How much are you willing to pay for a new composite boat?

[matthias]

I may have time and space to build a boat this winter. Just wondering what someone might be willing to pay for a all carbon boat.

Matt Arlt
Arltralite Hydroplanes & Runabouts

[matthias]

I would like to know what people think

1. a reasonable shop rate is
2. how long you think it takes to build a boat
3. how much material costs to build a boat

I have had a few private message conversations telling me that I am asking way too much. So, I want to know what people are willing to spend on a boat.

[Kevin Martin]

hi matt.....

pm me what you "need" to get for a boat, i will highly consider it!!! i've researched doing this, and it's not nearly as easy as some may think, and the material costs, are crazy hi. send me what you think you need to build a boat i may jump all over it. thanks in advance kevin martin

[RandY Aveline]

matt

i have no clue what the composite materials cost or how you would have to work with it !

i can relay what Tab Buford boat builder of the B and N style runabouts told me once , he claimed that him another fella / helper claimed he could build a runabout with 2 men in 40 hours that would be 80 total man hours ! He did say the first 2 took a little longer due to getting a system down!

they were responsible for building boats like Ralph cooks boat that he won the 850 mod runabout nationals with in 2007 , a 4 cylinder roll up style runabout 1 these boats dominated the 4 cylinder runabouts for almost 30 years and are still capable of winning with the right driver
these boat that Tab Buford and George Newman built were not 2 year throw away boats either i will attach a couple pictures or so of this style boat

hope i have helped sin some way if nothing else its food for thought
any way probably not much help
have you any idea how much time from start to completion it takes you to finish with out hard ware to build a runabout ??

Randy

[crfabbro2F]

I would like to know what people think

1. a reasonable shop rate is
2. how long you think it takes to build a boat
3. how much material costs to build a boat

I have had a few private message conversations telling me that I am asking way too much. So, I want to know what people are willing to spend on a boat.

Are they molded composite or one-off? Polyester or epoxy?

[raceright]

have had 3 carbon kevlar Epoxy boats built--best guess on materials would be about $3,000.00 maybe a little more. all things considered $3,000.00 for labor is fair. But most racers in the MOD<STOCK and Pro Catergories will think this is tooo much. As with any business another $3,000.00 might be what a liget business would need,you know Obama's share and a little Profit.

Hope this helps ya out

Pat

[raceright]

Mod Pro and Stock catergories will think this is toooo much.
Add about $3,000.00 for a legit business both Obama's share and a little profit and ya have it.

[matthias]

In the past it took me 100 or more hours to build a one off boat. That includes the time it took to make all the panels. Everything was vacuum bagged. The molded boats took a little less time but there was the original investment of building the mold. Material cost at the time was close to $2500. If sold a boat for $4500, thats only a $20 shop rate.

Today, if I were to build a boat I would need $8000. I think it is a fair price. Probably more than anyone here is willing to pay.

[raceright]

In the past it took me 100 or more hours to build a one off boat. That includes the time it took to make all the panels. Everything was vacuum bagged. The molded boats took a little less time but there was the original investment of building the mold. Material cost at the time was close to $2500. If sold a boat for $4500, thats only a $20 shop rate.

Today, if I were to build a boat I would need $8000. I think it is a fair price. Probably more than anyone here is willing to pay.

You are probably spot on as our most resent capsule boat came in at close to that number. In a sport such as Stock Mod and Pro there are very few that believe spending this kind of money is worth it.

[bh/]

A rule of thumb when bidding on housing work is to take the material cost and double it for labor,
ie; $3000 in lumber for a deck, 6000 in labor cost; = $9000.
This is not straight profit , as it covers tools, truck/trailer,
insurance, taxes etc. The boat builder needs a heated shop,
rather than the trades mans truck.
One of the few old time boat builders , ones that grow and mill their own lumber,
built their boat sheds, owned their tools for years; -passed away this year.
Bob Oconnor built good fast boats cheaper than anyone.
No more. Others like him have quit , or are slowing down.
The new realty is, a good boat for less than $5000 is over.

[Composite Specialties]

Engines

You are probably spot on as our most resent capsule boat came in at close to that number. In a sport such as Stock Mod and Pro there are very few that believe spending this kind of money is worth it.

Exactly! But people will pay $5000 to $8000 for an engine, some buy multiple engines but they will not pay anything for boats, wood or composite.... especially if the boat has far advanced safety features built in, then they really don't want to pay for it.... but if a new engine comes out, there you go.

[G Stillwill]

As I usually only build boats for my self I dont buy material in large quanity so this is for a one off wood J/A hydro which is a little more time consuming then the biger boats because of design differance and picking through a lot of wood to get the lightest pieces. Anyone who has seen my boats know the quality of wookmanship in them which takes longer to build. That being said it takes me about a 170 hrs to finish ready for hardware. In the end I work for about 10.00 which is nothing for doing this type of work. Before retiring my custom woodworking bussiness the rate was 35.00 per hour and I stayed busy 7 days a week. Being retired time is not an issue here but if I cant get 10.00 an hour building for someone else the wood would just sit. The material list is just ball park but close to cost.

25 bd ft obcee............@6.00 per ft..........................150.00
Ply............................................... ........................250.00
Carbon............................................ .....................135.00
Epoxy............................................. ......................150.00
Foam Board............................................. ................25.00
Clear Carbonit.......................................... ................20.00
Varnish........................................... ........................35.00
Misc Mat............................................... ..................50.00
Tot............................................... ........................815.00

Labor................170 hrs @ 10.00 an hr......................1700.00



Total cost.............................................. ..............2515.00

[jeff55v]

Applies to race boats.

Quality is like oats
If you want good, clean, fresh oats, you should expect to pay a fair price.
If you want oats that have already been though the horse...
those cost quite a bit less.

[Silas_53A]

reminds me of a saying I have heard before.

quality, fast, and cheap. Pick any two and the third doesnt apply.

[Silas_53A]

(Fast as in time)*