Got the New Lund Today

[gunflint]

The new Lund catalog that is. They sure are pretty. It's to bad you have to rig it with one of those ugly black things in the back. I guess when I do get a new boat It'll be an Alumicraft. I like the gray motors better.

[LMITOUT]

I think that Alumacraft could make a big impact on the market with the direction that Lund is heading, but apparently their restriction right now is the lack of production space.....they can't make the boats fast enough.

I would assume that more people will seriously start looking at Alumacraft more often as they don't have any mandates or penalties on what color motor hangs on the back, not to mention their smaller price tag. It comes to a point where Joe Fisherman has to put a ceiling on what he can spend on a new boat with the prices they are asking these days across the board.

[bassNspear]

I understand what your talking about. People now days are not going to spend the time for that name on the side of the boat. There is alot of different ways that a person can look at things when they are buying a boat.

People have to understand that now days, dealerships are going to package there boats from teh factory to be able to sell that boat iwth what is on it for a cheaper price. Its to the point now that every boat comes in already rigged with the motor on it, and with the locator on it, torlling motor on it. People have to understand that they are doing this to help the consumer same more money.

You can order a boat with whatever you want on it, but your going to have to pay high dollor ot get it. I dont believe that crestliner is allowing anything but merc and honda, and im not sure what lund or alumicraft is doing. But people have to understand, its not like it usta be, wher you can get whatever you want, and the price was still right.

The way that i look at it, go glass, cuase your going to same money in the long run.

[wisconsinfish]

It's good to see so many people fighting the integration of the boat manufacturer and the outboard manufacturer. It sends a clear message to the rest of the industry and hopefully they will not follow suit.

It's easy to see who all of the merc fans are, because most of them back brunswick's philosophy 100%. Would you feel the same way if it was nissan or tohatsu outboards owning lund and crestliner? I don't think so. You'd just pick a different boat to buy.

It's hard to believe that people are blaming a bad economy on these changes too. I've seen more $50,000 boats on the lakes in the last 5 years than I have the entire rest of my life. People are willing to spend more $$$ on their boats than the transportation they use every day.

Mercury was producing the optimax in china for hundreds to thousands of $$$ less than their competitors, yet the motors listed out with the same MSRP. Seems like there was an easeir way to lower consumer cost, just lower the price tag!! They did use their profits from the opti to engineer the Black Rhino(verado) though, which was in development before Brunswick bought them.

Hate to see any company failing. Comptetion is almost always a good thing for the consumer.

You would think that these companies would send surveys out to current boat owners and find out what they dislike or like about their current boats. Most of the larger fishing boats get direct input from tournament fisherman.

Just my $0.02

[PerchJerker]

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Mercury was producing the optimax in china

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I'm pretty sure most of Fond du Lac would disagree with you on that.

[bassNspear]

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Mercury was producing the optimax in china for hundreds to thousands of $$$ less than their competitors, yet the motors listed out with the same MSRP. Seems like there was an easeir way to lower consumer cost, just lower the price tag!!

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I did like the post that you just posted, but i have to help you out a bit.

They do not make the opti over in china. Mercury has there 60-90 class over in china. The opti is made in Fonda Lac Wisconson with all there other motors.

[Central Bassman]

BnS is right... If you guys are lookin for something to do in the winter YOU must go and take a tour of that place... IT IS SWEET!!!

[wisconsinfish]

Sorry for the incorrect post. I was given this information from a dealership salesperson. I guess I should know better than to trust any information from them!!!

It's hard to go wrong with any of the equipment these days. Looking back at what I was fishing out of 15 years ago, all the new stuff seems pretty dang nice. Back in the day, a built in fuel tank on many boats was hard to find. There weren't too many 24v trolling motors to be seen and electronics had a screen the size of my timex watch. Not to mention that many of the boats weren't much wider than the otter sled I use for ice fishing!!!

It's forums like this one that help keep people informed of excellent and not so excellent products. 15 years ago, the only way you knew something was junk, was buy purchasing it or having a friend purchase it. Today we have 1000's of peoples experiences (good or bad) to rely on and help make purchasing a new boat easier. It's pretty easy to take that for granted.

[bassNspear]

Its ok, I wasnt trying to make you mad, just wanted to clear things up with you.

[Black_Bay]

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They did use their profits from the opti to engineer the Black Rhino(verado) though, which was in development before Brunswick bought them.

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FYI Brunswick has owned Mercury since 1961.

[wisconsinfish]

I am aware of that. I was referring to brunswick owning crestliner and lund and should have been more clear.

[Satchmo]

Gentleman, there has been and continues to be a lot of confusion in the fish boat industy over the last couple of years. Most of this confusion is caused by the manufacturers and dealers themselves as they all try to jockey for their share of the pie. Everyone knows the boating industry has been struggling and most, but not all, industry people have turned to putting their own "spin" on the situation to gain market share. I have seen dealers send out faxes dimeaning products that they used to sell, I have heard more "rumors" than I care to count, and we have all seen the infommercials and so-called independent testing that shows how great everyones motors are. Most of this propoganda can be dispelled, however it has created suspicion and contempt among the general buying public. If you add in what I concider to be outrageous price increases by some companies over the last several years, and you have an industry with a very large hole to dig itself out of. I have been in this industry for several years, and I'm sorry to say, that the people getting the shaft are YOU the buying public. The best weapon against the onslaught of everyone elses opinion is INFORMATION. Don't accept the dealers word, the manufactures word, or even the (pick a brand) zealot down the street who claims to know the only thing you should buy. I could stand here and tell you that you can get any brand boat with any motor you want, I could tell you that just about everyone out there builds a good motor these days, and I could tell you that while price is important, it shouldn't be your only concideration, BUT I absolutely do not want you to take my word for it. Get out there and do some digging. YOU are the only ones that need to be happy after you buy something. You guys are the driving force in all of this, and you could and should get what YOU want. You determine policy, mount pressure, and institute change, every time you make a purchase decision. Make sure you let the manufacturer and your dealer know about your satisfaction and your dissappointments. Lastly, take your time and have fun with it. Take care--Greg