So come on then, what is the market like for new saily boats?

[Whitelighter]

Everyone seems to think that mobos will be a bit down in the dumps cos of pricey fuel next year. I can see how used boats will be affected, but if you have just lumped out £200k on a nice shiney toy, I doubt you will really care about an extra £2k pa on fuel. Anyway, time will tell.

So what about eco friendly non-diesel reliant stuff? I used to be a keen sailor as some will know, so how is this side of the market shaping up? The mass producers like Bavaria and Beneteau seem to be offering huge amounts of wedge of their boats at every show I go to, but has that just become the accepted norm. What about quality boats like Halberg-Rassy, Moody, Southerly and Nauticat? Do these builders have strong order books or is the whole industry in dicount free fall right now?

 

[MoodySabre]

I don't know the market but the news yesterday evening was dwelling on the fact that the rich are getting richer. That includes people who buy new yachts. So why would they be in discount free fall. I should think business is booming.

 

[toad]

I do not know about the others but Southerly are reporting full order books and are building a new factory

 

[CPD]

Ditto moodysailor. The rich are getting richer and I'm sure the boatbuildres are benefitting.

 

[jamesjermain]

Patchy. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[peterb26]

I'm not so sure about the optimism shown in some of the posts above.

The mega-rich are getting richer without a doubt, but most of the yachties that I know own sizeable homes with big mortgages.

Hence - I think the "sub-50-foot market" for yachts will see a downturn over the next couple of years.

 

[Twister_Ken]

I've got a friend who sells quite nice Scandiwegian boats, and he's doing well.

 

[peterb26]

I'd agree with that Ken - its the "ford cortina" sailing market that I think will slow down.

If its scandinavian, its going to be very much at the upper end of the market.