More industry consolidation - Arcona this time

Funny how this happens on the continent but never happens to UK firms that go bust

The other funny thing is that Sweden and Germany share a similar education system, like the one we scraped in 1965/70, since then we have gone down hill, and funny things happen to them but not us ?


Brian
 
This is interesting because Najad bought Maxi yachts but sold the brand to Delphia. Now they have bought Arcona so they clearly want a performance line. It looks to me as though Najad want to go head to head with X-Yachts, but i think that X has the advantage of the single brand. That way they are not having to divide their resources and have two different marketing budgets and all the additional costs with boat shows etc. It would make much more sense to combine the yachts into a single brand.
 
The other funny thing is that Sweden and Germany share a similar education system, like the one we scraped in 1965/70, since then we have gone down hill, and funny things happen to them but not us ?
Brian

Downhill?? I thought that the UK had gone from a basket case to the 5th largest economy in the world. Is that down hill? Or are you just another GB knocker??
 
An Arcona would be my dream boat...beautiful and well engineered. Interesting about the merger.

TBH I think the industry is in for very tough times ahead with disruptors such as Viko 35s being available for under 50 grand, brand new. Why would people pay more for a new boat? Also, when you look at what's happening with cars, younger people don't care any more about engine size, driven wheels or handling, they just want iPod connectivity and a fixed monthly payment, and another new one 3 years down the line and it will go the same way with boats...a plotter driving the music choice and fish finding ability will become more important than layers of laminate. As the older generation hang up their sailing boots I really think the premium brands will start to struggle as to many people a yacht is a yacht and if you can knock a zero off the price tag, why not.
 
Najad has bought Arcona.

Press release

I wish Najad the very best with their purchase.

But there's something that bothers me about Arcona's dwindling success. Many of us talk about the kind of boats we'd like to own - I do lol ! - so I jumped at the chance to view the 465 when it came out. Great boat, composite hulls a bit pricey if you ding them, but just what the doctor ordered.

Correction! What we collectively ordered ...like the Three Little Bears the 465 was just right. Did I buy it? No, partly because in all honesty mine does pretty much everything it can, but I assumed/hoped that this worthy boat would sell like hot cakes.

Elsewhere, the death of the cruiser racer has followed the trend towards one/oneish-design racing; something like a Fast 40 costs some £200k p.a. to run and you can't cruise them ;)

As to the cruising bit; well older cruiser racers are just fine. The 465 orders never came, it wasn't money, few say anything bad about the boats, it was something else.

Sad, and a warning to other builders; not to only ask us lot what we'd like. But to ask us honestly, with a big white-light shining in our faces, if we'd actually buy the damn thing if they built it :ambivalence:
 
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