take a bit! Today they are running 70's to over 100 g's.
Its going to be a long while until the newer boats depreciate down to the price level many of us can honestly afford.
I believe that is one of the reasons many of us buy the older Supra's ---they fall into our budget! Yes, some need repairs or 2 to 6 g's but much of that can be done over time and again can therefore fall into our budgets! You still get an awesome boat that is stylish and IMHO performs better than many of the new boats.
All that said, there are again many of us who simply love the classic style and performance along with simplicity of operation and repair.
Personally , I get both in low cost and a boat I truly love! Do not want the newer styles even if I could afford same!

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Originally Posted by crystal waters

the Supras of the late 80's early 90's sold for around 20,000 give or take a bit! Today they are running 70's to over 100 g's.
Its going to be a long while until the newer boats depreciate down to the price level many of us can honestly afford.
I believe that is one of the reasons many of us buy the older Supra's ---they fall into our budget! Yes, some need repairs or 2 to 6 g's but much of that can be done over time and again can therefore fall into our budgets! You still get an awesome boat that is stylish and IMHO performs better than many of the new boats.
All that said, there are again many of us who simply love the classic style and performance along with simplicity of operation and repair.
Personally , I get both in low cost and a boat I truly love! Do not want the newer styles even if I could afford same!

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Interesting to factor in inflation. a $20k boat in 1986 is $42.6k in today's dollars. Obviously, they've put a LOT more cost into today's boats, but it's interesting to note that a new direct drive without all the new techy bells and whistles would likely cost about the same...

NADA Guides has the BASE list price of a 2013 Moomba Outback as $40k. So, take a boat like that and ONLY add the options that you might have seen on a 1986 Sunsport (heater, shower, ski pylon, 4 speaker basic stereo, depth gauge) and you're probably coming in at the same $42.6k that is inflation adjusted... (that means you skip the options technology has given us that are becoming more standard in wake boats--like perfect pass, tower, ballast, board racks, etc.)

i will say sat in a Nautique, Mastercraft, and Malibu and my new Supra is the only one that felt right, it is also the only new boat the the comfort of the drivers seat even compared to my 1989 sunsport.

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Originally Posted by The boy

i will say sat in a Nautique, Mastercraft, and Malibu and my new Supra is the only one that felt right, it is also the only new boat the the comfort of the drivers seat even compared to my 1989 sunsport.

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I have a feeling that when the day comes that I am able to get into a V-drive and sell my sunsport that it will be bitter-sweet. That's for sure. However, it looks like that day won't come for another 3 to 4 years, and I have a buddy that's actively saving in hopes of being able to purchase my Sunsport when I'm ready to go V-drive.

how do you guys deal with sentimental value? For me this is a big thing. Not so good in some cases... Such as our 1992 Comp. My parents bought it in 95 I believe (not long before I came along) and they enjoyed with their friends and I grew up in it. Many pictures of me standing or sitting in the seat with one hand on the wheel and the other on throttle in gear while it was running... I love that boat, I really don't think I'd be able to get rid of it. Its so fun and has so many memories attached...

The new boats, honestly, dont impress me that much. Yeah they're cool and new but, where is the boating spirit? Loud awful music blaring annoying everyone who lives on the lake, huge waves ruining a great calm day for other water sports, and will any of these young owners go out and tow someone in need? I have offered to tow several people with boat issues to find out I was a second too late, but they greatly appreciated the fact that I offered. And how many of these new boaters know a thing that goes into making the boat run?...

sentimental value is pretty important. I remember when I sold my first boat, 1988 i/o sunbird corsair. I had to have had hundreds of hours in that thing. I fixed the motor, installed new carpet, rebuilt the seats, stereo, and installed a wakeboard tower, ect on my 16 year old budget. I nearly cried seeing it being towed away out of my driveway. But it paid off in the end and i learned a lot.

Its hard not to want a "newer" boat, but I agree most of our older boats have the same stuff the newer ones have (perfect pass, tower, auto ballast, ect). most of us did these upgrades ourselves because were on a budget (thats the reason were in out boats to begin with). When something messes up on my boat, I usually know how to fix it, and if i don't i will figure it out eventually. Many(not all.... just many) people with newer boats don't know s#!t about how they work, and end up paying tons of money for simple stuff. But if you have the money to afford it, more power to you. However, the knowledge I have accumulated over the last couple years of boat owning is priceless to me.

sentimental is part of the reason i bought a 2013 sunsport and not a launch had 13 great years in that 1989 but after getting towed in on the same lake the same weekend buy the same people two years in a row it was time for a new one changed transmissions and painted it and tower and new trailer on the 1989 sunsport and the new one is just 24 years newer and red