[Thrasher]

Well, it's been a long winding road but the day has finally arrived. Last year I was wanting to get a new boat but had to put it off due to a nasty surgery I had to undergo. Then we decided to throw a big wad of cash into building a 40x60 shop.

Well, within the last week I have sold my drift boat and my sled and now I have the green light to buy a boat. MAN OH MAN, I feel like a kid in a candy store! So many to choose from and so many differences. Last year I was looking at the Trappers by NR and really liked them but now I am looking at the 21'6" NR Commander.

There are so many others to choose from (ie T-Jet, Custom Weld), how did everyone choose the one they bought. I am sure that a lot of the price difference lies in the finish and details.

Right now, I am feeling overwhelmed like a fat kid trying to decide on a hot fudge sundae or a banana split. ;D

 

[Mike D.]

Right now, I am feeling overwhelmed like a fat kid trying to decide on a hot fudge sundae or a banana split. ;D

Hey! I had to make that decision last night ;D

Let us know how you make out with your boat!

Mike <"))))))><

 

[Guest]

your going to get a biased opinion either way. thomas deals t-jets and im sure he can come up with a huge list of the advantages of t-jets(he has b4 ;D). i myself favour northriver biasedly, i believe they are the top boat for a factory built jet boat, and i heard that from the owner of side winder marine as well. my advice is to go to thomas, test drive a t-jet, then go to venture river boats and take out a custom weld and a duckworth then to cascade and try harber craft or north river, i think you could find a winner in any one of those.

 

[Thrasher]

Well so far, I have spoke with a lot of very helpful and informative people. All of which seem to feel that the product they have to offer is far more superior than the rest. I was really falling in love with the Commander's but now I am not so sure what to think.

The beauty of it is, I could really have a lot worse things going on right now other than trying to figure out which boat I wanted to buy :thumbup:

 

[jetboater]

Bottoml ine, get what makes you the happiest! :thumbup: if your set on the commander get it, if your set on a T-jet get it!, Cascade has plenty of customers that like their boats, venture has plenty of customers that like their boats and I have plenty of customers that like mine, they are all built to the same or similar standard so now you have to choose whats floats your boat. you will never build the perfect...... :cheers:but if your interested in a test drive let me know.

 

[rickman1]

I agree with tntmarine get what makes you happy. I bought mine last year it might not be the most fuel efficient and not all the options that I wanted but it was what I could afford and its what I wanted.

 

[skagit3]

Look at the finished quality of all of the boats mentioned. I have a North River so I am biased, but you can't go wrong with a Boulton, Custom Weld or a T-Jet. I won't mention the others as they are not really up to my standards. You may also want to call the Manufacturers and go to their websites to look at how the boats are built. Look really hard at the floor structures. You will find that NR is very good. A buddy of mine has the Commander and he loves it. There is not a lot of fishing room in the back of the commander in my opinion. If you are going to be fishing out of the boat a lot, Custom Weld has some very nicely designed fishing platforms built on the back of their boats.

What are the penalties you have to pay if you buy the boat in the US? I know they are a little cheaper down here. My last suggestion is don't skimp on the options. Build the boat like you want it. North River and Custom Weld are both very customizeable boats when you order them from the factory. Their customer service is great and they can give you some very helpfull suggestions if you call them.

 

[jetboater]

As of the end of this month all boats coming from the US new will need canadian compliancy labels to cross the border, without them you are gonna be stuck down south, until the boat has the label and conforms to canadian standards, any US boat will not have the label, not only that but most dealers will not warranty boats bought in the US, I know I wont...

 

[rln]

this compliancy law, is it for new and used , only new, only used or what? Next would be how can a guy get his boat checked out if you purchase a boat in the U.S. because the brand you like is not available in Canada? Curious.

 

[jetboater]

only new boats

 

[Crazy Drifter]

Hey Thrasher,
I know how it feel we have no. 2 due here at the end of May, the wife wants all the reno's done, but she still said it's ok for the new boat. The thing I've found is that all of the boats I have looked at can all be designed and outfitted the same as the others , Skagit hit it on the nose though check the fit and finish, check the hull design and reinforcement of the supports. do look online, but also go look at the boats in the show room and take note of some of the things like the configuration of seating, the dog house sizes, and the over all fit and finish. Talk to the salesmen, be honest on your intentions with them tell them your shopping around and what you plan to use it for. Tell you what Thomas has a class act there in Abby, and is always willing to explain any quest you may have. Unless you've got the cash, every one doesnt need a 70 g north Riv. I started with a budget around 32-35 and am now up to mid fourties. Remember what you pay for is what you get, I had a buddy who had a hard to get his, the dealership gave him a screaming deal on this new boat line they were thinking of trying , without seeing the boat(Rouge), he had the dealership bring him in the boat, bought it then realized the dog house damn near took up the whole back, and then spent another 10 g's to outfit it up to snuff.
Good Luck,
Cheers,
Crazy D

 

[Thrasher]

The moment I have waited for since last year has now arrived!! :thumbup:

Tomorrow I am heading to pick up my new boat!

I decided on a 21' Commander. I am so stoked I can't hardly contain myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :happy:

Good times to come!!!

 

[marko]

Nice boat .........post a pic in the my boat pic section. I'm just about ready after some mods. Not
quite as nice as your purchase but had lots of compliments just the same....Marko... ;D

 

[jetboater]

congrats on the new boat :cheers: if you look after her, she will look after you, get a sand trap on that beast, the fraser is a silty river!!! and make sure you winterize her every year, we have 3 cracked blocks in this week alone, all ski boats, but I am sure we will see a few river boats as they take them out.

 

[steeliesrking]

Nice work Thrasher. I know what your excitement is like. I'm looking at a 21' Custom Weld right now. Hopefully the deal will fly. Even got the go ahead from my wife. Actually, it was her idea. Can hardly wait myself.

 

[skagit3]

As of the end of this month all boats coming from the US new will need canadian compliancy labels to cross the border, without them you are gonna be stuck down south, until the boat has the label and conforms to canadian standards, any US boat will not have the label, not only that but most dealers will not warranty boats bought in the US, I know I wont...

Why won't you warranty a boat from the US? If you have an american up there that needs some warranty repair in order to get back to fishing, what are you going to do? By the way, what brands do you sell and warranty?

 

[Thrasher]

As of the end of this month all boats coming from the US new will need canadian compliancy labels to cross the border, without them you are gonna be stuck down south, until the boat has the label and conforms to canadian standards, any US boat will not have the label, not only that but most dealers will not warranty boats bought in the US, I know I wont...

Why won't you warranty a boat from the US? If you have an American up there that needs some warranty repair in order to get back to fishing, what are you going to do? By the way, what brands do you sell and warranty?

from what I understand, certain Canadian dealers will warranty boats from the US, but the warranty work must be pre-approved due to red tape that must be dealt with, before they can do the repair. I can't say that I blame them, because the dealers have to do the warranty work at a "warranty labor rate". The warranty labor rate that is paid by the manufacturer is much less than the shop normally makes. So for the shop to do the repair at that discounted rate and then to have to sit on the bill until reimbursed by the manufacturer makes it tough for them. If they can do repairs of non-warranty items at their full shop rate as opposed to doing out of country warranties, it is in their best interest to deal with those first. Or deal with all of the Canadian purchased boats that the warranties are all pre-approved by their manufacturers.

At least this is my understanding on this matter.

 

[skagit3]

Warranty work is always discounted. That's the breaks for running a dealership. If you start having to many warranty problems with one Manufacturer then you change product lines. If a manufacturer was to find out that you are denying warranty work when they tell their customers that their boat is covered at any dealership in the US or Canada, you are not going to be selling their product very long. What would the car manufacturers say to their dealerships, who also get a warranty rate for repairs.

 

[GOFISH]

I can remember once I bought a brand new Dodge Dart Sport and found that after some time I needed minor warranty work. The local dealership wanted more money for the same car than the dealer in Vancouver so needless to say I bought it there. When It came to doing the warranty the dealer in my home town asked me where I bought it ........ when I replied Vancouver they told me that they were too busy to do the work and I would be better off taking it back to where I bought it.

I've worked in a "Dealership" business for most of my life. Manufacturers are concerned about a dealerships CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index). This index includes service to THEIR customers ........ not out-of-town or out-of-country travellers. You can write all the letters you want but I don't think it will get much attention. At times we have to prioritize repairs based on who purchased the machine/item from us in order to provide the best service to our return customers ....... this is probably something all shops contend with these days.

As for doing your warranty work, all they would have to say is that they are too busy , don't have time for "x" number of days to look after you, or that they don't have the parts and it will take "x" number of days for them to come in.

In the time I've had my boat I can't think of anything I'd need done under Warranty A.S.A.P. ...... if it's that bad then I shouldn't be on the water and better head for home. If something like that happened while I was away ........... perhaps I"d call the shop where I bought my boat, explain my problem to them, and see if they would re-imburse me through warranty when I returned home.


GOFISH 8)

 

[skagit3]

You are not getting my point. My buddy owns a North River Dealership down here. I know if I have a problem I can call North River and they will take care of me. I spoke to the owner of North River and he told me if I have a problem they will take care of it at any of their dealers. If there is a local shop where I am at that I suspect is not wanting to do my warranty work, you can bet I will be on the phone to the manufacturer in a heart beat. I am client of North River not the dealership. Some dealers don't understand that.

I am assuming this is a comment from a Canadian that sells US products and doesn't like the US!! I do not know what the Canadian Standards comment is but we (the US) have been building and running Sleds and Jet Boats down here harder, shallower and longer than anyone else. I have never heard a comment like this from any dealer down here and I have dealt with most of them in the area. The majority of them go above and beyond to take care of you, whether you purchased there or not. There are always the few exceptions that chose not to play as a team but they are not in business any longer.

Down here we have what is called the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General that keeps people like this in order. My business is driven off customer service and whether they were my customer or not, I am part of a team that survives off of branding. Whether I sold them the product or they bought it somewhere else doesn't matter. You have a reputation to uphold that effects everyone that sells the same product as you.

Here's an example: You are looking at buying something and after all of your research it comes down to a toss up between manufacturers but you have heard that one of them has a problem getting their dealers to warranty their product, who are you going to chose? Don't kid yourself, this affects everyone involved directly or indirectly.

There are several different warranties on my boat Engine, Trailer, Hull and Kicker. There are many little things that can go wrong with any one of them, big or small.