Matt Trulio

Speedonthewater.com's "Forecast 2015" series, which will run through December, kicks off today with Scott Sjogren of Pier 57 Marine, http://speedonthewater.com/in-the-ne...pier-57-marine.

This ongoing set of short articles is a bit of a departure from the "Highs and Lows of the Year" series we've done in December for the past couple of years. We'll publish a new installment every day through the end of the month. Hope you enjoy.

Jupiter Sunsation

Great article Matt! I have never met Scott Sjogren but I have always enjoyed his honest outlook on the market......good or bad. One thing overlooked but I'm sure is part of the equation on the performance vees vs. cats is the speed factor. Two 39's with 700's will run 20-25 miles an hour difference (vee vs. cat). Cabins are one of the highlights of vees and with cats/center consoles the cabin is small or non-existent so less boaters are requiring the cabin amenities offered by vee bottoms.......making a boat like a Black Thunder really a dinosaur.

Crude Intentions

Good article but putting together a center console only or cat only or whatever have you only poker run or meet would go against bringing young people in. Though every class individually may have enough boats to support a run it would still be less of a turnout than an everybody run. Maybe starts the runs some distance apart and have a cat only, v only and the cc only class on each one. You would still get turnout and have it class ran.

We all know vhull big block performance boats are on the downside right now. Lets be honest these cats although nice and beautiful are out of the reach of 90% of overall performance boaters. I think to keep trying to keep young people interested it would still stay better as a mix. Let everyone's eyes tell them what they love and want to work towards.

jeff32

Good point... Unfortunatly for most who can't afford a cat!

Cash Bar

This was from Scott in the article "I also think there's an opportunity for event organizers with the performance center console market. It's getting big enough now where someone could put on a center console-only poker run or regatta—there are enough of them out there now. It would be a good way of getting together people who have similar interests."

I think you could get enough boats for a CC only run. However, I think the people that are buying them now are peers with the traditional fast-boat owners. They have waited until the CCs could run close enough in speed to make the same runs and hang with the same crowd. They want the variety. And it goes in the reverse for the guys that like to tie up to their buddy's cat or send the wife/gf on a more relaxed trip with the same destination.

OL40SVX

I beg to differ that Vee bottoms are dead........also the 25mph speed difference.....

DirtyMoney

The trend I have noticed is similar to the Hooters girl progress "White shorts , Orange shorts, No shorts". I have seen V-bottom to Cat to Center Console. Let's face it we get tired of turning wrenches and spending money. My only problem right now is the center consoles I want are out of the price range I am comfortable with until they get some time on them so I will stick to Cruiser and V bottom.

Jupiter Sunsation

Dan,

OL builds the baddest Vee bottom out there but reality is they aren't selling like it is 2005 are they? A typical 39 Vee runs 100+/- w/700's and a typical cat runs 120-130 with 700's. OL might close that gap with new technology but most builders (vee) are still building the same boats they did 10 years ago. So as a generalization my statement would be true.

OL40SVX

I am still selling more Vee bottoms than cats and we are selling quite a few cats but the vee market for us is still stronger. Any of our models will run well north of 100 with 700s.

precisiondetails

Of course you are selling more Vs than Cats. That's like Pete saying that Skater is selling more cats than Vees. Duh! Lol... You know what I mean.