Sport And Work Boat Manufacturing - 60 Years

This celebrated Southern California based high performance sport and work boat manufacturer boasts nearly 60 years of goodwill. The second-generation family-owned company’s watercrafts, which are between 20 and 42 feet in length, are fixtures in the professional diving, fishing, surfing, research, patrol and sheriff departments due to their durability and ability to remain highly stable in heavy swells. As a result of their utility and functionality, these vessels are ever present in offshore waters from Alaska to Mexico and Hawaii.  The company sells direct to the consumer and regularly maintains a 1-2 year deposit-based waitlist.
This business operates out of a production yard with an office, and several enclosed materials rooms and work sheds. The office and yard lease for $6,805 per month on a secure lease with options to be negotiated.  All of the company’s furniture, fixtures, equipment and goodwill be included in the sale.  The seller will agree to work for a reasonable transition prior, and may consider remaining the ‘face’ of the company for an agreed upon period depending on the overall offer and terms.   
While the commercial boating industry is a competitive one, few manufacturers could hope to have the name recognition and respect that this company has established in its vessels.  In fact, despite being build constructed and marketed for their functionality, the company has seen a dramatic increase in well healed leisure boat clients that appreciate the boat’s durability and performance characteristics in the large swells near the Channel Islands, Alaska and Hawaii. Needless to say, few category competitors can claim to possess comparable hull designs, craftsmanship or customized options that allow this firm to attract leisure boaters to their commercial crafts with few amenities!   
New management may take this legendary company, which is the epitome of a mom-and-pop lifestyle business, in any number of directions to realize its significant growth potential. To begin, the company has operated at near capacity for its entire existence.  In fact, customers anticipate a 1-2 year waitlist, and know they can only order limited units at a time due to customer demand coupled with the production yard’s limitations.  Historically, they can only accommodate 12 to 24 boats per year based on order sizes (they can do 2-20’ boats per month, but a 40’ unit may take over a year).  With a new conversion facility, supply can not only be streamlined, but significantly expanded at a reduced cost.  Also, each craft is custom made, which necessarily impacts efficiencies and costs.  New operators may wish to continue in this tradition, but they may also carry an inventory the most popular ‘staple’ models or they may choose to outsource their unique fiberglass hull production component - where an estimated 25% cost savings may be realized if the hulls, which constitute 40% of the cost (at 50% of the man hours), are created via vacuum infusion injection molding instead of a manual method.  Additional savings may be realized by purchasing key materials, resin and components in bulk.
From a sales perspective, the company hasn’t truly actively promote its vessels as they have lacked the capacity to meet demand.  If they had a larger production facility and could carry inventory they could attend professional and personal craft trade shows, establish a retail presence by opening a showroom or establishing a dealer network.  If they were capitalized, they could not only stock ready-made units, but they also could self-finance orders (rather than rely on progress payments or commercial loans) which local municipality and government contracts require.  Being capitalized or having a sufficient credit facility, coupled with the ability to scale production, also opens the door for local and federal agencies (e.g. harbor patrol, fish and wildlife, the coast guard, etc.). that approach them to purchase several units at a time, without progress payments.  
Commercial fishing, diving, harbor patrol and other clients have expressed an interest in leasing units, however, the company does not have the conversion facility or capital to cover construction costs, let alone have the bandwidth to set-up and manage a lease program.  New management may launch a specific division to focus on this.  For some of these clients whose needs are harbor, bay or coastal based, new operators may also consider developing a lighter, less formidable bay boat hull design.
Finally, since mass production hasn’t been possible, no efforts have been made to become an approved vendor for federal, military or Department of Defense contracts.  If the company were an approved vendor, or if were owned by a qualifying party favored in such contracts (female, minority, veteran) additional avenues for growth may exist.