[PCW] Endeavor: "Form following function?"

Thu May 3 08:07:34 EDT 2007

Regarding: Jonah Jones and Roger Bingham's differing views about the
appearance of the Endeavor power cats.

As someone who's been marketing a wide variety of catamarans longer than
anyone else in North America, I have to agree with France's Roger Bingham, and
respectfully disagree with Jonas'  apology/explanation for the appearance
(aesthestics) of the Endeavor power cat. (see reprint of each of their
comments below, in this forum's previously printed "Message 7")

Jonah's observation implies that in order to have a power cat in which "to do
things," it's exterior styling or aesthetics (specifically, the the lack of
either) is either excusable or unavoidable.

I suspect that the manufacturers of Legos building-blocks might explain in
similar fashion the look of any model "boat" or "car" made with Legos little
"bricks." In the latter case, NO ONE would pretend that the completed car/boat
project is sleek or stylish. But it's a syllogism to therefore claim that all
model cars or boats must lack style or sleekness.

In similar fashion, the excuse (or acceptance) that it's okay (or explainable)
that it "looks like a condo" because, in return, its a vessel in which you can
"do things" is a disconnect.

The proof of this, of course, is simply to view the numerous 40' to 50' power
cats designed by Roger Hill, Greg Marshall, Kurt Hughes, and numerous other
noted cat designers...NONE of whose designs succumb to or settle for the
boxiness of the Endeavor cats. Yet NONE of those cats is less capable of
allowing their owners to "do things" in/with them.

Do you recall the SUV that O.J. Simpson made so famous during his infamous
slow-speed "getaway?" That was the old Ford Bronco, arguably about the
"boxy-est" SUV ever manufactured. But, employing Jonah's rationale, one could
try to justify that Bronco's ultra-boxy design as some seemingly "unavoidable"
case of "form following function."

"Au contraire, mon frer." One has only to view various subsequent SUV designs
(ie, Lexus, Porsche, etc.) which have brought a very demonstrable style to
what is still, in essence, a "box on wheels."

The mystery to boating individuals such as Mr. Bingham and myself is why
Endeavor would choose NOT to simply add a bit of style to their cats'
exteriors. That company's good fortune is that at the moment it offers about
the only U.S.-built power cat in that size range at that price. Hence, they
probably think they need not worry about the exterior appearance of their
cats. But, I've been around long enough in this industry to remember when the
very same situation existed for sailing cats. In fact, in the early 1980s the
Catalac sailing cats from the UK -- arguably the boxiest sailing cat design
ever marketed in substantial numbers -- sold more than 500 cats in the
up-to-42' range around the world. For several years, Catalac was one of the
two most successful brands available. But, as SOON as other models with
sleeker, more attractive lines appeared, the Catalac brand made like the
Dodo...and disappeared. (The #1 most successful sailing cat design at that
time, the Prout cats, subsequently succumbed to the same obsolescence --
again, primarily because of the company's aged, and unchanging exterior
design.)

Endeavor runs the same risk. Right now, they're essentially the "only game in
town" among U.S.-built cruising power cats. (Please don't misunderstand my
personal opinion about that -- I have genuine admiration for the builder's
success thus far. I think the company's doing a bang-up job of selling their
cats. It is a noteworthy accomplishment.) However, the high risk for them is
that as soon as one or more competitors, offering the same interior volume and
accommodations appear, Endeavor's at risk of VERY quickly suffering the SAME
huge sales slump as did Catalac as soon as a range of much sleeker cats
(Fountaine Pajot, Privilege, Kennex, Fountaine Pajot) appeared on the sailing
cat scene.

Endeavor's alternative as soon as sleeker-looking models come on line?
They'll have to (1) find a way to hang their hat on some other peg. (i.e.,
"cheapest" power cat," or "best equipped" power cat, or some other marketing
angle), or (2) make the jump to new tooling and a more stylish exterior.

Of course, there's a third option -- simply hope that no other sleeker power
cats come to the market place. But the latter is a short-term bet. New
brands/designs ARE coming over the horizon -- ALL of them arguably MUCH more
stylish than the Endeavors -- models such as Celebrity Yachts' sleeker looking
40-footer... the pending, US-built Destiny 42....and even the
already-available (and slightly-less-boxy) PDQ 40-plus footer.

Otherwise, I predict Endeavor's "Bronco" is going to demonstrate its own
"slow-speed (or not-so-slow-speed) getaway" . . . to obsolesence.

In closing, I note Jonah's own admission that he drives a "station wagon."
Perhaps that provides the quickest refutation to his own basic argument. Last
I looked, just about every automobile manufacturer had dropped that design
model from their inventories. The reason?  Buyers' dissatisfaction with that
design's appearance -- "form-following-function" not withstanding.

Rod Gibbons
Cruising Cats USA

Message: 7
Date: Wed, 2 May 2007 15:15:31 -0300
From: Jonah Jones <jonah@northrock.bm>
Subject: Re: [PCW] and link.....
To: Power Catamaran List <power-catamaran@lists.samurai.com>
Message-ID: <88aa77ab78fd6b0dfbb827fc5ac74ecf@northrock.bm>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

agreed on both counts
its for doing stuff,  not looking at...

bauhaus..... form follows function

I also drive a station wagon and not an Aston martin

On May 2, 2007, at 1:38 PM, R Bingham wrote:

> http://www.endeavourcats.com/T48/UnderConstruction.htm

This looks like one big boat inside . . . . . . . and like a condo on
the
outside.

Just my honest opinion.

Regards

Roger Bingham
France