It's no secret that the boating industry has been a crazy ride over the past few years, from the pandemic causing unprecedented demand and supply chain shortages to the rising interest rates we see now. It's been quite the rollercoaster, but Nixon's Marine is still going strong and selling new and used boats while also serving customers' needs with upgrades and service.
Nixon's is a top dealer that services boaters throughout the region and beyond and carries Vexus, Skeeter, Caymas, Crestliner, River Hawk, Mercury, and Yamaha. Willie Nelson, who owns and manages Nixon's Marine in Pasco, Washington, with his wife Kim, gave us a rundown of what's new with them and the trends they are seeing.
New bass boat models, custom orders, and the used market
One thing that has yet to change is bass boats continuing to improve and all three of their major bass boat brands have changed slightly to meet customer demands.
"Skeeter didn't do as much but added some new color options and Caymas added the new XS with fiberglass lids and non-slip Seadeck material because many people like that," said Nelson. "Vexus also made a big change with a new version of their aluminum boats."
According to Nelson, the new Vexus aluminum models are called V2 and feature several changes. "They are 12 inches wider and they run faster, even though it's a bigger boat," he said. "They made some big changes throughout the model and it feels like you could fit the old one inside the new one because it's that much wider."
Nixon's can custom order a boat from all these brands precisely to a customer's specifications, from colors to electronics and outboard preferences. It's a big part of their business; many returning customers order their boats through them every time they are ready. Others go with used and the past several years have been red-hot for used boat pricing and Nelson is seeing that slow down.
"A few years ago, people would buy anything you had in stock," he said. "Now, customers have more choices and can take their time to find one. We're also seeing the 'wish list' shrink some and anglers should realize that you don't have to have a 21-footer with everything on it to get out fishing. Some really good used boats on the market will let anglers, especially the younger ones getting into fishing, get out there and fish tournaments."
Boats: New or upgrade?
According to Nelson, with the rising costs of new boats, many choose to keep their boats and re-power or upgrade electronics. It makes financial sense for many boaters and Nixon's can get everything you need to upgrade your boat.
"A few years ago, when a new boat didn't cost as much, it made sense for many people to trade in their old boat and get a new one because they didn't cost as much," he said. "Now, it may be more cost-effective to repower your boat, add some new electronics, and maybe a new trolling motor. If the boat is newer and in good shape, upgrading can make sense."
One of the biggest things that Nixon's is seeing is re-powering to a new outboard for both Yamaha and Mercury. The switch from a two-stroke to a four-stroke has also been a popular choice for their customers.
"Usually, when someone's outboard gets out of warranty, they start looking for new boats or a new engine," said Nelson. "For a few years, it was impossible to get a new motor because they were so backed up, but you can get them now. We see a lot of customers repowering their boats because it makes financial sense to them."
Another common thing Nixon's customers want is upgraded electronics and they do plenty of custom rigging for their customers.
"LiveScope and other forward-facing sonar has been very popular, and so have lithium batteries," he said. "We are doing a lot of rigging and adding the dedicated wiring with switches, so all those electronics are running as well as possible."
Nixon's Open house coming in January
Nixon's Marine will be hosting an open house for customers and anglers in the community sometime in January. The date will be finalized soon and posted to their social media accounts.
"We won't be doing boat shows this year but will have another open house with seminar speakers and we'll feed everyone who shows up," said Nelson.
Last year, they had multi-species seminar speakers as well as professional angler Brett Hite there to talk bass fishing. This year will be no different, as they always put together a great lineup of anglers to present at the open house.
Nixon's Marine makes things work in a more challenging market by focusing on their customers' needs with service and upgrades and selling new and used boats. They have an extensive customer base in the Pacific Northwest and service boaters throughout the West Coast with excellent customer service and experience, which will continue for years to come.
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