Atlanta Boat Show 01/14/06 (Sat)

[cyclone]

Hey, anyone here going to the boat show this weekend? I was thinking of going this eve, they usually show the premier of a WB video or something, and the pros are usually there signing autographs.

Let me know if anyone wants to meet up there, whatever. I could go tomorrow, doesn't matter to me.

 678-592-5674

Pete

[Rambling Wreck]

I went yesterday. The wife heads out today for work (first time in 16 months) so I am "bonding" with the kids for the next two days i.e. running them around like a taxi service.

There are a ton of boats down there. Malibu has a HUGE presence. The 247 is a HUGE boat. I think they include mine as a spare in one of the storage lockers. It is interesting to note that there was only one direct drive at the show.

Newdimensions.com has a booth (the folks that provided the aftermarket tower for my E21). I got to meet Wayne. Very nice guy. He and I have traded a few emails regarding a bimini top. He has his prototype on display.  He hasn't finalized the details yet so he is not ready to price one out. It is pretty slick in that it doesn't have all of the straps, etc. that I wanted to avoid. The forward section goes over the tower and snaps to it. There will be an optional back section that zips to this. He also agreed to walk over to the Bryant display and check out the tramp top they use to price out fabricating one for me. It seemed slick in the way it clamped to the tower - easy on/off with no drilling into the tower. This is how accomodating he is. He said he has patterned an E22 tower now so he is ready to go if anyone wants one.

[lesman01]

I went this morning. Lots of fun. Make sure to check out the new Mastercraft X series. They are nice, but fit and finish still seems lacking to me, although better than previous years. imho. $65K for a 20 footer. 350HP. X2.

I think I'll hang with my Epic for a while longer.

lesman

[cyclone]

I went yesterday eve. It was pretty cool, the Cobalt/CC display was really something. They had a team 211 with some crazy looking speaker pods on it, all kinds of lightup stuff. It had a peephole video camera on the tower that tracked the rope, and a monitor in the mirror.

MC's were nice, but they look wierd with the simple graphics on the outside and crazy upholstery and Flash Gordon dash. Crazy expensive, but they certainly weren't alone there.

I gave the BOO salesman a chance. I walked up to him and pointed to the yellow and black VLX with the crazy stereo, said " I want to buy that boat" He kind of chuckled and walked away.

Oh well, hope he makes his numbers, or I'll try it again next year on his replacement.

[festivus]

lesman- double check the X-2, it does look like the shizzle, but the wake reviews in the waterski mag aren't top notch (almost, but not) and the beam is a wimpy 94 inches.? That is narrower than the Epics.
Don't get me wrong, I think the Epic is fine, but I wouldn't want narrower.?
If I was looking at the mc, I would lean towards the X-star, although it is about 12 large more in the pocketbook.?
For less than the base price on the X-2 I would look hard at the VLX.  Base on the X-2 is 56,290 and the VLX is 47900. PLus it is a foot and a half longer and 4 inches wider.  THe wakes are also ranked better. 
Our boatshow is this weekend.? (Denver)?
Excited to see the new boats, although I think I'm aready sold on the BU247.? It looks hands down the best on paper and in the BU sales DVD.?

[lesman01]

I hear ya fest. I'm down with that...

[Lakeside]

I went to the Milwaukee Boat Show yesterday and saw lots of Direct Drives.? I'd say the big mfrs had two or three models each.? Probably about 60% V Drive vs. 40% Direct.? I wonder if they show different drive types by region since it sounds like D-Drives aren't being shown in Atlanta.

The Malibu 247 is huge.? I wonder when they'll offer a 50 inch tower mounted plasma TV!? I'm sure that option is coming soon!  The Malibus are nice and the 247 goes on and on and on.

Overall, I'd say that our Epics would compete nicely with any boat at the show for fit and finish.? My Epic's a '99, so its as if Toyota had a 7 year head start on fit and finish (and some of today's boats aren't even there yet).

[toyotafreak]

Nice, Lakeside - that's the kind of info I like to hear every once in a while.

[festivus]

I agree with the fit/finish.  I was looking hard, and I think the appointments on our boats are very comparable with the new stuff.  Finally, they caught up.  We still have a lot of smart things that I didn't see, like the rear storage on the V-drive.  It is just wasted space on most new boats.  Also the wind block door folding in.  Even the new 247 has a brutal little plexiglass thing that you have to remove and store.  Nice...not.

[Rambling Wreck]

I find the abundance of Direct Drives in Milwaulee vs. the almost complete lack of them in Atlanta interesting. Why?

[Lakeside]

It is kinda wierd.  It seems like most of the inboards that I see on the lakes down here as well as up in the north woods are D-Drives.  Of course, some of those boats are pretty old.  It would be interesting to know the typical mix sold by a dealer.  At the show, Malibu had at least 3 on display, MC had 2 or 3, etc.  Everyone had plenty to choose from.  In fact, the one impression that you walk away with is that there are a lot of companies making ski/wakeboard  boats.

At the Atlanta show, were the manufacturers giving away tickets to any ski/wakeboard events?  Last year, they had the Malibu Open in Milwaukee.  This year at the boat show, CC is giving away tickets to the Air Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championships here this August.  Are these legitimate events or are they just in-water boat shows featuring wakeboarders on the CC payroll?  (Probably very cool to see - either way.)

[cyclone]

You know what I noticed? Every boat manuf. booth is a freak show of fad accessories, percieved deals, specials. Hype.

All the boats look like some semi-hot chick who hates her dad that got dressed too fast. No confidence, next year, new makeup.

My Toyota looks like the cool band chick with nice tits that nobody noticed, that is still hot when she's 40. She's the MILF of ski boats.

[toyotafreak]

I'm rolling. MILF of ski boats! Pete, you're such a pimp it's not even funny :-)

[Rambling Wreck]

Da man speaks da truth. Many boats had flashing neon lights keeping time to the $12,000 stereo and cameras with LCD screens instead of rear view mirrors (as if you will be able to see the LCD screen in blinding sunlight) and LCD TV screens IF you raised the spotters seat. WTF - none of this will mean anything in late July when it is 94 degrees with high humidity. I just want to MOVE along the water or be in it.

As to the perceived deals, I was checking into lifts since I booted my pontoon boat off its lift when I got the Epic. Every rep offered a $200 discount but I had to put a deposit while at the show. I am sorry but $200 off a $5,000 item is no big whoop- after the third guy "whispered" the good news in my ear it became more of a turn off than an enticement to chat further.

[bullet1w]

Yeah! who wants one of those high maintenance flashy "check me out I'm cool" boats?  My MILFlike Epic gives me a stir just fine.  However, they are nice to look at. Wanted to make it to the boat show but had to work that weekend.