With all these sailboat companies building, how many will still be in business?

[videorov]

What should you think about before you buy a new boat from a company.
How long have they been in business, how many boats have they sold etc?
It makes you wonder who will still be around?????

[David M]

Originally Posted by videorov

What should you think about before you buy a new boat from a company.

The overall quality and price.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by David M

The overall quality and price.

Really, what difference does it make if they fold 10 years from now? Buy the boat you want, the one that meets your needs and rings your chimes.

[maxingout]

I have never been impressed with warranty service on sailboats, and I would not care if there will still be around in ten years.

I would be much more concerned that the boat built for me was constructed in a manner consistent with the intended voyage.

[denverd0n]

Trying to guess how long a boat-building company is going to be in business is a pointless exercise. Look back to the 1980s and there are a whole lot of companies that SEEMED to be destined to stick around for many decades, which are now long gone. And there are others that I would have thought would have folded by now that are still here.

Make your purchase based on the soundness of the design and the quality of the construction TODAY. Not on what you think might or might not happen in the next 10 or 15 years.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Make your purchase based on the soundness of the design and the quality of the construction TODAY. Not on what you think might or might not happen in the next 10 or 15 years.

and probably also brand name, if resale important. Will always be easier to sell something like a Hunter or Beneteau than a Squiddly Wotsit - even if the latter be the better boat. Price acheived being a seperate thing - but usually related to many folks having heard of the builder (unless buying in the Fabergé Egg side of the boat business ).

If buying off the shelf (COD ) then little to worry about if builder goes bankrupt the week after (apart from loss of "Warranty" - and possibly help in de-snagging).

However if it is a cash upfront and delivery later deal (whether or not stage payments - aka you providing the builder with working capital) then IMO sensible to protect yourself as far as possible - just in case the company goes pop during the build . Probably won't happen (but it does sometimes) - lots of 000's is usually a sum of money best not protected solely by keeping fingers crossed (even if in practice many folks do that).