God bless the French

[arfa]

I hadn't meant my original question to be in any way derogatory and I don't think the politicans have much to do with it (most of them couldn't run a bath....).
We do produce some great designers (for example apple - their main designer is a Brit) and formula one but perhaps it is telling that success comes more readily overseas. Maybe there is a gap in the market ? However the French seem to have the mini transat sector sewn up for now but I do think we're missing a trick here

 

[rwoofer]

Having bought an RM, I become very aware of a lot of french yachts and realise that there are a surprising number of small builders really exploring boat design. Here is another one that looks interesting:

http://www.venetes.fr/FR/boats/index_samba235.htm

There is one in particular that seems to survive despite having very old fashioned looking designs:

http://www.wrightonyachts.com/

And here is something that does looking particularly cute:

http://gliksman.perso.neuf.fr/pabouk/pabouklove.html

 

[Boomshanka]

Then there's folk like Eric Henseval doing some great designs... with links to local builders who come up with the goods http://hensevalyd-english.jimdo.com/

 

[rwoofer]

Then there's folk like Eric Henseval doing some great designs... with links to local builders who come up with the goods http://hensevalyd-english.jimdo.com/

I would say this, but there does seem to be an awful lot of designs (chines, deck saloon, flat foredeck etc) that seem to be copycats of the Marc Lombard RMs. All french of course.

 

[Boomshanka]

I would say this, but there does seem to be an awful lot of designs (chines, deck saloon, flat foredeck etc) that seem to by copycats of the Marc Lombard RMs. All french of course.

I guess there's only so much you can do with 'stitch and glue' ply. I gave a translated version of Eric Henseval's site... here's the French one which shows more detail: http://www.hensevalyachtdesign.com/

 

[SailBobSquarePants]

Love that Aviateur 5.70m...

A very nice mini Transat boat. What is really striking is the common mT domed ports in the saloon...so bloody useful at times, and probably really opens up the interior. Last seen on an English production boat....?

I am thinking you have an outer fixed Lexan dome, with a polarized coating. Then you put in a very lightweight inner dome that rotates, also polarized. You can then vary the lighting and privacy below decks via rotating the inner dome...obviously not something you really need at sea, but would be really useful for a marina hopping sport-boat...

 

[DogWatch]

Why would you want to build boats in the UK? Got to be cheaper to do it in E Europe.

In France it helps sales if the boat is made in France but no-one here is going to pay a penny more for anything made in the UK. If indeed they will pay as much.

Speak for yourself not me eh

 

[saltyrob]

Hi,

I remember tramping around about yards looking for a smallish cheapish second hand cruiser ,Mrs Saltyrob was slightly put off by cramped dull interiors with galleys designed for hardy souls living on hard tack.Then on the off chance we looked at a Jeanneau Tonic,light airy well designed interior and plenty adequate for our estuary and coastal hop sailing.Although we didn't buy it, the seed was sown in Mrs R's head that this sailing lark could be comfortable with a pinch of luxury,(we were campers).Maybe the French manufacturers realised that making a boat more sexy and sailing partner friendly would open more wallets.

Rob

 

[Sans Bateau]

"Maybe the French manufacturers realised that making a boat more sexy and sailing partner friendly would open more wallets."

Exactly! Just look at the interior of any current AWB, who is it aimed at? And I dont believe they are all as unseaworthy as some will tell you. I have heard that a modern AWB recently sailed 100 miles without a keel, impossible I would say.

 

[Tintin]

Browsing through the sailing titles in a French newsagent, I came across Voile Magazine. The edition covered their yacht of the year, and the winner is as pure-frog as they come, the Django 7.70. Why isn't there a UK manufacturer doing this sort of thing?

You need to speak the lingo to get very far into the www, but the English is 'charming' and the pix are pretty illustrative.

http://www.mareehaute.fr/index.php?lang=en

http://www.mareehaute.fr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=61

Anyone know how much?

 

[doug748]

The 6.5m basic boat is c 39.000euro. So the Django might be in the region of 50k euro.

 

[DownWest]

So it is in competition with a raft of second hand boats in bigger sizes. On sera.
A
But does look sexy