Re: More trouble in New Bern
By those numbers, it looks like another 110 employees will be laid off.
Re: More trouble in New Bern
...and this is after they consolidated Cabo Yachts into the New Bern facility? I know used boat sales are down also compared to same time last year. Being up here in Monmouth County, NJ (Hurricane Sandy area), we had a guy come into the office last week that wanted to know when the river was going to be opened as there were no boats out in sight. Unfortunately, the river is open to boat traffic.
Re: More trouble in New Bern
Sad. The Chinese have just bought sunseeker this week, after ferretti a year ago I believe. I wonder why hatteras has not been picked up yet
Re: More trouble in New Bern
And Hatteras advertising is almost nothing in the various magazines. If they stay on their current course, the name will just disappear. Very sad. I wish Hatteras could have maintained a line of classic looking boats instead of that Eurocrap style. The new 100' RPH looks like it came from Italy rather than New Bern.
Re: More trouble in New Bern
I think putting the boat building companies on the market in the spring was not such a hot idea. Who would look at a boat built by a company that was for sale? it raises all kinds of concerns about warranty work etc. Not too swift.
Anyway, we'll see. I have not heard anything of anyone stepping up to buy Hatteras and Cabo from Brunswick. A pity, as momentum is being lost.
Re: More trouble in New Bern
Eurocrap is what sells. Marinas are full of these boats. Here in Miami it s all sunseekers, azimut, ferretti, astonda, uniesse, fairline, etc..
Worst, is that is that many of these boats have never major flaws starting with awkward if not dangerous boarding, dangerous foredecks, no rubrails, etc. yet, they are selling like the proverbial hot cakes.
Re: More trouble in New Bern
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pascal
Eurocrap is what sells. Marinas are full of these boats. Here in Miami it s all sunseekers, azimut, ferretti, astonda, uniesse, fairline, etc..
Worst, is that is that many of these boats have never major flaws starting with awkward if not dangerous boarding, dangerous foredecks, no rubrails, etc. yet, they are selling like the proverbial hot cakes.
I agree Pascal, but there is a good market for the Marlow, Offshore, Fleming, etc, boats because many people still like the classic style.
Re: More trouble in New Bern
I think the mistake they made was indeed going after the "Euro" or more accurately, "Sea Ray owner stepping up" strategy. Fleming, Offshore, Marlow, Grand Banks, Outer Reef and many other Asian built (but often American owned/designed) boats stayed with classic styling and stole Hatteras' traditional motoryacht customer. You could arguably throw Nordhavn in there too.
And though I see new GTs and other sport fishers being sea trialed on the Neuse regularly, and they are very nice boats it looks like Viking and the custom guys are dominating that market. I am in a marina where the majority of boats are high end sportfishers. Mostly custom jobs from here in NC, but a few Hatts and Vikings. Two guys just sold their old boats one a Viking and one a custom. They both bought big (64', 72') new Vikings; the marina is 30 miles from New Bern and the owners live in NC.
Re: More trouble in New Bern
Isn't it like putting a 1970's Cadillac or Lincoln in the new car lot versus a 2013 Mercedes or Lexus? You just can't compare the 2 yet they were/are built for the same market. Times change, and like all business owners know you either change with it, pray you fill a niche by being the boutique as all your competitors moved on, or go out of business. Admittedly I don't know a thing about the new boat market, but seems "Keep them in your Prayers" best thing we can do for Hatteras and their employees.