Speculation - Boating Industry

So, driving around Karratha yesterday I notice every 3rd boat is an import (up here usually 21-30ft).  So the question is, what is this going to do to our boating industry when the market here becomes satuarated with all these imports?  I know Perth has the same sitatuion going on now with people looking to get a great deal from the states, does this mean in 3-5 years there will be a heap of cheaper boats going around from local manufacturers?  Will there be a heap of US boats floating around cheap as people look to upgrade to bigger and better stateside boats?  Or will things just stay the same?

How do you guys think this is all going to play out?

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Vinesh87's picture

Posts: 2751

Date Joined: 02/04/11

Interesting question. But i

Sun, 2013-02-24 12:12

Interesting question. But i think in 3 years time there will be a mass amount of us boats for sale here for sure.

I don't think builders here can make the boats any cheaper, It could kill all boat building here, builders here can't buy the materials for the price they are shipped over new.

On the otherside of that maybe the us boats won't hold up or be as suited to our conditions as the ally boats and will take a few years for people ( including myself) to realise that .

Surely the big glass boats don't fit the build for you boys up north?  My cuz(broome) had a glass cat but it was just too big and too hard to launch there.Not too bad at PH and good ramps like that. The ally boats are still way better north for island hopping and sitting them down on a outgoing tide ?You can beach launch a 7m ally,not glass boat.

crasny1's picture

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Date Joined: 16/10/08

I agree there could be a problem

Sun, 2013-02-24 12:09

The quality of the Ozz boats might go down to compete. Yes we all try and save a buck but at what cost.

Coles and woolies driving the Dairy farmers down, cant afford to keep doing it, means bigger prices later, or cheap Asian milk imports ( Like in your vimeo Vid).

Might be wise to look at the bigger picture.

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uncle's picture

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Date Joined: 10/02/07

can of worms here

Sun, 2013-02-24 14:17

gotta go the same way as the car industry,textiles,holidays, food, all internet shopping etc, everyone wants top wages but buy from other countries[mostly paid much cheaper wages]

don't think there will be any manufacturing industries in the future,but being a collingwood supporter, maybe I don't know what I'm talking about

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Posts: 407

Date Joined: 12/03/10

Like I said on previous post

Sun, 2013-02-24 12:31

My boat landed here cost me $54k the same boat here from the dealer $82k with smaller motor and no electrics.
If that boat was $64k I would have spent my money here.

sea-kem's picture

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Date Joined: 30/11/09

 Yep no brainer situation

Sun, 2013-02-24 12:39

 Yep no brainer situation Col. I'd do the same if i was in the market. Spewin looked at imported A DF70 for my project boat but Portsea reckon it's not worth it.

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Ozzy's picture

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Date Joined: 11/06/08

I Look at it This Way

Sun, 2013-02-24 12:37

Most of the imports from the states to Ozz are from low tier manufactures that build to a price.They are cheap in the states for more reasons than the cost.They are very cheap to purchase used and import, but are nowhere near the quality of some of our top Tier boat manufactures,but it allows Guy's to get out on the water in the same size boat as the Oz manufactures but at a third of the Cost.

You wont do the same with a Top Tier US Boat as they hold their Resale in the states as well as here, but if people think they will make a good profit from a resale after they have finished with their Boat, forget it, those days are Long Gone. JMO

Ozzy   

sea-kem's picture

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 Hey Ozzy when's your next

Sun, 2013-02-24 12:41

 Hey Ozzy when's your next trip up north? Loved your reports mate.

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Ozzy's picture

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Date Joined: 11/06/08

Hi Mate

Sun, 2013-02-24 12:50

 Be in Exxy 1st week of April, hope the fish will be cooperative, we did quite well last year,also got some new gear to try this trip, so should be good.

Cheers Ozzy 

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Where's your next trip

Sun, 2013-02-24 13:14

When or where's ya next trip sea-kem I am giving Gnaraloo a skip this year we are heading upto exmouth 1st week of may for a week then doing the koolyan islands for ten days should be a good trip

sea-kem's picture

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Date Joined: 30/11/09

 That sounds good Col. Giving

Sun, 2013-02-24 13:30

 That sounds good Col. Giving it a miss this year as well mate as we (the family) are heading to the US in April. Will probably head to Jurien later in the year for a fix. The way the weather's looking won't be doing any boating for a few weeks......shithouse! lol

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Fishing buddy

Sun, 2013-02-24 14:32

If ya need a fishn buddy up at Jutish drop us a call maybe could take the key west u there

sea-kem's picture

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 Wiil do! I know Vinesh wants

Sun, 2013-02-24 14:51

 Wiil do! I know Vinesh wants to drag his boat up there too. Maybe we can organise a week of fishing porn lol.

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Sounds the goods

Sun, 2013-02-24 14:54

Haha fishing porn just don't have your phone on speaker lol

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Typo Jurien

Sun, 2013-02-24 14:33

Typo Jurien bloody iPads

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Date Joined: 06/12/07

Aussie dollar

Sun, 2013-02-24 18:23

I think at the end of the day the Aussie dollar will have the final say. Fast forward a few years & if it weakens significantly then the current imports will effectively go up in value.

If it stays high then sure more & more Aussie boats will be further devalued as clearly they can not compete due to many factors such as higher labour & manufacturing costs, taxes etc. A glut of imports will undoubtebly exacerbate the situation. The flow on will not only effect current Aussie boat owners but dealers must really be feeling the pinch.

One could expect further job losses through the industry & it would be expected that some current manufacturers will be scaling back production into the future.

On the flip side plenty of import businesses have sprung up so clearly not only the person who buys a U.S. boat is benefitting.

At the end of the day times have changed & the savings are obviously huge to import so you can't blame people for trying to save a buck.

I think the bigger question to ask is why has Australia become so expensive for everything in the first place. Personally I think a lot of it has to do with overpriced housing, which has driven higher wages, higher taxes, higher utility costs, etc. etc.

Australia just can not compete on a level playing field.

hlokk's picture

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For imports: a captive market

Sun, 2013-02-24 19:15

For imports: a captive market and little import competition leads to price gouging. When the dollar rose, a lot of importers didnt adjust prices down and just kept the extra profits. Of course, if the dollar drops, prices will go up instantly. 

For examples of price gouging Aussies, just see the digital download software prices as a pure example. 

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China

Sun, 2013-02-24 21:08

I think the manufacturing of large parts will end up in China.

The more dicerning companies will send their moulds over there and bring in hulls/decks and fit them out here.

Once the fitout is done there most control of the process will be lost.

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Brucesta's picture

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 When you can ring the

Sun, 2013-02-24 21:55

 When you can ring the factory and speak with the guy who runs the show I"ll consider an import. Aussie boats are built right and are priced accordingly, you want all the fruit, you're gonna pay for it but you can be a little cheaper too just don't expect a Haines in the driveway. Yes it's overpriced in comparison but if that dollar goes south what would you rather in your driveway for 80k? A 625 Cruisecraft 2010 model or a 2007 trophy of pro line? 

Just my opinion and really it has to be a big boat to be worth while, so it's that 7m range that we see most of the boats

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