new boat-should I?

[teamlund]

I might have an oppoutunity to sell my 08' 1800 prov and get a new boat.The only thing is, that Lund no longer offers a 1800 prov so my best option would be an 1825 explorer. Explorers are nice boats but I dont think they can compare to a pro-v. So I could run my 2 yr old prov with a 175 verado or get a brand new 1825 explorer with a 150 engine. I am leaning towards keeping my pro-v. .....I am just curious as to what others would do?

[lundeepv]

Keep the Pro V!!!!

[1625rebel]

The explorers are nice, but I don't see any advantages over your almost new Pro-V. Plus you've got a 175 Verado, you're not going to do better than that.

To me it's really strange that in a brutal boat economy they would remove the most economical of their flagship model. If I were running the company, I'd offer a 17 and possibly a 16 foot Pro-V model as well.

[fish4trophy]

Keep the Pro V, or go to Glass, several good options in glass boats.

[ColumbiaR]

I don't know why Lund would get rid of the 1800 series. Very nice boat for medium sized waters (even big water if you are adventurous!). You could step up to the 1900 series..........

[teamlund]

19 is alittle more expensive and wouldnt fit in my garage:D

[TJEli]

19 is alittle more expensive and wouldnt fit in my garage:D

Leave the door open. ;)

[teamlund]

I was just at the dealer and they had a 1825 explorer there and it just seems so plain jane and petite compared to my pro-v....I would like to get a new rig since there are a few small thing that i dislike about mine. One is that it is black, I will never buy a black boat again, and, well that is pretty much it. I would hate to sell my pro-v and end up not liking an explorer nearly as much (even though they are still sweet boats)...

I think I am going to hold onto my pro-v a couple more years. Maybe in a year or two they will bring back the legendary 1800 Pro-v...This is my rig, still pretty sweet. I dont think there is any reason to get rid of it. Keep the input coming.
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/teamlund/bigwolfriveye003.jpg

[Hot Runr Guy]

what about re-painting your hull, or getting it "wrapped"?
HRG

[teamlund]

I thought about having it sent back to lund and see if they could make it white...Not sure if its possible or it would be to costly to justify a color change. The boat looks nice as heck black but is a PITA to keep clean. I wonder what it would cost to have it turned white. I never thought about a wrap. I might have to look into it.

OR..

Since I am think about buying my firlfriend an engangement ring I could wait til after we are married and she takes over half my house/electric/gas/ect payments than I could get a white 2075 Pro-v with a 300 verado...I could male her build me a new garage that it would fit in too.. LOL... :v)

[K Gonefishin]

Keep the Pro-V nicer boat. My buddy has the same exact rig as you, single console with a 150 opti, 9.9 pro kicker...it's a nice rig...but he wants a Ranger for his upgrade :D Explorer's are a step down IMO.

[Hogslammer]

Hate to break the news to you, but if you get married, you probably won't be fishing much and may even be forced to sell your boat to afford the kitchen remodel and to decorate the bedroom for the upcoming baby. :sorry:

[teamlund]

agh! son of a Bi*&#!!!!!

[T Mac]

You don't have to send it to Lund for paint.
It is PPG paint. Most any body shop can hanlde the job.
You can get full decal kits through a Lund Dealer.

By the way... I went from ProV (actually many, and..all sizes) to an Explorer.
My last few Pro Vs were 2025 IFS, now I have a 2010 Explorer Sport.
Yes... it is a step down ...but it has some pluses, too.
It is slower ..but, I like the Explorer storage even better than my ProVs had.
Just me...

[teamlund]

If i fished smaller water I wouldnt be so leary of switching. I fish the Lake Winnebago system(11 miles wide by 30 miles long-big lake!) Than I also fish the Bay of green bay on lake michingan also huge water. I love the way my V handles the rough stuff!

[Cape Cod Basser]

Slow down and take a deep breath. I've been affected by this illness before. Its most predominant in January and February. You've got a sweet rig. It really is a head-shaker as to why Lund made this move. Same thing goes for why they ever eliminated the Mr. Pike line.

My instincts tell me its about selling motors, and not boats. I think they're gambling that most people who want a Pro-V will step up to the 1900 instead of the Explorer. I would think the actual price of manufacturing both boats is close to equal. But the difference in price between a 150 and a 225 motor is substantial.

Its a shame because with the Pro-V 1800, you could get a tourney level rig in the thirties. Now if you want that level of a package you're in the forties. Doesn't make sense in this economic climate.

The idea of getting the boat wrapped sounds like a good one. You'll keep the original paint from being scratched-up, and its probably cheaper than a new paint job. Plus if you do sell the boat, most buyers would prefer the original Lund factory paint job than an aftermarket paint job.

[T Mac]

Slow down and take a deep breath. I've been affected by this illness before. Its most predominant in January and February. You've got a sweet rig. It really is a head-shaker as to why Lund made this move. Same thing goes for why they ever eliminated the Mr. Pike line.

My instincts tell me its about selling motors, and not boats. I think they're gambling that most people who want a Pro-V will step up to the 1900 instead of the Explorer. I would think the actual price of manufacturing both boats is close to equal. But the difference in price between a 150 and a 225 motor is substantial.

Its a shame because with the Pro-V 1800, you could get a tourney level rig in the thirties. Now if you want that level of a package you're in the forties. Doesn't make sense in this economic climate.

The idea of getting the boat wrapped sounds like a good one. You'll keep the original paint from being scratched-up, and its probably cheaper than a new paint job. Plus if you do sell the boat, most buyers would prefer the original Lund factory paint job than an aftermarket paint job.

Wraps are cool and they do help to protect some of the paint from some things. (Very small things).

But...maybe I could interject just a little background on the model changes and paint:

As a long time dealer and a guy who was in on decisions (Dealer Council Member-9 yrs) as to model changes and drops.....The models you mention were dropped simply for lack of sales.
Lund has R&D going on at all times and they come up with some new ideas they want to try. They drop the slowest sellers to replace them with something they think might sell better.
The decisions are not motor driven, they are sales driven.
We made the same model decisions for the same reasons back when we were owned by Genmar, and could buy any motor we wanted directly from Lund.

The reason Lund went to PPG paint is for customer convenience. Using the PPG system, painting can be handled locally.
Not everyone lives close to the Lund factory. For many of us, sending a boat back there for paint would be hugely expensive.
For my customers the Lund factory is almost a thousand miles, one way......However, we had a good body shop right across the street from our store.

[Waxy]

Slow down and take a deep breath. I've been affected by this illness before. Its most predominant in January and February. You've got a sweet rig.

X2 LOL.

Step away from the computer, do not pick up those classified ads, detour around the Lund dealer, and get out there and do some ice fishing or snowmobiling, play some hockey, watch some movies, whatever it takes, and when the ice goes out, that 1800 Pro V is going to look pretty darn good to you, and the cash in your wallet will look even better...

Waxy

[Derwood]

Uh, respectfully, buy whatever you're going to buy BEFORE you get engaged... you won't have money to spend on "boats" when she moves in LOL bahahahahahah