What do you think of the styling on some of the competitor's sport boats?

[Dave S]

It seems like everyone is trying to make some kind of styling statement these days. For instance, Four Winns has introduced the SL262 which is very different than most other sport boats. Check out this video. http://www.boattest.com/boats/boat_video.aspx?ID=1710 And Chapparal has also gone to the "Pickle Fork" design on their deck boats. Take a look at the Sunesta 224 Extreme. http://www.chaparralboats.com/container/chaparral.html


I wonder if the buying public will like these new designs or stick with the more traditional styling on most bow riders? What do you think?

 

[Weave]

Saw the Four Winns first hand at the Norwalk boat show......Strange to me. I think Regal has also adopted this hull design to one of their models.

Honestly...I love the Cobalt design, just very $$$$$$

 

[SeaRide]

For quite awhile Chaparral dominated the deckboat market with their Sunesta Series. Once SR introduced their revamped SD series in '99 starting with the 210 Sundeck, it was clear that SR was taking a new direction with "deckboats". By the the time the current generation 240 SD was introduced in 2000, the writing was on the wall and SR has continued to dominate this market segment. The other mfgs. continued with their dated designs while SR continually refined and introduced more models. Now the Chap., FW, and Regal are trying a more radical approach. Cobalt tried the same approach several years ago with their version of a pickle fork called the 240 SD which was short lived. MasterCraft has apparently had a bit more success. Hats off to Chap and the others for trying something different, but not so original. My guess is that these models will meet the same fate as Cobalt's 240 SD and quickly become dated, overstyled relics. I personally think these guys would have been better off running SR's 240 and 260 Sundecks through a copy machine with their own labels.

 

[SeaRide]

....but it is comforting knowing that the designer of the Pontiac Aztek is now fully employed!

 

[DragonAnchor]

I didnt care much for the "pickle fork" design of the Chapperal...

The Four Winns was very "flat" looking with what appeared like wasted space up front at the bow. Also the single rear aft facing seat put me in mind of a the seat you sea on the back of DoT road crews with the guy strapped in and placing the orance cones.

On the plus side, I REALLY liked the optional hardtop you can get to attach to the ski tower.

 

[comsnark]

Wow. The one thing that is being missed with all of this is "performance". I wonder how that "pickle fork" acutally performs in the water? It looks very wide for it's length. Must take a monster engine to get onto plane. (wait. . that's a good thing, right? We have a bigger engine. . . .)

A friend of mine is buying a 26' fishing boat in NJ and is seeing the same problem that I had buying: NOBODY will let you take the boats out for a ride. For him -> he is not so caring as he has money to burn. Me? If you tell me that I can't test drive it, that tells me that there is something wrong with it. That's why I went used. O.K. . .I still couldn't drive it, but I put alot less money down on the table.

 

[Nehalennia]

to me a lot of what SeaRay has done is similar to the Honda Accord. Many manufacturers try to assimilate the models and designs that are most popular without outright stealing the design.

The downside for them is that as they attempt to mimic the popular features and lines, yet incorporate their own flavor or “different design” they lose the sexy overall “look” and most end up with a mole on their cheek

 

[kyle f]

Wow. The one thing that is being missed with all of this is "performance". I wonder how that "pickle fork" acutally performs in the water? It looks very wide for it's length. Must take a monster engine to get onto plane. (wait. . that's a good thing, right? We have a bigger engine. . . .)

A friend of mine is buying a 26' fishing boat in NJ and is seeing the same problem that I had buying: NOBODY will let you take the boats out for a ride. For him -> he is not so caring as he has money to burn. Me? If you tell me that I can't test drive it, that tells me that there is something wrong with it. That's why I went used. O.K. . .I still couldn't drive it, but I put alot less money down on the table.

I am the same way. I got to test drive my Searay when I bought it new. they do require that the financing is approved, but not the final sales paper work. they are just making sure you can actually buy the boat you are looking at before they take all the time to tkae their new boat down to the lake, launch it... etc. Its not as easy as takin a spin in a car.

I woul feel better about buying a new boat with out driving it than used since it has a warranty, but the actual performance on the water is a major concern. I knew what I was buying and knew how it woul perfrom. I was actually surprised, I just don't like the planning speeds. I would like to get up on plane around 17mph instead of 19 or 20.

 

[JV II]

to me a lot of what SeaRay has done is similar to the Honda Accord. Many manufacturers try to assimilate the models and designs that are most popular without outright stealing the design.

The downside for them is that as they attempt to mimic the popular features and lines, yet incorporate their own flavor or “different design” they lose the sexy overall “look” and most end up with a mole on their cheek

And, yet when Sea Ray continues to be inovative and abandons the bleach bottle design of the 280 and 300 and 320 to create new, sharper, stylish designs like the 290, 310 and 330 there is an immediate backlash. Reminds me of what happens when BMW changes their car designs every 7 years. There is an immediate backlash, everyone starts to copy the design, and it becomes timeless.

 

[Bridog]

And, yet when Sea Ray continues to be inovative and abandons the bleach bottle design of the 280 and 300 and 320 to create new, sharper, stylish designs like the 290, 310 and 330 there is an immediate backlash. Reminds me of what happens when BMW changes their car designs every 7 years. There is an immediate backlash, everyone starts to copy the design, and it becomes timeless.

Hey... did you just say my boat looks like a bleach bottle??:smt013

 

[jrirvine1]

Relax Brian, I just went down to our laundry room to check and our boats don’t resemble any of the bottles – bleach or others.

 

[Dave S]

And as far as BMW styling goes I don't think anyone is trying to copy them anymore after Chris Bangle, their designer, singlehandley ruined the looks of most (not all) models in BMW's lineup.