New 'Made in China' Prouts ?

[jacket_fan]

During the long searches on yachtworld, I came across a listing for a brand new Prout. It appears that Prout has moved their factory to China to reduce costs. Seems like a recurring theme these days.

During the long searches on yachtworld, I came across a listing for a brand new Prout. It appears that Prout has moved their factory to China to reduce costs. Seems like a recurring theme these days.

What are the opinions about the new Prouts? Is the quality there? The photographs are impressive. And the specs on the Prout website versus what they advertise for price makes a formidable package.

I understand that Prout is one of the manufacturers that have been around for quite a while. There are quite a few older ones for sale on yachtworld, so I assume they have been quality boats in the past.

I am curious to know if what folks think and if anyone has any experience with the new ones.

2010 Prout 46S Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Thanks,

[muskoka]

Prout went bankrupt many years ago. The successor company was Broadblue. I believe the China operation is Prout in name only.

[GordMay]

Prout:
➥ Prout International
➥ About Prout Catamarans the Builder
➥ Prout Catamarans News

[jacket_fan]

muskoka, you are right. A quick web search came up with this:

The Bankruptcy of Prout Catamarans

Sad to read about the demise of a proud company.

I am intrigued by the 45 foot boat. The website and .pdf file make an attractive cat to me. Different style than the other cats I have been looking at on yachtworld.

Gordmay, thanks for the links.

one of the interesting things I found was looking at the executive team.

Prout International

Looks like a couple of hot shot Harvard grads have positions of leadership. Economics majors running a boat builder. Perhaps they can turn things around for Prout.

[Dick Pluta]

Look what happened when GM put the accountants in charge. The last "car guy" was Bob Stemple back in the 80's. Unless the Harvard grads are really devoted "boat guys", like the PAE guys back in th 70's, I would tread with great caution. I did some contract work for a toy company with manufacturing facilities in China and they drove me nuts cutting corners. Think melamine contaminared milk, sulfurous fly ash in gypsum board...you get the drift. They may be great if the owners devote lots of personal attention to quality but everyone I dealt with had a cousin or a nephew or a grandson who could provide stuff "a little cheaper". I had to watch a $1 toy like a hawk. I'd be vewwy, vewwy careful with a multi hundred thousand dollar boat.

Dick Pluta
AEGEA

[muskoka]

Originally Posted by jacket_fan

Looks like a couple of hot shot Harvard grads have positions of leadership. Economics majors running a boat builder. Perhaps they can turn things around for Prout.

Hmmm. Looking at what a bunch of hot shot Harvard grads did for the banking industry doesn't fill me with confidence....

[mdsilvers]

I looked at these guys about six months ago. In short, I would be very cautious. I just spend 4 days in Argentina at the new Antares facilities, and after meeting the people building the boats, feel very comfortable. The folks building these boats are lifelong sailor and boat builders, not business school MBAs finding a cheap location to pump out cats....IMO a BIG difference when you start paying this kind of money for a boat.

[jacket_fan]

Whether China or Argentina, I agree you want the best building your boat. As far as Prout goes, sounds like they need to prove they can build a quality product, and we need to see how they perform.

Are there any new Prouts that anyone has any experience with?

[Talbot]

Keep hearing about the new prouts - weren't they supposed to have been showing a demonstrator in US earlier this year?

My biggest worry on any of these new builders would be quality control. If I had to have one built, I would be employing a full time quality supervisor, and have the power of veto in the contract.

[Tropic Cat]

Mark

I'd be somewhat concerned about boat design as well. Take a look at the mast position in the "new" Prout. This isn't a Prout rig, it's a completely new design. The only thing this boat has in common with the boats we know is it's name!

[jacket_fan]

Good point Rick. Ya'll have convinced me to put this lower on the list.

[Eleven]

A good old Prout has a beam a third of the length, the mast at the rear bulkhead (the strongest place) and a lot of accomodation with reasonable daily distances.
The Prout management expanded just before a bust (in the eighties?).
Old Prouts are still a good buy with a long record of sound cruising and in winds over 20 kts match equivalent mono's fairly well. My 31ft holds six kts into 20kts of wind at 40 apparent. And so solidly safe on ToP of the water.
The 37ft Snowgoose would be a good cruising buy if in good condition with low depreciation and usually with full cruising fit out. Six berths typical with room for four more temp. bunks! If a new cat is tempting go look at an old Prout!

[The Poet]

Jacket Fan, I was reading another entry on this forum. I have found a site from a new English yard that will be building the former 39' Escale in GB. My mate actually followed the moulds on the M4 bound for a new high tech facility. Suggest you look at www.proutescale.com. They certainly have the moulds. Like you, I have grown weary of all these sites that only show line drawings and Photoshop images. These guys at Azimuth actually have the moulds !

[Southern Star]

I suspect they acquired the moulds for the Prout Escale for next to nothing because it is a rather dated design and no one, not even Broadblue when they pulled Prout out of the ashes, wanted them. While I am a fan of the cutter rig, the (originally) stout construction and of relatively narrow beam, the bridgedeck clearance was inadequate.

Sadly, I suspect that they are hoping (praying?) that they can make a few pounds with minimal capital investment by selling a small number (and I can't imagine a market for many more - I believe that even Prout had discontinued the model at the end; certainly they had moved on to more modern designs/greater bridgedeck clearance ).

Brad

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

While I am a fan of the cutter rig, the (originally) stout construction and of relatively narrow beam, the bridgedeck clearance was inadequate.

I think you are thinking of the Snowgoose which did have a relatively narrow beam by todays standards (50% being the norm today), but this was deliberate so that they were narrow enough to use the French Canal system.

The Escale was much wider (at 48%) and very close to today's norm, and also had a much better bridgedeck clearance. Its major drawback was the dated internal arrangement. For this reason it was replaced by the Manta (38 ft).

However, the escale was a better sailor and they have been known to achieve 200nm per day.