Middle class family entry level coastal cruisers, what are they?

[Don C L]

Just wondering. Long ago there were folks in the middle class who bought sailboats and filled up marinas. The Catalina brand comes to mind of course. But now, what does a middle class family turn to when searching? Are there any new boats that are really affordable to this segment? Or do any of them want to go sailing? Or is there still a middle class? I started pondering this when the word of a Spencer 35 was available for free, practically, (but did need an engine.) But to my mind 20K or 25K for a boat like this might be within a middle class family budget, if they are enthusiastic sailors and live near good coastal cruising grounds....
Maybe I just need to get out more? I just don't see too many families out sailing in my neighborhood these days...

[atoll]

this is what the rothschilds are reccomending for middle class families...........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN4zvl5Kr0k

[a64pilot]

The Middle class is what fueled General Aviation for decades, but it’s all but gone too.
I used to think Aviation just got too expensive, but then after buying a boat and cruising around and seeing hundreds of big motor yachts bellying up to the fuel dock for thousands of dollars of fuel at a pop, I decided it wasn’t a lack of money.

I think it’s just too hard, you can’t stroke a check today and be flying tomorrow, but you can with that Motor Yacht.

If you think about it, there is a tremendous amount of money spent on today’s “essentials” that didn’t even exist not too long ago.
I bet the average bill to watch TV now is $100 a month, then about that for a cell phone, and of course you have to have internet at home.

My belief is people are on average just too lazy, and want instant satisfaction, if it’s hard to do and takes practice, then it’s too hard.

I had my Grandkids living with us for a few years, we lived on a Farm, I bought them motorcycles, and we had two big ole friendly dogs, and a big swimming pool. I bought them good bows to shoot etc.
They only wanted to play video games, you couldn’t get them out of the house, honestly. The bicycles were too hard to ride, forget the dirt bikes.

Average Joe is too lazy to cruise or even to sail

[leboyd]

I was going to respond with information to try to answer your question. Then it occurred to me that basically it seems to me that people want faster methods of getting from point A to point B.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by leboyd

I was going to respond with information to try to answer your question. Then it occurred to me that basically it seems to me that people want faster methods of getting from point A to point B.

So is it just a matter of speed then? Has the middle class decided to go with power boats only? I do see a lot more folks going out on power boats, but then again my slip is right across from the ramp

[cpt_757]

But, they have fancy cars.
I’ve seen younger people in fancy cars but don’t see them at a marina.
I wonder how so called middle class people can afford fancy cars.
Used sailboat prices looked went down more than before but people doesn’t want to go Sailing.

[john61ct]

Getting to the point "middle class" in the US just means somewhere between the bottom 60-70% paycheck to paycheck no savings, little to no discretionary spending, and the top 10% who own*3/4 of America's wealth, income over $120k.

Any negative event puts them right in with the bottom group, and we're all familiar with how common those events are.

Plus that middle group is continuing to shrink, accelerating in fact.

Add in the Fear factor, we don't even let kids walk to school, play around the neighborhood without supervision, hitch-hiking?

Plus the hegemony of Comfort and Screens, laziness, dumbing down of practical skills.

But I think economics is the primary factor.

That post-war into the 70's prosperity increase was an anomalous blip, we're headed back to the old Belle*Époque of a tiny inherited aristocracy the rest fighting for scraps.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Getting to the point "middle class" in the US just means somewhere between the bottom 60-70% paycheck to paycheck no savings, little to no discretionary spending, and the top 10% who own*3/4 of America's wealth, income over $120k.

Any negative event puts them right in with the bottom group, and we're all familiar with how common those events are.

Plus that middle group is continuing to shrink, accelerating in fact.

Add in the Fear factor, we don't even let kids walk to school, play around the neighborhood without supervision, hitch-hiking?

Plus the hegemony of Comfort and Screens, laziness, dumbing down of practical skills.

But I think economics is the primary factor.

That post-war into the 70's prosperity increase was an anomalous blip, we're headed back to the old Belle*Époque of a tiny inherited aristocracy the rest fighting for scraps.

+1 Sadly I fear that you'r right on the money. Instant this and instant that without any real effort extended, not always I know but increasingly so.

[daletournier]

Its all changed dramatically. I had a friend build a very nice Wharram Tiki 38, great job but I was surprised at the cost, it sort defeated the original Wharram philosophy.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Getting to the point "middle class" in the US just means somewhere between the bottom 60-70% paycheck to paycheck no savings, little to no discretionary spending, and the top 10% who own*3/4 of America's wealth, income over $120k.

Any negative event puts them right in with the bottom group, and we're all familiar with how common those events are.

Plus that middle group is continuing to shrink, accelerating in fact.

Add in the Fear factor, we don't even let kids walk to school, play around the neighborhood without supervision, hitch-hiking?

Plus the hegemony of Comfort and Screens, laziness, dumbing down of practical skills.

But I think economics is the primary factor.

That post-war into the 70's prosperity increase was an anomalous blip, we're headed back to the old Belle*Époque of a tiny inherited aristocracy the rest fighting for scraps.

The middle class is the heart of a capitalist driven society, its vital that its protected, yet i agree with you its not what it was. My parents were the role model middle class, i believe it was a great era, possibly the luckiest, most productive, community orientated, family orientated genetation in history. They could dream and achieve through planning and sweat. they are in their late 70's now.

[Kenomac]

Wealth is created and not taken from a central pot as some socialists would have you believe.

If you need more money to fund a desired lifestyle... then work for it or create something. Don't expect someone to hand it to you while sitting there switching channels with a remote and eating chips.

[valhalla360]

I think a lot of it is the options for leisure activities has exploded.

There was a time when people would choose an activity and it would be their sole (or at least primary) activity. If it was boating, you could justify the extraordinary costs involved with maintaining a cruising boat because you spent most weekends and your vacation on it.

Cheap airfare, RV's, Kids Travel Sports Teams...you can't do it all on a middle class income.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Wealth is created and not taken from a central pot as some socialists would have you believe.

If you need more money to fund a desired lifestyle... then work for it or create something. Don't expect someone to hand it to you while sitting there switching channels with a remote and eating chips.

Hey Ken,this is true, im a capitalist through and through, the reason, in a true capitalist society effort, drive and creativity are financially rewarded, dream, work and achieve. The middle class have thrived in the past due to capatlism.

I believe in freemarkets, supply and demand economics BUT not convinced this is what we have currently, some sort of quasi socilism disguised as capatlism, therefore not convinced hardwork is enough anymore.

Im in intetesting place right now, the Seychelles, socialism/communism past which is now practicing capitlism under the banner of socialism ...lol...not really sure what it is, $8 for a coffee yet the locals buy food at a government subsidized hypermart.

We are probably straying to much and verging on political ideals, what was the original post?

[Kenomac]

So what's wrong with starting out by fixing up an O'Day 20 for 2-4 day cruise adventures like we did back in the 1980's? We thought that boat was awesome.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by daletournier

Hey Ken,this is true, im a capitalist through and through, the reason, in a true capitalist society effort, drive and creativity are financially rewarded, dream, work and achieve. The middle class have thrived in the past due to capatlism.

I believe in freemarkets, supply and demand economics BUT not convinced this is what we have currently, some sort of quasi socilism disguised as capatlism, therefore not convinced hardwork is enough anymore.

Im in intetesting place right now, the Seychelles, socialism/communism past which is now practicing capitlism under the banner of socialism ...lol...not really sure what it is, $8 for a coffee yet the locals buy food at a government subsidized hypermart.

We are probably straying to much and verging on political ideals, what was the original post?

OK Dale, but I presently have a business idea that could very easily morph into a billion dollar enterprise and create thousands of jobs literally from thin air. Wanna talk about this privately? I don't have the time to do it alone and my business contacts all seem pre-occupied. So I go cruising.