The Marine Industry News online news magazine has reported on serious troubles with Cornish Crabbers Ltd.
Without beating about the bush – they are broke and owe some £1M to creditors.
See:
The article reports on possible reasons for the problems encountered by the boat builder – largely around the fact that there are a huge number of craft sitting around for sale of the ‘up to 8m range…’ and we all, those who follow such stuff, have seen this around the bazaars.
In the Finesse wooden clinker boat market, the prices being offered for what can be a perfectly fit craft is a kind of madness, but, sadly, a reflection on the overcrowded market of smaller craft. This has affected the whole sector.
I remember the ‘coming’ of the original Cornish Crabber 24 gaff rigged cutter. I went on board one – it was so cramped even against the Yachting World Peoples Boat we had at the time (we were looking to change boats…)
The old version is ostensibly the same length – alongside each other the boats are significantly different in length (ignoring bowsprit) and boat volume.
I had a good look at the modern ’24’ some while ago and she can be found in the link. They are £120,000 sail away version without essential equipment. Open plan and ‘poky’ inside. Mad!
There is a Crabber 26 – more like the inside of a Finesse 24 in fit out with separate cabins. These sail away at a peck under £160,000 – more bloody madness. This is the problem…
See link for the range:
https://www.cornishcrabbers.co.uk/classic-series/crabber-24-mkv/
At my marina, as can be found around the yards and clubs up and down the coast, there are a number of small craft – the 18′ to 26′ range – that are sitting ‘neglected’ and seemingly unloved. They are all owned by mooring holders with ‘bills paid’ as I understand it, but no longer have owners who care enough…
The Marine Industry News article is interesting reading for at last, as far as I see it, someone is being bluntly honest.
A quote: An industry source posts that the current market is very tough for small boats. “No boats under eight metres are selling at the moment,” the source told MIN in confidence. “There are 100s of boats sitting on forecourts that aren’t selling. The market is really flat. Cornish Crabbers doesn’t generally make big boats. The volume of boats for sale under eight metres could be the problem.”
So, with this terrible news, the UK could well loose another boat builder who has specialised in the smaller boat market. The Little pocket cruiser, Cornish Shrimper, has bee a remarkable success story and they are great sailers. But, like most well built GRP vessels, they are long lived: still plenty of the early Crabber 24 cutters around.
The MIN said also: A different anonymous source told MIN: “There are too many crabbers out there, loved by many people, for the company to disappear completely. Look at its history, it always comes back from the brink. There are always people who want crabber…’
Yes, but are they opting to settle for an older model at a fraction of the new boat prices?
I spotted a little craft on the way up the River Blackwater last summer – a Yarmouth 23 gaff cutter. She looked far lighter than the Crabbers and could be taking some of the market. Seen a couple about…
The future: clear out the yards and marinas of defunct little ships and cut them up. Make a big hole in the market to enable production???
Seriously, the solution is complicated…