Seastoke
Well-Known Member
With them so popular why stop making them ,and why don’t firms that are still building boats make sports boats similar ,to trail os first time buyers.
S23; S25 what went wrong
- Thread starter Seastoke
- Start date
petem
Well-Known Member
Same thing that went wrong with the S28, the T29/29/30/34, and a whole load of sub 40ft Princess and Sunseekers.
DavidJ
Well-Known Member
Really great boats and Sealine were very successful at easing the transition through the range. For me it was S195 to S23 to S37. Their trade ins were super generous I think to the point of not making enough on the deal but hoping to make it on the next one.
Seastoke
Well-Known Member
But what if they are still popular now
ari
Well-Known Member
Popular doesn't automatically equal profitable.
IDAMAY
Well-Known Member
Yes, they were brilliant at keeping you in the brand. For us it was 195, 255, 290, 330, 420, F44, F42/5 and finally T47. It all went a bit pear shaped when Tom sold out and the money men came in.
DavidJ
Well-Known Member
That’s super brand loyalty and not uncommon for fans of the Sealine brand. I guess it’s hard to be both in the volume requirements of smaller boats and the tailored requirements of the larger boats at the same time......and the bit in between.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
For the same reasons as there are few similar size sailboats built. There is no demand at the price needed to make a profit and the market is stuffed with cheap used boats from the time when they were produced in quantity.
Add to that the entry level market has shrunk because of the lack of money available to the target demographic. That is families can no longer afford to buy a new boat or prefer to spend their leisure funds in different ways.
[2068]
...
The Sealine dealer I bought my S24 from, said that Sealine made almost zero profit on these boats, but they got people into the brand.
£50k for an S24, £95k for an S28, £130k for an S34, £160k for an S37 ... there was an upgrade path that non-squillionaires could follow.
£50k for an S24, £95k for an S28, £130k for an S34, £160k for an S37 ... there was an upgrade path that non-squillionaires could follow.
luptonj
Well-Known Member
But I guess if you spend your 50k on a used 34, they sell a new 37.
They just have to hope you build up the same brand loyalty with an older boat.
halcyon
Well-Known Member
In 1995 build time was, 210 .. 6 days, 240 .. 6 days, 270.. 8 days, 310 .. 8 days, 360 .. 8 days, 330S .. 7 days, 360S .. 9 days
So there you have your build cost, not a lot different in build, but a lot in selling, so why ake 210 when you can make 240's for twice the price. It did kill the sell them a 210, the make your money on the upgrade to a 240.
Brian
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
scary build times... or is it just me.
nicho
RIP
We can almost match you, 255,290,310 Statesman,F33(new) S37, S37(new),S41 and S48. The S37 was one of Sealine's best, though our S48 was a real beast and could be taken almost anywhere in almost anything!
halcyon
Well-Known Member
Tom was a production engineer before boat builder, all boats had fully pre built looms, all normal option items were fitted as standard, any non standard options pre-wired in loom, the switch panels were all plug and socket, so it took a minute or two to fit the switch panel. All the furniture was pre-built modules, helm was totally pre-built, all based on moving boats out of the door
Production engineering is a art we seam to have lost in this country.
Brian
Grubble
Well-Known Member
Because a new one would cost over £100,000 these days. Not many people would buy a brand new 25' boat for that price.
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
so what is the alternative...? something French?
burgundyben
Well-Known Member
If Cockwells could get the Duchy 27 to the boat show for £100k it would sell like hot cakes. But it's £140k plus options plus vat. Lovely as it is, that's just too spendy.
IDAMAY
Well-Known Member
Ray Hankey has us both beaten. I think he had thirteen before eventually succumbing to the charms of a Broome but that was long after Tom had sold out.
All our boats looked after us well. We took the larger ones as far north as Bergen, as far south as Santander, as far west as Fastnet and as far east as Fyn in Denmark. Our favourite was the T47, mainly because of its size and sea keeping. It was run very close by the F42 with the clever extending cockpit. It was good to pay marina charges for a 42 footer with the facilities of a 45 footer! All were new boats except for the last. Sealine always made an offer we couldn't refuse when it came to time to change. returning all or most of the cost of the trade in. The cost to change for new was just too much when it came to the T47, which was our first second hand boat
Grubble
Well-Known Member
Something secondhand. A very nice S25 or a S28 (with two engines) can be had for a fraction of the new cost, with plenty of cash left over to overhaul the outdrives, replace the upholstery, polish the gel coat, update the electronics etc etc.
Momac
Well-Known Member
Why not? People bought a S24 for £50k 20 years ago (not me).
That must be not far off £100k now - in real terms.
This is what you get nearly new for £100k and 25ft? How about this.........
http://www.newark-marina.co.uk/used-boats/four-winns-v255/
I don't find it very attractive. Comparing that to a S23 or S25 for £30k ish and even if adding for refurb such as a new canopy and upholstery the older boat makes more sense.