Builder Selected
Great news, an experienced boatyard with great technical skills has committed to building the Adventure 40 and is already working with Maxime on planning the next steps, including reviewing the design with a view to both making improvements and optimizing for build efficiency.
The builder agreed to have their identity revealed now, a further indicator of how serious they are. However, Maxime and I have decided that it’s better to wait a month or two so we can share at least the outline of a production plan at the same time—should be before Christmas.
Of course there is no guarantee that something won’t go wrong in the coming months resulting in the builder withdrawing, but Maxime is reasonably confident that won’t happen, particularly since the match between the builder’s business plans and the A40 project is a good one.
It’s been a long voyage, but I think we are finally seeing a clear course to real boats, albeit still on the horizon.
Hurrah, congratulations to you both on such a significant milestone.
Hi Charlie, hi all,
thank you for your messages! We’re at work to make it happen!!
Great News!
Congratulations!
That’s really exciting news. Huge congratulations!
This is an excellent news. One more step.
Great to hear.
That’s great news.
Was a final spec sheet released? Or is that still being fine tuned?
Hi Robert,
I’m not sure there ever will be a “spec sheet” per sec. A simple spec sheet would never do the concepts behind the boat justice and gets us into competing on which boat has the coolest stuff, which is a battle the A40 would always lose and a misguided way to buy a boat.
That said, I do intend a complete re-write of all the chapters to reduce duplication and make understanding the boat a faster read. (The present chapters appeared over the years and therefore could do with tightening up). I have done some already, and hope to finish this winter.
I second this request. A spec sheet is standard, would expect insurance companies and Marinas to need it.
Hi Calvin,
Sure, I guess there will be a sheet eventually, but the point here is that the A40 is different so we have, and always will, need to set up our marketing so people understand the unique benefits rather than getting direct into the silliness of which boat has the most cool gear.
That said, if you mean specs of dimensions, rig, build materials, etc we already have all the in the description chapters, which I have started tightening up and will finish over the winter: https://www.morganscloud.com/category/boat-design-selection/adventure-40/
Have been following this for a long time. Really exciting to see it coming together.
Congratulations.
Great news. Can you say which continent?
Hi Viv,
sure: Europe, Atlantic coast!
What is the chances of a skeg hung & protected rudder instead of a balanced spade rudder? With ongoing evidence to the vulnerability of spade rudders, I would think this a necessary change.
Hi Gerben,
I know that’s a common worry, but we have dug deep into this and there is nothing intrinsically better or stronger about a skeg, just like there is nothing intrinsically better and stronger about an encapsulated keel and both have substantial performance, and other drawbacks.
What matters is how good the engineering and execution is, and we plan to put a lot of time effort, and money into that, just as we have with the keel.
Lots of detail on the rudder here: https://www.morganscloud.com/2022/03/11/adventure-40-rudder-and-steering-gear/
Hi John and Maxime
Congratulations to you both, well done! We hope you can carry it through so there will be an attractive, well designed and built new contender coming to the market.
May I ask latest estimate as to target price?
Best, Karl
Hi Karl,
Well designed and built boat seems like it’s unavoidable in this case, since that’s the core idea here. However, “attractive” is in the eye of the beholder. This is meant to be a boat much in the spirit of the original Land Rover. “Where the cabin heater is? No, a Land Rover only does important things!” 😀 It has an iconic visual appearance, which is far from attractive in a normal sense, but still very attractive for its message of toughness and purpose.
Perhaps it would be possible to look at that form of attractiveness? Not the same shapes, of course, but that type of idea. The boat can never compete with the best of normal cruisers in sleek lines, luxury and elegance, but stepping completely away from the comparison by going all in on toughness and purpose, it could be in a class of its own. That would perhaps not make it attractive to the marina queens, but fascinating to the right people for this boat. In other words, I’d as much as possible avoid all the aesthetics of normal cruising sailboats. Agricultural or military aesthetics might better cues…
Hi Stein,
I actually think the latest iteration of the boat is a good balance between aesthetics and function. One of the problems in that area is that most of the graphics use a too close camera point which made the boat look dumpy, but if we look at the later graphics, I think the boat looks good. I’m planning a complete redesign of the A40 page this winter, and part of that is to get rid of all of the graphics that don’t do the boat justice.
Anyway, regardless of that, we don’t want to slip into a complete redesign here, or the boat will never float.
Hi Karl,
Thanks for the kind words.
As to price, the builder is only just starting on the project, so we are a long way from a price. That said, I’m still hoping, and in fact believe it possible, to still come in at the originally envisioned price of US$200,000 but, of course, adjusted for inflation which would push us a bit over US$300,000 or maybe a bit more because inflation in boat building has, I’m pretty sure, been higher than general inflation. Those numbers would be without sails.
That may sound like a lot of money, and it is, but as someone who has bought an 18-year-old smaller production boat—two-thirds the size of an A40and then refitted her to a standard that is not even close to that of the Adventure 40, I can tell you it’s the deal of the century.
Also, the Adventure 40 buyer won’t go through the horrors I have over the first two years.
That said, that’s just me guessing and obviously exchange rates will affect US$ pricing.
It’s fantastic news to hear there’s a builder committing soon. But I am sorry to see you are preparing us for +$300k sticker price. This I feel is going to make it very difficult for her to compete. A very significant part of the A40 attraction is being wiped out IMHO. But I’m sure it’s unavoidable.
Hi Calvin,
I’m having trouble understanding your concern about this. The price I’m guessing at (and it is just that) is the same as it always was, just adjusted for inflation. And when you say “difficult to compete” what boat are you thinking of that would be less money for the same value?
ive been saying that for years, and its not going to be 300+ its going to to be 400+ when all the bits are added. always got a lot of flack, to the point of being told “maybe this is not the boat for you”, which could be interpreted as “you are poor and lack the money for this”, which is a valid one since the advertising was always for affordability.
or it could mean that i didn’t like the boat (not true) or since a have a soft side for refits, that i should go find a boat to fix (which i have been doing for the past 4 years, with a few more to go due to “life happening”).
i resorted to keep paying the membership ship just to know how is this going to end.. all the other subjects, (which are great) can be found in the internet anyways, or in a good old fashioned book.
Hi Pedro,
I think it was some years ago when we had that discussion and there has been a lot of inflation during that time. Point being that my wild guess (and that’s what it is) is simply the original target of 200K updated for general inflation, with a bit more added for boat building inflation, which seems to have exceeded the general number a bit. Nothing fundamental has changed.
John
Thanks the clarification. If the A40 fulfills as expected and spec‘d – which I trust it will – then a today‘s US$ 300’000 price tag compares very favorably against that of any serious new built blue water cruiser on the market. Add sails, it still is within approx 100k distance from a well spec‘d mass production boat. 40 ft contenders of comparable quality (not looks) come at prices well above 500k.
I question Stein‘s concept of a frugal, original LandRover like concept, as I very much doubt, such boat could reach financial break-even for the producer, most likely remain financially deep in the red because of only very small sales numbers. A potential buyer for such „LandRover“ concept would, for purchase price reason, rather go for a pre-owned boat from the 1980s or 90s. And btw, LandRover itself is good proof of this conflict. Look at today’s LandRover spec and appearance – the name is probably the only reminiscence of its original genes. Instead, drastically changed concept and design is tribute to taste and loaded with gadges.
I firmly think, a balanced approach and combination of serious offshore capabilities, safety, design, comfort and price make for commercial success. I cannot think of a new 350-400k $ boat that would tick all these boxes, can you?
Hi Karl,
I think that’s a good analysis.
It has been great seeing the Land Rover example being brought to the table.
As a long time fan of the Series 3, 88 wheelbase, probably the most beautiful 4×4 ever designed (for me obviously), it would be stupid to think i couldn’t improve it by adapting the diffs and engine for Y60/61 Patrol for instance, or even (blasphemy ahead) some Land Cruiser mechanical bits.
I think i have the same approach to boats. Its a waste of money to buy a new boat, when so many great hulls are there, ready for updating.
Sure, money and time is involved, but isn’t it always involved?!
Can i get all the electronics i want into the Series 3? off course i can, will it give the same experience? No. It is possible to keep the experience of frugality without foregoing the upgrading of safety and reliability.
Forget about that new “Land Rover”. Posh shit for ppl who want to be heard saying they have a Land Rover.
Hi Pedro,
It may be a waste of money for you to buy an A40, but that does not make it a waste of money for everyone. I have seen more money set on fire by doing refits and rebuilds than ever got wasted on the right new boat. There is also the opportunity cost of refits to consider, which can be horrendous.
In my own case all three refits i have done have cost me more money, never mind the time and opportunity cost, than buying an A40 and then selling it again in say 10 years, or alternatively keeping it for decades. More here:
https://www.morganscloud.com/2013/10/10/adventure-40-an-overview/
https://www.morganscloud.com/2012/03/17/are-refits-worth-it/
I was referring to new boats in general, it wasn’t an attack on the A40.
I think the same about buying a new car. its a waste of money. but hey, there is enough ppl on the planet to buy new, semi new, used, pre loved, fine, project, and so on.
That’s great news. It will be interesting to see how the design changes and improves with the influence of the builder.
Hooray ! Congrats
Great news. Congratulations to all [including hopeful buyers / owners]!
This is very exciting. I have been following the project for years and if it works out sooner than later this boat will be on my shortlist!
Congratulations to all. This might be enough to move me from the dark side to the light. Keeping a very close eye on developments here.
This is wonderful news!
Congratulations on reaching a key point in what is a great project.
Fingers crossed that it keeps progressing.