Need some help understanding differences...

[Angela79]

Hi All,

My husband and I are trying to research the differences between makes of boats and we don't understand why some older boats like Shannon, Amel, Hallberg-Rassy etc are so much more expensive than many comparably sized newer boats. I heard someone on a youtube channel say that "boat snobs" look down on brands like Jeanneau and Beneteau and call them 'Plastique Fantastiques.' So I thought it must have something to do with the construction of the hull, but both the first group of boats and the second group of boats both have fiberglass listed as hull material. I prefer the aesthetic of a newer boat - a Jeanneau 45 DS for example - over the older boats but I also want to be safe. We are not planning on crossing oceans, more like coastal cruising or trips to the Bahamas - as we don't have the experience or knowledge. If someone could help me understand the difference between the more expensive older boats and the newer boats which (on the surface) look just as nice or nicer I would really appreciate it! Thank you