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

[BP125V]

just curious

How many boat builders are trying to make a living building kneel down race boats?

[bill boyes]

Excuse me!!! Earn a living building race boats? Shop Time/Rate? HUH are you all serious?
It is true what Mark Johnson says. Boat racers are not willing to pay for value of a race boat whereas a Race motor is different.
I build race boats as a hobby only and a very small second income/pocket money
Oh you can name a few builders out there. None that I know of does it as their primary income.

[stu_racing]

All I can say is that I have a boat with a composite bottom and the rest is wood that has never been in the water for sale, once I finish building it, for $1750.

It sounds like I should be adding at least $5000 to my price but I have long realized that racers will not consider paying builders a reasonable rate.

I can only get away with selling my boat for such a rediculously low cost since I pay myself almost nothing and heat our shop with wood that we cut and split from our own property. The tiny bit of money I get only pays for a new prop or two.

[Sonny]

There's only one way to make a small fortune in boat racing...and that is to start with a large fortune...A new boat is worth between 2500 and 3500 dollars. Build boats because you like to build boats. If you want to make money build golf clubs. They appeal to a larger crowd and you win money when you do it competitively. Prize money brings bigger budgets. A boat is a perishable item, they are good for a few years and then it is time for a new one.

[Dave M]

Worth VS Value

Matt,

I don't think you will get many boats sold at 8K. It simply is not in the average boat racers budget. While I agree with you on that cost if you were doing it as a source of income, it is not what the value most put on the boat. Carbon or not.

I would like to make a suggestion, the Pro Category tends to buy new latest cutting edge technology at a much faster rate than mod and stock. You stand a much better chance at selling a boat for $8K there.

Let's face it, without major sponsors and a major growth spurt in drivers this is a hobby paid for with mad money.

When I built for the general public the cost was 3K for a composite/wood boat. I would still charge that. Not becasue it would make me money, but becasue I know the clients could not pay more. And frankly, I don't see a major growth spurt coming anytime soon in Mod & Stock.

Basically what I am saying is this, if you have a source for carbon fiber that is as cheap as it was 10 years ago, you stand a chance to make $8 - $10.00 per hour. Is it worth it ?

[Shep]

Fyi I've recently inquired about getting a new 45 boat built. Starting prices are at $8K and change for both wood and composite. Not to sound cheap but based on that I think 8k is a little steep for a boat with out a capsule.

In my opinion $3500- 5000 is probably the range for kneel down boats.

[PAUL PRICE]

Dad and I can build a boat in 5 days , from a pile of wood to race ready, with that said I'm loosing money if I sell them under $2500.00 , but after building over 135 G/P Hydros from stock to mod it wasn't about making a living, it was putting racers on the water with fast, safe rigs. In today's world with the time,materials, & costs a boat should run about $4000.00 less hardware and paint.

[reed28n]

Cost of boats

The last two boats I built cost me $2800 plus in materials. I eat the heat in my garage, sanding belts, saw blades and the power and I would have probably consumed as much beer stand in my back yard (so we won't calculate that).

I would like to think that it takes 100 hours but George is likely closer becuase, I never count the rigging and finishing. 8-9 years ago a B-Zoats was $3500 plus. O'Connor donated his time to a sport he loved at $2,200 for a boat (he was able to buy materials very reasonably).

Brand new without hardware a fair price would be $5,000 on the low end.

That is alot of hours after work ignoring my daughters...

[pops67g]

With all the thrust toward attracting new racers I certainly cannot see where any boat builder can get what they are really worth. Taking one of my classes (DSH) as an example the breakdown would be: New boat $8ooo (Painted and rigged?, probably not), New motor $6500, a couple of props $700, Helmet and kevlar $1200........ This adds up to about $16400. This does not sound like the easily affordable sport that is being held up to potential newbies. I know the prices are only approximate and a lot of the stuff needed to race is not even mentioned here. Additionally, what is the point of superlight boats in any class that has a minimum weight? I have to add about 20 lbs. of lead to make weight with my old-fashioned wood boat.

[David_L6]

[QUOTE=STEVE FRENCH;190280]How BAD do you want to be OUT FRONT???????


100N/19P....Steve French.....100N> <ARLTRALITE[ p QUOTE]<>

I think that's THE question right there. Of course boat alone won't do it.

I've never heard one bad word about an Arltralite. Only good.

I think that my 44 (Arltralite DMH 001 - maybe the only one?) will run with anyone in the country and just flat outrun 99%. I had just gotten the setup worked out when my Dad died and I lost interest. Ralph Cook raced the boat with no "seat time" at all (we didn't have any test time) and won 3 of 4 heats. Would have won the 4th heat if a needle valve hadn't backed out and made 2 cylinders super rich. That's a very good boat (Arltralite), motor (O'Brien), prop (Dewald), setup, and driver.

Would I pay $8,000 for a mod hydro? Not now that I've had 2 knee surgeries on the same knee and pretty much lost all interest in racing anyway. Probably wouldn't (more couldn't than wouldn't) have 4 or 5 years ago either. Before that, if there was anyway I could get a legal advantage I'd do it. If that meant buying a high $ boat, I'd try to scrape up the money. The last B&H I bought was pretty expensive at that time (1996? or '97? - What ever year it was that Sam cleaned house at both the APBA and AOF Nats).

Like Steve asked: "How BAD do you want to be OUT FRONT???????"

[David_L6]

Additionally, what is the point of superlight boats in any class that has a minimum weight? I have to add about 20 lbs. of lead to make weight with my old-fashioned wood boat.

There's a secret about those composite boats that you haven't figured out yet.

[pav225]

Just a thought

Matt,
Why don't you simply post your phone number. If someone calls about a boat, give them a price for a given size boat. If they accept it, great. If not, move on.

- Mike

[seanp3]

OSY-400 ("The BLUE DEVIL")........3 years in a row>National Champ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lQIX8Y4im0

Correction...... that would be 4 years in a row

[Bruce D. Johnson]

New Capsule Boat

A new all carbon "Legal" Capsule boat, if it is well built with a good seat, hatch cover and canopy? $8000. to $9000. Yes and the Pro division needs them!
Show us some pictures.

[Composite Specialties]

2012

A new all carbon "Legal" Capsule boat, if it is well built with a good seat, hatch cover and canopy? $8000. to $9000. Yes and the Pro division needs them!
Show us some pictures.

I am finishing up the plug and getting ready to make the molds for the 2012 all composite capsule boat.... This new lighter, safer design will be at the Title Series races in 2012. The cost will be more than $8000 to $9000 for this boat. More to come....