I constantly see posts on here mentioning that we need cheaper boats, or that the cost of new boats is part of the problem of why skiing is in decline.
I'd love to hear some arguments as to why, because I cannot think of one.
It seems that wake boats are flying off the lot and they cost 2-3x a ski boat in some cases. If buying a new ski boat is the reason your not skiing, I'd argue you didn't really want to ski anyway. You can get great deals on used boats all the time. The 'average joe skier' that this sport needs to grow doesn't need a new zero off, direct injection, 93 octane, closed bow, 6.2L slalom machine. A 1990's era ski boat from any manufacture will pull them down their open water slalom set just the same.
I know boats are general are more expensive now then they used to be. I know some of you 'back in the day' could afford a new Ski Nautique directly out of college. With that said, do you mean to tell me that if you couldn't have afforded that new Ski Nautique out of school you would have quit skiing?
Personally, we're simply lying to ourselves if we think the cost of boats is the issue... A striped down slalom boat will not solve anything.