Boat price data (~last ten years)

[stew...@gmail.com]

Hi guys

I help run an Oxford college club, and we get an equipment budget from college in the form of a rolling grant which can be saved or used each year (I won't mention a number). However, this annual figure has remained constant for about ten years now, during which time I believe the cost of a reasonable rowing boat has risen quite appreciably. We want to go to the college and try to talk them into increasing our budget, but I need some numbers to work from, to demonstrate how the price of equipment has changed and why we would like our budget to increase.

Using Janousek as a benchmark (although I welcome data concerning other manufacturers), does anyone have exact figures on how the prices of various boat types have changed over the last ten years? Similar information about blades and ergs would also be helpful.

Thanks
Stewie

[robin_d...@hotmail.com]

Janousek 2001 (from the archive.org page)

2001 Price List
Racing Boats
Single Sculls 1X £2,670.00
Coxless Pair 2- £4,350.00
Double Sculls 2X £4,405.00
Coxless Pair/Double Sculls Convertible 2-/X £4,575.00
Coxless Four 4- £6,245.00
Coxless Quadruple Sculls 4X(-) £6,465.00
Coxed Four (Front or Stern Cox) 4+ £6,445.00
Eight (Sectional) 8+ £10,540.00

Janousek 2013 (2011 prices)

1x 3990
2- 6400
2x 6600
2x / - 6800
4- 9250
4x 9800
4+ 9700
8o 15855

If you're looking at Vespolis and equivalent the prices for big boats are now eye-watering.

Oars - back in 2001 or so judging by the Archive.org grab :

Product Price Ex Vat Price Inc Vat
Concept 2 Oars

Big Blade 55 Sweep £175.00 £205.63
Big Blade 52 Sweep £175.00 £205.63
Smoothie Sweep £175.00 £205.63
Macon Scull (Pair) £254.47 £299.00

Current prices are £330 for sweep & £530 per pair (delivered) sculls.

[stew...@gmail.com]

Robin

That's great, thanks for your help. Inflation by a factor ~1.5 over ten years in standard kit should be enough to justify some form of increase! I'll write this up neatly and send it off to the treasurer.

Cheers
Stewie

[thomas....@googlemail.com]

I wonder, is it because of general costs the reasons why prices are rising so much? Across the board ive seen prices creep up, some a lot more than others

It seems crazy to think that a lot of second hand boats are now selling for more than the original owners paid for them (fluidesigns being one example) but I guess the are selling at that price so theres a market for them!

[johnf...@gmail.com]

Prices in the US have risen too: I paid $8000 for a new Van Dusen 1x in 2007; the same boat sells now for just under $12,000 new. Six years. Used VD's of about that vintage seem to be selling for $6-7000.

It would be interesting to know how much prices of carbon fiber materials have risen, and what part of the boat price increase is attributable to the increased cost of carbon fiber.

[Rebecca Caroe]

I can help with prices of sculls (C2 and Dreher in UK)
They vary with the cost of carbon and the exchange rate US dollar to pound.

2009 they were
Lower spec 'Club' Sculls GBP249
Carbon adjustable sculls GBP299
Sweeps GBP299

2011 (the last year we sold Drehers)
Lower spec 'Club' Sculls US$ 500 GBP440
Carbon adjustable sculls US$542 GBP475
Sweeps $390 GBP299

These were broadly in line with C2 Dreisiggakers. Croker were always about 15% more expensive as they quoted without adding in VAT

Dreher's profit margin is around 40% of sale price (bear in mind US has no sales tax in NH and UK charges VAT at then 15%).