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Jan 2012 update and Seattle Boat Show
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Les Lampman
Dealer


Joined: 30 Oct 2003
Posts: 779
City/Region: Whidbey Island
State or Province: WA
PostPosted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 11:56 am    Post subject: Jan 2012 update and Seattle Boat Show Reply with quote

Sorry for the extended break, sometimes it just happens.

We have hull A002 in the shop for production and we have an order for hull A003. I'll post more once we get further into the process and I'll post photos on Facebook (and probably Google+).

We will not be attending the Seattle Boat Show. That might seem like a bad move for a new boat company trying to get exposure but it's really a matter of how much exposure we can handle.

My final assessment is that I thought we'd do pretty well with the Marinaut 215 at the show and that if we did it would do us in. I don't have the people in place to handle as many boats as we might have sold at the SBS. I also don't have a good feel for how well our suppliers can get us the things we need (custom fuel tanks, custom rails, custom windows, etc) if we get into higher production levels.

I'd rather walk before we try to run and fall flat on our face, so for this year we'll continue our one-on-one sales effort so we can interact with each customer on an individual basis, and I can control the production level more successfully.

I'm sorry if this disappoints some folks that were planning on seeing the boat or just coming by to say hello and hang out for a bit. I just can't risk a really big stumble coming out of the gate, I need to hold things back to a level I know we can support this season.

All the best,

Les

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Les

www.marinautboats.com
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hardee



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 12632
City/Region: Sequim
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sleepy-C
Photos: SleepyC
PostPosted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Les,

As always, what you say makes good sense. We know how you are about maintaining quality and, for myself, I prefer that route to rush and jumble. It may take a while to get from the crawl to jog stage. It's OK, the M-215 will be better for it. We will miss you at the SBS, and hope to catch you down the line, Friday Harbor or La Conner or Sequim.

Wish you great success for the new year.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

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JamesTXSD



Joined: 01 Mar 2005
Posts: 7444
City/Region: from island boy to desert dweller
State or Province: AZ
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: "Wild Blue" (sold 9/14)
Photos: Wild Blue
PostPosted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

First off: congrats on another order for the M-215. No doubt, this (the SBS) was a tough decision, but one made with "being able to deliver the goods" in mind. From all reports, the Marinaut is a fine design, and it's good to build a solid production foundation and grow in a responsible manner. Wishing you success with the controlled growth.

Jim B.
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maryvmcclain



Joined: 24 Jul 2011
Posts: 118
City/Region: Summerlin
State or Province: NV
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Freedom
Photos: Freedom
PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Les, I'm new to C-Brats and we're looking to buy in the near future. I just discovered your gorgeous boat (my husband had seen it and raved about it, but we just can't afford a brand new boat). If we could, it would definately DEFINATELY be a Marinaut.... it is absolutely darling!

The only thing I would change (but I have no solution to the boarding issue), is I would try to change the lines of the bimini top somehow.

Also, I just wanted to say... I work as a consultant and have lots of start up clients that fail... and I do agree about not stretching yourself too thin and making quality a priority. You have a great looking boat and you WILL get more of them out there... which is the best kind of advertising.

The thing I most often see fail is that entrapreneurs are afraid to take on staff for cash flow/capital reasons and its difficult for them to get bank financing without mortgaging their homes... so they end up being short on labor and/or not able to market as well as they should... All of that makes common sense, but it took me 25 years of a career to realize that the hardest thing is not risking your own career and family finances but overcoming the fear of hiring people and having THEIR livlihood also depend on your dream. The most successful client I have took that risk... did the OPPOSITE of what other companies did after the internet bubble burst and took advantage of the bad economy. He's worth at least 60Million today, plus takes out a cool 2-3mil in salary, plus has about 150 very happily working for him.

All I can say is everyone loved the experience of the start up and the chance to make it happen.

So, my longwinded way of saying BE BRAVE and THINK BIG!

Congratulations on boat #2
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Les Lampman
Dealer


Joined: 30 Oct 2003
Posts: 779
City/Region: Whidbey Island
State or Province: WA
PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement everyone.

Mary,

Thank you for your insights, all information is helpful. We're in a bit different situation having been here since 1985. For me now it's about consistent quality and managed growth so that the quality doesn't suffer. I have no desire to be "big", someone that wants to purchase Marinaut Boat Company is going to have to make that happen. I just want to build a few great boats a year and have happy owners.

All the best,

Les
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maryvmcclain



Joined: 24 Jul 2011
Posts: 118
City/Region: Summerlin
State or Province: NV
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Freedom
Photos: Freedom
PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Les,
Well, we all want you to get big, really big and give all competitors a run for their money.

BTW the boat on your website that's for sale looks really nice, but I'm stuck on wanting to be able to sit forward on the passenger side, so we are only looking at ones that have that option which we think seems to be around 2005 or so? So, that's why we've been looking so hard... not that many newer boats go on the market... a testimony to how much you all love your boats! I just wish I could go a little higher and get a Marinaut.. but I guess I'm not the only one wishing that.

Mary
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rogerbum



Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 5922
City/Region: Kenmore
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Vessel Name: Meant to be
Photos: SeaDNA
PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mary - it costs very little to modify a C-Dory (pre fiberglass interior) to have a forward facing seat on the port side. So my suggestion is to not let the lack of a forward facing seat prevent you from purchasing a boat. That's easy to change.
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maryvmcclain



Joined: 24 Jul 2011
Posts: 118
City/Region: Summerlin
State or Province: NV
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Freedom
Photos: Freedom
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good to know! I had no idea that the seat/table could be retrofitted.... do they work the same way? Rob that that the older ones had designs that were part of the mold somehow... so...wow! I need to know more about the retrofitting. Who do I ask?
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dotnmarty



Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 4196
City/Region: Sammamish
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 1993
C-Dory Model: 16 Angler
Vessel Name: LIZZIE II
Photos: Lizzie
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Search above (in the search the C-Brats box) for "Barber Chair". Mike Barber, who made the first conversion, is Tyboo Mike, one of the two founders and administrators of this site.
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MartyP

"...we're all in the same boat..."
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Dreamer



Joined: 01 Jan 2006
Posts: 1763
City/Region: Really Sunny SaddleBrooke
State or Province: AZ
Photos: Dreamer
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can still bang out a few more name badges for the Boat Show CBGT if you'll PM or e-mail me tonight. Names, boat name and color, boat model and your home town. See you all tomorrow. Wink
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Once a C-Brat, always a C-Brat

Dreamer- Sold 25 Feb. 2013
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Les Lampman
Dealer


Joined: 30 Oct 2003
Posts: 779
City/Region: Whidbey Island
State or Province: WA
PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rogerbum wrote:
Mary - it costs very little to modify a C-Dory (pre fiberglass interior) to have a forward facing seat on the port side. So my suggestion is to not let the lack of a forward facing seat prevent you from purchasing a boat. That's easy to change.


There are several ways to make a forward facing seat:

The least expensive option is to cut away the port side bulkhead.

Another option is to leave the seat base alone and make the seat bottom move fore and aft. At our place that runs about $600.

Another option is to fit it out as we did the original boats with the Barber Chair (and the factory picked up on). That requires completely pulling the cabinet and floor and rebuilding it. The last one we did ran about $1000 for labor and material.

In addition...if the boat has a refrigerator under the forward passenger seat that must be removed (for any forward facing seat conversion) and dealt with. It would add a fair amount of time and expense to move it to the helm side.

Les
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C-Nile



Joined: 09 May 2008
Posts: 638
City/Region: Connecticut
State or Province: CT
C-Dory Year: 2012
Vessel Name: Betty Ann
Photos: C-Nile
PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My wife and I agree with the comment that the lines of the Bimini top do not look that good in the photo. Actually, we think the boat looks beautiful with the full camper back configuration, which we intend to use year-round. What it comes down to is a balance between form and function. Since 2006, I've owned a Scion XB. I'm entirely truthful about this: I asked 5 woman at random to close their eyes and imagine the most ugly new car offered at that time, and every one of them said it was the Scion XB (good thing I was married, because it is no chick magnet.) At any rate, I was ridiculed until one day I had to help move someone's items from an apartment. We could put a 5-foot long, by 39" wide, by 36" high sofa in the hatch area, along with boxes and other items, and could still close the hatch! We then placed a 9-foot long, by 36" wide, by 36" high sofa on the car rack. The other person was amazed, because he did not have anywhere near that capacity in his Ford Explorer. Incidentally, 97 HP is plenty for the Scion XB, and it can get up to 30 MPG around town -- low maintenance costs, low insurance costs, and approx. $17,000 out of the showroom total cost.

So getting to the Marinaut 215 -- like the Scion XB, the Marinaut is superior at maximiizing space. However, unlike the Scion XB, it looks relatively sleek -- particularly with the Camper Back. Perhaps it does not look as aesthetically pleasing with bimini-only set-up, but my wife and I will take that added space any day over a sleeker alternative. We think that the Marinaut 215 strikes a wonderful balance between from and function.

Please click on the below link to view a picture of my Scion XB, and a side-by-side comparison of the Bimini configuration to the Camper Back.

Thanks!

Rich

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?full=1&set_albumName=C-Nile&id=Marinaut_Balance_of_Form_and_Function&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

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Marinaut 215 - "Betty Ann" Sept-2011
CD 16 Cruiser "C-Nile" Sold 06/2011
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Spike



Joined: 21 Oct 2006
Posts: 572
City/Region: Kent
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Bootleg Hooch
Photos: Bootleg Hooch
PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rich
I have to admit I thought that the Scion XB was the uglyest auto ever made, and that includes the AMC Gremlin, until Nissan came out with their Cube. Now your boat on the other hand looks good both ways.

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Bootleg Hooch
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dotnmarty



Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 4196
City/Region: Sammamish
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 1993
C-Dory Model: 16 Angler
Vessel Name: LIZZIE II
Photos: Lizzie
PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the Scion XB is beautiful as well as funtional. When I was volunteering at the VA hospital I drove a van around the vast parking lots to pick up patients who had difficulty walking (and often, remembering where they parked, and sometimes, what kind of car they had). Anyway, they asked me to recommend a vehicle that was inexpensive, efficient, easy to get in and out of, and carried several people. I recommended the Scion XB. They ended up replacing both me and the van with a valet service, which, I have to admit, works well. As for the bimini, I think it looks great, especially in that wheat color with the gold accents on the boat. As a matter of fact I just had a mooring cover made in that color. You're a lucky guy.
http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Lizzie&id=IMGP0001_001&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php
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localboy



Joined: 30 Sep 2006
Posts: 4656
City/Region: Lake Stevens via Honolulu
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: 'Au Kai (Ocean Traveler)
Photos: 'AU KAI
PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I have to admit I thought that the Scion XB was the uglyest auto ever made, and that includes the AMC Gremlin, until Nissan came out with their Cube.


I'm w/ you 100%, Chuck. Laughing But I think both were designed for the genX, Y, Z kids (under 25)....whatever they are called now. Dang I sound old. Wink

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