Finngulf 39/391 - any owners around here?

[BlueSkyNick]

These look like the kind of boat I am after, in terms of layout, displacement/ballast/sail area/length. However I need to think about internal dimensions. Primarily headroom in the saloon and length of the foreward berth.

Any forumites able to provide help, guidance or advice?

 

[BlueSkyNick]

I guess not, then.

 

[Sailfree]

I guess not, then.

Sorry I cannot remember his name but the Finngulf agent at Hamble point marina is a very knowledgable and helpful guy. Competent sailor as well.

One of the rare breeds that cannot do enough for you on the basis that when you do want something that he can sell - you will prefer to buy from him.

No connection just hada test sail with him once!

At present the Finngulf would be my preferred choice if I was changing boats but reducing mortgages is the current priority SWMBO informs me!!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Sorry I cannot remember his name but the Finngulf agent at Hamble point marina is a very knowledgable and helpful guy. Competent sailor as well.

Shane Rowe of Aboard Yachts.

Son of the (now retired) HM at Salcombe.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Sorry to read that

I did speak to Peter Board at A-Board who was very helpful. I now understand why nobody has answered my question on here - there are so few boats in the UK. Most are in the Netherlands and eastward.

 

[Quandary]

Shane Rowe at Finngulf

To counter what is implied above I will place our experience on record.
We had dealings with him over about three years during which time we bought one new boat, we carried out some demo. sails for him for potential customers as part of our deal and were involved in the delivery and specification and commissioning of another yacht for one of these customers. He was always honest in his dealings, though just a little disorganized, but tried very hard to meet all his obligations. You sometimes did have to email him more than once to get attention. His post delivery follow up and warranty work were exemplary, he contacted us at the end of each season for feedback and dealt with any niggles sending replacement parts up to the third season.
So I do not recognize the implications above though I know he was ambitious and keen to expand business in to the Middle East just as the economy went down so it is quite possible he over reached.

 

[Quandary]

Finngulf Dimensions

For the OP
Apologies, I had been posting on the Finngulf range imported to UK rather than the older boats which made before there was a Uk agent, the principal market outside Finland in the early days was USA followed by Holland and Germany, very few ever made it to the UK before the millenium.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

For the OP
Apologies, I had been posting on the Finngulf range imported to UK rather than the older boats which made before there was a Uk agent, the principal market outside Finland in the early days was USA followed by Holland and Germany, very few ever made it to the UK before the millenium.

No worries Q. You are right, I am looking at mid-90's boats. I think the 39 went to 391 circa 1990.

 

[RobbieW]

Shane Rowe

I thought hard about bumping this old thread. I decided to do so in the light of some recent threads which have discussed the business practices of (a few) others in the sailing industry.

A post has been completely deleted from the thread that sat between the remaining posts #4 and #5. The deleted post was critical of A-Board's business practices during 2010 with Shane Rowe as the operating executive, but minority, director. Posts #5 and #6, expecially #6, make little sense without the deleted post.

A-Board entered voluntary liquidation in July 2011 owing some £961,000 to 35 known unsecured creditors. I understand that a contributory reason for the liquidation was that future liabilities of several hundred thousand pounds could have arisen as a result of the way business was done in 2010. Shane Rowe's relationship with A Board was terminated by his co-director in December 2010.

I am one of the creditors based on work done for A Board in August 2010. It is clear to me now that that work was commissioned by Shane Rowe in the knowledge that the company had neither funds in hand nor any certain likelihood of funds becoming available to pay. Now is that just business or dishonesty?

I would think very carefully before doing business with Shane Rowe in the future and would suggest anyone reading this do the same.

 

[Quandary]

An individual using this forum to target someone in the way the poster above has done is surely questionable use of our valued freedom. I know from experience some of the grief that is caused when a business fails, money is owed and obligations are not met so I can appreciate why the poster is angry. But this an open forum and libel laws surely apply here.
I have already recounted my own experience dealing with Aboard and with Shane, I have had contact with Shane since this thread was started and still hold the view I expressed before.
There are two sides to every story but it is very easy for media even restricted like this to be used to destroy someone. The defence of course will be an intention to protect the rest of us.
However anyone wanting to purchase a Finngulf yacht today is unlikely to be dealing with Aboard or with Shane.
As a customer delighted by my boat and the purchasing experience I regret their passing, when I dealt with them they supplied a high quality product and a good service. Cowboys do not go out of their way to help their customers.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Has Finngulf itself gone titzup? If so, that passed me by.

 

[doris]

Fingulf 39/391

They are almost daysailers looking at the tankage!
Thought I was a bit light with 500l of water and 130l of fuel! At 100 and 75 respectively, hardly a cruiser.

 

[Quandary]

Has Finngulf itself gone titzup? If so, that passed me by.

You guessed right, they had published plans for a new 38 (the current 37 was almost identical to the 33 just a bit bigger in most dimensions) In late October there was a press release saying that in the current economic climate the directors were 'abandoning the race' which I think was another way of saying they were ceasing production. They implied they would be back but I suspect they are now bankrupt. Pity, they are good boats they never went overboard on production, but then they made several of the hi tech Farr designed racers including one that came to the UK but Aboard could not sell.
Wonder who will be next?

 

[Quandary]

They are almost daysailers looking at the tankage!
Thought I was a bit light with 500l of water and 130l of fuel! At 100 and 75 respectively, hardly a cruiser.

Finngulf wanted to compete with X yachts but they were perhaps not stripped out enough, too much internal joinery and deck gear, certainly we struggle to stay with them but not much else is quicker.
Tankage is light on our 33 compared to some but it is fine for the coastal cruising we do even in N Scotland. Our last 33 footer had a lot less. There is plenty of space for more water if you needed to carry it and the light fuel consumption gives nearly 40 hours which for us is nearly half a season but then a boat like this is meant to be sailed.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

It is clear to me now that that work was commissioned by Shane Rowe in the knowledge that the company had neither funds in hand nor any certain likelihood of funds becoming available to pay. Now is that just business or dishonesty?

.

If the company was trading whilst insolvent, I believe that is a criminal offence. So are you accusing Mr Rowe of that?

Most businesses that start up go bust - more than survive. It doesnt mean wrong doing. In giving credit to a limited company you are taking a risk in return for a profit.

Had someone go bust on me for 600k once. Overexpansion just before a downturn. He started up again, I did business with him again and over a period made back most of what we'd lost. Thats business. And its why limited liability companies were created.

 

[Riga]

Finngulf 39

According to "500 sailingboats in test", swedish, the height is 1,85 m. Crown 39 is an identic boat but built at another yard with lower quality.

 

[RobbieW]

If the company was trading whilst insolvent, I believe that is a criminal offence. So are you accusing Mr Rowe of that?

Having had a look at some definitions of trading whilst insovent, arguably the company were at that point. As the company effectively ceased trading in about October 2010 and the remaining director eventually took action to go into liquidation I'm not sure it would stick.

Most businesses that start up go bust - more than survive. It doesnt mean wrong doing. In giving credit to a limited company you are taking a risk in return for a profit.

Fair enough - however unsecured creditors are not usually investors if thats what you mean by giving credit. They are more likely to be people having paid a deposit expecting a service from the company or having performed a service for which they expect to be paid.

 

[Sailfree]

Fair enough - however unsecured creditors are not usually investors if thats what you mean by giving credit. They are more likely to be people having paid a deposit expecting a service from the company or having performed a service for which they expect to be paid.

Many threads on boat purchases and lost deposits but thats what CC were made for!!

I am sure many companies struggle and genuine directors try to keep the company going hoping for trading conditions to improve and possibly many continue when the writing is already on the wall. Its when they are milking the company themselves that I object to.