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Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Belfast Boat Show Pontoon Boat Preview

 



This Thursday through Sunday, Hamlin's Marine will be hosting a boat show in Belfast at our showroom at 7 Front Street.  

Don't forget to Pre-Register if you are coming to the show to be entered into a drawing for a new Outboard Motor.  

Our pontoon boat display will be a show highlight with fourteen pontoon packages from Bennington and Godfrey.  From budget-friendly to luxury & performance...we will have them all available for your viewing pleasure.  Here are a couple of our top picks:

Bennington 16SVL 



Options: Sharkhide pontoon protectant, 4 pole rod holder, tilt steering, Monaco blue panels & canvas, silver Simtex vinyl upholstery, Zebrawood trim accents, woven vinyl silver flooring, Garmin Striker 4 fish finder, portable cup holders, tilt steering, & Yamaha High Thrust 25 HP outboard.  Click Here for factory photos of the model on display in Belfast.

The Bennington 16 SVL package is value priced at $24,995, or 10% down & $238/mo with approved financing.

Sweetwater 2086C Triple Sport Toon



Options: Fusion Color Cast stereo, Extreme Steering with tilt, Wicker wrapped seat boxes, Upgraded rectangle table, Captain's chair upgrade, Hatch Carmel flooring, Ski Tow bar, Metallic Bronze rail skins, 25" Outer Tubes, 27" Center Sport Tube, Seat Covers, Keel strips, Canopy Dome Light, & Yamaha 115 Super High Performance outboard.  Click Here for more photos.

The Sweetwater 2086 Triple Sport Tube package is show priced at $44,656, or 10% Down & $369/mo with approved financing.

Bennington 23LTSB Bowrider


Click Here for more photos.

Options: Ski Pylon, Privacy station, Stainless Steel Docking Lights, Garmin 742 Display, Power Distribution Center, Power Assist Steering, Lighted Speakers and Grill, Stainless Aft Rail, Dual Gates, Pillowtop Diamante Pressed Seats, Exterior Side Lights, Toe Kick Lighting, RGB Control Panel, Rockford PMX Stereo Upgrade, Sport Arch, Black Out Package, Silver Simtex Upholstery, EzLoader trailer, and Yamaha 250 Super High Output motor.  

The Bennington 23LTSB Bowrider is show priced at $116,867, or 10% Down and $827/mo with approved financing.

Sweetwater 2286 FS



Click Here for more photos.

Options: Universal Phone Holder, Fusion Color Cast Stereo, Extreme Steering with Tilt, Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 Fishfinder, Wicker Wrapped Seat Bases, Upgraded Rectangle Table, Lockable Rod Storage, Changing Room, Upgraded Captain's Chair, Lakeport Plank Flooring, Ski Tow Bar, Rail Skin Charcoal, LED Docking Lights, Trolling Motor Harness Kit, Seat Covers, Cabana Enclosure, & Yamaha 115 HP outboard.  Boat Show price of $50,950, or 10% Down & $421/mo with approved financing.

We hope to see you in Belfast this week at the Belfast Freshwater Boat Show!





Thursday, March 17, 2022

Weldcraft is the New King of Maine Waters

 

280 Cuddy King in Seafrost Green


Many years ago, the undisputed champion of Maine waters was Lund Boats.  Back then, Hamlin's Marine sold Lund Boats rigged with reliable Yamaha and Honda outboards.  Like many other brands, Lund was purchased by a big corporation that favored Mercury outboards.  Game over for Hamlin's Marine and many of our loyal Lund customers.  

Hamlin's Marine helped to build a new champion in Maine.  Polar kraft boats grew from a little known brand into one of the best selling fishing boats in Maine.  Click Here for the complete story on the switch from Lund to Polarkraft way back in 2011.


Then cracks started to show at Polarkraft with several ownership changes.  All good things must come to an end, and another King was destined to fall.  

So, five years ago I went in search of the ultimate answer.   I drove way, way out west until I hit Clarkston, Washington.  I passed through a foreign world of ghost towns, dust, and smoke.


Ridin' Dirty
Snake River Blanketed in Smoke

Lonely Place

When I finally arrived at the Weldcraft factory, I learned what the term Stackin' Dimes meant.

Welding Perfected Like Stacked Dimes

The Weldcraft plant does things with a level of precision I've never seen at a boat plant:



Five years later, Hamlin's Marine brought the first West Coast style heavy-gauge aluminum boats to the New England Boat Show.  Check out some of the Weldcraft models we have available for sale right now at Hamlin's Marine.


18 Angler Sport

210 Revolution


Maverick 220







Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Don't Wish...Fish! Hamlin's Marine has Affordable Family Fishing Boats

 

Alumacraft 145 Escape Side Console

If this is the new normal, I'd rather be out on the water fishing.  Every chance I get to go fishing in Maine creates a memory; it is an amazing way to reconnect with family and friends.  With all that is uncertain in the world, the excitement and anticipation of a fishing trip adventure never seems to change.  

All of us at Hamlin's Marine share a lot of joy when we get a family in a new fishing boat.  We've got fishing boat packages available now for any budget.

My first pick is the Alumacraft 145 CS package, with Yamaha 25, and Ezloader trailer.  

 


Impressive Features & Comfort in a Smaller Boat


Alumacraft has been building quality Deep V, riveted fishing boats for 75 years.  From a quality and resale perspective, the Alumacraft Escape is light years ahead of the Big Box store competitors.  

Our 145 Escape package runs just $175/mo with $1930 down with approved financing.


Writing about Alumacraft reminded me of a salmon fishing trip Hamlin's Marine took in 2017 to Sebago Lake.  What a blast...


My next pick is the G3 V167, Yamaha 40 HP, and G3 Custom Trailer.  This package is pure utility with plenty of storage, rugged vinyl flooring, a simple console, and a couple of fishing seats that can be installed as the fisherman prefers.  






The G3 V167 is an extreme-duty boat with a hull gauge thickness of .100".  The 81" Beam gives the boat a great deal of stability on rough water, and the spray rails lend for a dry ride.  

Hamlin's can get you in a G3 V167 side console, Yamaha 40, and custom trailer package for just $212/mo with $2351 down with approved financing.


The final pick is in super-high demand and is extremely rare for this neck of the woods.  The Weldcraft 18 Angler Sport, Yamaha 90 HP, and Ezloader roller trailer is built all the way out in Clarkston, Washington by Renaissance Marine Group.  I'll call a spade a spade...this is the best freshwater trolling rig money can buy.  Super tall windshield and canvas set, massive cockpit, and no mid-west style casting decks to get in the way.

Massive Fishing Cockpit




A Weldcraft 18 Angler, Yamaha 90 HP, and trailer package starts at just $379/mo with $5644 down with approved financing.

Weldcraft fishing boats are the perfect platform to outfit with the latest electronics and fishing equipment.  This video should give you some inspiration!




Friday, March 11, 2022

Rarer Than a Hen's Tooth...a Used Double Decker Slide Pontoon Boat



I really don't want to incite a riot, but Hamlin's just took in a 2015 Sweetwater 240 Premium Edition Sundeck slide boat with a Yamaha F150. 

Truly a Great White Buffalo...this is your key to family entertainment in the uncharted waters of 2022.  This boat is so much fun that it should be illegal!  This Sweetwater features two levels of entertainment, a full bar, and a freakin' water slide.  For real!



The last time a used double decker pontoon boat hit our lot, we had three potential buyers driving to the lot from New Hampshire, the County, and Calais.  No one would give a deposit until they saw the boat.  The guy from Calais hit the lot first and secured the buy of a lifetime.  

The couples from the Live Free or Die State & the folks from God's Country arrived shortly later only to learn they missed out.  They hollered, cried, and threatened the salesman with bodily harm.

As the guy from Calais drove off into the sunset with his proper cache, we noticed a couple of black vehicles tailed him down the road.  

Later that week, we heard that a Downeast man had gone missing.  He had recently purchased a boat from Hamlin's Marine.  It apparently had been stolen from his yard.  To this day, this man has never been seen again...nor has his beloved Sweetwater been located.

Most of this story is pure fiction...but not all of it.  

This Used Sweetwater Slide Boat is on the lot in Waterville, and and the first $45,900 takes it home! 

Update...this boat sold with in hours of this post to a good friend!

All these thoughts about summer had me thinking about the time we took out a couple of Bennington flagship 10' wide pontoon boats on the ocean.  Check out this video:



We have a full inventory of Godfrey and Bennington pontoon boats at our Waterville and Hampden locations now.  Please join us at the Belfast Freshwater Boat Show on March 24th-27th.  You can register for the show here: https://www.hamlinsmarina.com/bfbs-2022

Everyone who registers and attends the show will be entered into a drawing to win a free outboard!

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Carolina Skiff 21 Ultra Elite Boat Package Spotlight

 




Hamlin's Marine just received a truckload of Carolina Skiff 21 Ultra Elite boat packages.  Carolina Skiff is universally known for it's fishing-friendly features including ample rod holders, casting decks, non-skid surfaces, and baitwells.  The 21 Ultra Elite checks all the fishing boxes, while providing the comfort and seating of a deckboat.

Carolina Skiff boats are functional and affordable; they also just look damn good on the water.  Check out our Hamlin's Marine striper fishing expedition last summer on the Sheepscott River aboard Carolina Skiff boats...


Right now, Hamlin's has a loaded 21 Ultra Elite on the lot with Seafoam Green hull, T-Top with black canvas, Power Grip stainless steering wheel, Flip up console with head, & Bluetooth stereo.  

She's packaged with an efficient and powerful Honda BF200 fourstroke with a standard 5 Year Warranty.


Dollar for dollar the 21 Ultra Elite is one of the best values on the water.   Imagine in 2022...you can get a really capable family fishing boat with fourteen person capacity, big power, and killer looks for just $76,941, or about $529/month with 10% down.  



Monday, March 7, 2022

Inflation Busting Deals At Hamlin's Marine

 


It's a wild time to work in the boat business in Maine.  For the last two years, our dealership has been masked-up trying our best to serve boaters all over the state.  

We went from too many boats, outboards, & trailers...to not enough...to hardly any at all in the middle of 2021.

Now that we are entering 2022, Hamlin's Marine is once again seeing high levels of inventory.  Bottom line is...we've got some serious deals right now until March 31st.  

If you aren't familiar with EzLoader Trailers, they are the best boat trailer money can buy.  They are double-dipped galvanized steel or aluminum I-Beam, with oil bath bearings, and torsion axle springs.  They are the only boat trailer that can truly withstand Maine's horrific spring roads.  Here are just a few examples of smoking trailer deals:


EzLoader 2350 #  Galvanized Roller (15'-18') only $2150 


EzLoader 4000# Alum I-Beam Tandem (17'-20') only $3995


See other trailer dealers here.

In 2021, small four-stroke outboard motors were Rarer than a Hen's Tooth.  Let me know if you've heard that saying before haha.

Anyway...the slingshot effect happened, and now we are chock full of outboard motors!  

Check out these savings on Honda and Yamaha overstock models:

Honda

 

BF2.3DHSCH       Was: $1140        Now: $895

BF2.3DHLCH       Was: $1166        Now: $919

BF5DHSHNA       Was: $2031        Now: $1595

BF5DHLHNA        Was: $2071        Now: $1649

BF8DKLHSA         Was: $3172        Now: $2595

BF8DK3LHA         Was: $2744        Now: $2295

BF10D3SH           Was: $3092        Now: $2595

BF10DK3LH         Was: $3118        Now: $2610

BF10DK3KHS      Was: $3349        Now: $2749

 

Yamaha

 

F2.5SMHB           Was: $1558        Now: $1295

F4SMHA              Was: $2139        Now: $1749

F6SMHA              Was: $2506        Now: $1995

F8SMHB              Was: $3178        Now: $2595

F9.9SMHB           Was: $3614        Now: $2949

F9.9LMHB           Was: $3642        Now: $2995