Rare opportunity - proven offshore traditional canoe stern yacht ketch

I have been asked to find a new builder for a traditionally styled canoe stern offshore yacht. Full details can be found at the following link:

http://www.clarkeandcarter.co.uk/br...llspecs.php?DocumentID=4374255&desc=4374255 -

A great opportunity, the designer is prepared to either sell for a higher value or agree royalty terms with the right yard. We are marketing this on behalf of the architect who we know well to help see the design continue. I have sold one of the completed boats on the secondhand market recently and can offer some advice on what areas buyers would have liked to have been laid out differently, marketing etc too.

Thanks - Aaron French

 

It's an old, heavy design with little market appeal. Why would a yard invest in an obsolete boat that is hard to sell? Can you offer any market research and data to the contrary?

 

Hi Gonzo,

I agree it is certainly unlikely to sell in the sort of numbers that Jeanneau, Bavaria etc achieve and is significantly slower but...

If you look at it from a different angle, a smaller yard who already specialises in nice quality low production yachts along a traditional line can pick up another model which is now almost unique within the market place. Yes, it will be of limited appeal however from my experience of selling one of the completed ones there is still demand for this within the market place. As it is a complete package with assistance from the architect there are also potentially very few initial costs or risks. With the demise of most other rivals throughout Europe due to the cost of achieving RCD/CE rather than lack of any market it might actually do reasonably well with a few updates and some decent marketing.

Hell, name a few comparable compact long keel offshore GRP yachts that are still available? With steel becoming less popular and with the biggest costs already covered they may even work for owner fit out (although in Europe that may be tricky).

 

Tayana is one that has superb quality, good price and a huge network of dealers. How would you compete with them?

 

Hi Gonzo,

Tayana certainly make a decent enough product and prove that there is still a marketplace for this style and type. However, although they may have a decent network in the US and other areas, in Europe they are essentially unrepresented and I am unsure if the older designs have even been through CE/RCD. They are also unlikely to appeal to certain discerning customers who require an even higher quality of build and want to specify equipment, layout and finish more to their needs.

They also do not offer a centre cockpit, or a ketch, which are two things a large number of people do prefer for serious offshore work. It could even be worth them taking the design up themselves, as it would fit in the range quite well.

As the design is already CE/RCD compliant with a little tweaking it could also be sold on a more budget offering as a home completion option throughout Europe.