[PCW] Rough seas stuff - Buzzards Bay

[Thai-Kiwi Marine Co Ltd]

There is one more to add to your list, 36' 6" with top speed above 22 
knots, all epoxy construction, stair to flybridge etc. to be seen on our 
site.Geoff Reid.

Thai-Kiwi Marine Co Ltd

http://www.thaiboating.com

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From: "Rod Gibbons" <rodgibbons at mindspring.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 4:38 PM
To: power-catamaran at lists.samurai.com
Subject: [PCW] Rough seas stuff - Buzzards Bay 

NOTE:  The author of this post is a catamaran dealer.

I noticed in a recent posting that someone wrote there are "tons of 
boats around " for the $285K base-price of the Buzzard's Bay 33.  I'm 
wondering if he was including monohulls, because in my experience there 
aren't a "ton of catamarans" available in ANY specific size or price 
range . . . and certainly not in the 32-to 36-foot range. But I assume 
there are more than a few members here who would like to know what IS 
available in that, category.

So, let me get the ball rolling with a few names and facts, and then 
others can add other models I've overlooked.

(1)  There's the Glacier Bay 34. (Although I believe they've recently 
terminated production, but recent-model used ones are out there.) But 
when new and equipped with twin diesels, this cat, reasonably 
well-equipped, could run from $400K to as much as $500K.

(2)  Fountaine Pajot has its Highland 35. The base boat, with twin 
diesels, delivered to the U.S. east coast, is about  $365K -- 
cruise-equipped she'll readily reach $400K-to-$425K. She cruises at 15 
knots, with a max speed of about 20-to-22 knots.

(3)  The PDQ-34, before the end of production (equipped with twin 
diesels -- cruise at 15 knots, max-speed about 20 knots), also readily 
reached $375K to $425K, delivered to the U.S. with a moderate amount of 
cruising equipment included.

(4)  The Coastal Cat 34 (currently in production in Washington state), 
has an introductory price of $315K. (Powered by twin 60-HP outboards -- 
cruise at 15 knots, max-speed about 21 knots) Her two double berths are 
each 60" wide. Figure on adding at least about $25K to $30K of cruising 
equipment. (dinghy, outboard, ground tackle, electronics, heat or 
air-conditioning, etc.) Delivery to the U.S. east coast (by truck, 
possible given her 15'9" beam), would run about $15K. (Which is $20K to 
$30K less than the delivery price -- by ship -- of similar size power 
cats delivered from Europe, S. Africa or Australia to the U.S..)

(5)  Prowler 33. Manufactured in New Zealand, also outboard powered. 
(The Prowler and the Coastal Cat are related designs from Schionning 
designs of Australia). The latest builder of this boat is about to go 
into production. Her two double berths are about 48" wide. It appears 
the builder will seek to offer an introductory price of around 
$310K-to-$320K (U.S.)  Delivery from NZ to the U.S. west coast should be 
around $35K -- delivery to the U.S. east coast another $5K to $10K.  
Then, add another $20K to $30K for cruising equipment.

(6)  Buzzard's Bay 33, with twin diesels. Base price of approx. $285K  
This, and the Glacier Bay, are the only cats among these 6 with a top 
speed above 20 to 22 knots. So, it's not surprising that these 2 cats 
also appear to have the highest fuel consumption. (Their specifications 
also point toward these 2 having the snuggest interior accommodations -- 
a possible partial explanation, along with hull design and standard 
engine sizes, for their respective high rates of speed at max power.)

So, the earlier contention that there are "tons of boats" available at 
the price of the BB-33 may be an exaggeration.

Now, what other power cats, in the 32' to 36' range, have I overlooked?

BTW:  The previous writer also implied that "these days" bargain prices 
are rampant. I'm sorry to report that the BEST prices were available 
between about February and July, 2009. During the past couple of months, 
the builders-and-dealers who made it through the summer of this major 
recession, are now reporting a noticeable improvement in business and 
sales. And, as a dealer, I'm no longer seeing the "firehouse" sales that 
builders were offering us, to then offer to our clients, such as were 
available during the first half of this year. Nonetheless, production 
waiting times are still about 50% to 75% quicker than just 1.5 years 
ago. And yes, there are some major manufacturers still offering slight 
additional discounts (usually, it appears at this time, of around 5%).

I've just returned from the Annapolis sailboat and power boat shows. 
Whew! There was quite a reduction in the number of boats on display. 
Even more alarming, there was one manufacturer (exhibiting a cat in the 
45' to 55' size range), who is, in my learned opinion, just about to go 
out of business. (The police have already been called to his factory, 
and there are employees who haven't been paid in 3 months!) As I saw  a 
couple folks beaming aboard the admittedly handsome big-cat on exhibit 
by that problematic builder, I could only hope they weren't new buyers 
who had just submitted a deposit check to the reps onboard. In fact, I'd 
take a fairly long-odds wager that if that was the case, those folks 
had, unknowingly, just kissed their 5-figure deposit(s) bye-bye forever.

And that brings up one of the most grave (if not outright frightening) 
aspects facing those of you seeking to purchase a new boat. How can you 
be sure you'll end up getting the boat you paid a deposit for? I know 
for a fact, for example, that there is one builder who contributes to 
this site on occasion, who (four years ago), took $50,000 from one of my 
clients, and $10,000 from one of my dealers . . . and then left the 
state. This occurred about 4 years ago. The WA state Attorney General is 
seeking this (I must use the term loosely), "gentleman", but, given that 
"white-collar crime" is low among any of the states' AG's, this 
particular chap simply relocated,  first to the S.E. region of the U.S.  
The word on the grapevine a year later was that this same individual 
took a father-son investor group for several hundred thousands of 
dollars, and then fled that state. And now this builder has relocated to 
Oregon, where he's begun building large power cats. Similarly, there is 
a long-time builder here in WA state who recently took a former client 
of mine for more than $1,000,000 . . . and delivered him a motor cat in 
the 55' to 65' length so poorly built that when the buyer then sought to 
insure the new vessel, he could find no certified surveyor who would 
approve the boat for ocean cruising. Now that sad buyer is trying to 
sell his twin-hulled white elephant. Guess how well that is NOT going!

How can you tell whether a builder is really legit?  That's not that 
easy to determine. Let's face it -- if well-established restaurants, 
previously high-roller home developers, and even General Motors (for 
cryin' out loud), can go belly up . . .anyone can!

But if an experienced boat dealer with a proven history won't take your 
money if you insist on some particular builder, that may be a strong 
sign that that's a questionable builder to work with. (Dealers are 
bonded, and usually responsible for the deposit you post with them.) I'd 
also suggest that if the builder says he can't build your new cat with a 
receipt of only a 15% or 20% deposit from you (instead, he wants stage 
payments from you), that isn't necessarily a sign of a builder with a 
worrisome financial situation -- but it might be.  Conversely, if the 
builder WILL build you a complete boat, with only a 10% or 20% deposit, 
he's likely to be a better funded entity. (But he could be just hoping 
to take you for your deposit...period.)

The point is, if you're savvy enough not to send $500 to some 
Nigerian-internet sob-story-scam, then engage in some due-diligence 
BEFORE handing $50,000 or $100,000 to some unknown builder. You're well 
paid if a hour or two of investigation saves you fifty-grand, right?!?

I know that among the catamaran dealers at the recent Annapolis show, 
almost all of us knew about the builder exhibiting there who's already 
on the verge of bankruptcy, and whose factory has already stopped 
building cats . . . but very few show-goers had information about that 
fact. (In fact, at most European shows, that exhibitor would probably 
not have been allowed to have an exhibit. The European shows are more 
rigorous in their inspection/homework regarding exhibitors' financial 
status.)

Well, before I get even more "warm and fuzzy," I'll close.

Again, love to read about any other power cats in the 32' to 36' size 
range.

Regards,

Rod Gibbons
Cruising Cats USA
Seattle - SF Bay - HI
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