What are good boats?

Post some pictures of your projects please.

The first question you should seriously ask yourself about going into a new venture is "why do it?" Obviously to make money, so the question than becomes can you make something that is not available, or that could be done better (better enough so customers would buy yours vs. a well known brand), and at a profit. Trust me, no matter how much "fun" it might look to design and build your own boat for sale, if you loose money, or can not sell any, there is no reason to do it at all.

Something you should consider for your new venture is to consider who is your target customer. What type of boating activities would they use the boat you sell them? How much would they be willing to pay for such a boat? How many other models of new boats that would meet similar needs are currently available, and how much are they?

The idea is to consider who is your customer and who is your competition. If you can not make something less expensive or worth paying more for, than there is not likely room for another boat on the market. How many new boats are being sold in your area now? Can you sell your new model cheaper than a good used boat? And still make a profit of course. These question may dictate what to put on your boat. Another advantage to making only one at a time, made to order, is you can offer that customer various options that are not practical to do on a production boat.

 

Hi Atonomy,

You may want to read Par's reply again - what he says is exactly that there are a gazillion guys out there with a simple cost effective low maintenance boat for the average person, something that is versitile and what many will want, in mind.

Our boat shows are so dominated by those I don't even enjoy going there any more.

Every boat builder out there is forever looking for that one thing that will give HIS boat the edge in sales over all the other boats out there.

 

Just a few statistics for your listening pleasure. I was one of the guys at USCG HQ, who as part of my job, tracked who was in business manufacturing boats in the US. There are about 4000 (slightly more when the economy is better) building everything from canoes to mega yachts. About 2000 of those make the type of boat you are talking about; 16 to 18 foot outboards/ IOs, for fishing, family. skiing, etc. In other words, the family fishing runabout. What marketers like to call fish and ski. The rest make all different kinds of boats, power, sail, canoes, kayaks, pontoons etc.

Of those 2000, 80% of the boats made in this country are made by about 200 manufacturers. Start with US Marine, Sea Ray, Larson, Tracker, and so on. You probably know who they are. This is who you would be competeing with. Mass produced, fiberglass and aluminum boats, built as inexpensively ( I did not mean cheap) as possible and sold by the truck load at bargain prices, mostly at boat shows. Usually sold as package deals, boat, motor, trailer and accessories (depth finders, radios, bait wells, trolling motors, etc).

How do you intend to differentiate your product from theirs? That is the challenge you face. Not only do you have to differentiate yours, but it has to be priced to sell in that market.

One last thing. Every year about 400 new boat building companies are started in the US. Every year about 400 boat builders go out of business in the US. Not the same people mind you, but that is why the 4000 number has been fairly static for well over 20 years.

One of the first things they teach you in Business 101 is "stick to your knitting", that is, stick to doing what you do best and are most successful at. Be very careful if you decide to branch out.


PS; didn't mean to sound so negative. You can do it if you are careful and know your market. Good luck.