Gunboat International to be sold at auction

[CarlF]

I expect there's a Gunboat legal strategy in this that I don't understand, but it still looks bad

Gunboat International will be sold at auction | Trade Only Today

[captaingregger]

The publicity surrounding Rainmaker and the G4 capsize certainly didn't Gunboat any favors, but anybody with basic knowledge of sailing knows the operators of both boats played a role in both accidents. So I hardly think either of those two events had any meaningful impact on the company.

Their mistake was building boats in China... duh.

[chris in SG]

What is wrong with building boats, or any thing else, in China?

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by chris in SG

What is wrong with building boats, or any thing else, in China?

Those Iphones have shotty quality...

(that's called sarcasm my friends, your Chinese made Iphones are fine, don't panic.)

[Four Coconuts]

Chris in Singapore- they moved their manufacturing over there to save money in labor, however, all sorts of shortcuts were made, and the boats were having issues. Gunboat went to the manufacturer who promised to back up their product, but they wouldn't do it. So the owner of GB started paying for the fixes out of his own pocket in an attempt to save the company. Basically the stress and legal battle with the Chinese manufacturer was too much, and the owner of GB decided he had had enough.

As for your apparent surprise at this comment about Chinese made goods, I guess I'm scratching my head a bit. It's common knowledge that many, if not most Chinese manufacturers will take shortcuts whenever there is limited oversight. Another example? Check out the story of Rocna and how the manufacturer tried to get away with using less than the specified steel...

[chris in SG]

Scratching your head? Surely not - I think it was obvious that I was gently chiding cptgregger for slipping into one of those classic forum generalizations.

Surely the smart point here (recognized by Third Day) is that it's not about the country of manufacture but about the level of management and supervision - certainly true in both the examples you have given. Third Day's example is almost a cliché these days but still true!

I'm not pro-China, just anti-stereotyping. Now you are saying that almost all Chinese manufacturers take short cuts, as though it's a cultural thing. How about VW? I'm not against VW either (I love mine) but please don't insult our intelligence by pigeon-holing the Chinese business ethics and, by implication, placing your own type on a higher moral level.

[Four Coconuts]

Chris, it is what it is. I'm moving on now.

[Sand crab]

Recreational sailboats are very limited in China so qualified workers are rare also. I read that there isn't one qualified rigger in the entire country so GB would bring over Aussies to do that. Importing goods into China is cumbersome and expensive also. Things like masts and booms don't exist there and you will pay dearly for them.
Marinas are rare also and cruising the Chinese coast never happens. Just to get in and out of the area where the GBs were built requires a professional Chinese pilot at $500 per day and he knows nothing about sailboats. You can't dinghy in when anchored and have to use a $100 water taxi. Sure GB owners can afford it but would you want to?
China is not the perfect place for building everything and some items should be built elsewhere.

[Sailorman Ed]

I'm not pro-China, just anti-stereotyping. Now you are saying that almost all Chinese manufacturers take short cuts, as though it's a cultural thing.

I deal with China every day and have many friends there as well but I agree with the above. I have come to think that in China, it is OK to cheat but do not get caught. What you do have to do is to establish a personal relationship first, then a business one. Even my suppliers in China often ask me if the sample material THEY source in country is true or fake! We develop long term relationships AND check on them IN PERSON. I do not ever recall seeing a western sailboat in any of my visits. Or even a kayak!!
Ed