Sea Ray "Rental" program?

I always get my Sea Ray Living mag, sometimes two of them. What I didn't get were my hats for filling out some questionnaires. That hurt of course...almost as bad as the 3 new boats I had to buy to get the magazine.:smt043 I don't wear any baseball style hats too often anymore...can I trade the two they owe me, a nice Tilley hat with the SR logo would be pretty cool and a great way to stimulate that sense of adventure that belongs with the SR experience.
 
fwebster said:
Matt,

You can put this in the round file for all the good it seems to do with regard to SROC..........No matter how many times I join Sea Ray Owner's Club, I get a single (one!) issue of Sea Ray Living and then seem to be summarily dropped from the membership roles. I get no further communication about anything and when I call the number on the back of the membership card to inquire about it, I am treated like I'm from a 3rd world country and speak a dialect unknown to Sea Ray..............when, in fact, I am one of your most ardent supporters and have, in the past, worked hard to further the interests of your employer. I assume my input isn't needed or wanted as I heard nothing about any survey and I've given up on ever seeing another Sea Ray Living.
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Ditto, and we are supposed to be highlighted in an upcoming issue. I have received no more than 2 or 3 issues without having to re-register. Very frustrating even though it is a "free" publication. If I had to pay a reasonable fee for my issues, I would easily consider it.
 
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sfergson727 said:
I told them no way, unless there was a strict no pooping clause, no smoking, no porking (no pigs onboard), and no leaving the dock.....somehow I don't think mine will qualify.
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What about if I promised not to poop..........if I pooped outside in a bucket, then flushed that would it count?

Honestly Scott we have to get you some help with this


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Woody said:
I always get my Sea Ray Living mag, sometimes two of them. What I didn't get were my hats for filling out some questionnaires. That hurt of course...almost as bad as the 3 new boats I had to buy to get the magazine.:smt043 I don't wear any baseball style hats too often anymore...can I trade the two they owe me, a nice Tilley hat with the SR logo would be pretty cool and a great way to stimulate that sense of adventure that belongs with the SR experience.
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You can send me your spare copy! I'm excluded because I'm not in the US or Canada.

If your reading this Matt, I would probably pay a subscription for it, I will gladly sign up on line for it.

I used to religiously purchase Trade a Boat magazine over here until, 8 months ago when I signed up for it on the iPad. I also have 2 newspaper subscriptions on the iPad.


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I took the survey and I tend to concur with most others..
I would rent a boat from someone else because I know how I would treat it
but not rent mine ...not like many would want to rent a 30 year old cruiser anyway.
As for Sea Ray Living my subscription is sporatic at best...2 a year maybe.
I have to admit I was a little disappointed that Kathy and I were told we would be in an issue
of SRL featuring the 1960 600 we restored and were interviewed for it and it never came about
But this was in the transition time of the Forks of the River closing...and again it doesn't matter
since we sold the boat to get another.
 
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I haven't filled out the survey. I doubt I will either. Speaking as someone who has worked in the leasing and rental industry (commercial transportation) equipment, and owned rental real estate, I think this is a poor idea. Other folks have posted some of the practical failings of such a program, so there is no need to re-hash them. Needless to say the emotional aspect is going to get in the way.

Even if the emotional quotient could be removed, I can't see any financial benefit to the owners. This type of scheme has been used many times in the past with everything from RR Cars to Ships. The way these were structured was with limited partnerships. There would be a general partner and manager of the program (SR? or some outsourced manager), the owners (Scott, FrankW, Henry) would provide the boats and be limited partners. The manager/GP would find the lessees, book rentals, collect the revenue, and pay for expenses out of the revenue, take a cut for themselves and then pass the remaining balance on to the respective owners. In the event there is no remaining balance, or if revenue isn't enough to cover expenses the owners (Scott, FrankW, Henry) would get an invoice.

The IRS frowns on this type of arrangement because of past excesses. So claiming tax deductions for loses on a personal return will get a big target drawn on your back. But not to worry there won't be any revenue to pay taxes on either. Just ask the former limited partner investors in Textainer, or the German Treasury that is going to have to bail out the KG Fund (retirement) industry for loses (about $ 1.0 billion US) in ship investments made by German retirees.

Sounds to me like Sea Ray Corporate got a visit from some recently downsized lease sales guy with a slick pitch ("you build boats, we lease stuff, give us your customer list and we'll create an owner's rental program"). In old fashioned terms its snake oil.

Henry
 
A another option for those who don't feel comfortable turning over the keys to their boat but don't mind letting someone "stay" on their boat is airbnb. There's lots of boat rentals all over the world, the only thing is the boat can't leave the dock, so basically it's an apt rental, on the water. I believe there will be pooping involved.
 
Hey - I am optimistic about the program. I put in my contact information.

Not because I want to rent out my boat - frankly due to location I don't think it would be worth the hassle.

My interest is renting - I used to be able to find a Sea Ray to rent for a week -- that market has all but gone away. If they can make this work and I can get on a boat in places we like to go a couple of years - I am all for it.
 
I think that Searay should have a fleet of rental boats at key places (like Miami, some New England location, etc) so that someone in my situation (looking to buy) can have the opportunity try before I buy. just my 2 cents.
 
Turtlesboat said:
A another option for those who don't feel comfortable turning over the keys to their boat but don't mind letting someone "stay" on their boat is airbnb. There's lots of boat rentals all over the world, the only thing is the boat can't leave the dock, so basically it's an apt rental, on the water. I believe there will be pooping involved.
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Mike,

why would anyone pay substantial amount of money for a tiny "apartment" when one can have luxury and much larger real room/suite/apartment in all inclusive resort, possibly even for less money, with possibly even better views? I don't see the incentive if the boat stays at the dock.

I'm the same way as other folks, there's no way I'm renting my boat. On the other hand, I would consider renting a boat/yacht to do a trip where I can't (or it wouldn't make sense) to take my boat.

I think the message we're delivering is pretty clear. Most boat owners that take good care of their boats will never rent them, so A company needs to provide the inventory. I've seen a company that is doing the "rental/exchange" program (I don't remember the name and need to look for the link), but the boats that were offered I wouldn't rent and forget exchanging my boat.

Another VERY important point, is that whatever direction the rental program will take, it has to be reasonably priced. As many CSR folks I've charted a sailboat in BVIs and the prices were more than I wished to pay, but still reasonable in comparison. Then, couple of years ago I started seeing MarineMax offering the same rental program (for sail cats and power cats) in similar location and trying to compete with the companies that were doing this for a long time. When I asked the prices my jaw simply dropped.

The moral of my statement is, provide good inventory and price it well. This is the only way I see it working for families that don't belong to 1%. Whether this will be cost efficient to the company is another story.

Lastly, in order to protect the investment (the boats/yachts), it's critical to do :

1. intensive background check on captains resume that meets the requirements.
2. Add safety "throttle stopper" to prevent anyone going at WOT and over 80-85% of the engines load.
3. Have properly worded contract clearly stating captains responsibility.
4. Have age restriction for different type of vessels (e.g. 25yrs or older for bow riders, 30yrs or older for large yachts).
5. For large company I would think that insurance won't be an issue, as it is for individuals, but it's yet TBD.

Just my 0.2c
 
Not that my boat would be a candidate but what experience would be required to even pilot a bigger boat.Heck jet ski rentals are bad enough not to mention renters attitude running a full size boat.
 
jxg said:
I think that Searay should have a fleet of rental boats at key places (like Miami, some New England location, etc) so that someone in my situation (looking to buy) can have the opportunity try before I buy. just my 2 cents.
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IMO, their demo boats would be good candidate for rental boats. You made a great point that this could be a biggest incentive for folks that are on the market "try it before buy it". This could be the driving slogan.
 
I won't respond to the survey, because I don't own a new enough boat to be important to whomever is in charge these days, but my boat isn't going in any lease program and I won't be leasing a boat from anyone. My reasons are simple........the liability isn't worth putting my assets at risk just to make a few $ on a rental program. There are just too many ways a guy who thinks he can handle a boat can get into trouble in a 50' Sea Ray capable of 25 kts. On the other side of the equation, I'm not going to put my family at risk in a leased boat because I know how the average Sea Ray owner maintains his boat.

Now, if Sea Ray wants to establish a leasing company and lease various boats in vacation spots around the country, then it might make some sense, provided a corporation owns the boats and Sea Ray maintains them. That would be a whole different story.
 
I may be off here but the majority of responders to this thread would not rent their boat but would like to rent a boat. Sooo... where are these rental boats coming from? I did get the survey glanced and blew it off. Would have done that even if I still had mt boat.
 
Frank is right. But that might also help SR. The major car rental companies are owned by the car manufacturers. The main benefits being an outlet for excess production, and a mechanism to create a volume of good used cars.

In this case, take a couple large size boats put them in a factory run rental fleet, or perhaps a boat usage club like Freedom Yachts, for a couple seasons. Then sell them as SR Certified Pre-owned, at used prices, and the market is expanded for that product segment.

Henry


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Alex,

Go browse some of these rent by owner sites, you'll see the draw of renting a boat on the water even if it never unties. Some places you just can't beat. Would you rather rent a room at a holiday inn in Holland or a canal barge? I already found my next rental room in Key West. On my trip to Malta we are going to spend a few days on a boat, tied to the docks. Heck, If I had my boat tied up at the 79th st boat basin, that sucker would be booked year round. If you have a boat in a great location, it doesn't ever need to leave the dock.

but that's not the point of this thread. Just an alternative.
 
Turtlesboat said:
A another option for those who don't feel comfortable turning over the keys to their boat but don't mind letting someone "stay" on their boat is airbnb. There's lots of boat rentals all over the world, the only thing is the boat can't leave the dock, so basically it's an apt rental, on the water. I believe there will be pooping involved.
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And Porking
 
Alex F said:
IMO, their demo boats would be good candidate for rental boats. You made a great point that this could be a biggest incentive for folks that are on the market "try it before buy it". This could be the driving slogan.
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Like Harley Davidson does, only thing what type of deposit would be required on renting a 1 m dollar boat?

Rent a 19k bike to ride and it's a 2,000.00 deposit.

I don't see it, they beat that dead horse to death back at corporate I'm sure.
 
a couple of kids left as a deposit should do.
 
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