Hobbyhorse

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Re: pound coins and source of boat loot

Sorry Martyn, I put some numbers on last night to no availe.
Looks like we will need to make do with our 'Tenders' for the meantime.


<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.hamptonandmcmurray.co.uk>Hampton and McMurray</A>

Petrol Rules..
 
The boat industry is destroying itself

..with building bigger and bigger.

yes it makes sense in a short term view: bigger boats have bigger margins,and are far more glamourous. Customers are growing with their boats, so people who started with a 29' HR are now sailing a 42'HR and it makes sense. But because there is no entry model anymore, there is no new customer base anymore. So when the current generation of boaters puts their oilies away, where is the new generation going to come from? Oh yes , there will always be a few lucky ones that will be able to afford the 40+ footers, and 40+ footers will become ever cheaper (ie Benbavjan), and the second hand market will flourish in a decade. But the times where you could be sailing in your own 21 footer, with no headroom and a foldaway table for a couple of 1000£ are gone. And the industry will suffer the consequences in the next ten years.

The industry doesn't seem to grasp that you should actually keep on selling <30 footers, even at a loss, because in 10-15 years, the person that bought the small boat, will be your next customer for a profitable 40ft.

<hr width=100% size=1>Group of people on the pontoon: skipper is the one with the toolbox.
http://sirocco31.tripod.com
 
Re: The boat industry is destroying itself

It reminds me of the UK motorcycle industry of a generation ago. They decided that it cost the same to build a big bike as a small one but the profits were higher, so they gave up the starter end of the market to the Japanese.

They had neglected to consider "Brand Loyalty" and we know what followed...

This is precisely the reason why my current boat is the same (foreign) make as the last one. I felt comfortable with it's predecessor, I knew the dealer was ok and he obviously was happy to take a trade in for a sensible price. On the other hand should I risk my hard earned on something different ? Who knows ?

Geoff

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Re: The boat industry is destroying itself

Not quite seagoing i know, but in our marina 90% of the Boats are over 15 yrs old! There has to be 150 boats there! Seems to be a shortage of reasonably priced boats at least in our area.

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Re: The boat industry is destroying itself

Good point GES, esp in the UK. The MD of fairline 2 years aog told me that fairline is committed to the 30-40 foot bracket for this very reason, though you might think that's still starting too big. Sealine are the only ones doing a 24 footer

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Re: The boat industry is destroying itself

I think that to a newcomer, who is used to driving a car, a 30ft + boat is MASSIVE and he probably would like something smaller for starters so he buys an American 20 footer (which doesn't feature over the top specification) and he is hooked.

The problem is that not only brand loyalty but with he comes to trade up should he spend his chunk of extra cash on a bigger boat of the same brand or either a 10 - 15year old Brit with 10 coats of faded varnish on everything and in need of a lot of love and cash or a boat little bigger than his current one?

I find it very hard to make the change.

Geoff

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Re: The boat industry is destroying itself

Precisely.

I bought a 10yr old 20ft Four Winns to start with. Next year would like to move up and am looking at 238 Vista / 248 Vista or 1988 Princess 266 Riviera. Same money, big difference in ages and spec. To go above 25-30ft is daunting price wise unless you go 20yr old boat! The market does seem to be very limited. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>How much to fill'er up!
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And have you noticed how all the marinas are also getting bigger and bigger, new ones springing up left right and centre-so there will be plenty of room for everyones bigger and bigger boat. Nope, assuming no additional berthing facilities, and estimating the annual increase in boat length, it should be possible to calculate how long before there is only one mega boat filling up each marina basin. And the rest of us will have to berth in his en-suite.

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