A Proposal for Independent Boat Makers

[Carlazzomark]

First, please forgive me if my lack of an historical context demonstrates my ignorance of past or present attempts to accomplish similar goals.

My proposal is to promote the organization of a variety of relationships and structures for independent boat designers and builders who wish to make their products commercial successes.

Market success depends not only on good design, but also on reasonable manufacturing costs, marketing, and distribution. This holds true for many hand crafted boats as it does for mass produced boats.

I would like to open up (or join) discussions on how independents without access to large amounts of capital can cooperate in order to achieve their individual successes.

BoatDesign.net and other forums have gone a long way in promoting the exchange of ideas. I believe those of us who wish to have commercial success need additional, concrete ways to tap into the marketplace.

Think of the Sundance Film Festival, which was formed to give exposure to independent films and bring many to commercial success. Or any number of agricultural cooperatives that pool resources for common needs such as milling, warehousing, and distribution. Or a whole host of marketing partnerships in the consumer goods arena which cross-promote products.

We can identify the challenges we all face as small, innovative boat makers: high material costs due to small orders, resistance of the marketplace (which largely is a factor of marketing investment), the difficulty of finding dealers who will carry our products, and high distribution costs.

The outcomes are up to all of us, and might include an Independent Boat Manufacturers Association, a funded marketing group, an international distribution network, or even one-to-one partnerships.

I propose that we discuss these opportunities for a year and see what develops.

Thanks,

Mark Vermilion
Marco Polo Boats, Inc.

[Mmartirena]

Hey Mark, my name is max, Im a boatbuilder from argentina. Im looking to promote my daycruiser in USA/Europe. Visit my web page www.zorionyachts.com and if you think we can make some business just send me an email at mmartirena@zorionyachts.com. Best regards. M.

[Carlazzomark]

Max:

Thanks for the response. At this point in time I am really looking for a discussion on how indenpendent boat makers as a group can join forces, rather than one-on-one relationships.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks.

[Mmartirena]

Once I thought that if in a small market like argentina, where you have excellent boatbuilders but few demand, if they could group and create a dealer company (called argentinean yachts) it would be easer get into a market like europe because you have the products, knowledge and you can divide costs (sinergy) but I dont know if this is possible or just my dream.

[ancient kayaker]

I have an idea: maybe what our world needs is a town interested in boats to hold a festival at which small time boatbuilders could put up a tent and exhibit their wares.

If it caught on in a few towns we might each find one within relatively easy reach. My nearest town that has a history of small boat building is Perborough in Ontario, Canada. I am going to contact a small boat museum there to see if they are interested in finding a sponsor. Maybe there are other ways to start something off, any ideas?

[SolomonGrundy]

I live in that town...it is called Port Townsend, WA. We have this little thinghy once a year called the wooden boat festival. Come and enjoy.

[ancient kayaker]

Sounds nice but it's a bit of a hike from here. I'll Google the wooden boat fest and pass on any ideas I get to someplace closer. We need more of these, no seaboard or lake should be without one.

[ME boatbuilder]

With the economy in the dumper it is tough to turn down business right now, but in the past i have actually had to turn away people that wanted boats.

If I knew of other builders that built the same type of vessels i would be more than happy to send them my "extra" business, hoping that other businesses would send me their leads when they got too busy to meet demand.

More often then not builders will take on more projects then they can accomplish in a set time because the uncertainty of the market and always wanting to be too busy, rather than running out of work.

Obviously everyone is going to say that they build the best boat and we're no different but i'm sure that there are some situations where one builder would be better suited to do a particular project. Another thing to consider would be the proximity of the person buying the boat, it would be better for a person from NY to have a boat built in Maine rather than in California. (so they can be more involved in the process)

I am sure that i'm not making the point that i set out to make but.......

We don't need a festival to promote our products we just have to spread the boat buyers out so we all stay in business.

Andrew MacCaffray
Clark Island Boat Works

[ancient kayaker]

Originally Posted by ME boatbuilder

More often then not builders will take on more projects then they can accomplish in a set time because the uncertainty of the market and always wanting to be too busy, rather than running out of work.

Sounds like the contractors I got last year for roofing, doors, painting etc.

Originally Posted by ME boatbuilder

We don't need a festival to promote our products we just have to spread the boat buyers out so we all stay in business.

That may be true in Maine but we need one where I live.