Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

[iamthunderman]

Just wondering. There is one for sale for around 12k in my home city and it looks good, plus has a brand new 5.0 penta.

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2000-GLASTRON-225-GX-95179402

Thoughts?

 

[tboltmike]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

I don't know, but you may ask this question on
http://www.classicglastron.com/phpbb/

Let us know what the response is. I'm curous too, they seem to be real popular and have been around a long time.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

Current Glastrons are NOTHING like classic Glastrons.
As far as to why they are considered "lower end", just go look at one, then go look at a bayliner, then a Four Winns, then a Sea Ray, then a Chaparral, then a Cobalt, and you'll understand.
Not saying they are bad boats, they are just lower end.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

Well at least in the older ones that many guys are fixing up in the restoration section they are finding some real crap materials used in the deck/stringers/transom. I think the new ones seem like pretty nice boats. To be honest, I don't anyone is making a bad boat right now.

 

[getinmerry]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

I have a 2007-8 GT185. It's a wonderful boat. Fit and Finish is very good, but the hardware used (cleats, window supports, etc.) is lower end compared to other brands. Any chrome/ stainless is not the highest end available.

Aside from the hardware, the boat is SOLID- has a nice powerplant and has a wood-less constructed hull.

You get a lot of bang for the buck with Glastron. Alot of times, people guage quality by the little things like chrome. I'm more about construction and safety than glitz. I couldn't find a better package for the money when I was shopping. Let the boat snobs say what they will- This is my second Glastron, I have never driven a better boat (I've driven multiple Sea Ray's, Mariah, Crownline, and Cobalt) IMO, the Glastron has the smoothest ride of any of them.

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

I think more and more that it would be apropriate to judge boats on three factors.

Price Point
Design
Style

Price point is exactly what it sounds like....how much the boat costs. It is driven by what accessories are used and also what hardware is used. Price point is also a marketing tool. If a certain brand can garner a higher price even if the boat is no more expensive to build, that is perfect example of price point.

Design would be the subtleties like hull form and integration of the seating and storage, power train, etc. The build fit and finish should be a function of how well the boat was designed. The parts should all fit together properly and there should be limited squeaks and rattles. If there are issues in fit and finish I would be more suspect of the design than "quality". With more automation and more sophisticated design practices the fit and finish of all major boat builders is better now than ever.

Style is how the boat looks and is entirely subjective. If you like how one boat looks more than another that is style.

Glastrons are a fine boat that are built to a lower price point than some others. Their design and manufacturing processes are top notch. Their style is pretty main stream without anything too outrageous.

 

[slmiller1]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

lower end-hmmm. Well, common sense says get something that fits your budget and keep in mind you're using it a max of 50 times per year... For my money, a Glastron and a used one at that, was a smart choice. Is it the prettiest craft on my lake, no but it's paid for

 

[mrcool]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

I would consider them more in the middle of the pack boat, above Bayliners, Seabirds, Sea Sprites etc... but a step below the Sea Rays, 4 winns ect...kind of in the same catagory as Larsons, Maxums. But still I think they are a great boat for the money with a very cool history. The Classic Glastrons were in their day the very best and coolist boats around. I think the very first fiberglass boats were Glastrons (hence the name) Even today the old Classic Glastrons still turn heads on the water, still very cool boats!!! Come on the Batboat was a Glastron!!! How groovey is that?? Holy Evinrude Batman!!!!

 

[Nico2112]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

When was the turning point of Glastrons becoming low end boats?

Was it when Genmar purchased it?

As some have mentioned, classic Glastrons were considered the best on the water.

I can't judge, since the total amount of boats in El Salvador is a lot less than the boats in half of Florida

I'm biased, so don't listen to me. I love mine, it was what I could pay!

 

[blouderback]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

I'm wondering why a 9 year old engine had to be totally replaced?

 

[Nico2112]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

Here's an interesting read I found here at Iboats.com :

For more than fifty years, one company has driven the art of fiberglass boat building forward: Glastron. A complete list of our technological innovations, design breakthroughs and classic models would be more than enough to fill a book. There?s a passion here?a sense that every new Glastron model takes boat building?and family boating?another step forward.
We build boaters? boats. Every model is designed and built to exceed the expectations of people who really understand the sport. Put someone who knows boats at the helm of a Glastron boat. Then sit back and listen to them rave about Glastron boats style, performance and handling.

There?s another thing that Glastron boats has become known for: Value. With a capital ?V?. Not only do we build great boats, we sell them at great prices. And it all starts with better boat building technology. Our highly-advanced manufacturing process lets us build boats more efficiently?and gives us a real economic advantage right out of the mold. As a result, we can offer more of the features boat buyers really want as standard equipment? And because Glastron boats a Genmar company (Genmar is one of the world?s largest manufacturers of recreational boats), we have incredible buying power. That means Glastron boats can specify high-quality, brand-name components in even our most affordable models. At Glastron boats we also offer sterndrives and outboards from several major engine manufacturers, so you can choose your favorite brand of propulsion.

That?s real value?value in the great tradition of Glastron boats. Feature for feature, dollar for dollar, no one else in the industry can fit this much boat into your budget. No. One. Else.

Over the course of the past 50 years, Glastron boats have built nearly half a million boats. Along the way, we?ve also built something else: a legacy of technological firsts and manufacturing innovations: Two-tone graphics, Sterndrive propulsion, The Aqua-Lift? tri-hull, the Super Stable Vee (SSV?) hull, and, of course, VEC? closed-mold boat building technology.

Our Little Falls, Minnesota production facility is considered the world?s most advanced fiberglass boat building plant. There, every process meets or exceeds ISO 9001-2000 standards?the most stringent manufacturing guidelines in the world. From computer-assisted design (CAD) to computerized manufacturing operations, Glastron boats takes advantage of the latest technologies in the marine industry.

While most boat builders mold fiberglass just like they did decades ago, Glastron boats patented VEC? technology replaces traditional hand-laid fiberglass lamination with a highly computerized 21st century closed-mold technology. The entire VEC process is completely automated and computer controlled. As each hull is formed, computers continually monitor more than 500 variables, allowing us to build these Glastron boats to much tighter tolerances. Precision on this scale has never before been possible in the marine industry. VEC hull weight variations run less than one percent, a fraction of the variances found in hand-laid fiberglass hulls
Thanks to VEC?, Glastron boats was able to reduce the number of structural components. Everything is completely integrated on the hull, including the stringer system; there are no wooden stringers to rot, no joints or seams to separate. We?re able to achieve the same level of structural integrity with our unitized deck, which is also fabricated as a single fiberglass component. Beyond the aesthetics of the clean, seamless look, the unitized deck delivers a more stable and quieter ride.

VEC technology and unitized construction are standard on all Glastron 17, 18, 19, 20 and 22-foot bowriders and Ski & Fish models.

 

[mike343]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

I have a Genmar Glastron 21 1/2 ft deckboat. I consider it well made. Hardware is stainless, other stuff reasonable quality or easily fixable. And Glastron has been more than accommodating when I asked for help.

I also had one of the old "Texas" Glastrons--the tri-hulls that were ubiquitous in the 70'sand 80's. When Genmar bought them the only thing that remained was the name. Now you get what they build in the Larson factory in Minn.

The one I have now(2002) looks good, close to new--I keep it covered and take care of the upholstery. When I was shopping (and I think I got a pretty good deal at 31k), I totaled up the cost of the engine (VP 5.7 EFI), trailer, canvas, gauges. carpeting) and came to about 20K. That left a little over 10K for the fiberglass, upholstery, and the rest. Chap and Sea Ray were another 10K with the same engine, etc. Not wort it to me.

And you can get a VP on the Glastron.

 

[TRONMAN2000]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

I have a 2000 GX 205 with 5.0 GL Volvo Penta and SX drive. I love it! It does 50 MPH. Great boat. I have never heard that Glastrons are "low end"

 

[jkust]

Re: Why are Glastrons considered lower end boats?

There seems to be a correlation between dry weight and price. The lighter dry weight boats are less expensive all else being the same (motor, loa, etc). The 'higher end' brands many times are much heavier. Glastron to Chaparral since it was mentioned... have to buy several more feet of Glastron and bigger motor for same dry weight as smaller Chap. Just my observation.