CONTINUOUSWAVE

Brunswick announce this morning their impending acquisition of NAVICO:

https://www.brunswick.com/news/press-re ... leadership

This deal seems very favorable: NAVICO does $500-million per year. Brunswick is only paying twice that.

Brunswick has been buying up marine-related businesses for the last decade or two. They now have a stake in just about everything related to recreational boating.

With the unanticipated boom in recreational boating, Brunswick is really in the driver’s seat.

They make the boats, they make the engines that power the boats, they make all sorts of marine electrical components, and now they’ll be making all the electronics on their boats.

About all that is left for them to buy will be boat trailer makers.

In 2018 they bought 11 marine electrical companies:

https://continuouswave.com/forum/viewto ... 550#p20136

Come a long way since the Brunswick name meant bowling. More monopoly in boating.

Monopoly means fewer dealers for whatever products the monopoly controls and probably potentially less innovation in future as the competition gets bought up. Similar to Google, Facebook, Amazon, you name it.

Seems to make sense, but only if you want to buy a new boat and be dictated as to what motor and compoenents the boat is rigged with. I'm happy with my boats now and not planning to buy another (now), but the biggest turn-off to me is being dictated what motor comes on the boat when purchased without the ability to decide.

D-

It's worth looking at what this means; check out what brands NAVICO owns:

• SIMRAD (Recreational and Commercial
• Lowrance
• B&G (Sailings)
• C-Map

https://navico.com/our-brands/

The lack of choice of engines is a turn off for some fierce brand loyalists or people who would rather have a less expensive fewer frills engine.

I don't find it bothersome as the only boating brand loyalties I have are Boston Whaler and Simrad.

The only engine brands I've owned are Mercruiser, Mercury and Evinrude. Of those, the Mercury was the most reliable and pleasant to own—reliable,quiet and no noticeable exhaust. Given the reliability, quietness and lack of exhaust smoke from all late model engines I find them all acceptable. One can even order a Mercury engine dressed in white.

At least, except for the largest Boston Whalers, we can buy our boats without electronics and install what we want after taking delivery.

Butch, I also am turned off by the lack of choice in power and electronics Boston Whaler offers to the public. When I purchased my 210 Guardian Whaler in 2018 from Brunswick Commercial and Government Products, I had a choice of purchasing unpowered or with Evinrude, Mercury, Bombardier, Honda or Yamaha outboards. Since I was importing into Canada, I had them install Yamaha controls and purchased the outboard in Canada so as to avoid warranty problems. I also had a wide choice of electronics including Garmin, Raymarine, Furuno, Hummingbird, Icom, etc. I had them install Raymarine thru hull transducers, but again purchased the electronics in Canada so as to avoid warranty problems. I don't understand why a large company like Boston Whaler cannot offer these options on their recreational boats, even if there was an additional cost to deviate from mass production.
Peter O.

Butch,

Brand loyalty may be one reason, but for me I'm not owning a boat with a Mercuty since the largest dealer in the area told a customer they didn't work on motors over 10 years old (Verado was leaking oil). Is this dealer thinking customers should repower every 10 years?

That's a big concern in my book, as ongoing product support is a critical part of ownership. This dealer is also one of a nationwide network of dealers and publically traded, which soured me on visiting that Whaler dealership.

D-

If MarineMax is the villain in your comments I'm unsurprised. Service from this giant seems to differ from store to store. Our local store has not told me about the policy abut I doubt they will be turning service work away since them have no new inventory to sell. Before moving here we lived about 40 miles to the North. There, the Bass Pro store's shop was the closest Mercury dealer with a certified Verado tech on the job. The service was pitiful. I had to wait for three months to get our Verado's annual service done. That was with an appointment.

The best service I've had was from a small shop which did not sell boats but was a Mercury dealer. I would look for a similar shop in your area.