Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 19, 1995 TAG: 9502180016
SECTION: BOAT SHOW PAGE: BS-14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The Southwest Virginia Boat Show never has had much luck luring bass fishermen. Dealers in the show will tell you that most bass anglers prefer to be on the lake rather than browsing through runabouts, cruisers, pontoon boats and personal watercraft in order to find an occasional bass boat. Especially if it is a pretty weekend.
But that could be changing.
While the show still is a long way from being a bass expo, it is placing renewed emphasis on bass boats. There are a number of reasons:
Several boat manufacturers are bringing exciting new craft into a bass boat market that has been dominated by one or two major builders.
There is an emphasis on speed, comfort, performance and roominess that can make the bass boat you purchased just a few seasons ago appear dated.
For fishermen who can't afford to buy a top-of-the-line tournament bass boat, several manufacturers are out with no-nonsense models that feature the same high-performance hull you get on the expensive jobs, but with a lower price tag because many of the extras have been left off.
Dealers in the region who have let much of the bass boat business go to speciality shops are realizing there is money to be made in bass boat sales.
"Half of the boats I will have in the main floor of the show will be bass boats," said George Welch, of Bay Roc Marina and Yacht Club on Smith Mountain Lake. He is a Stratos and Cajun bass boat dealer.
In the boating business for more than 21 years, Welch said he'd always liked bass fishing and bass boats, but until recently didn't realize how important bass fishing was to his business.
"Before the beginning of last year, I did my sales analysis and I got to taking a hard look and found out that half of everything I was selling was bass boats. And I was making just as much money on them as on runabouts. So I went heavy into bass boats last year and did well."
The trend toward big size and high speed in bass boats will be evident in the Lakeside Marine Supply display, where Sam and Debbie Phillips will show the Allison and Bullet brands, both new the the region.
"These boats are made to run," said Sam Phillips. "They are big and wide and give you plenty of room."
The Allison name is best known as a builder of racing boats that hold a number of world speed records. The Phillipses plan to show an XB-203 ProSport model that is just over 20 feet in length, has a center console, uses no wood in the construction, weighs less than 1,000 pounds and reportedly will hits speeds in the 80s.
The Bullet is yet another weapon of the elite bass fisherman, where the emphasize is on speed. One model is nearly 22 feet in length. The Phillipses will feature the Bullets and Allisons with Mariner's new high performance outboards. Mariner has a new Super Magnum 225 rated for 225 hp that is expected to be popular with serious bass anglers.
Who buys these craft?
"Your top guy in the bass tournaments," Sam Phillips said. "He wants to get there first and look good doing it."
Also of jumbo size is the 210 PRO Procraft, which will be featured in the Advantage Marine display. It measures 20 feet, 6 inches.
"The 17- and 18-foot tournament stuff always has been good, but all of a sudden last year - especially - the big boats started taking off," said Mike Fielder, one of the owners of Advantage. "People now can afford to step up."
Amid the move toward blazing speeds, some manufacturers and dealers see the opportunity to promote safety. That is the message touted by Gordon Wilson of Magnum Marine, Inc. The Champion bass boats he plans to show may not be the fastest on the water, but they may be the safest, he said.
"When you are planing off, it doesn't stand up," said Wilson. "You never lose sight of the horizon, because it planes instantly. Most other brands of bass boats tend to stand way up before they come over.
"On plane at full throttle - 55 mph - it will turn 180 degrees in two boat lengths. The unique thing about it, you never feel like you are losing control."
With big boats and big power come big price tags that have left some buyers out of the market. In an effort to them in the sport, several manufacturers are offering "Plain Jane" models.
"The Javelin came out with a new series that are tournament boats striped down," said Pete Jordan, sales manager at Webster Marine Center. "They have been a super seller for us. "You get the tournament hull without the cosmetics or the price."
These boats may lack a pad under the trolling motor or they may not have a second livewell, Jordan said, but they will run just as fast as the high end of the line and they sell for $2,500 less.
Valley Marine Center will show the Hydra-Sport 185E, which advertises "high performance on a tight budget."
Several boat manufacturers are featuring fish-and-ski models designed for the family man who wants to do some serious fishing, yet have a craft that he can use for family crusing, even skiing.
Nitro, made by Tracker Boats, has taken that up a notch with a ski and fish model, the 185 Sport SF, said MIke Ratcliff, of Conrad Brothers Marine. The price tag is $13,295 with a 120 hp engine.
by CNB