The boating market has been a whirlwind over the past few years, with many more people getting involved in everything in the outdoors. Add in supply chain shortages and backlogged orders and it’s been wild, but Nixon’s Marine and other top boat dealerships have made it through most of the craziness and things are starting to get back to normal.
Nixon’s is located near the famed Columbia River in Pasco, Washington. Willie Nelson and the rest of the team are the source for anglers in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, carrying top bass boat brands like Skeeter, Caymas, Vexus, and more. They’re also well equipped with any boating part or accessory you might need and sell and install all major electronics brands.
Nelson shared insight into their different brands and some of the trends he’s seeing in the boating world.
Vexus and Caymas
These two relatively new brands have taken the fishing world by storm and each has quickly gained many fans. Nelson believes one reason is that bass anglers want choices and these two companies allow for plenty of customization.
“Many anglers are gravitating to the independent brands,” he said. “They like these two brands because you can choose your options and favorite outboard brand, choose which electronics you prefer, and select all your colors.”
Caymas has a team behind it that has a storied history in the bass boat world, namely Earl Bentz. His experience includes starting Javelin, Stratos, Triton, and others to go along with his boat racing success in his early years.
“That’s helped get people excited about the brand and now that guys have seen them around and had a chance to climb in them, they are doing very well,” he said. “They are a faster boat and everyone loves how great they ride in rough water.”
Vexus is another brand with a great team behind them that has plenty of experience building bass boats. They took off immediately in the northwest. “The aluminum infused with fiberglass models have been great sellers and we have some in stock now,” said Nelson. “The fiberglass models have been doing well, too and it’s been cool to see the brand grow in our region.”
Many anglers put in their custom orders each fall to get them in time for the spring fishing season. If you want to have a boat by February or March, now is the time to put in the order.
Skeeter
Nixon’s is a longtime Skeeter boat dealer with many repeat customers who trade in one for another and stick with their favorite bass boat brand.
“That’s been our bread and butter for a long time and there are plenty of guys that are loyal to the brand and buy a new one every three or four years,” said Nelson. “They’re great boats and the exciting thing about them is that it’s their 75th anniversary. There is a special edition FXR21 Apex and we have one on order that will arrive this winter.”
The special edition includes a unique color package, a 75th-anniversary badge, tri-color EVA foam flooring, and much more. It’s a stunning boat to celebrate the occasion for Skeeter.
Upgrades, Used Boats, and Boating Parts
As technology continues to increase, Nelson said that many of their customers have chosen to keep their existing boats and upgrade them with electronics or add a new trolling motor.
“We sell Humminbird, Lowrance, and Garmin and install all of them,” said Nelson. “We do a lot of custom rigging for electronics because everyone wants some form of forward-facing sonar now. There are also guys adding new trolling motors because spot lock has become the standard for most bass anglers.”
Nelson also sees repowering becoming a more popular option as outboard manufacturers are slowly getting caught up and more are becoming available. During the height of the supply chain issues, orders for new engines took a year or more in some instances.
Nixon’s Marine is also a top destination for used boats as many trade their boats for a new one. While the used market has settled down slightly, it’s still hot as a good quality boat that runs well is a top request from customers shopping at Nixon’s Marine.
The Pasco shop has everything boaters might need to get back on the water quickly. That includes bow straps, shocks for compartment leads, bilge pumps, trailer lights, bearings, seals and much more.
Nixon’s Marine has been a premier boat dealership since 1959 and continues to serve customers in the surrounding states. Their expertise and excellent customer service keep boaters returning whenever they are in the market for a new or used boat or need service or installation on their current boat.
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