MC is going to have a new budget line

[Kmayotte]

Mastercraft is always going after various parts of the boat buying market, e.g. their CSX center console line, jet skis, their 30 foot cruiser, now this new price-point boat (50k is price-point...ugghh).

Suffice to say just because Mastercraft is doing it doesn't mean Nautique should do it. Mastercraft has 11 models (and counting) in their 2014 line, nautique has 8. Are they selling that many more boats than Nautique? Or are they selling the same number but across more models?

[hondaprlud]

I think there is plenty of room to push the market up and down and still hold the Nautique brand (or MC for that matter) to a high level. Mercedes offers cars for under $40k to $150k+. There are people that want to buy new so they get the warranty etc. etc. but opt for another brand due to price. It seems to me that the trick would be to offer fewer options but maintain the quality of the boat.

[OKWAKEBDR]

As I understand it, Nautique is already building boats just about as fast as they can. I'm sure they have room to ramp up further, but it's not like they have a ton of idle capacity. Plus, I'm sure the margins are much better in the higher end product. From what I've heard about CC's owner, I just don't believe "selling as many boats as possible" is really his goal. Mastercraft on the other hand, being owned by private equity firms (including Penske), I'm sure IS looking for growth.

[Zach@n3]

Sure but how does that help the profitability of corporate? Give me a chance at a new boat with warranty with less stereo, billet etc back in early 2000 pricing.......I would go new route.

Bingo. What is the used market doing for Nautique besides some parts sales? Used 07- 210s sell like wild fire because of folks that want a Nautique but can't afford a new one. The people that can afford to buy a new one still do and do not look at the used market for a price point. The folks that walk into our door are not shopping us VS budget brands. They shop the big 3, the top priced boats on the market. They wouldn't be swayed down to the lower priced Nautique because the top tier quality and dialed in boat options are what they are after. If we had a budget line boat (other manufacturer) that wasn't one of the big 3 I would venture to guess none of our customers would be swayed down to that line next to our Nautique line. Why do you ask? Because, if they were swayed that way they wouldn't be buying a boat from us at all now would they? If Nautique doesn't want to put out a budget boat because they want to maintain their best of the best persona that is their decision and the higher priced boats don't seem to be doing anything but good for the company. They have tried budget ski boats in the past without much success but with the way the 50-65k used market is selling these days I couldn't see how it would do anything but up their profitability.

[swc5150]

I think there is plenty of room to push the market up and down and still hold the Nautique brand (or MC for that matter) to a high level. Mercedes offers cars for under $40k to $150k+. There are people that want to buy new so they get the warranty etc. etc. but opt for another brand due to price. It seems to me that the trick would be to offer fewer options but maintain the quality of the boat.

I completely agree. A lower price point does not equate to cheapening the brand when done correctly.

[brycejay]

Give me an old school 210 hull with tower, triple ballast and perfect pass. I'd be all over that for 45-50k new

[OKWAKEBDR]

Bingo. What is the used market doing for Nautique besides some parts sales? Used 07- 210s sell like wild fire because of folks that want a Nautique but can't afford a new one. The people that can afford to buy a new one still do and do not look at the used market for a price point. The folks that walk into our door are not shopping us VS budget brands. They shop the big 3, the top priced boats on the market. They wouldn't be swayed down to the lower priced Nautique because the top tier quality and dialed in boat options are what they are after. If we had a budget line boat (other manufacturer) that wasn't one of the big 3 I would venture to guess none of our customers would be swayed down to that line next to our Nautique line. Why do you ask? Because, if they were swayed that way they wouldn't be buying a boat from us at all now would they? If Nautique doesn't want to put out a budget boat because they want to maintain their best of the best persona that is their decision and the higher priced boats don't seem to be doing anything but good for the company. They have tried budget ski boats in the past without much success but with the way the 50-65k used market is selling these days I couldn't see how it would do anything but up their profitability.

The used market does quite a bit for Nautique. It allows people to trade up because they're not taking as much of a hit on the used one. Look at all the people on here that get new boats every year.

[perry386]

Does anybody know what hull in on these new MC's? IS it something similar to the X10 or X2 maybe? Is it surf-oriented or wake-oriented?

[archcityblues]

well, there has been some talk of this boat or line of boats possibly replacing the x2 in the 20' spot. therer has also been talk about marketing this boat as an affordable way to surf. rumor is that mcis going to market this line by slogans such as "at $400 a month, who can afford not to"mc owners are not too happy.

[nyryan2001]

Dallas boat show tonight... Talked to a MC rep.

NXT has all new 20ft hull, most of these will sell in the high 50s.

MC is developing a boat to compete with the G23.

MC will have 2-3 new boats yearly over the next few years.

most impressive budget boat was the Axis T22 by a country mile. Moomba and Supra very impressive.

Tige ASR is embarrassing as far as build quality.

[Laketexoma]

The way I see it is that Ferrari and Lamborghini don't do a budget car and still sell very well. So why should nautique lower their standards.

[sean950054]

I'd rather buy a used
Nautique than a new axis or "entry level"
Boat. IMHO a 7 year old nautique with 250 hours still trumps one of those new
Boats. axis hasn't stood the test of time yet. Being in the automotive business you can see this in cars too. The budget cars like the budget boat all look great under the fluorescent lights of showroom, but how do they stand the test of time over 7+ years? To save on price something has to be sacrificed. A lot of people
Say to cut the options on a boat to make it entry level.....well
You can so that now with nautique, however as you see most
nautique owners opt for the team option. Mastercraft has quickly mastered becoming a company that is all
Over the board on what they really want to be.
They make a good boat, but their lineup is schizophrenic! What do they really want to be? Let Moomba be Moomba and axis be axis and satisfy that segment of the inboard boat business.

[NautiqueJeff]

I get that this is a budget boat, but you'd think they could at least give it a steering wheel, dash, and throttle control!!!

[hondaprlud]

I get that this is a budget boat, but you'd think they could at least give it a steering wheel, dash, and throttle control!!!

Lol. I think you have to download the MC boat control app.


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[4th ski-doo]

I know it will sell some boats.....Q is will it raise their overall profit .....or reduce it?

The problem in this argument is the Moomba is a cheap boat with lotsa cheaper stuff mounted on it.

We tried this with three event boats, stripped down no frills Bimini Skier. Great slalom and jump wake, hulls manufactured with quality at Fineline (Centurion) but skimping on the hull materials and installing junk bells and whistles woulda sold more boats.

Nautique could easily do it but who buys it