WHY BOAT NUT? / WHO ARE WE? / WHY NOW?
Back in 1992 there was a discussion with several boat industry peers (myself included). We discussed the need for a source of reliable, non bias information for boaters. The plan discussed was to provide boat reviews, information on boat safety complete with current laws, and maintenance. In the 1990's the marine industry was on a growth curve like never before, boating for the masses had arrived. There were at least two problems with the idea at this time. There was no internet, and development costs involved in launching an idea like this were out of this world. North America was hung up with three major boat builders, and no body was sure how much to invest in such a risky venture. What if the industry did not keep growing. Besides that the boating experts that exist now were not yet boating experts at all, we were all in our thirties.
We may have been traveling the world gaining critical experience but no one then or now could have seen the technological changes headed our way. Looking back I really needed the next 26 years to learn enough about the marine industry from more than a technicians perspective to have the nerve and the experience to be called an "expert". A term I use very loosely as every year you need to learn more and more. The boats, the laws, safety and products are in a constant state of change. No one should be arrogant enough to think they know it all or believe they know the most.
Even the fundamentals of boat design and boating regulation are being challenged daily. Any one who looks at boating as a NORTH AMERICAN past time, or figures because they are from the "USA" they are the go to experts are sadly mistaken. The world has caught up with our appetite for power boating and in many ways past us (have you seen the Silver Arrow a boat being designed by Mercedes). North American builders have adopted European styling. By the time they perfect it they will be having to catch up again. The Boating Industry must be considered International. Boats are being built all over the world, so it makes sense that technology in boat building will develop along this trend.
I cannot quote an accurate percentage but I can tell you that most first time boaters are not prepared for the sticker shock of boat ownership. If you think boat ownership can be expensive now just wait four or five years. When the new technology boats are out of warranty and sole responsibility for repairs falls on the current owners or used boat buyers. Boats are fast becoming as complex as air planes (computers are every were). "We all hear the horror stories about the cost of plane ownership". A friend of mine who developed and taught the marine mechanics course at BCIT said it best "do not become a mechanic in the traditional sense get into electronics". The trickle down effect of these changes will effect every older boat owner. They may find themselves in terrible shape for service , after all how old is your mechanic or technician.
THAT IS WHY NOW!
BOAT NUT staff has earned their strips. We have experiences that are incredibly rare in the marine industry. The way we gained our knowledge and our relationship with the marine industry could not be done today. The money, the time, ability to travel with equipment, and the commitment by manufacturers to train a one man expert is gone.
Boaters to are in for changes like never before. Decisions regarding boat purchases, parts and service are going to make or break the joy of boat ownership. If we compare ourselves to the car industry, which no body ever wants to do. Boats will go thru changes every year. Some will be good and some will be bad. In the automotive industry they have out grown the need to be constantly coddled by reviewers and industry critics. As a matter of fact the more critical we are of their products the better they get. Safer, more reliable and with much stronger warranties. Used cars to have gotten better because our expectation of what a car should provide has gone up exponentially. I have meet a lot of first time boat owners who bought junk. Taken the loss and moved into a better boat a little wiser. Is this necessary? As new boats increase in value so to do the used boats. That's a fact! The problem is the reviews that were written 20 years ago were at best a joke. They were not reviews at all (they still not worth the paper they are written on) and anyone in the industry who is honest will tell you this.
Boaters today need more education and information than ever before. They turn to You Tube and other online sources for any information they can get. The question is who stands behind a video or an article posted to the internet. That's why BOAT NUT wants to create a relationship with its readers so that you can get to know who we are, and who is producing these articles and videos. How else do you trust what you are reading or seeing. Is it from a reliable source? BOAT NUT craves the feed back from its readers. This is how we know if what we are writing or providing in video format makes sense to you. If boaters from the US think we are just a bunch of dumb Canucks! I will tell you a bit about my self. I have been boating since 1970, I have held lines and operated boats since I can remember. In the early eighties I went west to learn more of the boating trade on Canada's West Coast. I was, and may possibly still be the only contractor to have a repair facility at a Brunswick Boat Factory ( quite an honor). I spent a lot of time up and down the Pacific North West. Seattle was home for a while. Then off to Florida. Where I had two shops and lived in Sarasota for years. Actually my time in the industry has been spent just as much in the US as Canada. In the midst of all that I completed many international projects, Ireland, South Africa, Japan and Mexico to name a few. I am listed on the WHOS WHO of Professionals, and was number two to be invited to join the NMMRA (National Marine Manufacturer and Repair Association) when they added the R for repair. Trained other dealer technicians at service schools and hold more than a dozen different manufacturer certificates. SO! BOAT NUT WAS NOT FOUNDED BY "SOME" CANUCK.
Why Now, well why not. The rapid technological and design changes along with the lack of real quality decision making information creates the perfect time for us. We have been waiting along time to be critical of what we see in an industry I have been apart of for over 30 years.. I am tiered of picking up articles that tell the reader how every boat is great. Some builders even make the claim "The Best". I have spent hours even days and weeks on some of these boats " many are a disappointment". The owners of these boats know it but they are quite about it as they are usually trying to sell the boat.
Understanding the basic needs and service for your boat will be more important now than ever. Over the last few years I have had more boaters try to pay me to take them thru their boat stem to stern so they can gain the basic understanding of how their boat works. Extra ownership costs such as insurance can do nothing but increase. Required Boaters Cards will become harder to get and more expensive. I am a boater and I don't have a voice or a place to go were the provider isn't trying to raid my wallet ( yes even the Power Squadron) I would welcome another BOAT NUT idea, until someone else comes up with something better we will keep growing. Maybe BOAT NUT is the better idea!
I WANT BOAT NUT TO BE "NO CHARGE"
I may not get what I want but I will fight for it!
WE DONT WANT BOATERS OR INDUSTRY TO EVER SAY WE ARE TRYING TO BE ANOTHER WALLET RAIDER
When I started this project I posted Blogs with a variety of subject matter to track the interest of boaters all over the world. What I was not expecting were the results. 100,000 eyes in a couple of months and review demands like crazy so here is the BOAT NUT plan
BOAT REVIEWS
BOAT NUT plans to bring you boat reviews like no one else. These are not advertisements for manufacturers or ads paid for by a dealer. We plan to give you the TRUTH (good and the bad).
BOAT NUT MAGAZINE break down of a boat review:
USED BOATS
CONDITION BREAKDOWN: How did the exterior of the boat stand up to the elements when compared to as new condition
How did the exposed portions of the upholstery, exterior accessories and factory installed equipment fair over the years. What has already been replaced
FACTORY SYTEMS
How many of the factory installed accessories had to be replaced due to breakdown (entire boat)
MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
Have there been any recalls or major repair work done do to hours of operation (normal usage not impact or any other type of owner inflicted damage)
OWNER UPGRADES
What have the owners done to improve bad design or accessories to keep current with standards or technology.
HOURS OF OPERATION
How many hours are these boats seeing annually, This will say a lot about the boats comfort and ergonomics and ride.
CURRENT STATISTICS
When ever BOAT NUT can we will weigh the boat and track fuel burn with comparisons to released information when the boat was new.
BUILD DETAILS
How many boats of the particular model were built that year and when did production start and end if it has ended. Is the builder still in business or been sold. Builder information and customer service policies for parts inquires
WHAT WORKS
The design and system ideas that stood out or made sense. What deters some one from owning or using this boat
WHAT DOESNT WORK
The design ideas and systems that were a let down or did not work as planned. What is missing to make this boat a better boat to own
PROFESSIONAL INPUT
Wake boats, fishing boats and other utility boats are built and marketed to meet or exceed a specific set of demands. In this case BOAT NUT will bring in an outside professional to tell us if the boat meets the expectations it is designed to provide. Some times the boat is great but isn't at all capable of the task that it was built for.
SURVEY
A mechanical and standard survey that any new owner would face at the time of purchase. Or existing owner would have to have completed to reinsure. This will provide a list of standards deficiencies.
CORROSION
A review of how items susceptible to corrosion have stood the test of time. Do the anti corrosion systems in place provide enough protection. Test for discharge from the boat.
MAINTENANCE
What are the costs of maintenance based on a fixed number of hours of operation. Does the boat have or require bottom paint
CURRENT OWNERS POSITION
How does the current owner feel about his/ her boat and the service it has provided them. We have a series of questions for the current or previous owner that will remain private.
VALUE
Were is a market high and low value on the boat at the time of the review
ANNUAL OWNERSHIP COSTS
How much will this boat take you to operate based on a fixed number of running hours. This will cover maintenance, insurance and dock space (at a fixed number per foot).
WOULD I OWN THIS BOAT
A personal note from the review team, Its simple would they own this boat with notations as to why or why not.
Reviews can get tangled up in statistics and numbers that don't mean a thing to the average consumer (the best example of this is the decibel meter "its either to loud or its not") and almost every power boat review finds the boats to be at the very least satisfactory. This is bull! There are bad boats and boats that fall apart. Some boats are underpowered and some are overpowered. Boat builders can put way to much in a boat or not enough. Some boats are destined for greatness, others will head for the bone yard. When you think that in 2016 alone there were over 1700 new models released for boating consumers to choose from. How in the hell can they all be great, its impossible. Boat reviews have always had a reputation for being unreliable BOAT NUT intends to smash that trend quickly. New boat technology is relatively untested and boat values are on the rise. The truth must be told!
Boat builders be warned we intend on calling you out, on your under performing over sold products!
BOAT NUT will look in places reviewers have never thought of !
NEW BOATS
UN PREPARED MEDIA BOATS
All manufacturers have release dates were the boats to test are prepared for the reviewers to drive and test. Boat Nut wants to pick any boat that has already been delivered to the dealer this way we are sure to get the same boats that the buyer is getting.
CONSTRUCTION QUALITY
The quality of the fit and finish, gel coat and materials used on all aspects of construction. Below all the shiny stuff the structural quality of the boat (what the builder will try to hide)
MATRERIALS
The quality of the accessories that are bolted to or installed in the boat. Floatation Standards ( how long is the boat being tested going to float at the water line before sinking to the bottom)
SIZE
Measured LOA, water line length and Keel length. Measured beam (when possible)
WARRANTIES
What they cover and how they break down for the different components. How to make a claim
What is not covered. Recalls
ENGINE WARRANTIES AND DETAILS
What they cover restrictions, recalls. Extended Plans available after or at time of purchase How to make a claim. Authorized service outlet information. There maybe as many as six different warranties to do with the propulsion system alone
SYSTEMS
Who makes them . Service details, What the expectation of service is.
HANDELING AT THE DOCK
This is the most important place that handling is necessary, a great deal of time will be spent here. Once free of the dock the concerns change. The biggest operational concern all boaters have is "can I park my boat"!
COMFORT AND ERGANOMICS
How are the spaces in the boat laid out is there head room, can the beds be used if your 6 foot. Does the layout make sense. How is the design of the helm, is there enough visibility to operate the boat without running all over the bridge or cockpit.. Do the controls make for ease of access and understanding while maneuvering at low and high speed.
MODEL COMPARISONS
What other boats are available to compare a particular model to. Links to other reviews
PORFESSIONAL INPUT
The same as used boats utility boats need the opinion of an expert to inform a buyer if the boat delivers on its promises. More important with a new boat when you consider utility boats are purchased with higher expectations from the owner.
INSURANCE
An average price to insure the boat with a standard marine policy
PRICE
MSRP of the boat reviewed ( provide an option list complete with prices)
RESALE VALUES
Approximate trade in value after the first year with calculations for the next two years
MAINTENANCE
Manufacturers suggested service plans for any items on the boat which will require annual or hourly service. What is included in the purchase price. Does the boat come with or require bottom paint.
COST OF OWNERSHIP
A calculation of the cost of ownership based on a fixed amount of financing on the boat. This will include maintenance, insurance and dock fees ( dock fees are based on a flat amount per foot).
BUILDER INFORMATION
Who built the boat. The number of boats built in the particular model (for the same model year) Possible model changes part way thru production or planned
TRAILERS
If boat comes with a trailer a review of the trailer with the same standards as the boat. What you will require in a vehicle to safely tow with
RIDE AND OPERATION QUALITY
BOAT NUT plans to test all boats in non fair conditions, by testing only in fair conditions the ride issues are not easily apparent.
XTRA OPINIONS
While testing if the opportunity presents itself we will gladly have other boaters take a look and give us their opinion
DESIGN DETAILS
What will make this boat stand the test of time. Is this the boat that will be copied by others
OPTIONS
A lot of boats are still sold with a pile of options,
BOAT NUT will list the features on the test boat that are optional
The above list is the building blocks for boat reviews by
BOAT NUT. It is possible that we will have to modify or add to these lists after the review process starts to take place.
The other topics that we plan to cover in our magazine will include Environmental Issues, Boating Laws, Boating Groups and Organizations who have the objective of honest boating information or Education ( those who say they do and don't better watch out for us we will call you out), Boat Shows and a whole host of boating related topics.
BOAT NUT will treat each topic from the perspective of a new boater (we don't know, don't trust, no preconceived ideas). Don't expect Pulitzer Prize winning writing. All of our contributors have a back ground other than being writers. I believe that this will make for straight forward, easy to understand information. Besides we will get better with time!
From: The Founder
Copyright 2015 © Boat Nut Media, Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publications may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, magnetic, or other record, without prior agreement and written permission of the publisher, Boat Nuts Media ©™ No liability is assumed with respect to the information provided
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