If you have taken a basic economics course, the idea of barriers to entry should sound familiar. The fundamental idea is simple enough. In most businesses or ventures of any kind, there are some hurdles that need to be jumped over before you can get where you want to be. If you want to open up a fitness center, you need a serious amount of cash on hand as the start up cost of all that equipment is very high. If you want to start your own restaurant, there are not only start up costs that can get pretty lofty, but there is a lot of government regulation in the form of health code inspectors that will nitpick (hopefully) things to make sure no one gets e-coli from your plant based burgers. Even if you want to join the NFL, you need to make it through three full years of college, and then also be a physical specimen most guys only dream about.
But the idea of barriers to entry isn’t just about businesses starting up … it also applies to the things that keep customers away from your products or businesses too. Not everyone can own a Bentley for example, because the price is too high for many people. And this isn’t just the auto industry. The boating industry faces this challenge more than most extracurricular activity based businesses. For the most part, unless you are a full time fisherman or Coast Guard, boats are a luxury item, and for most normal people, luxury items can only cost so much because disposable income is typically at a premium. But the boat price itself isn’t always the sole cost that needs to be considered. The auxiliary costs are often what ends up sinking (pun intended) most people’s dreams of owning a boat.
But the Tahoe T16 might just have an answer to many people’s prayers and wishes. The T16 is a sport boat that is a scant 16’ 5” in length overall, with a beam of 7’6” and a transom height of 20”. The T16 is exceptionally roomy for something that doesn’t look all that big. The bow seating is comfortable and has plenty of molded-in storage as well as reversible backrests to make sure you can be a part of the party no matter which end of the boat it is happening on. The rotomolded console comes with a very useful acrylic windscreen while the multi gauge display shows all the pertinent info needed to make sure things are in good working order. There is also a 12 volt outlet to help power all kinds of digital devices, as well as storage trays to keep them from flying overboard.
Around the deck you’ll notice a non-skid fiberglass floor, as well as UV-resistant upholstery. The in-floor storage is well designed, while the aft sunpad makes life better and hides additional storage beneath it. There are a total of nine cup holders scattered around the deck as well as ample grab handles to help make sure both you, and your drink, stay put.
In terms of options, the T16 provides plenty to help customize your sea-going experience to suit your needs. We would recommend first and foremost the Kicker stereo and speakers that will only run you $420. The hydraulic steering makes life much easier in tight spaces. There is a 6-gallon aerated livewell for those more fishing oriented customers, and a TurboSwing ski tow bar for those more attuned to water sports. The soft touch interior flooring and swim platform is nice, but probably best suited for those with young kids, while the bimini top and stainless steel frame is a worthwhile check box for just about anyone. And finally the trailer upgrade that gives you a swing away tongue and upgraded brakes might just prove worth far beyond the easily $560 it will cost on the day of purchase.
So with a base price of just $15,995 with a Mercury 60 FourStroke motor, the Tahoe T16 breaks through that usual barrier of entry into the boating world, and costs about half as much as a new Toyota Camry. But, taken a step further, because the total package weight of the T16 is just 2,200 pounds, that means that you also don’t need to upgrade your tow vehicle to a a $60,000 Ford F-350, and can keep that Camry. Throw a Class 2 hitch on your Toyota (or any mid-sized vehicle for that matter), and suddenly the Tahoe T16 has taken that barrier to entry of yours and turned it into something that looks more like a welcome mat.
