Fairline - any news?

Seems that BC are very 'unfortunate' in their timings, Xmas time again! It was becoming increasing obvious this is how it would work out, hopefully from the ashes a phoenix might fly. From postings by JFM & others it seems that there were some models that were in demand and perhaps those models could comprise a bespoke range of a new 'Fairline'.

Administrators will be having a 'fire sale', maybe the important assets will be picked up and with some of the expertise from the old company, a new outfit of 'boat builders' can make a limited brand profitable, without a huge debt to service!

Good luck to all..
 
A sad day for the UK boat building industry. Best of luck to all of Fairline's staff
 
pan said:
Administrators will be having a 'fire sale', maybe the important assets will be picked up and with some of the expertise from the old company, a new outfit of 'boat builders' can make a limited brand profitable, without a huge debt to service!
Click to expand...

That was said and tried time after time as the British sailing boat industry collapsed. It never, ever worked. The occasional hull was moulded and fitted out, but it's never more economical to make things on a small scale rather than on a large scale, so if BigBoatBuilder Ltd can't make a profit, BespokeBoatBuilder hasn't a chance.

If people had been willing to pay <sticks wetted finger in air> fifty percent more for Fairlines (or Westerlies, or Victorias, or Sadlers, or ...) then Fairline (and Westerly, Victoria, Sadler ...) wouldn't have been in trouble in the first place.
 
pan said:
, without a huge debt to service!
Click to expand...
Just on that, remember Fairline had no bank debt during these last few years, so a new owner of the business debt free wont be in any stronger a position. BTW, s/seeker have no bank debt either; the only UK big boat builder with chunky bank debt is Princess (as you'll see when they publish 2015 accounts; hitherto the debt has been there but kept off the UK balance sheet using a standard Lux structure)
I don't think debt or absence of it is the issue. The issue is summarised a bit in jumbleduck's post above
 
So already been offered work at Sunseeker that are doing well? But would love to invest my 10k ish in keeping FAIRLINE going with a great leader. To me it's better to try and fail than not try at all.
 
jfm said:
Just on that, remember Fairline had no bank debt during these last few years, so a new owner of the business debt free wont be in any stronger a position. BTW, s/seeker have no bank debt either; the only UK big boat builder with chunky bank debt is Princess (as you'll see when they publish 2015 accounts; hitherto the debt has been there but kept off the UK balance sheet using a standard Lux structure)
I don't think debt or absence of it is the issue. The issue is summarised a bit in jumbleduck's post above
Click to expand...

Obviously you are more aware of the financial structure of FB than me, although it wasn't bank debt, I assumed that there were some inter company loans that attracted a charge, as this isn't case, and seeing the losses incurred by SS & Prin, there really isn't much future in the mid size powerboat industry. Both of the above seem to be moving towards 90ft plus as the way forward, is this the end of UK 40-80ft powerboat manufacturing in the next few years..?
 
Probably not much of a consolation in these dark days - maybe more like a glimmer of hope - but I have this weekend discovered that Greenline has started building and delivering boats again under a new (Ukraining I believe) owner. The company went under in September 2014 and slowly started production up again in July this year, so almost 10 months in the deep freezer is not necessarily the end. The German dealer had a fresh 2016 price list on their website (that's how I found out) and it appears more dealers (Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine) have joined the existing dealer net.

They have a Facebook profile with fast-forward videos of the build process. Seems they will be in Dusseldorf with 2 boats.

Conceivably something similar could be done for Fairline, but it takes time to put together a viable business plan, not to mention finding the necessary money.
 
Fairline - Owners Club

petem said:
I don't want to sound like a grave robber but there are a few assets that I'd like to acquire.
Pete
Click to expand...
You are not a grave robber and there is a precedent for an owners club buying assets from a failed boatbuilder:-
'Consonant Yachts of Vriezenveen in the Netherlands has built more than seventy Kuster motor yachts in the past decade but last year the company found itself in difficulties and the yard was taken over by the Kuster owners club. Recently Kuster owners club, led by Herman van der Most, started looking for a new party to continue the construction and maintenance of the Kuster and Noaber vessels.'
See http://www.kusteryachts.nl/fr/info/61/156/north-line-yachts-has-taken-over-consonant-yachts.html but I don't know how well it is working out - that quote is well out of date now, and the relevant websites have not been updated for some time.
 
Re: Fairline - Owners Club

Well I had to tell the good folk of the forum !

I was actually going to take it down last week but been a bit busy of late !

Will be signing off for good soon so getting the last few posts in whilst I can !

Here's hoping for the odd trip to Farnborough ;) I very much doubt it though ...
 
Re: Fairline - Owners Club

Richard Shead said:
Well I had to tell the good folk of the forum !

I was actually going to take it down last week but been a bit busy of late !

Will be signing off for good soon so getting the last few posts in whilst I can !

Here's hoping for the odd trip to Farnborough ;) I very much doubt it though ...
Click to expand...

Surely nothing to stop you posting after your departure from Time?
 
Re: Fairline - Owners Club

jfm said:
Hohoho! Yep, nothing apart from some famous social media policies that are stricter than the Atkins diet :D:D:D
Click to expand...

I'm in the Deleted User camp when it comes to diets, see food and eat it:):) so no idea what you're talking about.;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top