Mark,
<br>
<br>Your heart's in the right place, but I think you've talked yourself into a fantasy about how "there is plenty of money out there",
<br>
<br>I wholeheartedly support your comment "B" about sailing venues, and I fundamentally agree with your "C" comment about fun boats at reasonable costs, but the capitalist in me can't stomach the "available through a single source" part. but that's another post.
<br>
<br>with regard to the sales of these big boats; you've got the data in front of you, and I don't dispute it. I do question its application to the beachcat crowd, and I'm not just talking demographics, because you're absolutely right that the people buying skiboats, trawlers, and big one-design sailboats are NOT the same people that will buy beachcats. I'm talking about how $100k is spent vs. how $10k is spent.
<br>
<br>In a vein similar to that of the demographic issue, spending $40k, $75k, and $100k on something is VERY different from spending $10k
<br>
<br>people buying a $100k F31 are:
<br>1. people with LOTS of disposable income,
<br>
<br>or2. people with long-established credit who can afford to take out a loan, and can justify this action by considering the boat a substantial investment that they will enjoy for many many years.
<br>
<br>it's been my observation that people with tons of disposable income never consider spending any of that income on relatively small-ticket items like beachcats. if a rich guy's going to buy a boat, he's going to buy an EXPENSIVE rich-guy boat, not a beachcat.
<br>
<br>for people in more typical financial circumstances, it's difficult to spend $10k in one lump sum on a weekend (or, as you pointed out.... once-every-third-weekend) toy. it's almost ridiculous to justify FINANCING such a purchase! Therefore, I surmise that THAT kind of money is NOT "out there".
<br>
<br>this may be FURTHER apples and oranges to some eyes, but as an architect, I offer the Homeowner's Analogy:
<br> most homeowners will take out a $100k loan to renovate their home before they'll consider spending $5000 on new kitchen appliances.
<br>
<br><br><br>