Gunboat International sues Chinese boatyard | Trade Only Today

The news about Gunboat filing for Chapter 11 is really sad. They have some great engineering know-how in the house, and a terrific product range.
Their costly venture into the building of the foiling cruiser model and the outsourcing of the production to a Taiwanese company (however good and competent it might be) were IMO their biggest operative mistakes.

The high-end yachts and superyacht construction can be the most rewarding but also the most dangerous segments of the boating industry. Your clients are sharks and wolves who make a big part of their earning via legal disputes, and have an army of lawyers who just can't wait to get a green light for action. And when the legal action starts, it involves amounts of money which can sink even the most economically solid shipbuilder. Companies who are in that business cannot afford to commit a single major error, let alone two consecutive ones.

I've recently took part of a technical meeting in the HQ of a renown producer of big yachts, who has decided to step into the superyachts business. The managers have told us very clearly that any bigger error in that project might easily send the shipyard belly-up, and they are well-aware of that fact.

I truly hope it will end well for the Gunboat (for the benefit of the wider boating community), but after having seen several similar cases here in Italy I admit of being a bit pessimistic about the outcome of this story.
They don't have plugs and tools for the latest model, and the clients' lawyers are probably calling and mailing them every day, asking their money back.
They have the G4 cruising foiler which has capsized under the media spotlights, with all the damage and cost, and lost of confidence in the boat by the potential buyers.
Their first G55 has dismasted and was abbandoned during the delivery (not anyone's fault, but a capsize always hurts the image of the brand).
At this point, they probably have banks and creditors calling them and knocking on their door every day, starting from the early morning.
All in all, not a nice picture.

 

How do you have a product made in another country then want to claim you preserve job's in your's ? The next question would be, if they used less expensive labor in a foreign country, did the customers really get an advantage, or were they still paying competitive prices locally, because if they did, then there is abuse towards other local manufacturers.

The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that there is a reason why countries have borders, why the same peoples belong together in their land, and they alone are responsible for themselves. All the world turmoils and troubles are because every one stick their paws in other's countries to their own advantage.

The world, and especially the Western world must seriously reconsider it's morality, or it is going to commit suicide.

 

That is exactly the opposite direction of social evolution Fanie. As the world's societies have advanced, they've done so through inclusion and acceptance, not isolation and denial. The countries with the most difficulties are also attempting to be non-secular and non-accepting. There has never been a successful non-secular society in the history of the world. Western societies have exploded with everything, from technology to personal freedoms, simply because of the acceptance of a secular approach to most things. Anytime you have a non-secular approach, someone gets screwed. Typically and historically, this has been women, children, the elderly, the poor, etc. These segments of any society also need attention, often help from those better off. This is the natural evolution of humanity as a whole, though there certainly are throw backs, some still wanting a middle age lifestyle, but most, by a large majority would prefer to have their society advance in the natural progression, which is inclusive and accepting. Being from South Africa, I'd think you'd have a pretty good idea about this very concept, considering recent history. Welcome to the 21st century.

 

Its looking like a ponzi scheme I think?
I am guessing but a seriously rich dude was ripped off in the SA bankruptcy and that case is just coming to court hence the ch11

 

Incorrect on many points PAR,suggest sticking to drawing old boats.

At any rate,I was on a Gunboat and it was the wildest ride I have ever had in a sailing vessel.
Hoping they make it through this somehow.