Seapiper 35

[backinblue]

Nice advertisement. Now, care to share why you came here to advertise for them?

Unusually hostile quote from you guys? Were you having a bad day?

 

[OldDan1943]

B&B, perhaps BanB has not followed the thread very well? We have never been generous when it comes to the Seapiper. We have not been generous when it comes to many new and existing boat designs.
We all buy a basic boat and spend big bucks making the boat 'ours'.
Could the boat design be improved? Are there too many or not enough optional assessors? Hey, dont like the boat, don't buy it.
If you own one and not happy, I guess you have 3 options, sell it, spend time and money to make it a better boat or complain about it.
My AT was not perfect when I bought it. In my case, I set about making improvements to make it almost perfect for me and the next owner.

 

[backinblue]

I don't think anyone's choice of boat should be criticized. If it does what you want and you're happy with it, great. The OP obviously seems happy with his choice and the improvements he's made. Many may not liike the SeaPiper but no reason to attack someone who owns one.

 

[BandB]

Unusually hostile quote from you guys? Were you having a bad day?

It was last year and my comment on the post was as it was an initial post and read much like an ad. The owner then elaborated further and removed any questions I had about the initial post. Many times when a single post shows up out of nowhere, it's really from the builder. This owner showed credibility although still quite a glowing comment and all went on fine. He answered by question quite well and I acknowledged so and even helped by correcting misinformation posted by others.

Seapiper did encourage posts here, but to my knowledge never posted fake posts like other builders have done. I think Seapiper did an outstanding job of building a new brand in a new niche. I hope that the new owners continue the same path. I fear all transfers of ownership, even those when major builders are involved. Nearest recent I can cite is Johnny Morris entity buys Hatteras, is going wild building Mako and Ranger Offshore at the Hatteras facility. No mention at all of Cabo. Selling a few Hatteras SF's and refusing dealer orders for the MY's and now even junked some of the molds. Reputable people making sharp business moves, but priorities have shifted greatly for the brand.

 

[Trimjb]

https://www.seapiper.com/4645/seapiper-production-moves-back-to-the-u-s/

 

[BandB]

https://www.seapiper.com/4645/seapiper-production-moves-back-to-the-u-s/

Great link.

Notice, they're projecting restarting production by the end of the third quarter of 2022 so by September.

Now back to my concern. I'm not familiar with any brands shutting down for 6 months or more and then successfully resuming business. Post, Ocean, Tolly, Northern. I do have some hope since the new owners are boat builders, but a lot can happen and meanwhile you have no boats being built. I'm hopeful that come September we'll seen new boats.

 

[ssobol]

https://www.seapiper.com/4645/seapiper-production-moves-back-to-the-u-s/

Wonder how this move will affect the price of those boats? Unlikely to lessen it.

 

[BandB]

Wonder how this move will affect the price of those boats? Unlikely to lessen it.

I think the impact will depend on where to be delivered. Shouldn't impact US buyers much but certainly could others.

 

[ssobol]

I think the impact will depend on where to be delivered. Shouldn't impact US buyers much but certainly could others.

I think that the labor costs will be much higher. This will be somewhat offset by the delivery cost (for North American buyers), but it is not a wash.

 

[OldDan1943]

Considering the design, I would think it would be best to build it on the east coast because of the protected waters of the ICW

 

[backinblue]

Anyone moving production from China to the US deserves to be applauded. I'm sure this wasn't a rash decision without knowledge of what thier production cost would be. Doesn't matter if it can be built cheaper in China if you can't efficiently get the end product delivered to the customer. It's not just labot and trnasportation they are dealing with, but supply chain issues to get parts needed to build the boat. THis is a big problem today for many companies that manufacture things.

 

[sunchaser]

Anyone moving production from China to the US deserves to be applauded. I'm sure this wasn't a rash decision without knowledge of what thier production cost would be. Doesn't matter if it can be built cheaper in China if you can't efficiently get the end product delivered to the customer. It's not just labot and trnasportation they are dealing with, but supply chain issues to get parts needed to build the boat. THis is a big problem today for many companies that manufacture things.

Nordhavn saw the handwriting on the wall some years ago and with new models and designs moved some production to Turkey. East Coast delivery ports too. Given the current and forecast LA shipping issues combined with politics, China new builds and yacht companies should all be worried for their future.

 

[Lightheart]

It may have already been mentioned and I missed it, but the base price of the Seapiper increased by about $100,000 with the move from China to Ohio.

 

[ssobol]

It may have already been mentioned and I missed it, but the base price of the Seapiper increased by about $100,000 with the move from China to Ohio.

Wonder what that will do to the sales? Before the Seapiper was an attractive deal. Now, not so much.

 

[Mako]

Their website still quotes $298,000 base price. However, assuming your're right, then with the 25% import tariff now imposed on Chinese boats, the gap has narrowed. The price has not risen by $100,000, it has only risen by $25,000.

 

[nwboater]

Last year I gave a deposit of $1000, which I forfeited (by choice) when we decided not to proceed to contract. The base price was $185,000. With Seakeeper gyro and other upgrades the price rose to $290,000. Still a good value but in the end I bought an AT34.

 

[ssobol]

Original price was something like $170K which was a very good deal.

 

[bogranjac1]

Original price was something like $170K which was a very good deal.

I like them greatly, very versatile and comfortable liveaboard for the summer cruising. The bit about fitting in a standard sea container opens up huge possibly of transportation for cross country on the cheap - I don't think the trailerable option comes into the picture unfortunately for an owner due to weights, axles, braking power blah blah of our regular 4x4 trucks. The safe storage of a sea container is nice,whether you live in cyclone or snow storm country.

 

[Lightheart]

Their website still quotes $298,000 base price. However, assuming your're right, then with the 25% import tariff now imposed on Chinese boats, the gap has narrowed. The price has not risen by $100,000, it has only risen by $25,000.

Within the past year I had been given a formal quote of a base price of $189,500 and with every available option (including SeaKeeper, electronics, dinghy davits, genset, a/c, optional freezer, thruster and center cockpit canopy) of $278,766. That quote importantly included a $15,000 allowance for import duties, container offload of $2,200 and a reasonable transportation fee of $9,016 to ship it from CA to St Petersburg, Florida.

I was reluctant to place the order due to concerns with China-built boats with the geo-political situation being what it is. With Seapiper having been acquired by what appears to be a time-proven yacht building enterprise and located in Ohio, that issue is now off the table of concerns.

Back in 2001 I had a deposit to have a Pacific Trawler built but decided against it when 9-11 happened. The builder unfortunately then went bankrupt leaving as it does some half-paid-for, uncompleted boats. Having a boat built is risky business . . . for both buyer and builder.

My hope is SeaKeeper enjoys tremendous success. Its founder appeared to me to be an ethical capable innovator.

 

[OldDan1943]

So as I understand it, Seapiper is moving its operations to the Ohio US. Are there existing facilities and skilled labor there?
This moving around costs money. Someone has to pay.
I never considered it a trailerable boat. I saw that picture of the boat on the trailer. BIG
It can fit in container and shipped pretty much anywhere in the world. That is a strong selling point. Does the trailer fit in the same container and act as a cradle??
As always, I do wish them great success.

NW boater, wise decision. Strangely, your boat looks just like mine, on the outside.

 

[Lightheart]

So as I understand it, Seapiper is moving its operations to the Ohio US. Are there existing facilities and skilled labor there?

Same company that builds the C&C and with an expertise in carbon fibre and composites.

More about their move and building facilities . . . https://www.seapiper.com/blog/

 

[Porgy]

Where does the fit inside a shipping container bit come from? Looking at standard shipping container dimensions and specs for the boat it sure doesn’t look like it will fit. If there are shipping containers with doors that are wider than 8’-6” and higher than 11’-2” (8’-3” air draft + 2’-11” draft) I suppose so but they don’t readily come up on shipping sites.

 

[backinblue]

Porgy I agree with you. Maybe more urban legend than fact?

 

[OldDan1943]

Porgy, as I recall, the boat had to have a special cradle made and the boat was loaded on an angle.

 

[Sticky]

Video I haven't seen before of a Seapiper actually tackling some water:

 

[OldDan1943]

I cant remember being that young. Ah, I was in the Navy on submarines.

 

[Trimjb]

Sticky, This is hull #1. Original owner sold it to a guy from Georgia. The were having a good time!!

My #9 handled the West Coast seas on a 12 hour run just fine. Not quite as rough as this though.
OldDan1943, I am also a sailor. We did have some pretty rough surface runs!

 

[OldDan1943]

Trimjb, Do you have a SeaKeeper?
It was interesting to see how it behaved.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Crazy being out on the bow in that chop.
But I’m not in my 20’s.

My old Willard’s almost never thrown that much water in any sea. 4’ shorter and no spray rails either.

With certain size, speed and height of waves short boats can have the advantage. Especially w weight more amidships than most. Pitching can be good and result in “riding the waves” gracefully and quite dry. Up and over the waves rather than one end going through or into the waves.

But right now I’d prolly rather have the Seapiper. But at 35’ I’d prolly scratch her off the list for moorage cost.

 

[OldDan1943]

Crazy being out on the bow in that chop.
But I’m not in my 20’s.
.

Hey watch this. Hold my beer.
Great day on the boat.

LOL

And now you know why I dont serve alcohol when away from the dock or not at anchor.