Is the market suitable for completing your own new boat build as some manufacturers used to offer.

[Zagato]

With labour, materials and overheads high, I wondered if small boat manufactures would want to just provide the GRP boat shell as they used to, considering even a new trailer sailer with cabin will realistically be 35k -55k plus to buy in basic form.

I would love to build a Cape Cutter or Shrimper 21, especially considering there are so few on the market second hand which keeps prices high. A wood Cape Henry is too much work and I would prefer GRP.

 

[Tranona]

No. The number of people who are prepared to put in that amount of work is tiny and there are few savings - plus the faff of certification. Self build was popular primarily because there was little choice on the used boat market and there was a whole industry dedicated to servicing the home builder. That no longer exists because the boat building industry in the UK is now so small and concentrated at the upper end.

Hunter were the last to offer completion kits but sales were small when you could buy a read y to go 2 or 3 year old boat for the same sort of money as a kit - plus of course avoiding the year's work of assembling the kit.

With the boats that interest you I am surprised there is no GRP version of the Cape Henry yet - guess because the market is small and dominated by the Shrimper.

 

[ylop]

I think the finance director / accountant / bank will be saying "why sell lower costs kits when you could sell finished boats for more money". Same reason there are very few smaller yachts getting made any more - there are enough people with the cash (credit) for a nicely finished larger boat that dealing with those who can't afford that is bad business.

 

[Zagato]

Thanks. There had to be a reason why. I suppose one option could be to have a wood kit built by a chippy then fit it out myself. Not sure you would save much depending on the labour rate. Second hand will be the sensible way to go...

 

[Sandy]

A simple choice really, be a boat builder or go sailing, says man waiting for some work to be completed on my boat so I can go sailing this year.

 

[rotrax]

I have just checked the Plymouth Pilot motorboat site. They will supply a hull and cuddy for home completion.

 

[jac]

As covered in other threads, so many basically sound GRP hulls around that if you want to fit out a hull there are plenty of boats that are basically complete but that could be totally restored if somone has the time. Tht covers your " Want to fit out a boat to my spec " group. For those who just want a boat a bit cheaper, a 5 year old 2nd hand boat is probably excellent value normally.

 

[ylop]

Thanks. There had to be a reason why. I suppose one option could be to have a wood kit built by a chippy then fit it out myself. Not sure you would save much depending on the labour rate.

I'd say if you won't have the skills to make the hull of some of the wooden kits then you definitely don't have the skills to do the cabinetry/fitout to the standard that seems to be the norm on even fairly cheap yachts now.

 

[lustyd]

It’s entirely possible someone would sell you a hull but I’d imagine their fitters would then have a gap in schedule. In the old days a carpenter made cabinets in a boat. These days they assemble the prefab bits in a production line. As such, in the old days they could sell more boats by selling hulls, these days that same action would leave the production line empty for weeks.

 

[Zagato]

I'd say if you won't have the skills to make the hull of some of the wooden kits then you definitely don't have the skills to do the cabinetry/fitout to the standard that seems to be the norm on even fairly cheap yachts now.

I have the skills (the hull is the quicker/easier bit) just not perhaps the time. It is more of a financial thought however.

 

[Zagato]

As covered in other threads, so many basically sound GRP hulls around that if you want to fit out a hull there are plenty of boats that are basically complete but that could be totally restored if somone has the time. Tht covers your " Want to fit out a boat to my spec " group. For those who just want a boat a bit cheaper, a 5 year old 2nd hand boat is probably excellent value normally.

Yes and it's always better to buy one already done and up together and sell on for a profit which is what I always do. 6k on a Cornish Crabber 24 and the last IF Boat was a 3K profit. I now want something more specific (see original post and not a Shrimper but a Shrimper21/Cape Cutter )which is in demand and do don,t old ones of those knocking about. I wouldn't go anywhere near old smelly man's sheds where everything has been messed about with and dodgy engines to boot.

 

[Concerto]

Refurbing is the way to go, not fitting out a hull and deck.

There were plenty of hulls sold by Colvic for home completion, some never completed. Buyers look for those that were professionally fitted out as the DIY ones were from excellent to a complete bodge throughout and difficult to sell.

You may find a suitable craft in the cheaper storage yards that has been taken over as the fees have not been paid. They might be old smelly man's sheds but are sold at very low prices that allow for a complete refurb and a profit.

 

[Zagato]

No thanks Conerto... not the way to go as already explained. Money pits and grief. I have always bought really good example up together boats (and cars) you can sell at a nice profit ? some on this thread will testify to that. The problem this time is that what I want is very specific as explained, in short supply with a high demand.