What are good boats?

I am trying to do some market research to move forward with making smaller hand crafted fiberglass boats (16'-21'). I know what I like to see in boats but was wondering what the rest of the boating world thought. What is important to other people, things you would like to have or things you don't like. what type of boat you would enjoy most. something specific to a certain activity or something more versital. Again I feel that I have a pretty good idea what would sell but then again its just my opinion. any imput would be great. Thanks

 

What kind of boat are you talking about ? I like a lot of boats . The best ones are owned by other people .

 

Yes that is true, but I was thinking more along the lines of a near shore fishing style boat that is family and fun friendly too. Any input?

 

how about a Mini-McGregor dual-purpose sailer/outboard speed boat?

He has certainly had success with that formula, but at 26' and 3,000lbs(once the extra gear starts breeding) it is still a lot of boat for many, especially the casual day users.

How about a well under 1500lb package:boat, trailer, motor, rigging, sails, fuel(so it will be able to be towed by the smallest car with a Class1(2000lb) hitch even after extra gear shows up)

sleeping for two in the bow(instead of six) and some others in the cockpit,

an enclosed cabin large enough for porta-potty, but not a lot else,

but a cockpit design able to work with a tent, so the boat can be motored and sailed under at least rain and wind protection.

Two features I feel MacGregor needs to work into his concept are using batteries for 'fixed ballast' instead of just lead, and using his Water Ballast for possible fresh water/fuel storage with bladders, and //or some means of shifting the water ballast from side to side for better sailing performance.

 

Atonomy; Have you been in the boat manufacturing business before? If not you need to examine the old and hackneyed phrase..............Want to make a small fortune in the boat business? Easy, just start with a large fortune.

 

there is a macgregor 19, very nice boat , the mast stores in the side when you don't want it, i am not sure if they still make them but there are plenty of them around.

 

don't mean to discourage you, but you are talking about breaking into a market which is flooded. just for an excercise look up new boat manufacturers and write down how many you come up with. sorry for going off topic a bit. you might find a niche in the market but i can't think of any that aren't catered for.

 

That MacGregor 19 looks about right, probably motors nicer

with the vee-hull than the 26.

Looks like they beat me to the punch, down to the tent. http://www.sailingtexas.com/smacgregor19106.html



But I was thinking of an even smaller less bulky boat, with less cabin and more cockpit, and possibly even rowable. Without the under the cockpit berths and narrower and in the 1500-1000lb range for total package.

 

The largest segment of the market is the 16' to 18' powerboat. At the moment there's a huge glut of boats in darn near every market segment, so breaking into this industry now is tantamount to flushing large sums of start up capital down the dumper.

Market research is a fairly easy if tedious endeavor. Assemble some focus groups, establish some national surveys and study your brains out.

In the end, any reasonable person will quickly discover what this industry is based on, which simply put is discretionary funds expenditures. Since the vast majority of potential sales are currently flat as linoleum flooring, the segments of the market you will be attempting to entice from the major manufacture's offering aren't there.

 

No I haven't been in the boat manufacturing business before. I am in the boat restoration business where I buy broke down peices of "trash" and take them appart and fix, replace, redesgin, and put back together as a new inproved craft that is all composite and very safe and strong. I have had success with my business and will always continue to do it. the current state of the economy, I belive has actually helped my success because most people are not wanting to pay the high dollar for a new boat. That being said I was thinking that someone offering a popular boat size that is well built at a reasoniable price might find a market, with the idea of trying to grow with the economy in the comming years. I know that new boat sales are down right now, and these popular boat manufactures have the ability to but supplies in bulk, but they also have a high amount of overhead where a smaller, simple, low production maunfacture doesn't. 1 or 2 boats at a time with 1 or 2 sales at a time. Maybe I am just crazy, but I can't get it out of my head. Again any input truly is helpful. Thanks.

 

There are a number of people trying that model of constructing one or two boats at a time. While not powerboats, they might be able to provide some insight for you.

http://www.sylvanayachts.com/

http://www.leftcoast.biz/iWeb/Left_Coast/The_Dart.html

 

http://www.orkneyboatsltd.co.uk/orkneyboatslegen.html

These boats are very popular for good reason.

I love most boats and if I had the money I deserve I would have one of the above along with my sailing boat. Personally having seen a Macgregor "sail" I would rather stick with one or the other.

 

Thanks HReve I will check out the sites

 

Atonomy,

I am fasinated with your current business, can you be more specific about it? What type of boats are you rebuilding? What kind of prices are your finished rebuilds selling for? I have paid for collage by buying old cars and doing something similar, make them into nice daily drives. I have done a few "classics" but there is not a lot of profit in those. I still do one car a year just for fun, if I can make a bit of "hobby" money with a low ball purchase for something I know how to fix, I will still do it occationally.

I think your idea has merit, but this would take time away from your business that is currently supporting you. I think someone buying a new boat (like buying a new car) is a different type of customer with different expectations. Right now I would guess however that what you could sell is something that would be economical to own and operate, and low maintenance. I would also suggest something easy to tow with smaller SUV or crossover (rather than needing a large tow vehicle), and fast and easy to launch and get under way.

You might build one for yourself to use and sort out, and than offer it as a model for sale, and you make the next one to order. That way you will have it sold before you commit to building another one. If it goes well than you can incorporate tooling, jigs, etc. with each additional one you build to save time on the next one.

good luck.

 

Petros,
Thanks for your intrest and you input. I like the idea of building one for myself first and using it as a model to help sell others. My orgional thought was a simple cost effective low maintenance boat for average person, something that is versital. But also fishable.
As for the business I currently own, I stick pretty much to fishing style boats (C.C.) they seem to sell the fastest. The largest one I have done was a 23', and the smallest was a 15' bass boat converted to a C.C. flats boat. Usually the boats I buy are under $500. I have done a few that were donated, but just about every one of them gets gutted to just a glass hull and then rebuilt from there up, changing a few things that I think will improve the vessel. I guess my trick is that I get obsessed with the project and will sometimes work 18 hours at a time on them. My wife says I'm crazy when I come home to eat dinner then head back to the shop. I'm sure we share the same passion for restorations or making something out of basically nothing. I have been requested to do a couple of wooden boats but I have had to pass on those, I am a fiberglass guy. The way I keep it profitable is that its just me and my partner and we split everything, product and profit, we work fast and sell fast. Try to keep our prices too enticing to pass up if your in the market, the same thing I would want to do with the new boats. The most I have sold a boat for was $12,000 but usually we try to keep the prices inbetween $4,000-$7,000. All of our sales are cash sales (or a bank/personal check) but the boat doesn't get delivered until the funds are cleared. I really do appreciate your intrest in my current business and your input for the future business, you have some good ideas that I belive will help me on this exciting but scarry adventure. I will keep posting as things move forward. Thanks