R5 WSS Surf Sea Trial

[Tuscany]

These are all great points, and it's great to get advice from boaters that are more seasoned! I definitely lean more toward ordering rather than settling for something that's not exactly what we want. I do hope that ordering doesn't remove too much of the bargaining power though. It's hard to keep that last point in mind - that the dealer wants to sell you a boat more than you want to buy one! Great wisdom there!

Ordering should carry a better deal than an in stock boat if done right.
Just be honest with the dealer and tell them you have no interest at all in their stock boat.
My dealer had an R5 in stock that I could have bought cheap. He would have loved to move that boat, it I told him that it was definitely out, with no chance to sell it to me.
Now, his focus changed from selling his boat, to getting a sale.

Negotiate it at the lowest point of foot traffic in their doors.

[Ytmsn]

These are all great points, and it's great to get advice from boaters that are more seasoned! I definitely lean more toward ordering rather than settling for something that's not exactly what we want. I do hope that ordering doesn't remove too much of the bargaining power though. It's hard to keep that last point in mind - that the dealer wants to sell you a boat more than you want to buy one! Great wisdom there!

Ordering should carry a better deal than an in stock boat if done right.
Just be honest with the dealer and tell them you have no interest at all in their stock boat.
My dealer had an R5 in stock that I could have bought cheap. He would have loved to move that boat, it I told him that it was definitely out, with no chance to sell it to me.
Now, his focus changed from selling his boat, to getting a sale.

Negotiate it at the lowest point of foot traffic in their doors.

Good advice Endo.

I was new to boating there is no way I would buy a forward drive. Just walk around a marina sometime and look closely at the props on boats, and you'll see plenty of dings and dents, not to mention the considerations you may have with a trailer or lift.

Which makes another point... When your lift is down and you come motoring into your slip, what keeps the prop from hitting the lift? If it's windy, or tight quarters, or a moment of in attention (because another boat is backing out, something in the water, somebody is moving around or whatever) and BAM your prop hits the lift frame. There goes a $1,200. Or more..

[AsLan7]

Good advice Endo.

I was new to boating there is no way I would buy a forward drive. Just walk around a marina sometime and look closely at the props on boats, and you'll see plenty of dings and dents, not to mention the considerations you may have with a trailer or lift.

Which makes another point... When your lift is down and you come motoring into your slip, what keeps the prop from hitting the lift? If it's windy, or tight quarters, or a moment of in attention (because another boat is backing out, something in the water, somebody is moving around or whatever) and BAM your prop hits the lift frame. There goes a $1,200. Or more..

.
Pretty much on the same page with ya' Ytmsn.
With that being said, I would love to drive one to experience the differences between the forward drive and the traditional outdrive.

From the boat launch....to watersports...to beach access....to boat retrieval, it would be intriguing to ride along and see how the owner handles those different situations.

.