A market for trad tenders?

[JesseLoynes]

I apologise if anyone feels that this is advertising, it's intended as a request for some opinions, just as the thoughts on starting a boatbuilding company were previously in this forum.

Getting out and around Chichester Harbour I see a lot of wooden yachts, most of which have a plastic or inflatable tender. I'm wondering if there may be a market for a traditional clinker tender.

I know there are some semi trad boats out there at the moment, but I would like to go for something not using ply, make it copper fastened, and properly finished.

The alternative is to look into the traditional daysailers of the area, Sunbeams, X boats, or similiar.

I'd like to start building new boats, but obviously don't want to launch into full yachts straight away. The question is: Is there a market? I wondered if anyone had heard a muttering through word of mouth on the subject. - Can't find them, too expensive, etc.

Thanks.

 

[ccscott49]

The market for traditional tenders is tiny, McNulty of south shields went belly up, they made them, there are a few people around who make them, I think you would find the cost would be a significant reason to stop people buying one, they are expensive to build and also not easy to get it perfect.

 

[JesseLoynes]

Yes, I know the market is small, but I was wondering if among the thousands of boats in Chi Harbour, Solent and along to Brighton, whether there might be 20 or 30 customers? or even 5? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[m1taylor]

There is certainly a market for kit built wooden tenders - look at Fyne boat kits for example. It's the labour costs which make ready made boats prohibitively expensive - I guess that's why people build them themselves.

 

[ccscott49]

It's also finding somebody who can build a larch, oak, mahogany clinker! I have one, so I'm not a prospective customer.

 

[Guest]

A mate of mine that has a lovely Finesse 24 went to the Southampton boatshow just recently, he was thinking it might be nice to have a pretty little clinker tender for her. He was looking at a rather nice clinker ply 7ft stem dinghy, one of those glued together jobbies. He said the the exibitor, how much is one of those then, the bloke says £1200.00, I asked my mate what he said to him? He said that he told him "You is having a f*****g laugh aint ya!............but that's the reality, as has already been mentioned, it's the labour costs mostly, but the cost of "real wood" as opposed to ply is going up all the time, never mind the bits and bobs, I just paid £7.00 for a pound of 1" copper nails!........sadly, a very niche market.

Don't let all these negative comments put you off though, if you can come up with a pretty design, preferably one that has provenance, give it a go, build one, sort of a market tester, see what happens.

I think that a lot of sales for boats like these are achieved by word of mouth and reputation, so if you build one and sell it, and the customer is delighted with it, he will say so to his friends. "Oak Trees out of Acorns"?

Best, Charlie

 

[JesseLoynes]

Thanks for those comments, it's interesting to see what people say. Others I've spoken to face to face have said both the same and completely opposite things. I think the eventual outcome will be to build one, put it up for sail and enjoy it in the meantime! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[ccscott49]

1200 quid! Mine is a McNulty, 8' 6" not glued, copper fastened larch, oak and Mahogany, a new one cost 3400 three years ago. Mine was 1500 11 years ago, secondhand. The glued ply ones are of course much cheaper as the skill levels are nowhere near as high, but 1200 is reasonable.

 

[Lakesailor]

Unless you can productionise the process you will never be able to charge the value of your work.
Plus of course all the certification and red tape.
If you do build them, do it like you suggest, as a hobby that pays. Don't give up the day job.

 

[Kristal]

£1200 sounds pretty resonable to me for a well-finished, brand new wooden tender...

 

[Clive_Rigden]

If you can produce a design that could have the option of a centre board and simple rig, then I think you may have something. I've been thniking of getting a traditional small sailing boat for some time to use as a tender or just to go sailing on the Beaulieu River when I haven't the time or inclination to get Enigma off and back onto the mooring. Chichester Harbour would be an ideal location for such usage.

Good luck !

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Yep,

That would be more appealing to me too.....

 

[ccscott49]

McNulty used to make a sailing kit for my dinghy, should have bought one before they went belly up, but I suppose I could easily make a rudder and a dipping lug for it, just another project, groan!!

 

[Clive_Rigden]

I very nearly bought an old clincker scow earlier this year for that very purpose but decided there was more than enough work to do on Enigma without another project ! Maybe next season . . .

 

[Guest]

Not for a few bits of plywood glued together it aint! It's a rip-off!

A proper timber one with copper roves and all the craftsman type bits and bobs, I can understand commanding a high price, but a plywood punt will never be in the same league (imho).

Best, Charlie.

 

[Lakesailor]

You've not seen a Fyne Boats one they've built up then. The time involved is where the cost lies. Beautiful finish.

 

[Guest]

It might have a nice finish, but it is still a plywood punt, and no comparison to what Jesse is proposing to build

Here speaks a man of prejudices! (grin).

 

[Transcur]

Kings at Pin Mill are making the odd clinker tender with a simple rig. http://www.kingsboatyard.co.uk/
I think it was shown in Classic Boat a few months ago. Gus has just had an order for another one .

Do your research right, pick a good shape and make it.

 

[Lakesailor]

My point exactly. There is a guy up here building new char boats. They are the original of the boats you hire to row on Windermere.
£10,000 to you sir.
OK this one is over 70 years old and a bit smaller.

 

[skipperscouse]

go for it ! i wish you good luck.
i,ve been doing a bit of research up north with a view to self employment doing boat repairs,prospects look good.
as to building new as you describe,many people do seem to have more cash to spend on leisure especially once mortage free. look at the sails for instance of big motor bikes, campervans and such like. sorry to waffle on ! but what have you got to loose ? fortune favours the brave,
pete