AC Boat Show/Too many center console boats

[royalpiper]

Just back from this show. I was mightily dismayed. 98 percent of the boats were these ghastly center consoles with little or no cabins. They were like open plastic tubs with numerous mammoth outboards affixed to them. No character at all and even worse, no areas of shade except for the hardtop above the helm. Going out on a sunny day must be torture and one would be roasting in the sun and have little cover in a thunderstorm. Worse yet, how can you possibly do an overnite trip somewhere, where do you sleep? outside with the mosquitoes? These boats are strictly day trippers at fantastically high prices.
They all seem to be trying to be some weird hybrid version of a fishing boat/family cruiser with all kinds of expensive upholstery and deck space for miles. but accomplishes neither purpose particularly well. I can't imagine fishing on one of them and getting fish blood and guts everywhere.
Is this really what boat manufacturers think the public wants? I have my doubts. I heard lots of folks saying where are the boats that have a proper cabin and a stand up head? There were boats priced at nearly 1 miilion dollars that literally had port a potties in a tight area under the helm. The ones with a small cabin had not even 18 inches of headroom from the mattress.
I overheard some salesmen saying that a lot of folks told them they were in the market for an older boat and not these offerings.
The whole adventure made me appreciate my Sea Ray even more.
Your thoughts?

 

[jmauld]

Center consoles are fishing boats. Nothing more.

 

[Timeflys]

They seem to be the “must have” in Florida these days … 4 out of 5 boats on the Intracoastal/Boca Ciega Bay is a centre console with at least twins on the back…triples and quads are not unusual. I think the manufacturers are satisfying the demand and Florida drives the market.
I liken it to the fad of the “go fast” boats of the 80s and 90s. Although there are still a few classics around……53’ Magnum.

 

[b_arrington]

Just back from this show. I was mightily dismayed. 98 percent of the boats were these ghastly center consoles with little or no cabins. They were like open plastic tubs with numerous mammoth outboards affixed to them. No character at all and even worse, no areas of shade except for the hardtop above the helm. Going out on a sunny day must be torture and one would be roasting in the sun and have little cover in a thunderstorm. Worse yet, how can you possibly do an overnite trip somewhere, where do you sleep? outside with the mosquitoes? These boats are strictly day trippers at fantastically high prices.
They all seem to be trying to be some weird hybrid version of a fishing boat/family cruiser with all kinds of expensive upholstery and deck space for miles. but accomplishes neither purpose particularly well. I can't imagine fishing on one of them and getting fish blood and guts everywhere.
Is this really what boat manufacturers think the public wants? I have my doubts. I heard lots of folks saying where are the boats that have a proper cabin and a stand up head? There were boats priced at nearly 1 miilion dollars that literally had port a potties in a tight area under the helm. The ones with a small cabin had not even 18 inches of headroom from the mattress.
I overheard some salesmen saying that a lot of folks told them they were in the market for an older boat and not these offerings.
The whole adventure made me appreciate my Sea Ray even more.
Your thoughts?

Agreed with everything you said. I don’t see the appeal of center consoles for all the reasons your state. No way is my Admiral going to want to fold herself into a tiny head.

Dead on with the sun protection too. I think Axopar is making some really interesting models that bridge that gap of day boat space vs cabin space. They don’t look anything like our Sea Rays, but I find them intriguing.

 

[ClarkGriswold]

The Minneapolis Boat Shown is generally 90% pontoons. Turns my stomach.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

Center consoles are great boats. Even if you don't fish, they are great day boats. My little 27 has a full stand up head fiberglass top. 9 and a half feet wide. Plenty stable and with twin 200's hits 48mph and can squeeze 2.5 mpg out of it running 30ish.
Many now are layed out with plenty of space for a couple for overnight stays.
Center consoles aren't a fad. I had one back in the 80's (Sea Ray Laguna). And yes they are really popular now because sport boat owners are switching over. The Florida Powerboat club that was exclusively high performance inboard V's and cats is now dominated with performance CC's.

 

[Golfman25]

What I don't get is that FL is famous for the their afternoon pop up showers. What are you supposed to do, end your day? It would seem a cabin to get out of the elements for 30 min. would be desired. But what do I know.

 

[dvx216]

I get it when you live in a state that you can't afford a slip or it's years on a waiting list to get one you settle for a Day Boat. Here on the Great Lakes where we have a limited season we like to actually stay on out boats on the weekends or a week or more. I had a Run About when I was younger which as far as I'm concerned is all a Center Console is not mater how big they are. Fisherman with CC. don't fish in bad conditions on Lake Erie they are stay in the marina. I get it in Florida you go out and go fishing or head out to a sand bar or island beach or blast around a bit or go to a place of gathering then come back to a storage facility and rack it and go home. The rest of us that have limited seasonal boating like to stay on our boats. No matter how many outboards you have on the back of a Run About you are not sleeping on it. I understand these boats fill a need in Florida which is just one state. The boat industry think we are all now Day Boaters and just like Sea Ray they have left the rest of us with over priced fair weather boats that we are not interested in.

 

[midexp]

I also don't understand the obsession with CC's and pontoons. On the Great Lakes, especially in the spring and early summer with the water temp still cold, it can't be fun zipping along at 40+ MPH and having that cold hit you. The friends I have that have CC all huddle behind the windshield when moving. Heck, it's even cold in the middle of summer when the sun starts to go down. An the living quarters. Really? For $500K plus, I better have more than a V birth and cramped head.

Another thing. I have several friends that gave up their big Searays and now have twenty something CC's. These guys party big time. So it will be interesting this year to see what happens after a day out on the CC pounding brews all day and get back to their well and wonder how they will get home (can't sleep on the boat).

But, they seem to be very popular.

 

[zool]

I think Sunseeker did a good job of bridging the CC/Cruiser gap with their 37 sport fisher in the early 2000's

I would buy one of these if in the market for a cabin CC.

 

[ttmott]

What I don't get is that FL is famous for the their afternoon pop up showers. What are you supposed to do, end your day? It would seem a cabin to get out of the elements for 30 min. would be desired. But what do I know.

We get wet and enjoy it. Then jump into the 89 degree water and enjoy that also...

 

[SearayPaul]

Easy as to why builders love CC boats, demand and PROFIT... CC can be more expensive than a cruising boat. I have a friend that just took delivery of a 39ft Yellowfin in Florida. The price delivered was 25 percent more than the 39ft well equipped cruising boat we have on order. The Yellowfin is a very well built boat that I like but has none of the interior volume, details, or amenities of our trawler. I would think the manufacturing cost of the Yellowfin would be less than our semi custom trawler. The big plus is that he has the Yellowfin and we are still waiting.

 

[Gofirstclass]

I also don't understand the obsession with CC's and pontoons.

Easy--it's the "cool" boat to own right now, same as GoFastBeLoud boats were a few years ago.

 

[ClarkGriswold]

Easy--it's the "cool" boat to own right now, same as GoFastBeLoud boats were a few years ago.

Too much Kenny Chesney blasting from pontoons around here. That makes them a non-starter.

 

[Gofirstclass]

ANYTHING blasting from a boat's speakers is enough to really piss me off.

 

[Maybe A Dancer]

This is simple...

They build what the market wants

what the market will buy.....

get there fast, have a blast, crank up the tunes, and get home quick.

look at the owners of an express, sedan or anything with a generator, microwave and accommodations. Now notice the grey hair....

Its the young crowd who are buying the go-fast boats.

They want nothing to do with a 20-25kt boat

Think about ALL THE SYSTEMS that we have to maintain

then think about how much it would cost today to build a boat with all those systems.

Let's not forget this:

https://boatingindustry.com/news/2017/12/05/brunswick-announces-plans-to-sell-sea-ray-brand/

Now, look at today's model lineup at Sea Ray.

No Dancers, No Express, No sedan bridges and 99% outboards.

How many of us are grey or bald?

OR BOTH

Best!

RWS

 

[Golfman25]

This is simple...

They build what the market wants

what the market will buy.....

get there fast, have a blast, crank up the tunes, and get home quick.

look at the owners of an express, sedan or anything with a generator, microwave and accommodations. Now notice the grey hair....

Its the young crowd who are buying the go-fast boats.

They want nothing to do with a 20-25kt boat

Think about ALL THE SYSTEMS that we have to maintain

then think about how much it would cost today to build a boat with all those systems.

Let's not forget this:

https://boatingindustry.com/news/2017/12/05/brunswick-announces-plans-to-sell-sea-ray-brand/

Now, look at today's model lineup at Sea Ray.

No Dancers, No Express, No sedan bridges and 99% outboards.

How many of us are grey or bald?

OR BOTH

Best!

RWS

I get that. And when I was young in the 1980's, I wanted the go fast as well. Now in my formative years, something with a bit more comfort is in order.

 

[Gofirstclass]

Now in my formative years, something with a bit more comfort is in order.

Does that mean when your butt his the chair you want the chair to conform to the shape of your butt?

That kinda fits my definition of comfort!

 

[sbw1]

Traditional boats are still being made by Tiara. They offer two very nice express cruisers. They also jumped on the bandwagon with a number of comfortable cc models with nice sleeping accommodations and usable heads/showers. Also build Coupes which are enclosed cabin boats with lots of indoor and outside seating. I personally don’t care for the styling of the cc and coupe boats but they are moving them out the door as fast as they can build them. The 39 and 43 opens are beautiful in my view, and the are the most comfortable express cruisers I have ever boated on.

 

[Maybe A Dancer]

Traditional boats are still being made by Tiara. They offer two very nice express cruisers. They also jumped on the bandwagon with a number of comfortable cc models with nice sleeping accommodations and usable heads/showers. Also build Coupes which are enclosed cabin boats with lots of indoor and outside seating. I personally don’t care for the styling of the cc and coupe boats but they are moving them out the door as fast as they can build them. The 39 and 43 opens are beautiful in my view, and the are the most comfortable express cruisers I have ever boated on.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Tiara Sovran was on my short list.

However the 450 was far more boat for the cost, and fit nicely under my bridge.

With the Sea Ray, the trick is to get ahead of the maintenance issues that most owners forego, such as protecting the balsa core by rebedding the hatches, etc.

RWS