Could yachtsbe cheaper

[Wansworth]

Did you get a free hair shirt with the plans.

Pearls before swine

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Pearls before swine

Oink Oink

 

[Tranona]

Back in 1968 the last family holiday part was spent in Teignmouth.Onthe extensive mud opposite the town where dryingmoorings .The Eventide took pride of place outnumbering and other class of boat .My father bought the plans but we never got round to building it but having watched one put to sea from Littlehampton in strong breeze it struck e as being a good little seaboat

my Eventide was one of the first 3 professionally built by Hartwells in Plymouth in 1963 and kept in Salcombe until 1970 when it was sold to someone in Poole and it stayed there mostly under my ownership until 2019. Well travelled particularly by the first owner who took it to Southern Brittany twice and Ireland twice, then by me several times cross channel and Channel Islands pls up and down the coats from Chichester to the Exe.

If you want to dream a bit more I can sell you the plans and licence to build a Riptide - the 31' version similar to my GH.

Every time I get this photo up I get the pangs of regret that I sold it for little more than the cost of the new Nanni I had just fitted.

 

[Stemar]

What is it that makes the difference between a classic and an old banger? My Snapdragon, much as I loved her, was an old banger, albeit a well-maintained one, but some boats are just instant classics. To me, the Eventide is one.

 

[John_Silver]

That looks like part of the kitchen display at my local Ikea.

A potential answer, therefore, to the OP’s question: “Could yachts be cheaper”?

 

[steveeasy]

Perhaps a counter question might be, should they be cheaper?. Some should, but most, not so.
Steveeasy

 

[Bouba]

The choice of manufacturer and model and options in the boat industry is almost comparable to the car industry...on a much much smaller market. The potential to cut costs is huge...if we all want to be in the same boat

 

[Sea Change]

There have been some attempts to make production boats simpler and cheaper inside- Harmony and Varianta come to mind. Both tried to produce an AWB without the luxury interior. Neither really caught on and went out of production after a short run.

Varianta 44

 

[Fr J Hackett]

There have been some attempts to make production boats simpler and cheaper inside- Harmony and Varianta come to mind. Both tried to produce an AWB without the luxury interior. Neither really caught on and went out of production after a short run.

Varianta 44

It's easy to see why.

 

[Tranona]

It's easy to see why.

Apart from the obvious lack of visual appeal the "savings" were really not significant particularly if you hit the options list to spec them up to a reasonable cruising standard. I priced up a 37' version of that and it came to within 10% of the equivalent Hanse which shared the same hull - and more than the equivalent Bavaria. Charter operators were not interested as charterers look for high spec boat and operators know that they can sell better spec boats more easily.

People buy new boats because they want the opportunity to get just what they want and the majority but the factory options to the level they want. You can see that in the way boats are marketed now with a wide range of options so the buyer gets a semi custom boat if it is built to order.

 

[onesea]

This cropped up on my FB don't tell manufacturers. It seems tongue and groove is the way to modernize a boat.

Complete with hanging baskets

Sympathetic restoration is a thing of the past.

 

[ylop]

Your probably right…..I guess I was musing on the yachts of the1970 were the factory sold a basic boat ready for the owner to complete as the man hours fitting out was were the costs mountedup

Look at cars - a 2cv or early fiat panda with its seats that were not much more than deckchairs. Whether marketing departments dragged us there, regulatory standards forced it on us or buyer expectations required it - cars are bigger, much more comfortable, higher spec and with electronics controlling everything.

There must still be a demand for the most basic (the Dacia end of the market), but most people buying new are to some extent buying luxury. Consequently the second hand market is flooded with “nice” stuff, so a cheap basic tool no longer seems attractive.

That looks like part of the kitchen display at my local Ikea.

I’m sure that is essentially the design style they were looking for! Whilst I think you meant it as a criticism - for their target buyer it’s probably a bonus.


I think there’s also a significant demographic change in yacht buyers since the 70s. Someone buying a yacht then was probably a man, with the money from “his” job, and a wife who was mostly not controlling the purchase. He might have had the time to fit it out as he had fewer house/child/grandchild responsibilities. He may have been more likely to have the technical skills. He was interested in sailing rather than comfort and there were limited examples of how the two could be achieved together. Today many yachts will be a joint purchase between couples. There are countless examples of “nice” interiors, professional people (with money for yachts) are probably more accustomed to paying others to do work than DIY, and enjoying time on the water is no longer about “his” hobby/sport and is now an activity that has to appeal to the equal parties in the relationship.

 

[westernman]

Look at cars - a 2cv or early fiat panda with its seats that were not much more than deckchairs. Whether marketing departments dragged us there, regulatory standards forced it on us or buyer expectations required it - cars are bigger, much more comfortable, higher spec and with electronics controlling everything.

There must still be a demand for the most basic (the Dacia end of the market), but most people buying new are to some extent buying luxury. Consequently the second hand market is flooded with “nice” stuff, so a cheap basic tool no longer seems attractive.

I’m sure that is essentially the design style they were looking for! Whilst I think you meant it as a criticism - for their target buyer it’s probably a bonus.


I think there’s also a significant demographic change in yacht buyers since the 70s. Someone buying a yacht then was probably a man, with the money from “his” job, and a wife who was mostly not controlling the purchase. He might have had the time to fit it out as he had fewer house/child/grandchild responsibilities. He may have been more likely to have the technical skills. He was interested in sailing rather than comfort and there were limited examples of how the two could be achieved together. Today many yachts will be a joint purchase between couples. There are countless examples of “nice” interiors, professional people (with money for yachts) are probably more accustomed to paying others to do work than DIY, and enjoying time on the water is no longer about “his” hobby/sport and is now an activity that has to appeal to the equal parties in the relationship.

No criticism.

Just a statement that for me, that kind of thing is OK for a kitchen, may be even good. But for a boat interior, particular the salon I don't like it.

I am well aware that tastes vary, and may be for the younger more sporty generation 0 this ticks their boxes.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

View attachment 174925
This cropped up on my FB don't tell manufacturers. It seems tongue and groove is the way to modernize a boat.

Complete with hanging baskets

Sympathetic restoration is a thing of the past.

I see they saved money on half a step too! Always March off on the right foot!

 

[wonkywinch]

Why are yachts required to be fitted out to such high standards in their interiors.The standard of finish on Hillyards or many other middle of the road yachts of the 1930/1950 isandwas quiteadequate with their toungeand groove paneling with mahogany bits.Do we need such perfectjoinery as presented to day.

Wansworth gets a mention in the June issue of YM.

 

[Wansworth]

Wansworth gets a mention in the June issue of YM.

View attachment 176509

Oh god,I am famous…..shouldn’t they pay me for that quote

 

[Neeves]

Why are yachts required to be fitted out to such high standards in their interiors.The standard of finish on Hillyards or many other middle of the road yachts of the 1930/1950 isandwas quiteadequate with their toungeand groove paneling with mahogany bits.Do we need such perfectjoinery as presented to day.

Just how many people were buying boats in the period 1939-45 and a fair bit later? Who were these people?

Jonathan

 

[Neeves]

Look at cars - a 2cv or early fiat panda with its seats that were not much more than deckchairs. Whether marketing departments dragged us there, regulatory standards forced it on us or buyer expectations required it - cars are bigger, much more comfortable, higher spec and with electronics controlling everything.

Modern cars seem to assume people cannot actually drive. Rear view and side mirrors are now ornaments, we have alarms instead. Driving tests used to incorporate an assessment of whether you could drive in reverse - now it is automatic ..... etc

You are being insulted and sold kit, at some expense that (I hope) you don't actually need.

We are now sold cars with heated steering wheels and heated seats - in Australia (I assume because to remove the soft ware would be expensive).

Jonathan

 

[Bouba]

Modern cars seem to assume people cannot actually drive. Rear view and side mirrors are now ornaments, we have alarms instead. Driving tests used to incorporate an assessment of whether you could drive in reverse - now it is automatic ..... etc

You are being insulted and sold kit, at some expense that (I hope) you don't actually need.

We are now sold cars with heated steering wheels and heated seats - in Australia (I assume because to remove the soft ware would be expensive).

Jonathan

When will we get all that lovely kit in our boats

 

[Neeves]

When will we get all that lovely kit in our boats

Do you really want it (even if some might need it ) its the slippery slope.

What will we discuss if anchoring becomes totally automated......??

Jonathan