piano punt

hello, I want to make a large punt 2 meters X 7.5 meters. The punt will have attached to it a piano. There will be seating for a few passengers. I want to do seranading boat trips on the canals in Manchester. Its Manchester's answer to the gondola. see attached images. Ant advice, suggestions would be welcome

best wishes
Liam

 

Pianos are like women; When they are not upright they are grand.

Welcome, Liam.

An upright piano as shown is better for this situation as it will take less floor space.

My one concern is that the heavy piano is too close to the port gunwale. This will affect the trim of the boat making it list to port unless you can balance it with machinery etc. to starboard.

 

ROFLMAO!

 

I believe Groucho said that.

 

I just had another idea. How about if the box the piano is in is removed and the boat itself forms the shell of the piano, such as you know, have the workings except for the keyboard and pedals hidden in the deck?

 

How about making the boat LOOK like a huge floating grand piano, and the keyboard actually an electronic piano. Less weight!

 

Your plan looks pretty wild. Have you traveled the proposed route with a high quality sound system playing piano? Dipole speakers do a pretty good job simulating an actual instrument. The result might not be as desirable as you think with interference from echos if this is in a downtown location.

Pianos have heavy iron frames. I would be less concerned about space and more about keeping the weight low for stability. I favor a grand piano sitting lower and the customers sitting higher. The customer is the star not the performer. This is a big 'look at me' spend.

Since the entire enterprise depends on customer experience you should go with electric propulsion -quiet, zero emission.

I don't associate punt with high class. A punt is a boat that couldn't afford natural ends. I would go the other way with a double-ender or maybe a heart shaped transom.

As a business decision I would consider swapping a quartet for the piano. Musicians are cheap -you only pay when they work, after they work and you are paid, and more 'servants' raises the perceived value. The piano requires big upfront investment in the custom boat with lousy resale. A quartet might work in a leased boat -very low break even. You might even have different setups -five customers and a duo performing...a star could perform and you take a percentage... a duo and a celebrity chef...the point is to make it the ultimate custom experience in wide open view. You depend on self advertising, the piano is always a piano -here it comes again -who cares. With a variable setup there is the question, what is it this time? Did they out do past voyages? What was your favorite? And ultimately what would you do if you were the customer!

 

Excellent grasp of the entertainment business Skyak.

 

Thanks! I haven't worked in entertainment for many years but I have had small ventures on my mind forever. So many fail, good and bad, because they don't consider cash flow from the start. And because so many fail finance rates are extremely high if you can get them at all. The best finance you can get is 'customer' finance not small business loans. If you are leasing the boat the owner will finance quality customization like the electric propulsion and impressive accommodations - if you fail he gets a better boat. If you build a custom boat you pay upfront at high interest rates and if you can't support those payments you have to sell the big asset in distress at a big discount -a far weaker position. If the owner does not want to pay for the customization you can make your investment be covering the lease for some period of time.

 

I don't see any cuddy in case the serenade worked its majic

 

I don't know about regulations in Manchester. In the US, an excursion boat can have a bar, WITHOUT expensive, restricted in number of issues, city, county, or state licenses. They buy a (was $200) Federal liquor license.
While the ticket sales may not break even, the bar ALWAYS makes money.

Boat rides are inherently boring for passengers, even with entertainment. And you have a captive audience. They always drink MORE than they intended.
Been there, done that, got the tee shirt!

 

I don't think that is the market for this business. If you need to impress, you take her on a charter in the Med. The target for this boat is the rich married bloke who is in danger of becoming half as rich if he doesn't find a suitable public display of affection for his wife. She needs proof her life couldn't be any grander

 

Roflmao!

 

Hey! Looks like I am back in the entertainment business!

I just got another great idea for this boat -bachelor and bachelorette parties with a dancer and a comedian lampooning the honoree as they go!

 

Classic !