Marlow Hunter is it for sale

Mikem

.
Dec 20, 2009
820
Hunter 466 Bremerton
This seems like a never ending question but a thread appeared yesterday stating that the Alachua, Fl plant was for sale. The thread was locked so I could not reply to that or copy the real estate ad. The ad has 29 pictures of the 38 acre plant and describes it as a former boat building facility. The asking price is $5.9 million. The ad sure seems legitimate or have I been scammed?
 
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Likes: Captmayhem
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
I seem to recall something a year or so ago about Catalina "absorbing" Hunter, but I could be wrong.
Look, it's simple. Hunters made good boats, but they simply don't have the continuity that Catalina and Catalina Direct have for the owners of older boats.
That creates a challenge for Hunter owners of older boats, but it's not insurmountable.
One just has to do more searching for parts, but they ARE available.
Yanmar engines, and all the rest of boat systems were all "parted out" by every single boat builder known to man.
No problem that can't be solved really applies.
It's not "Good Luck," it's "keep at it, you'll find it."
And the sbo store is a great resource.
Just Use It. :)
 

Mikem

.
Dec 20, 2009
820
Hunter 466 Bremerton
Stu, SBO has come through every time I needed something. An absolutely terrific resource.
 
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Likes: HMT2

Kermit

.
Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
. The asking price is $5.9 million. The ad sure seems legitimate or have I been scammed?
I suggest a title search before paying that. If the check clears and you still can’t get on the property then yes you’ve been scammed.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I seem to recall something a year or so ago about Catalina "absorbing" Hunter, but I could be wrong.
Look, it's simple. Hunters made good boats, but they simply don't have the continuity that Catalina and Catalina Direct have for the owners of older boats.
That creates a challenge for Hunter owners of older boats, but it's not insurmountable.
One just has to do more searching for parts, but they ARE available.
Yanmar engines, and all the rest of boat systems were all "parted out" by every single boat builder known to man.
No problem that can't be solved really applies.
It's not "Good Luck," it's "keep at it, you'll find it."
And the sbo store is a great resource.
Just Use It. :)
I heard that too.. That seems crazy, why would Catalina buy Hunter? They directly compete in a shrinking market. Makes zero business sense.
 

Mikem

.
Dec 20, 2009
820
Hunter 466 Bremerton
Hmmm. Well I hadn’t thought of purchasing the property...at least not for the asking price. But that would be one way of confirming the validity of the ad.
 
Jul 29, 2004
406
Hunter 340 Lake Lanier, GA
Here's the second page of the real estate flyer for the sale of the MH factory.
upload_2019-8-4_13-14-5.png
The full PDF is too large to upload here... Kinda sad, especially for any of the long term employees. No mention in the PDF of the equipment, tooling or molds.
 
May 7, 2012
1,338
Hunter e33 Maple Bay, BC
I’ll throw this in before someone with far more insight than most of us (to read all) on this subject and whose name starts with Craz* chimes in to tell us what is really going on.
Dave Marlow had manufactured power boats in the 50’ to 100’ since 1998 range prior to purchasing Hunter Marine for pennies on the dollar in Aug 2012. His yacht plant is located in Chi Hu China. Would it be too far fetched to think maybe he is moving the lock stock and barrel close by his yacht plant? Now having said that, the ad does refer to Marlow Hunter Marine in the past tense. Or does it? It reads “... is former boat manufacturing facility in Alachua Florida.“.
Now as far the sailboat industry being a shrinking market, I possibly would agree in North America although it was up 4% in sales in 2018 over 2017. I am not so sure this is true in Europe. Dave are you listening or are you out fishing?
 
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Likes: Rick D
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
I saw this and am checking on it. Although I recall what the purchase of the property was but not sure of the source, I am keeping that to myself. I don’t think he will get that price.
 
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Likes: Hello Below
Jul 7, 2017
2
Marlow-Hunter 47 Horseshoe
Marlow-Hunter is alive and well and producing and shipping boats. We have new happy Marlow-Hunter owners every week. We moved all operations to a central location consisting of three large buildings. The 38 acre facility is too large to maintain peak efficiency standards for the current sailboat market.

We are looking for a new location that would better fit our current production requirements. As we go through this transition we will remain at this facility and continue to produce the best built sailboats in the world.

Brett Leary
Director of Purchasing
Director of Sales
 

Mikem

.
Dec 20, 2009
820
Hunter 466 Bremerton
That is good to hear! Are you at liberty to say what that “central location” is?
Thanks again for the good news.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Yeah, the “Best” now for less. How does that work? Is that anything akin to an inverted yield curve?
 
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Phil Herring

Alien
Mar 25, 1997
4,918
- - Bainbridge Island
Now, let's be polite to our guests. A representative of a boat manufacturer posting to answer a question or clarify a situation is a good thing. Boat builders need all the support they can get these days, every one of them.
 

FDL S2

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Jun 29, 2014
469
S2 7.3 Fond du Lac
Yeah, the “Best” now for less. How does that work? Is that anything akin to an inverted yield curve?
It might just be a realization that their facilities are more than they need for projected production in the next 5-10 years or it might be what he said, they had more space than they need for current production demands.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
@Brett Leary said it all that the manufacturer reported what is happening. I concur with Phil Herring that we be respectful as Marlow Hunter replied. For those who know me, I would appreciate that this thread be closed
 
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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
@Brett Leary said it all that the manufacturer reported what is happening. I concur with Phil Herring that we be respectful as Marlow Hunter replied. For those who know me, I would appreciate that this thread be closed
I wish them well. I very much like the look of their new boats, and everything points to them being well-built. While the plant closing seems ominous, the reality is their current sales volume would be much better served by a smaller more efficient production facility.

It is sad looking at the portfolio of pictures, and seeing a place where 400! people once labored to make sailboats.

https://www.cbcworldwide.com/properties/profile/TJVFS8-Alachua-FL#h=10A8ED-1
 
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