Went to a boat show over the weekend. I haven't been on new boats in years and was with a friend who is thinking about moving up in size from a 40-ish. So, I got an opportunity to board a lot of new sailboats. Anyhow, I was a bit taken aback by the apparent crudeness of the interior finish work on the new Beneteaus. There were a lack of fiddles; the floor moved and creaked; the finish looked plastic and the blond hue wasn't my preference. It was a bit motorcoach looking. The hardware looked OK and the accommodations were nice although the cushions seemed skimpy. The exterior glass work and hardware was fine although a lot of people whacked their heads on the 50's arch.
The Jeaneaus seemed to be a step up from the Bennies in terms of finish. However, the newer ones also sported a light finish compared to the same model a couple of years old. I didn't like the new flooring choice either. I looked at one a year old. Harken has made a play for OEM deck gear and I think they may have made some qualitative adjustments for cost reasons. In particular, one owner has had problems with the winches and the year old Jeaneau had badly corroded winch drums.
The Hanse I boarded was very nice and sported a nice rig with backstay adjuster and a ASM pole. The teak deck must have added to the cost and it was super beamy too. The interior was a disappointment. Although there was obvious quality, the layout was really peculiar and the floor looked like one of the raised ones you'd see in a computer center. The price was equally impressive although not as high as I might have expected.
The Hunters and Catalinas looked very nice after the European boats. I was surprised to find the tankage was far superior, the displacement significantly greater and the hardware more substantial. Moreover, the interior finish work and systems were much better with the nod to Hunter. There were some outstanding deals being offered on several year-old new boats that have been languishing in inventory.
There were few new motor yachts on display. However, there is another show in a couple of weeks that specializes in them. Lots of go-fasts around though. I saw many used and repossession motor yachts going for prices that were very low even for my low expectations. They have been hit by fuel prices before the economic dive, so they may be a bigger drag than sailboats.
I did very much like the Beneteau Fast 40. It's more of a race boat but has a very workable and traditional interior. The carbon wheel and advanced steering gear made it turn as if there were no foil attached. The hardware manufacturers were slim! They clearly sat out the show, as did WM and most other retailers. Lat's & Atts had a party and provided free pizza, wine & beer after the close which seemed particularly appreciated by the vendors. I was impressed that Bob is able to keep that going given his own situation. Hunter Marine was one of the party sponsors.
Anyhow, my impressions are just that. It looks like there is a lot of cost-cutting going on although I was surprised to see it more manifest in the European boats than the domestic. I am also not in love with the current trends in interior detailing but like the free-standing frig and freezers in all of the newer boats. I went back to my boat and found it looked pretty good.
The Jeaneaus seemed to be a step up from the Bennies in terms of finish. However, the newer ones also sported a light finish compared to the same model a couple of years old. I didn't like the new flooring choice either. I looked at one a year old. Harken has made a play for OEM deck gear and I think they may have made some qualitative adjustments for cost reasons. In particular, one owner has had problems with the winches and the year old Jeaneau had badly corroded winch drums.
The Hanse I boarded was very nice and sported a nice rig with backstay adjuster and a ASM pole. The teak deck must have added to the cost and it was super beamy too. The interior was a disappointment. Although there was obvious quality, the layout was really peculiar and the floor looked like one of the raised ones you'd see in a computer center. The price was equally impressive although not as high as I might have expected.
The Hunters and Catalinas looked very nice after the European boats. I was surprised to find the tankage was far superior, the displacement significantly greater and the hardware more substantial. Moreover, the interior finish work and systems were much better with the nod to Hunter. There were some outstanding deals being offered on several year-old new boats that have been languishing in inventory.
There were few new motor yachts on display. However, there is another show in a couple of weeks that specializes in them. Lots of go-fasts around though. I saw many used and repossession motor yachts going for prices that were very low even for my low expectations. They have been hit by fuel prices before the economic dive, so they may be a bigger drag than sailboats.
I did very much like the Beneteau Fast 40. It's more of a race boat but has a very workable and traditional interior. The carbon wheel and advanced steering gear made it turn as if there were no foil attached. The hardware manufacturers were slim! They clearly sat out the show, as did WM and most other retailers. Lat's & Atts had a party and provided free pizza, wine & beer after the close which seemed particularly appreciated by the vendors. I was impressed that Bob is able to keep that going given his own situation. Hunter Marine was one of the party sponsors.
Anyhow, my impressions are just that. It looks like there is a lot of cost-cutting going on although I was surprised to see it more manifest in the European boats than the domestic. I am also not in love with the current trends in interior detailing but like the free-standing frig and freezers in all of the newer boats. I went back to my boat and found it looked pretty good.
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