joshua boats gone

[jimbo59]

Joshua/jbs marine are finished, today was the last day welders all sold,blokes laid off. This wont be the last platey manufacurer to go down either:'( ...jim

[Whitto]

That is a Bloody shame for the staff members and the company........One of the best made boats around....I was going to buy one next year.....Bloody shame:-[

[Mindi]

That is awful...a mate canme here (Sunny Cst) from Adelaide and bought one last year. Great boats, and second generation mfr. His was an original made by Cliff Joshua and as strong as a tank. Never a cheap option, but quality costs.

[fish-n-dive]

Bugger, they did make nice boats.................. are you sure they have gone under or will they return in a new form?

[backlash08]

a real shame, they tried hard and built a good boat

[jimbo59]

Bugger, they did make nice boats.................. are you sure they have gone under or will they return in a new form?

Well who knows but for the time being mal has sold the gear and is moving on..jim

[black runner]

Gee I was just reading about them in PAB4. Seemed like one of the more successful builders as far as reputation goes. Maintaining market share must be getting really tough for the low volume manufacturers.

[disorderly]

It would be a hard game to succeed in....

There appears to be absolutely no regulations pertaining to build quality,engineering design or safety standards when it comes to boat building nowadays...and unfortunately as seen often on these forums,little recompense once problems occur.

I think I could ,with almost no experience ,get a company to cut me out the pieces ,get someone to weld them up and start a boat building company tomorrow...slick website and a bit of good press and bobs your uncle.

No doubt over time such operations will be found wanting but that does not help the fair dinkum boat builders in the short term who are in it for the long haul.

scott

[Rod Fishing]

Scott your dreamin

[sjp2]

that what sinks most of them -bloody regulations

[PinHead]

that what sinks most of them -bloody regulations


what regulations..there are bugger all in the boat building game.

It all comes down to running a business and perhaps seeking out that niche market for when the regular market gets a bit quiet.

Happens in a lot of industries.

[TheRealAndy]

I notice that Cox Craft has stopped building boats too, aparently they are negotiating a sale of the business at the moment..

[levinge]

I guess under the current market, the more expensive end of the industry is taking a big hit, people still want to buy boats but don't want to fork out 60K plus to get on the water. You might find that alot of the bigger companies may rethink their build designs to bring the price down a little and make themselves more competitive in the market place.

After all those who buy really do drive the market and how it operates!!

[PinHead]

I guess under the current market, the more expensive end of the industry is taking a big hit, people still want to buy boats but don't want to fork out 60K plus to get on the water. You might find that alot of the bigger companies may rethink their build designs to bring the price down a little and make themselves more competitive in the market place.

After all those who buy really do drive the market and how it operates!!


It is a strange industry..still a lot of sales in 200k + range...60k boats are not an expensive item in a lot of cases but those that are spending what some bang for their bucks and a lot of Australian manufacturers are not offering it.

[levinge]

Too true PinHead, the top end of town 200K market hasn't been as badly affected as the bread and butter manufacturers. Those with a budget will, as you say, want more bang for their buck and they will be more critical of what and how the market provides. I just hope that most of these guys can weather the bad times and come out the other side, wiser and more focused on what the market wants...

[black runner]

Too true and the likes of Trailcraft etc that sit between tinnies and custom plate with higher volumes are set to ride out the tough times a little better than small plate builders. Manufacturing a more diverse range of product can help in some cases.

[FNQCairns]

The domestic housing speculators are sitting quietly ATM, the glut is over, easy money from the appreciation bubble has been spent or overspent.

Real estate agents everywhere are going back to designing web sites or selling hoovers.

Playthings will be hit hard as will 4wd sales etc. The next 12 months will be telling.

cheers fnq

[Wahoo]

Pinhead hit the nail on the head with post 11

[jimbo59]

Part of the trouble is they build $100,000 boats and when things get tuff they got no work.

Toyota made the corolla for the common man years ago but look at them now electric this, power that, and the price is right up there.

When cliff started making the classic cutter in 1995 you could buy a 17 foot cuddy with a new suzuki outboard on trailer for $25000.

Mate of mine who faires plateys for a company recons they got no more orders and are clinging on by their fingernails.But these guys can fold, and when the economy picks up they just start up again as stessl does

[MyWay]

as Pinhead say ; It all comes down to running a business

3 mounts ago was something in air http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=129958&highlight=joshua
and u wonder why some people close the door

myway

[chuss]

I rang Joshua boats a couple months ago and went through the process of getting a quote for a 5.5m walkaround. They told me they were very light on work and ended up slashing the price heavily in order to get some work (glad I didn't in the end), their price was still quite expensive considering only a couple years ago you could get the 5.5m walkaround with a 90 horse 2 stroke for $35 (price now was over $50K).
Most boat yards I go to are telling me that sales are very slow... people downgrading to small tinnies most of the time is what's keeping them in still.

Boating is a luxury, now that times are tough it's the first family budget expense to take a hit.

[business class]

it was a pitty to see malcome close up but Sea Storm took on there workers at least, well a couple i think!!!!! but he is closing down down before he ends up becoming broke not because he was.

[youngfisho]

yeah i rang a manufacturer recently after the price of their 5.2m centre cab and was told around the 50k mark with boat, motor, trailer. That seems a little excessive to me. for a 5.2m. When a 5.5 or 5.8 is only another 8-10k on top of that.

andrew

[Poodroo]

Was rather surprised when a customer wandered into my shop today just to thank our company for the best service bar none over the years because he was moving to Cairns to start a new life and adventure. I overheard him telling my boss something about boat building and then I noticed his uniform which had his name and company logo on it. Malcolm from Joshua Boats. Amazingly small world. After 15 years of building boats in a difficult economic climate it was time for a change of pace apparently and most of his equipment is going into storage I guess in case there is a desire to start up boat building again in the future. Whatever that future holds Malcolm I would like to wish you all the best for it if you happen to read this thread. Best of luck.


Poodroo

[Mike Delisser]

Was rather surprised when a customer wandered into my shop today just to thank our company for the best service bar none over the years because he was moving to Cairns to start a new life and adventure. I overheard him telling my boss something about boat building and then I noticed his uniform which had his name and company logo on it. Malcolm from Joshua Boats. Amazingly small world. After 15 years of building boats in a difficult economic climate it was time for a change of pace apparently and most of his equipment is going into storage I guess in case there is a desire to start up boat building again in the future. Whatever that future holds Malcolm I would like to wish you all the best for it if you happen to read this thread. Best of luck.


Poodroo

Yeh I ran into him at the boat show and he told me jigs & tools are in storage and he's off on a holliday until the market picks up again.

[Kajiki]

So what happens to any Joshua customers with boats still under warranty?? Has the business gone into liquidation or just closed till further notice?

[FNQCairns]

So what happens to any Joshua customers with boats still under warranty?? Has the business gone into liquidation or just closed till further notice?

Suspect that often it's a to bad so sad scenario...the business is it's own identity under law, might win in court against the principle, the law is wise to it, still a gamble though.

cheers fnq

[cruisinginahiace]

all I can say is >>>>>>>>>>> Karma got you Malcom -


you can't treat customers the way you treated my family and Kept our cash for nothing your are a SHONK.

Absolute shonk - you and your verbal contract BS.

Malcom makes used car salesman look God like


small industry Malcom - your word was ----- worthless

enjoy your holiday. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Glad to see it happen so soon, Karma .......................you bought a fair bit of it.

[Mindi]

all I can say is >>>>>>>>>>> Karma got you Malcom -


you can't treat customers the way you treated my family and Kept our cash for nothing your are a SHONK.

Absolute shonk - you and your verbal contract BS.

Malcom makes used car salesman look God like


small industry Malcom - your word was ----- worthless

enjoy your holiday. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Glad to see it happen so soon, Karma .......................you bought a fair bit of it.


ooooooo...not happy..?

[oldboot]

Most of will know about the increase in fuel price over the last little while & that is influencing a number of people to downsize their boats.
But
Many will not know the aluminium price has been making very solid increases in the last couple of years too.......this would make the heavier aluminium boats less competitive with light aly boats and fibreglass.

If a bloke was anygood with a welder he'd be thinking about the real good dollars on offer up in the mining towns.

So if you weren't pocketing $100 000 plus out of your business the mines look very good for a year or two.

cheers