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Old 21-10-2008, 13:45   #46
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An Update

Please read the link Broadblue Position Clarified | MULTIHULL REVIEW MAGAZINE
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Old 21-10-2008, 13:53   #47
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Fired the sales director and marketing manager. How do they intend to sell boats?
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Old 21-10-2008, 15:33   #48
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I was particulary taken with this:

Since the Southampton Boat Show the Directors have since agreed with Hillyards that they will be licenced to build and market all Broadblue catamarans.

So..they are now Hillyards Catamarans? I wonder, as it's clear that Broadblue is planning on ceasing production to control costs. Add to that, As Rick pointed out, no sales department, and I think their intent is pretty clear.

These guys are toast. Whoever called this, was evidently right on the money with their 'question'. I predict the next news anouncement is Broadblue moving production to China.
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Old 22-10-2008, 02:17   #49
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It's happening again

Unfortunately the boating industry is in for some bad times ahead, I will wait to hear the official news from BB later this week.
But I have just been emailed and it appears that a well known quality motor boat builder is finding things difficult, I doubt very much that they will go the same way as some other boat builders but they are certainly finding it hard - see link Sealine feels the pinch - TheMainSail News
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Old 22-10-2008, 12:52   #50
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we are owners of a bb385 and sailed almost 4000 miles this summer, nice boat and very safe, the boat is great . i dont know about the financial structure of bb and you cant move such a small production - maybe too many different sizes for such a small company!!?? - to china.
our 385 came originates in poland and just the mast/sails and some upholstery had been made in the uk - and we cant complain about the szczecin part of the boat (we had been there several times).
i am sure some of you have also been to ipswich and saw the head office of bb.
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Old 22-10-2008, 13:15   #51
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Is your hull built by Proxima?

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Old 22-10-2008, 13:29   #52
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Obviously I don't know the inside story.

But sounds like Broadblue have made some tough decisions whilst their is still a business to do a deal over cos' they can clearly see the writing on the wall.

I take my hat off to them for resisting the temptation to ride the business over the cliff.
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Old 22-10-2008, 14:45   #53
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It would be a real shame to lose a Broadblue. Everything I've read about the company and the boats indicate this is a first class operation.

I've read in financial publicatons that many banks are backing away from Boat financing. I can't help but wonder if this is one of the root causes of all boat manufacturers troubles these days.
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Old 22-10-2008, 16:05   #54
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Sweden Yachts also in trouble

Sweden Yachts is 'under reconstruction' having suffered financial problems in the economic downturn.

Sweden Yachts' economic woes became urgent at the end of the summer and the company filed for an economic reconstruction with hopes of better sales,despite the recession on the market.

Lawyer Margareta Andersson, reconstructor of the company, told daily newspaper Dagens Industri, Sweden Yachts has debts of Ł611,000.
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Old 22-10-2008, 23:52   #55
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alan @ nordic cat: the bb385 is made in szczecin/poland, the company is Andrzej Armiński - Projektowanie i budowa jachtów

anyone who want to know more give me a pn
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Old 23-10-2008, 06:18   #56
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[QUOTE=svHyLyte;216134]Therapy--

I appreciate your comment but that has not been my experience save, perhaps, with sales people who seem prone to say whatever to "close" a deal. Accounting/financial people tend to be rather more candid and with them, evasiveness is quite evident. Further, I previously commented on the wisdom of requiring guaranty of performance and completion bonds whenever one enters into a construction contract. A CFO could not evade a straight forward question about a company's ability to obtain such bonds--either they can be obtained or they cannot. If not, why not. At least one party commented that he (she?) was not aware of such practice although, frankly, why anyone would enter into a multi-hundred thousand dollar construction contract for anything without the advice of counsel--who would surely recommend such bonds or the equivalent--escapes me. Perhaps with a major builder--Beneteau for example--one could do without, although it would be no less advisable even in that case.

One last note on this discussion was an earlier reference to a tradesmen who required advance payment before performing further work as evidence of the Builder's financial difficulty. However, such reference came not long after another comment about work that was not satisfactory to the buyer. It could very well be that a tradesman who had not done a particularly good job--it happens with even the best from time to time--may not have been willing to correct or redo the earlier work and in the event, the Builder may not have been willing to pay for such work absent corrections. Hence an impasse; and, a tradesman unwilling to undertake further efforts without advance payments. In any case, there simply has not been enough information to allow one to develop an "informed" opinion.

FWIW...

The builder installed what they were supplied with. The linings were poor, not the installation. The surveyor confirmed the quality of the linings were poor, the builders were concerned they would not get paid, hence---, the new ply linings have now been installed and are OK.
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Old 23-10-2008, 06:22   #57
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BB in multihull review

Quote:
Originally Posted by ireaney View Post
Boat no 3 is 5 months late,
Boat no 3 is late
Boat no 4 is late
SD repeat that bit apart delays!!
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Old 27-10-2008, 01:20   #58
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here are the news for that:

Broadblue Broadcast » Blog Archive » Hillyards plan to breathe new life into two well known names

we are happy owners of BB385/33 (made in poland)
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Old 23-12-2008, 08:54   #59
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Thumbs down BB 415 it doesn't get any better!

After all the hassle during the build, it looked like the boat might be finished soon. Not so: the inverters caught fire! they had been incorrectly installed.They were eventually repaired and replaced. BB announced that the boat was finished, the boat was in it's usual grubby condition and was moored in a mud berth with hardly any warps or fenders correctly positioned. It appeared that this boat was abandoned by the builders and that nothing more was going to be done. The boat was taken; in the first 6 hours of use: the boom contacted the bimini and destroyed 2 solar panels. This was despite a kicker being fitted and the topping lift being set up by BB with a safety knot to prevent just this! Both engines stopped charging, the steering developed a 'knotch' which added to the concern. The 4 forward hatches all leaked the first time a wave came over the decks, wetting the bedding in the 2 forward cabins. The anchor jumped in it's locator hitting the surround and causing local cracking and delaminating. The cockpit drain funnelled water from the bridge up to the saloon door, this water then ran inside the boat, wetting the saloon floor. The holding tank seal did not hold in the pitching (motoring into a force 5, moderate seas) and the contents were transferred to the bilge!! Finally, when moored up the inverter/chargers overheated!
The kicker gave no support to the boom and has been returned to the manufacturer, Z Spars; Z Spars and BB response is "they don't advise fitting a kicker". The clearance over the bimini is about 6" (150mm) the topping lift is 10mm braid about 38metres in length; the obvious conclusion is that the topping lift stretched at least 6-8", this is denied by the rope manufacturer.
The hatches (Gebo round) when installed have a tolerance of 1mm. I doubt that the deck is true flat to within 1mm. However, when the boat pounds, the decks flex, the hatches flex and the water comes in through the hatch seal! At present looking at replacing with Bomar (BB fitted these to earlier 385's) as these have larger seals and also 3 clamp handles(against Gebo's 2)
The boat will have to be lifted to check the rudder bearings (and clean the mud from the mud berth).
Volvo engineers are to check the engines (they are assuming incorrect installation)
The bedding will probably have to be replaced, the solar panels replaced, the anchor bulkhead repaired and the cockpit drain modified.Total cost approx Ł9000 and counting.
It does not sound like the advertising blurb does it!
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Old 23-12-2008, 11:13   #60
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Wow, sorry to hear of your continuing frustrations. That being said, at least you got your boat and all of these problems sound repairable. I suspect that it will get better.

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