Have the Chinese Missed a Market?

[scoobert]

marine AC unit, 12,000btu - $2000
window AC 12,000 btu $260

marine generator, 5000 watts, $7-10,000
backup generator, 5000 watts $1400

10" gps navagation, $2500
10" ipad $500

now granted, it will take money to marinize all these, but not much.
what is the price difference between an evaperator for air, and one for water on a mass production scale?

can you tell me adding water cooling to a generator would cost $1000's?

i think the Chinese are missing this.
i could see a $500 marine AC,
a $2500 generator,
and a 15" chartplotter for $500.

i do not have my window AC units fail, we have used two Chinese units from LG for 8 years, no issues.
do we just not have the volume for them?

[IdoraKeeper]

Could be an opportunity for a cottage industry......if not for liability concerns. Build em for your friends... See how it plays out.

[Teknav]

The components used in manufacturing marine and aviation toys are "heavy duty/high tolerance". You can practically build a lot of toys with parts purchased from hobby shops and Radio Shack. The final products obtained from these sources will last you no more than what you've paid for them. That is why marine/aviation toys are very pricey, but they also can endure harsh environment and still keep on ticking.

Mauritz
Simplicity, endurance and elegance through engineering.

[scoobert]

well thats one funny part. most marine equipment comes from either farms, or trucks.
Chinese make those parts already.

[Tantalus]

Nope.
Boat Air Conditioner-Boat Air Conditioner Manufacturers, Suppliers and Exporters on Alibaba.comIndustrial Air Conditioners

[brownoarsman]

I'm always surprised there's been no cheap, small outboards coming out of China. $500+ for a new 2 hp dinghy motor seems so expensive when there are Chinese-made dinghies of reasonable quality (e.g. just harbor/lake motoring) selling for $300. Maybe I just haven't come across the less expensive outboards though.

I guess the comparison would be:
2 hp outboard: $500-$800
2 hp weed wacker: $200

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by Tantalus

Nope.
Boat Air Conditioner-Boat Air Conditioner Manufacturers, Suppliers and Exporters on Alibaba.comIndustrial Air Conditioners

i have not seen any of those for sale here... no idea why.

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by brownoarsman

I'm always surprised there's been no cheap, small outboards coming out of China. $500+ for a new 2 hp dinghy motor seems so expensive when there are Chinese-made dinghies of reasonable quality (e.g. just harbor/lake motoring) selling for $300. Maybe I just haven't come across the less expensive outboards though.

I guess the comparison would be:
2 hp outboard: $500-$800
2 hp weed wacker: $200

You mean just maybe my expensive new Mercury 9.9hp 4 stroke was not made in China????? Must be the only thing I have bought new in the USA since moving here last year that isn't! When does China get to become a US State or the USA become a new Chinese province?

[scoobert]

I think my tohatsu is Chinese...

[Lake-Effect]

You can't compare a window-mount AC with a marine AC; different machines. Biggest difference - the window unit's heat exchanger is air cooled.

Ditto for generators; cheap land units are air-cooled and have no serious sound-proofing.

Other factors- marinizing involves more expensive materials, different mufflers and exhausts.

Finally, yes marine is a pretty small market. Chinese farm and industrial makers have not yet attained the quality and longevity of other countries.

Our Japanese outboard is 23 years old... nuff said.

[OutOfControl]

"I think my tohatsu is Chinese..."

scoobert, actually it is Japanese.

"Mercury outboards, in the U.S., from 30 hp and below are rebadged Tohatsus. All Nissan outboard engines in North America are Tohatsus with a Nissan decal. In 2011, Tohatsu and Evinrude Outboard Motors made a deal to make smaller engines ranging from 15 HP and down with Evinrude decals."

[brownoarsman]

That's probably true; I imagine it is. I guess what I was saying more is that I haven't been any Chinese 'brands' (save for a few limited ones on eBay); by which I mean off-market, not supported by advertising or distribution, generally word-of-mouth marketing and direct sales through eBay resellers, alibaba, or online, centralized, and exclusive distribution in the US. This model has happened in a lot of industries (small cameras, scooters, etc.), and the quality is apparently reasonably acceptable.

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by OutOfControl

"I think my tohatsu is Chinese..."

scoobert, actually it is Japanese.

"Mercury outboards, in the U.S., from 30 hp and below are rebadged Tohatsus. All Nissan outboard engines in North America are Tohatsus with a Nissan decal. In 2011, Tohatsu and Evinrude Outboard Motors made a deal to make smaller engines ranging from 15 HP and down with Evinrude decals."

thats cool then. it runs good.

[Tellie]

The Chinese aren't going to set up mass production of small marine A/C units for what they'll see as a handful of sailors.

[AiniA]

You see Chinese outboards and inboard diesels on developing countries. Saw guys installing a very crude, but robust engine into a small fishing boat on a beach in Indonesia. Everything done with a handful of tools.

All these products are coming at some point as the Chinese have to move into higher value-added manufacturing in response to dramatically increasing labor costs. In consumer markets we are just starting to see Chinese brand names but this trickle will become a flood, especially as quality improves.