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Dan, the design certainly looks like the last generation of Prouts and should prove to be a capable, if not particularly fast, offshore cruising boat. Obviously there are risks associated with the purchase of any new boat from a new yard, regardless of the location. That being said, mainland China is quite capable of producing a quality product if there is adequate on-site supervision from experienced boat-builders. For example, I have inspected the FT - 10 (Flying Tiger 10) designed by Robert Perry and produced in China and was astonished at the quality of the layup and finish throughout.
Ultimately, I would want to make sure that the hardware/equipment were all internationally known brands (and to specify the same in the contract), I would want to visit the plant and I would want some references from existing purchasers. If all that checks out (and assuming you have no qualms about exporting jobs to China, a country with no environmental/health/safey standards for workers and virtually no recognition of intellectual property rights), then I suspect that a real bargain may be in the offing.
Brad
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