BE PATIENT

There’s little a dealer can do to speed up delivery when there’s little to no inventory, Hickey explains. “Our company itself often needs to borrow back boats from buyers just to have Everglades models at boat shows,” he reveals.

If you have your heart set on a specific model equipped the way you want, you will need to be patient. Most Everglades dealer orders are out to the fall of 2022, and if you order the new Everglades 455 from a dealer today, you can expect delivery in January 2023. That has not seemed to deter buyers. “Everglades sold 13 of the $1.7-million-dollar boat in

the first month after its introduction,” Hickey reports. “In my 11 years with Everglades, I’ve never seen anything like this.”

When it comes to outboard engines, dealer and boatbuilder orders for today’s popular engines are about 150 days out (as of this writing), according to Suzuki Marine’s Blakely. Delays in deliveries of outboards by all major brands represent a key obstacle to building boats more quickly, especially given the growing popularity of today’s outboard engines.

“The most important thing is patience,” Blakely says. “Like many manufacturers, Suzuki is doing its best to fill the supply chain as quickly as possible.”

Blakely offers a key piece of advice. “Order your new boat or outboard now, even if you don’t need it right away but anticipate a purchase in the future,” he says. This ensures that you will be in line to get your boat or motor when inventory is available and before they sell out. “For a new motor, try to order about five to six months ahead of schedule,” Blakely advises.