Cornish Crabber 24, what's it worth?

Tranona said:
...the tiny market...
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But, isn't Cornish Crabbers still building boats, and doing nicely, supplying however tiny the proportion of the market is which admires these great-looking boats to the point of actually preferring one over an AWB, when they're in a position to choose and buy? And why shouldn't the profitability of building bigger, apply to the traditional-style market?

I'm not wilfully arguing with the facts as they appear...but Drascombes and Crabbers are instantly conspicuous for their style, and vastly admired both by yachtsmen and total novices...unlike AWBs, few of which evoke any emotion at all from most folk in either party...

...if these companies' traditional styling appeals to so many customers in the sub-30ft area, is it probable that the same liking just evaporates amongst customers of larger yachts?
 
Well based on the fact that not only Crabbers but also Yarmouth, Character Boats, Kittiwake, Norfolk etc., all build gaffers in the range up to 30' but not above I can only assume that is where the market is. Over 40ft seems to be one off custom build, e.g. John Alden ketch (although not gaffer). Although we hear a lot about the 26 and the occasional P30 they build, their bread and butter has always been smaller boats like the Shrimper, so I think the new Shrimper 21 will be the most important boat for them. I'm be having a look at that at SIBS next weekend.
 
eddystone said:
Well based on the fact that not only Crabbers but also Yarmouth, Character Boats, Kittiwake, Norfolk etc., all build gaffers in the range up to 30' but not above I can only assume that is where the market is.
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My guess is that above that length the proliferation of ropes stops being a charming feature and starts being a right royal pain in the backside. It's above 30' that make-life-easy-stuff like stackpacks, in-mast reefing, electric winches and the like become popular, and I just can't see many sailing couples wanting to go a long way in the other direction. Victoria Yachts sold the Victoria 26 and Frances 26 as gaffers, or at least tried to - I think they only sold three, and possibly not even that many.
 
dancrane said:
But, isn't Cornish Crabbers still building boats, and doing nicely, supplying however tiny the proportion of the market is which admires these great-looking boats to the point of actually preferring one over an AWB, when they're in a position to choose and buy? And why shouldn't the profitability of building bigger, apply to the traditional-style market?

I'm not wilfully arguing with the facts as they appear...but Drascombes and Crabbers are instantly conspicuous for their style, and vastly admired both by yachtsmen and total novices...unlike AWBs, few of which evoke any emotion at all from most folk in either party...

...if these companies' traditional styling appeals to so many customers in the sub-30ft area, is it probable that the same liking just evaporates amongst customers of larger yachts?
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Exactly - but you suggested they might build bigger boats. They have found their niche along with the others eddystone mentioned. However it is a precarious niche from a business point of view as they have gone bust at least twice, although not necessarily because of lack of demand for traditional Crabbers.

Good bunch of Shrimpers racing yesterday (with X boats) in the Wednesday afternoon "grocers" event in Poole Harbour.
 
They seem to have found a nice niche market in people who retire to Cornwall and buy a cottage and a Shrimper.
 
jwilson said:
They seem to have found a nice niche market in people who retire to Cornwall and buy a cottage and a Shrimper.
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The interior of the Cornish Crabber 26 is very "Coast" magazine. I don't think their target market is long distance sailors. Floating beach huts, basically, NTTAWWT.
 
dancrane said:
...is it probable that the same liking (for traditional designs) just evaporates amongst customers of larger yachts?
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When I asked that, I was implying that it isn't probable, and that big-boat buyers might enjoy less-banal options than are mostly offered today. Not sure how I was misunderstood!

But I daresay JumbleDuck has it just right - the same complex old-world rope-handling which is involving fun aboard a 30-footer, becomes a serious burden aboard a 40 or 50 footer...

...perhaps that's why big traditional yachts are so vastly attractive to anyone who isn't personally required to winch, pull and sweat to make them move. I still want one though. :rolleyes:
 
The Cornish Crabber 24 came after the Cornish Yawl which came after the Crabber Mk1 & Mk2. The Crabber 24 is no longer made as the Crabber 26 is now available!!!

Just to confuse everyone a Crabber 24 with a Bermudan Cutter rig instead of Gaff rig was called a Cornish Cutter. Here is mine, sold a couple of years ago worth a tad under 30k.

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Beautiful well made boats for the enthusiast. 30' Cornish Pilots discussed earlier are few and far between new (Don,t forget near 40' all up with bow sprit) but still available, even with a non gaff rigg, Cornish Crabber will try and accommodate clients specific wishes and due to demand developed an entire parallel range called the Adventure series which have Bermudan rigs. Cornish Crabber also build the Mystery range if you want something bigger that will plough across the Atlantic in comfort at a decent rate of knots the Mystery 35 is a superb blue water sailor by all accounts.
 
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Zagato said:
The Cornish Crabber 24 came after the Cornish Yawl which came after the Crabber Mk1 & Mk2. The Crabber 24 is no longer made as the Crabber 26 is now available!!!

Just to confuse everyone a Crabber 24 with a Bermudan Cutter rig instead of Gaff rig was called a Cornish Cutter. Here is mine, sold a couple of years ago worth a tad under 30k.

image.jpg2_zpsamilhczs.jpg



image.jpg1_zpsuyxpuwnj.jpg


Beautiful well made boats for the enthusiast. 30' Cornish Pilots discussed earlier are few and far between new (Don,t forget near 40' all up with bow sprit) but still available, even with a non gaff rigg, Cornish Crabber will try and accommodate clients specific wishes and due to demand developed an entire parallel range called the Adventure series which have Bermudan rigs. Cornish Crabber also build the Mystery range if you want something bigger that will plough across the Atlantic in comfort at a decent rate of knots the Mystery 35 is a superb blue water sailor by all accounts.
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Not sure I'd agree about Mystery 35 being "superb blue water sailor"; allowing for the fact it's really a 32 footer with more overhangs (same WL as a lot of 70s/80s era 32ft boats); I've been around the one at two boat shows and it has less storage space than my S32 and no wet locker. Would be well set up for single handed or a couple for shorter periods, IMHO.
 
Yes definitely standing headroom on the 26, that was largely the reason for the re-design. You always had to stoop in the 24 and the 26 head room is all the way which can be seen from the outside design of the roof. It,s a very nice boat and nice to sail...
 
Zagato said:
Yes definitely standing headroom on the 26, that was largely the reason for the re-design. You always had to stoop in the 24 and the 26 head room is all the way which can be seen from the outside design of the roof. It,s a very nice boat and nice to sail...
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And you can dry out. Always wanted a boat that can take the ground.
A couple of weeks ago I motored into Bembridge at 3am on springs with a falling tide and 1.7m showing on the tide gauge. A lifting keel would have been very welcome!
 
Just a quick update.

My mates CC has today been sold to a lovely couple from Britol who are going to keep it here on the Dart. It was advertised on EBay for slightly more than I originally anticipated and ended with 4 prospective purchasers competing to buy it. My friend is happy (although with mixed feelings at seeing his boat go) and the new owners seem delighted with what they have bought, so a good result all round.
Thanks for all your comments and suggestions.
 
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