sportsfish/ocean cylinder shut down?

[s-pac]

Can someone confirm for me that Sportfish/Ocean cylinder boats have ceased to operate?
If it is so, it just goes to show a good name and product does not guarantee a successful business for ever.

s.pac

[mackmauler]

Several months ago. OC are being made by a new company as far as I know.

Cheers

[bugman]

Didn't pacific boats buy or take over both companies?

Bugman

[Ron_Collins]

Hi S-Pac

About two or so months ago I saw an advertisement in The Courier Mail inviting tenders for Sportfish's workshop equipment etc, etc.

They've always made a pretty good product and the best way for you to get the correct info, straight from the horse's mouth, would be to phone Northside Marine, their former sole Brisbane dealer.

I suggest you ask for principal Greg Nickerson or sales manager Bill Hull. If you're an owner or had been planning on becoming an owner, I'm sure they will help you out with the right information.

If your inquiry is more complex and related, for instance, to a warranty claim or the like, you may need to speak with the Boating Industry Association of Queensland (07 3899 3333) if Northside can't answer your question/s.

Hope that assists in some way. - Ron Collins, Ed.

[s-pac]

Hi Ron
Thanks for all your advice, it just made me sit back and think about a lot of issues when getting a boat built. I almost went with Sportfish, but in the end I have chosen JBS boats.
I am hoping for them to start in a few weeks.You have to think of what would happen to your boat during construction (after paying progress payments etc) in they or any company went belly-up.All these legal issues have to be taken seriously or you could end up losing a lot of money/boat.It doesn't matter how nice people are it is still a business, and things can and do go wrong.
This news has definently made me open my eyes and taken my head out of the clouds (thinking of all the great fishing/boating times to come) and made me realise a lot of things must happen first before the boat is safely parked in our garage.

Regards s-pac

[Vern_Veitch]

Maybe I am naive on this issue but it seems to me that a boat would need to be a lot bigger than could be fitted on a trailer before I would start making "progress payments". I get the impression tha some of the builders are using advance payments on new boats to pay for completion of floor stock and basically using customers as their credit supply. I thought that was what banks were for.
Vern