But while you’re comparing boats, don’t forget to compare boat dealers. The dealer can make –or break–your boat buying and boat owning experience.

Some points of comparison are relatively easy to suss. For instance, if you are partial to an engine make, a dealer that services that engine might rank higher than another dealer–and we might advise selecting the boat based upon some local ability to get the mechanical stuff serviced by factory-trained personnel. Other factors, such as customer service, the dealer’s financial health, commitment to the brand of boat you’d like to purchase, and more, can be harder to determine.

LEARN WAYS TO SELECT THE BEST BOAT DEALER

If the choice is between the “best” boat and the “lesser” dealer and the “best” dealer and the “lesser” boat, we almost always recommend boaters choose to go with the “better” dealer.

Dolor sit emptor.

Takeaway There are a reported 4,400 boat dealerships in the United States.

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Of course, service is not the only reason choosing a good dealer will make for a better boat ownership experience. The ability to make confident accessory equipment decisions, maintain financial peace of mind, and solicit assistance to pick the boat that best suits your boating style all depend, in large part, upon choosing the right boat dealer.

But how can you determine a good boat dealer from a great boat dealer? Naturally, we heartily recommend asking fellow boaters for recommendations. You can also choose a dealer with confidence by looking for one that is Marine Industry Certified.

Marine Industry Certified Dealers have more than just a pretty logo on display. They also have posted on the premises, in writing, a pledge to abide by what is called the Marine Industry Consumer Commitment. You can read the Marine Industry Consumer Commitment in its entirety, but suffice to say that the principles the Commitment embodies mirror those that Boating has always advised readers to look for when choosing a boat dealer.

For instance, few things are more frustrating than working with a salesperson who is not knowledgeable about the boat, the buying process, or the delivery procedure. Naturally, no one can be expected to know everything; but when making a commitment as large as buying a boat, it’s nice to be able to carry on a fluid conversation and eliminate more than one question or concern at a time. Marine Industry Certified Dealers pledge to provide knowledgeable and courteous staff who can speak confidently about not just the boat, but also boat ownership and the boat buying process.

Another point that drives us nuts—and you too, according to the emails we receive—is poor service. And it’s not so much the cost of things, but the mystery that surrounds some service calls. Marine Industry Certified Dealers assure, in writing, that repair and maintenance will be patiently explained, an estimate of repair time will be provided, and any changes to the repair estimate will be approved by the boat owner prior to the work’s completion. Additionally, they pledge that marine technicians will be up-to-date on the industry’s most advance training and will conduct themselves in a courteous and patient manner.

That these “customer first” principles, along with a commitment to fair dealing, non-discrimination, and truthful advertising practices, among others, are in writing—and on display—really means something. Additionally, Marine Industry Certified Dealers are recertified every two years, so you can rest assured that they keep up with the standards, requirements, education, and business practices they promise to adhere to as part of program participation.

Here, we’ve highlighted just a few points that best embody the Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program. Just as we encourage you to “do your homework” and read our boat tests and equipment articles before buying a boat, we also encourage you to be as selective about choosing a boat dealer as you are when selecting a new boat. Choosing a Marine Industry Certified Dealership can help you do just that.

Learn more about Marine Industry Certified Dealerships by visiting www.mraa.com.

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Buying a boat isn’t like buying a newspaper, a loaf of bread or even a car or truck. When a newspaper and groceries are purchased, the items have a finite timeline. Most people already drive either a car or truck. But with a boat purchase, especially with a first-time buyer, it is more of a lifestyle change, than a mode of transportation. A good dealer should guide the buyer through the process of navigating the wonderful world of a lifestyle afloat.

The best dealers walk buyers through all the features, functions of the equipment and the owner’s service points. This information may be unfamiliar to new boaters. It is essential that the dealer makes orientation to the boat an intrinsic part of the deal. Buyers need to learn how to use each feature to enrich their days on the water.

The new boat orientation should focus on key points like: how the canvas goes up or on; how the head works, using it and keeping it pleasant; what is the blower switch on the inboard or I/O; connect the safety lanyard and starting the motor. The dealer should introduce you to the safety gear and how to use it.

When there is time available with the dealer, any and all questions should be asked. If a dealer is involved in the sale, the buyer and dealer should build a relationship where the buyer can come back later and ask questions or arrange a maintenance schedule. Buying from the right dealer is just as important as buying the right boat.

The dealer should also make sure the buyer knows the basics; how to gas up and launch and load the boat. The relationship only starts at the sale and should never end! From handing off the keys to launching and loading the boat, the relationship with the dealer should grow over time.

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Some sports and activities talk about ‘retention’ like their participants need constant courting. Boating is not like that. Boaters may get new vessels on a regular basis, but they will always be boaters.

And why not? Through boating, families are nourished, friendships are launched and people celebrate old bonds. As a boater, stresses fade away when enjoying time with people they love and who share a common bond.

Communities form among boaters. Sometimes it’s people with boats of the same brand or size or type or similar interests, such as fishing, cruising or skiing. Maybe the connection to the boating community is a home port or favorite destination. Some boating communities are more formal with clubs and organized events. Others connect more spontaneously for a fun day on the water.

Making the community connection is key in the boating world. By asking around and watching for postings at marinas, new boat owners will find a community in which they have similar interests. Finding those individuals and hanging out with them is only part of the fun for new boaters.

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Being confident around the docks is vital to starting and ending a new owner’s fun on the water. A great dealer should be there when the boat is brought to port the first time, whether it is a center console, a runabout or a yacht.

Boating skills are really techniques, easily learned – with the right teacher. Too many boat dealers bypass this part of the sale. They offer to hitch the trailer to the truck and walk away after the sale. Some buyers resort to asking friends and family to teach them all about boating. Finding someone who has that information and the time to show the buyer is rare.

Continuing boater education is essential. Experienced dealers make great coaches and cheerleaders for new and existing boaters! At the very least, a dealer should know who in the community conducts classes in boating skills and safety, where there are adult education courses, U.S. Power Squadrons training or other classes available. Some really involved dealers may sponsor or host courses at their dealerships.

Go to school, because uncertainty on the water can be intimidating. A dealer can serve as a committed mentor to overcome the hurdles that a new buyer may not know about yet. They can teach the rules of the road, the knots and other seamanship skills and those all-important safety measures in a format that’s efficient and enjoyable. The lessons aren’t as hard and there aren’t as many of them as you may think. Classes in local communities can allow new owners to meet other new boaters and find they have a lot in common. These are bonds that can last a lifetime.

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Brad and Joan Brewster were as giddy as a married couple could get the day they took delivery of their first boat — a new 23-foot pontoon, which their dealer brought to the dock of their lakefront home.

The joy was short-lived, however, because the Brewsters soon discovered the boat was listing from a slow leak in the starboard log. They called the dealer, and he agreed to fix it under warranty, but he said the Brewsters would have to bring the boat back to the dealership. That was not an easy task, since the store was 65 miles away and the couple did not own a suitable tow vehicle.

So the new boating couple talked to a local dealership, which explained that it could make a service call on the lake and even haul the boat to the shop, but would have to charge them full rate, because the local dealer was not an authorized warranty center for that particular boat brand.

Within just a few days of signing on the dotted line, the Brewsters were caught between a leaky boat and the sinking feeling that they had selected the wrong dealership. To get their new boat repaired, they would need to spend more money for a tow vehicle, hire a boat hauler, or fork over cash to the local dealer.

The frustration experienced by the Brewsters (not their real name) is not entirely uncommon. You might someday face the same scenario if you fail to focus on the importance of the dealer in the buying equation. Your relationship with the dealer — be it good or bad — may endure for years after your purchase, or at least as long as the warranty period.

That said, it’s not always practical to shop for a boat based on the store and its service. Boat brands award dealerships based on geography, among other criteria. So there might be only one dealer in your area that carries the model of boat you really want. Unless you want to think about a different boat brand, you’re stuck.

What are ” certified” boat dealers?

However, if you’re torn between two or three models from different brands, the quality of the dealership and its staff may well sway your decision. Use the score sheet after we offer 12 ways to rate a dealer: Red flags are for negative traits and gold propellers are for positive qualities. Do this ahead of time, because once you’ve made the purchase, it’s too late.

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

Does the store staff seem happy to see you?
I like to walk onto boat dealership lots or into showrooms to look around. I do this all around the United States, and I am continually amazed at how infrequently anyone comes to greet me.

Red Flag: If no one comes out to say hello and ask if he or she can help within the first five minutes, don’t count on service getting any better in the future. Big red flag. If you eventually have to ask for help and are met with confused or annoyed looks by staff, that’s also a bad sign — and another red flag. These two scenarios occur often enough that I am pleasantly surprised when greeted by friendly and enthusiastic staff.

Gold Prop: If you find people in the store are attentive, engaging and genuinely happy to see you, give that dealership high marks; it bodes well for the future.

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

Check it out on the Internet.
Use a Web search engine such as Google to look for mentions or reports of the dealer on the Internet. Or log on to related forums such as the general discussion board on boatingmag​.com to ask if others have experience with the dealership.

Red Flag: Take Web reports with a grain of salt. One or two negative comments should not overly influence any decision, but if you read about a rash of bad experiences, poorly handled warranty work or long delays on service or repairs, it’s definitely cause for concern and a red flag.

Gold Prop: Similarly, one or two glowing Web reports are not the basis for judging a dealership, but if positive reports far outweigh critical posts, give the store a shiny gold prop.

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

Are the yard and showroom clean and organized?
While an unkempt facility might not seem so bad, consider this: If this is how they treat their own property, how are they going to treat your boat when it’s in for service or repairs?

Red Flag: If you find that inventory boats in the yard are dirty and dusty, the yard’s forklift is rusty and leaking oil, no one cleans up after the guard dog, or the property is cluttered with discarded parts, you might want to look for another dealership.

Gold Prop: An immaculate showroom, an organized yard, and boats that are washed daily earn the store a gold prop. Add in a well-stocked parts department, and it gets another prop.

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

Is the staff prompt in returning phone calls and emails?
You can understand that staff might not always be able to pick up the phone when you call. After all, if it’s a good dealership, they’re liable to be busy. Still, you’d think any salesperson would be highly motivated to return phone calls and emails, but it isn’t always so.

Red Flag: Lack of prompt response is a big red flag, indicating that customer service after the sale will only get worse. Another red flag is a salesperson’s reluctance to work with you by phone or email. In this busy world, it’s not always possible to visit the store to ask questions or negotiate the deal.

Gold Prop: A salesperson’s willingness to work with you by phone or email is a great time-saver and a positive sign for the future. Make sure to ask for an email confirmation of any deals that you negotiate by phone.

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

Talk to the service manager.
Before you close the deal, ask to talk with the dealership service manager or, even better, one or two of the mechanics. This will give you a chance to see inside the shop and get a feel for the culture.

Red Flag: If the shop is messy, greasy, dirty and disorganized, it shows a lack of pride in the work — a negative that reflects on the management as well as the service staff.

Gold Prop: However, if you witness a clean shop with state-of-the-art diagnostics and tools, as well as a knowledgeable staff that displays high spirits and dedication to doing good work, give them a gold prop.

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

Ask to talk with existing customers.
When you interview for a job, you might be asked to provide references. Why not ask the same thing of the dealer? Request a few names and emails of existing customers.

Red Flag: It’s understandable that a salesperson might be reluctant to give out names and emails of customers for fear of violating the privacy of others, but if he flatly refuses or becomes indignant, it’s a sign there’s something to hide. Defensiveness indicates guilt and a possible red flag.

Gold Prop: If the salesman asks if he can get back to you after he checks with the customers and then sends you the names and emails, it means he’s proud of the dealership’s reputation, as well as mindful of customer privacy. You would expect glowing reports from the salesperson’s references, but check them out anyway. You never know. A bad report could cancel out this gold prop.

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

Does the dealership staff keep you waiting?
I’m used to sitting in the lobby, waiting to see a doctor or dentist, even though I was on time for the appointment. But if you made an appointment with a boat salesperson, you should not have to wait.

Red Flag: If the salesman keeps you waiting more than a minute or two, it might mean that disregard for others’ time pervades the dealership’s culture. If you’re kept waiting more than once, or the salesperson interrupts your meeting to take a phone call, the store gets two red flags, or what some mariners call Maggie’s Drawers.

Gold Prop: If, on the other hand, you’re greeted promptly by a congenial staff and offered coffee or a refreshment before you get started, the dealership is golden. If you get a follow-up call after the meeting, give them twin props and seriously consider moving full speed ahead.

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

Does the service department hold manufacturer certifications?
Engine manufacturers such as Yamaha Outboards offer certification programs for dealer-service staff. These are ongoing programs designed to keep mechanics up to date on the latest engine technology and product developments.

Red Flag: Request documentation of the most recent manufacturer certification for the service department. If the dealership can’t produce it, or the certificates are more than five years old, they may have just earned a red flag or two.

Gold Prop: The more manufacturer certificates the service department can produce, the better. That means gold props now and in the future.

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

Do you like the dealership staff?
This might sound like an irrelevant question, but it’s always nice to work with people you like — and once you buy the boat, you’ll be returning to the dealership time and again for motor service and possibly warranty work.

Red Flag: If you find yourself with a grin-and-bear-it attitude as you try to negotiate a deal, it might mean you really don’t care for or trust the salesperson. Check out the rest of the staff to see if they strike you the same way. If so, slap the store with a red flag.

Gold Prop: When you look forward to talking with salespeople and staff, it means you like them (and they probably like you), and that earns the store a gold prop.

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

Is the dealership among the Top 100?
Each year, Boating Industry (boatingindustry​.com) magazine painstakingly reviews in-depth applications from dealers across the country, each retailer vying to become a member of the Boating Industry Top 100. Given that there are about 3,000 boat dealers in the United States, earning a spot on this list is a real achievement.

Red Flag: Ask if the dealership is or has in the past placed in the Top 100. If the dealership responds “top 100 what?” you’ll know that the management does not strive for constant improvement.

Gold Prop: If, on the other hand, the dealership has, at the very least, filled out the lengthy application to compete in the Top 100 program, give it a gold prop. If the retailer is actually on the Top 100 list, give it three props.

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

Does the dealership hold marine industry certifications?
The Chicago-based National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and its Discover Boating program (discoverboating.com) offer the Marine Five Star Dealer Certification (MFSDC) program, which is designed to improve the sales and service experience for customers. The NMMA’s research indicates that dealers who invest in this program (which is time-consuming and expensive for the dealer) tend to deliver a higher level of service than noncertified stores.

Red Flag: Ask the dealership if it has earned the MFSDC, has considered pursuing it or has even heard about it. If the answer to all three is no, fly the red flag.

Gold Prop: The majority of dealers in the United States have not invested in the MFSDC program, according to the Marine Retailers Association of America, so don’t expect every dealer to have earned this certification. But if it considers the program a good thing and it would someday like to pursue it, give the store a gold prop just for knowing about it.

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

Is the dealer conveniently located?
Choosing a dealer far from the location where you plan to keep your boat is a huge disadvantage. Even if you can tow the boat, who wants a 130-mile round trip each time you visit the dealer for service or repairs?

Red Flag: If the dealer is more than 25 miles away, every trip will be a hate mission. Remember that you can rarely get a boat serviced or repaired while you wait, so you have to make two round trips for each service visit. A geographically undesirable dealer is a big red flag — not against the dealer, but against your choice.

Gold Prop: A dealership that’s close by — whether by water or land — is a godsend. One that will come to your marina or dock to service and repair the boat in the water is better yet. Give that dealer a major gold prop

12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer

How does your prospective dealer score?

The post 12 Tips for Selecting the Best Boat Dealer appeared first on Boating Mag.

On the surface, a boat show is like a movie trailer, a collection of perfect scenes all carefully selected and arranged so that you see only what the producer wants you to see. Fiberglass is glistening, prices are attractive, and salespeople are all knowledgeable professionals just waiting to help you make a deal.

Everybody wants to buy that ticket.

Behind the scenes, however, there’s a lot more to the plot — and the process. How valuable would it be if you knew the sales games, the subtle marketing tricks and the pricing realities that make up the whole feature, and not just the teaser?

Cue Jack
Jack’s a 20-year industry pro who’s acted in this drama for years. From the opening act to the end credits, he knows how things work, and he’s willing to open up about his craft. Together, we walked a prominent boat show, me watching the main feature while Jack almost simultaneously gave me the behind-the- scenes exposé.

I’m sharing his best lines, along with the motivation behind them. Trust me — they’re not only worth the price of admission, but they may also help you get a real deal.

“First lesson? Get someone who knows what the hell he’s talking about.”
Boat shows produce a lot of traffic. In today’s economy, many dealers just don’t have that many salespeople, so they load up on bodies, not all of whom extensively know the product. Some may even be consumers themselves. Ask the wrong one for help and you may be basing your buying decision on a lot of misinformation.

“Dealers are trying to fill space for free,” Jack explains. “They need people in there to do the work. Ask up front: are you a Brand X specialist? Have you been to the company’s sales training? Do you have certification? If [the salesman] says, ‘Well, I’m really only helping out,’ that’s not the guy you want to be talking to. He can say the boat is great, but it’s an opinion. And if he says something mistakenly, it could be misconstrued as fact.”

Don’t be afraid to ask salesmen what kind of training they have in the product. Qualify who they are, what they know and how long they’ve been with the company.

“There’s a huge difference between what the experienced specialist knows and what Joe Blow would know,” Jack cautions. “Don’t assume the first person you talk to knows everything about the boat.”

“No one knows a brand and model better than the experienced salesman…who has to sell against it.”
Don’t visit just qualified representatives of the boats you’re interested in. Take the time to visit their competition as well.

“Tell competitors what you’re considering, and then step back and listen,” Jack says. “You’ll get a lot of info to consider.”

As proof, he guides me to a nearby wakeboard and ski boat dealer and does just that. Soon, we’re hearing an interesting collection of cons to match the pros touted by our “favored” dealer, everything from the downsides of that manufacturer’s unique take on boosting wake size to a suggestion that the manufacturer lower the boat’s tower on the spot. (“He knows the other guy’s tower is a real pain in the ass,” Jack says under his breath. “That’s why he’s pushing us to get a demo.”) In another instance, a dealer suggests we go back to the manufacturer in question and challenge its claim of 100 percent fiberglass construction. “Check out the coaming panels, and pick up a few seats and peel back the vinyl,” he urges. “You’ll see that there’s wood in there.”

“Sure, some of what they tell you may just be salesman BS,” Jack says, “but if you go to several competitors, you’ll start to find some common ground in what they reveal. Then, with all the cards on the table, you can weigh the value of that info to you as a consumer.

“It just gives you some balance to make a more educated decision.”

The challenge for the consumer, however, is deciding what’s real and what’s BS. Competitive dealers may feed you a litany of all the common knocks they have against the boat you are considering. Absorb them, and then go back to the boat you’re comparing against and verify.

“Sales pitch — or the voice of experience?”
Likewise, when you find qualified, knowledgeable salespeople, give credence to their advice. “Hear that?” mutters Jack, eavesdropping on a salesman’s best pitch. “The sales guy is trying the classic up-sell in power. The customer’s looking at a small boat with a simple 3.0-liter, but the sales guy is trying to convince him to step up to a 4.3. Is he selling, or is he advising?”

I know where he’s going. Many consumers will buy in at the low entry-level price but ultimately be disappointed with the lack of power once they add their family, gear and a year of experience to the mix. A truly good salesman will risk the quick sale in order to educate customers enough so that they may avoid a long-term mistake for short-term savings.

“If there’s a portion of the boat that doesn’t get discussed, it’s probably because the salesman knows it’s a product deficiency.”
Jack also says to pay attention to any areas your salesman avoids discussing. Noting a nearby model with the hull cloaked in black, he raises this concern: “It might be nothing, but why are they covering it up? I’d check for corrosion, or other indications that it’s been in the water. You might think you’re trying to deal on that boat, and they might have taken it out of the water to show. It could even be a customer’s.”

“What you see is what you get — except when it’s not.”
Those prices you see might not be for the exact model the price tag is affixed to. “Dealers will put base pricing to get people interested,” Jack says. “This boat may be listed at $42,000 base price, but it’s really outfitted at $65,000. That’s probably not an intentional bait and switch, but they’re certainly saying this boat costs $65,000 but you can get it a whole lot cheaper if you knock off some options.” Still, he affirms the days of true deceit are mostly long gone. “The people who are still in the game, they do it right. They sell a quality product. There’s not a lot of hiding. … It’s mostly in the way they price the product.”

“That monthly cost looks great, but will you qualify for it?”
Dealers and manufacturers have taken to affixing a low monthly cost to individual boats in large, vinyl graphics. “Problem is, that price isn’t reality for all buyers,” Jack cautions. “Some finance guy has based that on a specific term for a buyer with excellent credit.” Jack also urges buyers to consider the interest cost over long-term loans, plus the likelihood you could end up upside down in the boat for much of its life.

“The manufacturer’s giving $5,000 on this boat? Not happening, not anymore.”
Which leads us again to the tags on the boats you see. Most bear discounts that are a combination of dealer and manufacturer incentives. Some can be as juicy as $5,000 to $10,000 before negotiating.

“The manufacturer might be giving the dealer $1,000,” Jack suggests, “but he’s finding $4,000 to take off his list price, compressing his margin a little bit.”

I then receive an education in just how much that dealer can compress. It’s not as much as you might think. Jack says a typical manufacturer’s suggested retail price is about 35 to 38 percent higher than dealer cost. Good dealers fight to maintain a 20 percent gross margin. The eye-opener? That might be just a 3 to 4 percent net after overhead.

“There’s not a lot for them to play with. When you go in and try to negotiate with a dealer, he’s already taking a very thin margin.”

“It’s amazing how many of these deals are good only at the show!”
Jack next tackles perhaps the oldest cliché in the book — that a deal is only good for the duration of the show.

“That’s a gimme!” he exclaims. “Creating a sense of urgency is always present at the show.”

But is it real? Conventional wisdom says no. Dealers need to sell boats, and if you show up in their dealerships a week later ready to sign on the bottom line and fork over the cash, it would be a rare dealer who would turn you away.

Still, we learned from one industry insider last year that some manufacturers are cutting deals with dealers to move products at certain shows, and unless paperwork is signed by closing, all bets are off. Call it a manufacturer’s own way of creating a sense of urgency — in their dealers.

“You have to understand, these people spend a lot of money to go to the show, so they have a lot of incentive to sell. And the fact that you’re there, you probably will get your best deal. But you still have to negotiate. You have to get behind the desk and get your best deal.”

“The deal about pre-build order deals”
While he’s on a roll, Jack suggests asking a dealer how buying a boat out of stock — versus ordering one — would affect the price. “Dealers need to show turnover to keep the floor-plan companies happy,” he says. “Ask them the pricing advantages of taking one out of their stock versus having one built. You might be surprised at the difference.”

Should you insist on ordering, be aware that some manufacturers are requesting substantial down payments, up to 50 percent to start building and 100 percent on completion. Consider setting up an inexpensive, simple escrow with an attorney or trust company to protect your investment while the build is in progress.

“Negotiating things that don’t cost the dealer what you’re paying is always a good thing.”
Other ways to sweeten a deal? “Get creative,” Jack suggests. “The cost of owning a boat is not just what you’re paying up front, but its operational costs. I would raise the question ‘What is this boat going to cost me going forward, and can I negotiate that as a part of my deal?'”

Try to bargain for things that don’t cost the dealer additional cash to provide but would cost you at retail, like basic maintenance. The dealer already has overhead costs that include keeping some service staff, whether they are servicing boats or not. Offering you three years of basic service for oil and fluid changes is much easier than trying to absorb the cost of an expensive tower or hardtop.

Several manufacturers and dealers have already jumped on this bandwagon, including Tigé and MarineMax.

“Don’t be afraid to walk away.”
As we begin to make our way out of the show, Jack offers one last piece of advice. “Look around you,” he says, motioning to aisle after aisle of shoppers. “Most of these people are just window-shopping, but the few serious ones are agonizing over this decision right now. They get caught up in the moment, caught up in the idea they’ll lose out if they hesitate, and often make a deal they might regret.

“Unless it’s an absolute, obvious killer deal, don’t be afraid to walk away. In this economy, that boat and that deal will probably still be there tomorrow.”

Taking the Show on the Road
To the consumer, a boat show is all red carpet and pearl-white fiberglass, but to those staging the show and breaking it down, it’s a whole different experience. They have to unload tons of equipment, position it all spot-on, work through unexpected obstacles, and do it on the tightest of deadlines. How does it all play out?

Larry Berryman, show manager for both the Atlanta and Tampa, Florida, boat shows, says a show is a little like a three-ring circus. Long-term planning starts months out; short-term construction happens within a much shorter time frame. It takes two weeks to assemble, stage, float, construct, wire and plumb the temporary marina that constitutes the in-water display. Then you hope some drunken local doesn’t take it all out at 3 a.m.

The inside portion of the show begins two to three days in advance, first in an outdoor staging area, then on the actual convention-center floor. Once inside, some exhibitors handle much of their assembly. Others rely on the show staff (in Tampa, off-duty firemen) to handle the forklifts and position boats in a display.

“To most dealers, it’s a precise combination of boats versus square footage,” Berryman says. “They get very strategic.”

The fastest part? Teardown at show’s end. “Never in a shorter period of time have more people fallen ill or had family members rushed to the hospital or parents pass away,” Berryman says with a laugh. “And it always happens between 4 and 6 p.m. on Sunday.

“It’s almost scientific. If it took you four days to build, it will take you a day and a half to get it out.”

The post Backstage at the Boat Show appeared first on Boating Mag.

How To Choose A Boat Dealer

In what’s left of my personal life, after duties related to running the world’s largest powerboat magazine, I’m often asked to give boat-buying advice. Usually the friend, neighbor or acquaintance has narrowed their choices down to two boats and can’t decide between them.

In those cases, provided the boats are comparable, I almost always advise that they pick the boat sold by the better dealer. The dealer can make or break your ownership experience. But how do you identify the best from the bilge crud?

The boating industry recognizes this problem. Specifically the Marine Retailers Association of America and the Grow Boating Initiative run a dealer certification program designed to grant boat buyers the confidence they need to close a deal with a boat dealer they can trust.

The program is called Marine Five Star Dealer Certification (MFSDC). Launched in 2006 as one of the core strategic programs of Grow Boating, Inc., MFSDC has more than 300 leading boat dealers throughout North America who are currently certified. MFSDC is built on a stringent set of standards to enhance the retail sales and service experience for customers, with the goal to ultimately promote and spur industry growth.

12 More Tips for Choosing The Best Boat Dealer

In early June 2013, MFSDC unveiled research results that demonstrate certified dealers outperformed non-certified dealers in every category of the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) surveys.

Boat buyers were asked in a 2012 survey to rank their dealer’s performance in a variety of sales and service areas. In every category, customers were more satisfied with their experiences with certified dealers compared to their non-certified counterparts.

An encouraging part of MFSDC is the Marine Consumers Bill of Rights which certified dealers must post publicly. Many of these rights are criterion we at Boating would include in our own list of standards for judging boat dealers.

But to verify that this program really does provide a set of standards that you can trust, we are digging into the program, and checking out certified dealers to make sure that there’s more to the program than just the issuance of a pretty plaque or showroom window sticker. Look for that in-depth article, How To Choose A Boat Dealer, in an upcoming issue.

In the meantime, you can get more information about Marine Five Star Dealer Certification or the CSI survey, visit www.growboating.org.

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Boat Buying Tips

Boaters often ask me what boat they should buy. I often answer with the question: “What’s the brand sold by the dealer in your area with the best reputation for service?”

A great dealer can’t make a boat that’s inappropriate for your use, or one that’s just plain a clunker, into a good boat. But barring those extremes, a dealer with a proven commitment to customer service will make boat ownership a more pleasant and stress-free experience.

The following list is reprinted from Boating Industry, a leading trade publication.

Boating Industry Announces Top 100 Boat Dealers in North America

It’s their annual Top 100 dealer awards. Such a list is a good place to start in your search for a dealer. Here are some other tips.

• Ask your friends about their dealer experience.
• Ask for referrals.
• When visiting at the dealership, ask for a tour of the facility.
• Speak to dealer staff and ask how long they’ve been employed there.
• Ask if the dealer is a parts and service dealer.

Takeaway: Prudent boat buyers shop dealers as hard as they shop boats.

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How many times have we heard over the last 18 months that “this is the best time ever” to buy a boat? It may very well be true. And the reason is the simple economics of supply (a ton of it) and demand (not so much). Even as we see signs of improvement, the economy has taken its toll, and the result is lots of boats for sale and not that many hungry buyers.

The days of your local dealer being the only option are long gone. Today’s buyer not only has to determine what to buy, why to buy and when to buy, but also where to buy. Dealer? Broker? eBay? Usedboats.com? Never has the inventory been so broad. The question today is, where can you find the best deal? We looked for answers from the experiences of four recent buyers.

Full Disclosure
Jim Anderson’s story is simple: He purchased a second home on Long Island. It came with a boat slip, and he wanted to fill it, preferably with a 20-foot center console or walkaround. Anderson quickly realized that the price of a new boat was more than he cared to spend. So he did what an ever-increasing number of consumers are doing — he turned to eBay, Craigslist and a few local boat traders. There, online, he found numerous promising candidates, but ultimately the experience left him cold.

One seller claimed the first $16,000 would take his 2003 20-foot Boston Whaler Dauntless. When Anderson offered the asking price pending a test of the engine, the buyer claimed he had another offer and upped the ante to $18,000. Later, Anderson saw the boat advertised to the first person to offer $19,000. Says Anderson: “I sent him a very strongly worded e-mail questioning the ethics of his pricing strategy.”

Other boats being offered online simply did not live up to what the listing promised. “For the most part, there was always something wrong with the boat that was not in the advertisement,” Anderson says. “Some looked beautiful in the photos and description, but when you actually got there, they showed more signs of wear and tear.”

Most owners were honest about problems once Anderson pointed them out, but they didn’t offer them unprompted. “They didn’t try to hide anything, but they didn’t go out of their way to mention anything until you noticed it.”

Mark Menachem, eBay and Craigslist specialist for Marine Max Miami, states the obvious: There’s no guarantee with private online sales. Horror stories include listings of everything from stolen boats, to boats about to be repossessed, to total neglect. “A lot of the boats for sale are through a private party that hasn’t been able to afford to maintain it for the past year,” Menachem cautions. He’s also seen boats with undisclosed storm damage or altered hour meters. “Boats are misrepresented very often by individuals.”

In contrast, a dealer will often commission a survey, send a boat through the service department for review, even offer a warranty (some states require a 60-day mechanical warranty, but structural issues are still up to the buyer to find, dealer or not). Weighing these pros and cons ultimately pushed Anderson away from the private market. “At the end of the day, I decided I really didn’t want to buy a boat out of somebody’s backyard,” he says. So Anderson moved on.

Steal of a Deal
While the online route didn’t pan out for Anderson, others found that the ailing economy — and a private owner’s desire to get out of a boat yesterday — could literally produce a deal they could not refuse.

Martin Kullman of St. Petersburg, Florida, knew what he wanted — a 33-foot Sea Ray Amberjack. Kullman was in no rush to buy. Still, he kept a watchful eye on eBay and Boat Trader online, just in case the right deal came along. One day it did — a 1997 model that was $20,000 less than what he’d come to expect. “You’re just kind of looking with something in mind, and thinking you can’t really afford it,” he recalls. “Then all of a sudden you get to a number you can.”

Kullman knew that if the deal was legit, he had to act quickly. He jumped in the car (along with a friend who owns a similar model) and drove four hours to the owner’s residence. The first impression was promising. There were no signs of excess wear in the gelcoat, bottom paint, vinyl or cabinetry. The boat’s hearty diesels also started and idled without a hitch. Kullman next verified engine and serial numbers, registration and ownership. A conversation with the mechanics that recently rebuilt the Amberjack’s motors and Kullman’s own reputable surveyor sealed the deal.

“When you see a price difference of that much, you think there’s got to be something wrong with it,” says Kullman, who ultimately bought the boat for $60,000. “Turns out there wasn’t. The seller just had to get out of it.

“I think the key to online stuff is you’ve got to know what you’re buying. The sale was contingent upon a positive survey, so that left it for me to make a final determination.”

Remember our friend Jim Anderson? He never found that deal he couldn’t refuse privately, but he did find a 2003 23-foot Pro-Line walkaround at a local dealership. unlike what discouraged him in the private market, this boat’s condition was excellent. The 225 hp Mercury OptiMax had nine months remaining on its warranty, and the dealer offered to cover the boat with a 60-day warranty against mechanical failure as well (not much good if the boat’s laid up for two more months of winter). Already listed at a decent price of $24,500, Anderson offered $21,000 based on risk and his used-market research. The dealer countered, and the parties settled at $21,750.

“I had some leverage,” Anderson says. “You could see over time the boat was coming down by $500, then $1,000. The market had its own price elasticity to it. Perhaps I should have been more aggressive, but I really felt I got a fair deal.

Numbers Game
Pete Werner likewise turned to a dealer for his purchase, in his case a 2010 Malibu VLX. Werner, of Orlando, Florida, upgrades his boat every year, so he’s built a good relationship with his dealer. Still, he acknowledges the deal was even better due to the current economy.

“I’m kind of a research hound,” Werner says. “I look at Boat Trader and eBay, look at what old boats are going for on resale. I read the magazines, go to the boat shows. My dealer has always taken good care of me, but he bends a little farther now.”

How far? Werner’s not comfortable saying, but his dealer, Liquid Sports Marine’s Mark Watts, is. Watts says a manufacturer’s suggested retail price is typically about 35 to 38 percent above invoice. Back in the day, getting a good deal meant paying around 22 percent above invoice. Today? He’s letting boats, especially leftover models, go for as little as 8 to 10 percent over invoice.

“It’s a good 15 percent below what we would have previously wanted, just to get them off the lot,” Watts says. “Dealers have been paying interest on [2008 and 2009 models] and were getting rid of them at any cost. But that inventory is dwindling down quickly.”

Even the used market is affected.

“We do a lot of used and consigned business,” Watts says, “and the attitude of the consumer is that, if we’ve got a boat online for $39,000, the first thing they offer is $29,000. nobody offered $10,000 below price before, but buyers are of this mentality that we’ve got to get rid of our boats. In the summer of 2009 that was true, but we’re turning the corner.”

Still a Buyer’s Market
Both the buyer’s and dealer’s perspectives are familiar to Mike Klimek. Klimek has bought — and sold — two boats within the last 12 months.

The happy owner of a 1996 Sea Ray 250 Sundancer, Klimek resisted when his wife suggested they hit a 2009 boat show. But there the couple took enough of a liking to a Regal 3360 Window express Cruiser that they put in an offer — albeit a halfhearted one.

“They had this boat priced at $205,000, discounted from $229,000,” Klimek recalls. “We made a ridiculously lowball offer of $155,000 … and they took it. We were shocked.”

Within six months, however, Klimek had another shock. He had long admired a friend’s 2005 Riviera 370 Convertible and was surprised to hear it was being offered through a broker. Soon the Klimeks’ barely used Regal was also up for sale, through the same broker who was listing the Riviera. And Klimek found himself on the receiving end of lowball offers.

“As the seller of a boat, you have to be willing to slash your price,” he says of the current market. “We lost $30,000 on a boat that we had for six months.”

In the long run, however, he doesn’t view it as a loss. Why? That same buyer/seller reality also worked in his favor. Klimek had seen similar Rivieras listed online as high as $450,000. An almost identical boat was listed within 120 miles of his St. Petersburg Beach, Florida, home for $329,000. Klimek, with help from united Yacht Services (a broker), was ultimately able to close his deal for $290,000.

“The savings on a new purchase can make up the difference of what you lose,” says Klimek. “In a different market, that boat would have easily been $75,000 to $125,000 more than I was able to get it for.”

So which buyer got the best deal … and where? It’s a subjective question. each is satisfied with his purchase, and each for different reasons.

Anderson recognizes there may have been cheaper deals in the eBay and Craigslist world, but he wasn’t willing to take the chance on lower quality and having no recourse in the event of a problem. Kullman trusted his instincts about a quality buy and a motivated private seller and ended up getting what he considers a steal. So, ultimately, did Klimek. In fact, every buyer got the boat he wanted for far less than he expected … and each continues to be happy with the deal.

Their collective advice: Go forth and negotiate. And as you do, keep in mind these parting words from dealer Mark Watts: “The smoking deals are still out there … but we’re definitely in the fourth quarter of the game.”

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