Simon, assuming you have acquired the technical skills to build boats and the business skills to operate a business, there are three basic approaches to such a venture, that I can see. You can take a traditional path and start with tried and true designs in traditional materials built by traditional methods and try to pickup a portion of an existing and well known, understood market. That would be:
(1). Build boats that fit a known and accepted configuration that others before you have demonstrated will sell.
(2). Find some innovation in design, materials, technique and/or marketing strategy. As mentioned above, 3D printing and CAD/CAM production could aide in the development of production style manufacturing of custom, one-off designs. However, in the world of production sailboats, one-design racing is the biggest market. Especially if that one-design is also a fun/comfortable play boat or cruiser.
(3) Also mentioned above, do what you have already been doing, restore and resell good quality used boats and let that business grow into a boat building operation. As you get more success doing what you have already had success doing, add to your investment. Buy a shop with space and equipment that lets you restore boats faster and cheaper. Expands to building a high demand small boat like lasers or contenders, develop your processes and marketing, expand more.
But first, serious market analysis is in order, build your business plan and it will come together.
- Will (Dragonfly)
(1). Build boats that fit a known and accepted configuration that others before you have demonstrated will sell.
(2). Find some innovation in design, materials, technique and/or marketing strategy. As mentioned above, 3D printing and CAD/CAM production could aide in the development of production style manufacturing of custom, one-off designs. However, in the world of production sailboats, one-design racing is the biggest market. Especially if that one-design is also a fun/comfortable play boat or cruiser.
(3) Also mentioned above, do what you have already been doing, restore and resell good quality used boats and let that business grow into a boat building operation. As you get more success doing what you have already had success doing, add to your investment. Buy a shop with space and equipment that lets you restore boats faster and cheaper. Expands to building a high demand small boat like lasers or contenders, develop your processes and marketing, expand more.
But first, serious market analysis is in order, build your business plan and it will come together.
- Will (Dragonfly)
