Boats.co.uk team up with Princess

[Pinnacle]

I'd vote for Mapism! Just think: someone running the country who is sensible and likes boats!
As regards "way with words", the problem with MapisM is that he is now too good at EN :encouragement:

Indeed........he even knows what "tipple" means!

 

[rubberduck]

But why were Essex offering you such a cracking deal? Because the Fairline wasn't as desirable as the Princess.

If something's worth a pound, priced at 3 pounds and the bloke says he'll knock 50% off is it a better deal than someone else selling something worth £2.50, priced at 3 pounds who will only knock off 60p? Even though the Fairline was offered cheap you still didn't buy it.

Yes, Essex / BCU know how to deal but how will they get on without the head start enjoyed on a less desirable product? We will allow you a phenomenal p/x on an over priced car that we can't sell. We would be a lot harder on something priced to sell with three people queuing up to buy it.

As I've said before the one potential benefit is if BCU are better geared up to sell P/X boats without the handcuffs placed on The current Princess retail outfit. Having to trade them out means less money in the deal.

Henry

I heard the 1st time.

I didn't think Fairline was such a bad product back in 2009 / 10. Know more than a few happy owners, several on here seem to be happy enough.
The only reason we didn't buy was the deal we were offered on the Abs covered several years depreciation (even in the wrong country) & got rid of a Friday afternoon boat.

 

[MapisM]

LOL, @ jfm & pinnacle: thanks for your support, I appreciate!

I might even consider that, provided that I would still be allowed to:
1) spend months in some nice and warm place like NZ during winter;
2) spend most of the summer onboard.

Shouldn't make a big difference vs. staying at Number 10, after all...
...These days, what else does it take to run a Country, other than a decent internet connection...?

 

[MYAG]

I'd vote for Mapism! Just think: someone running the country who is sensible and likes boats!
As regards "way with words", the problem with MapisM is that he is now too good at EN :encouragement:

Not as good as my mate Bart though I reckon.......

 

[Portofino]

Actually I wonder if any one at No 10 or indeed the possible successors will upset the apple cart or is the boat building buisness in the UK immune from political interference -going forwards ?

Brain storm -Sterling -export the product /import the componants -one up t,other down
- fuel tax -Aimed at boaters -sold as a green issue to Jo public
- some other UK " luxury " Tax contrived 2-3 Y in
- VAT
- negitive employment law - changes driving up costs
- changes to corporation tax -= Sun /prin start moving production abroad -UK boat building shrinks
- EU issues after a referendum - we are out ! Now looking at the market from the edge -UK boats " paper worked "

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

- fuel tax -Aimed at boaters -sold as a green issue to Jo public

I have been wondering about that for some time. If certain politicians of a socialist or Green bent realised that some of us are tooling around in boats consuming CO2 belching fossil fuel at a rate of 2 or 3 galls per mile and all for our own pleasure, I'm sure there would be a huge clamour to raise duty on marine fuel for pleasure use. However, so far, I think that the BMF and RYA have done a pretty good job of convincing the govt that the UK boat building and boating industries are a crucial sector of the economy and deserve support rather than taxing into oblivion

As for your other scenarios, I can see Sterling taking a dive after the election given that we're likely to get a protracted period of political confusion resulting in somebody in a kilt running the country and that could help the export drive of our boat building industry

 

[ontheplane]

And would you buy a boat from a company losing £2.2m per yr? I wouldn't.

I've maintained for a while now, unless the UK boat sales industry wises up and introduces a protection scheme where the buyers money is insured then I think we'll be looking at a gradual collapse of the industry.

It appears that many here have the confidence to buy from EBY / BCUK - however I see that confidence being shown less and less in buying elsewhere.

 

[BartW]

Not as good as my mate Bart though I reckon.......

Yes yes yes, keep on joking
have you made up your travelling plans for june-july Mike ?
remember you need to come and taste Montenegrian food
hopefully I have my 2 MAN's running then
just got the good news that Bosh got the injection pump ready working finally

 

[jrudge]

I agree with you.

The moan protection you have in build is assignment of the vessel as the stage payments are made. This helps but in the worse case scenario you become the proud owner of a half built boat which would be a challenge!

 

[Summer. Wine]

LOL, @ jfm & pinnacle: thanks for your support, I appreciate!

I might even consider that, provided that I would still be allowed to:
1) spend months in some nice and warm place like NZ during winter;
2) spend most of the summer onboard.

Shouldn't make a big difference vs. staying at Number 10, after all...
...These days, what else does it take to run a Country, other than a decent internet connection...?

Well, now that you have established embassies in Tasmania and New Zealand, why not?

 

[jfm]

Back to BCU and Princess - this made me smile. Several times in the 3 years or so since the very fine princess 82 was launched I've spoken to other Princess representatives about the having one built with an internal flybridge staircase - a feature many on here understand well. The response was generally sucked teeth. BCU became dealers on Monday this week. On Wednesday this week, I received an email from BCU with a full set of CAD drawings showing a Princess 82 with internal staircase and a message basically saying "confirmed: you can have this if you want"

You gotta hand it to those Barke Brothers! :encouragement::encouragement:
And to Princess, for upping their game nicely :encouragement::encouragement:

 

[Anders_P42]

Can't wait for Match III thread

 

[scubaman]

That's pretty good going. Some people just make things happen. A good example of why they have been so successful, I'm sure.

 

[Pinnacle]

Oooohhh........I feel another new-build thread coming on!

Edit.....must type faster!

 

[benjenbav]

Back to BCU and Princess - this made me smile. Several times in the 3 years or so since the very fine princess 82 was launched I've spoken to other Princess representatives about the having one built with an internal flybridge staircase - a feature many on here understand well. The response was generally sucked teeth. BCU became dealers on Monday this week. On Wednesday this week, I received an email from BCU with a full set of CAD drawings showing a Princess 82 with internal staircase and a message basically saying "confirmed: you can have this if you want"

You gotta hand it to those Barke Brothers! :encouragement::encouragement:
And to Princess, for upping their game nicely :encouragement::encouragement:

Can they fix the billy-no-mates driving position as well?

 

[MYAG]

Yes yes yes, keep on joking
have you made up your travelling plans for june-july Mike ?
remember you need to come and taste Montenegrian food
hopefully I have my 2 MAN's running then
just got the good news that Bosh got the injection pump ready working finally

Sounds good Bart. I should have cruising plans decided shortly, I'll post on the Carloforte thread. It would be great to hear those rebuilt engines!.......

 

[jfm]

Can they fix the billy-no-mates driving position as well?

Yep, the drawings include that too, after a fashion. It's quite easy to fix this one actually.

 

[MapisM]

Well, now that you have established embassies in Tasmania and New Zealand, why not?

LOL, yeah, now that I've got also the CYA burgee, to match the WBA one that I already had in my arsenal, the most important things are already covered, I reckon...
Many thanks again also for that!

PS: waiting the last connection flight to Milan in Heathrow as I'm writing, so the looong return trip is almost over, thanks God.
I really hate long-haul flights - not that it wasn't worth, quite the opposite, in fact!

 

[oldgit]

Could it just be the Barke Bros live in a world where the vast majority of their customers regard spending £10-50k as a serious amount of money (not merely the price of of a passerelle )and that almost certainly much of that amount may well have to come from being able to P/X their boat.
There is a world ex Solent and anybody with a few bob in the Midlands may well prefer to speak to a sales team dressed in clothing appropriate for Essex weather as as opposed to somebody in suit in Hampshire.

 

[henryf]

Yep, the drawings include that too, after a fashion. It's quite easy to fix this one actually.

And I presume the A/C is moving from the engine bay to the crew quarters

For all the hassle you cause as a pain in the backside customer I do think there are many elements which make a lot of sense and manufacturers benefit from the fact you are prepared to put in the hours. Some of your mods will be done purely on the basis of personal preference but the vast majority have solid foundations in common sense and ring true with most of us who use our boats in anger.

Can I be the first to officially thank you for your gracious hosting of the Great British Boat Show 2016 drinks party. I know Roger & the gang at Swanwick would be desperate to swamp a P82 in free booze & canapés. I can just see him spluttering in amazement when someone hands him the tab

On a serious note if the new partnership spawns another build thread it will have been worth all the negotiations. You know it makes sense. What else were you going to do over the 2015 / 16 winter?

I look forward to settling down for a quiet 10 minutes in the day head with a copy of Exchange & Mart for company.


Henry