AluminumAlloyBoats.com

From thehulltruth.com


Here is a new boat project I am promoting, involving one of my designs. The boat has been built in Richmond,BC. The owner built the boat essentially by himself.


Please take a look, and maybe forward the link to others so we go "viral" ;-)

Here are the links to the project:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...t-construction

https://www.facebook.com/xtravenboat

http://www.xtaeros.com/


http://conradyachts.com/index.html
http://www.linkedin.com/in/travisbrandt

Looks like something from down under

Jarek the designer I believe is European and studied boat design in Maine

Has a down under look with a little Ironwood thrown in, looks like a good ride.

Definitely looks like something from my part of the world, at first I thought I thought it was a bit of a knock off from the CNCMarine range or the former Fisher boats from Queensland . The shape looked similar but then realised that they had simply just put a curve in the top plates, still looks OK but I wouldn't like be on it fishing a lumpy sea, doesn't seem to much gunwale height in the stern, simply just judging by the photos.

This is one of the designs I am looking at building. This is the Tuna 21 design sold by conrad yachts, I spoke with Jarek RE plans to build this boat! Very sharp!
John

The build quality of the Aeroheads that I looked at seemed pretty high. The electrical was redone on the 30' that I saw. There were a few pot choices made, some sort of paint under neath the engine that failed and was trapping moisture.

I think Jarek the designer is also the builder in this case, he had mentioned this in the past.

I don't understand the whole kick starter thing though. Almost seems like a scam. If they just produced a spec boat and brought it to a show at less than a $100k with power, I think they would have a winner

Has those same Aussie plastic hatches..."as on TV!!"

I am curious of why all the marketing speak.. It truly doesn't let me take them seriously.

Why don't they talk about this is the "best built, best handling, best value boat"

Travis' web page is filled with a lot of nonsense speak

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you find beauty in one-of-a-kind works of art, if you connect with solid quality, if you live to experience the world of kings, then let your certain unreasonable bent towards the unquestionable leader sway you to her helm. The XT Raven is why boats are called she.

Night after night you will make it home safely from the bar.

Day after day you will explore deeper into the unknown, her stride and long legs will usher you to coves and hideaways, even to the faces of glaciers.

The XT Raven is the absolute clear choice of wisdom, prudence and class while your ego rests safely in your soul.

Damn,

Sounds like they have a "Paperback novelist as a copy writer", to me.

It's nice. But down in Australia that boat would be a dime a dozen.

It has the same looking "fort style", that they use all the time.

Chtucker wrote:I am curious of why all the marketing speak.. I truly doesn't let me take the seriously.

Why they talk about this is the "best built, best handling, best value boat"

Travis' web page is filled with a lot of nonsense speak

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you find beauty in one-of-a-kind works of art, if you connect with solid quality, if you live to experience the world of kings, then let your certain unreasonable bent towards the unquestionable leader sway you to her helm. The XT Raven is why boats are called she.

Night after night you will make it home safely from the bar.

Day after day you will explore deeper into the unknown, her stride and long legs will usher you to coves and hideaways, even to the faces of glaciers.

The XT Raven is the absolute clear choice of wisdom, prudence and class while your ego rests safely in your soul.

I wish them well and hope they succeed, but the flowery BS language is laid on too thick. Also, they are not putting out a consistent "message." He calls the video "the sacred art" of boat building which connotes craftsmanship and the historic quality you get from something built by hand, one product at a time. But then later in the video, he claims that he wants to "modernize" boat building by applying the same methods and technologies used in modern auto manufacturing. There are also some claims about the boat being "green" and environmentally friendly. I think he needs to tone it down a bit and focus on the core values of the product he is offering. just my 2 cents.
Mike
Mike

How does one handle the money with an unproven company? Is the deposit and progess payment cash held in a trust account held by a bank or some other entity until the boat is completed and accepted?

I have always dealt with a company that was actively used by others, and who I knew, so I felt comfortable letting them hold some money on a yet to be built boat. I wouldn't feel the same with a start up.

The builder posted on another board about his boat. 170+ grand for a boat that is basically a 22 footer. It's 24' with the bracket and 28' from tip to back of the motors. Oh and if you do the boat show special you can get it for 150k to the first 4 buyers I think he said.

jj225 wrote: It's 24' with the bracket and 28' from tip to back of the motors.

I loathe the way Boatbuilders do this. The boat is ment to be measured without any apendages.

I worked for a company that used to weld a longer bow-sprit to their 4.85m boat to claim it as a 5.1m boat to avoid taxes when exporting to certain Pacific Islands. They also had to seal the motor pod on the same boat for export to Australia so their authorities would accept the length claim. It is a ploy by the marketing department to make you feel you've purchased a bigger boat at a lower price point.

It looks like the Raven Boat is based upon Conrad's Tuna 21 Sport Cabin. Sweet looking boat, but I might prefer a forward leaning windscreen.
Mike

ruggit wrote:How does one handle the money with an unproven company? Is the deposit and progess payment cash held in a trust account held by a bank or some other entity until the boat is completed and accepted?

I have always dealt with a company that was actively used by others, and who I knew, so I felt comfortable letting them hold some money on a yet to be built boat. I wouldn't feel the same with a start up.

Here is information on Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/hello?ref=nav

Here are statistics on the success of Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/help/stats?ref=footer

A successful Kickstarter project would make it possible that you never 'put a deposit' on a boat. We will build the boat, and a customer can just buy it when done. Of course, if they want to have it customized for their specific needs there is no way for us to know if anyone else would want those same features/benefits, therefore we would need a customers financial commitment prior to using our money to build their boat.

I understand Kickstarter for a technology company or a unique and innovative idea..

But this is a boat... might be a nice one.

But you are basically asking for gifts of money to start a new company.

Hey, I need 30K to rebuild my 1956 ford F600 pumper into my boat hauling rig, someone hook me up. Already have the truck just need working capital.

The bigger John Deere is not mine.

This is not Aerohead. Aerohead is dead. The design's are nice but the price tag is rediculous and past history is flaky (read Areohead).
Cheers,
John

I would say that this is more Travis Brandt and not Jarek from Conrad Yachts.. Travis seems to be using an almost off the shelf plan from Jarek. The "proof of concept" boat is a boat that Jarek/Conrad Yachts designed and I believe Jarek actually built himself a few years ago.

Travis seems to want to start another business extolling the "art" of boat building.. when in fact he doesn't seem to have any equipment, space or people to actually build anything. He is asking for $370k on kickstarter. That buys A LOT of tools and materials..

While the Aerohead was a nice boat, the one I looked at had some issues. Issues in my mind that an experienced builder wouldn't have had.

It is not the design or for that matter the price of the boat that I have issue with (not that I am in the market for such a boat)... It is the weird way of trying to start another business. I don't even think it is "shady" Just a very weird and incomplete effort of starting a boat building business.

Here is the direct link to their kickstarter project



$210.00 raised with a goal of $380,000.00 with less than 41 hours to go..

Thanks for the insight Chtucker. I edited my post about the designer. Was Travis behind Aerohead? This kickstarter seems flaky at best imo.

I look at a guy like Doug from Northwest Aluminum Craft, with no website, very little advertising in magazines etc. and he is run off his feet! That is a boat builder. Not someone with over dramatic advertising and looking for peoples money so he can build you an extremely overpriced boat. That is flaky imo. These are just my thoughts.

Cheers,
John

Sculpin wrote:Thanks for the insight Chtucker. I edited my post about the designer. Was Travis behind Aerohead? This kickstarter seems flaky at best imo.

I look at a guy like Doug from Northwest Aluminum Craft, with no website, very little advertising in magazines etc. and he is run off his feet! That is a boat builder. Not someone with over dramatic advertising and looking for peoples money so he can build you an extremely overpriced boat. That is flaky imo. These are just my thoughts.

Cheers,
John

Travis Brandt was behind Aerohead. It was his company. You can find him on LinkedIn.com.

I agree, if someone like Coldwater went on kickstarter and asked for money to build a production spec boat I would give some money. Real potential for success.

Okay, Guys, enough of the doubting.OBVIOUSLY, we DID NOT get very far at all, not even a little bit... as in NO where... with the Kickstarter project. We made a good try though, and I did my best without having a boat. The process was a great teacher, and it turns out that the really successful campaigns either do something moral for humanity or have a broad appeal. A toaster, for example, if it could butter your bread AND toast, may be successful. Music CD's, and cure of Malaria, may also. I wasn't smart enough at the time to sell the benefits of the sea, after all, everyone already knows that heartaches are healed by the sea. Anyway, no one supported it. Unthwarted, I pursued other avenues and ended up being lucky enough to; sell a handful of ArrowCats, and sell some Xtaeros. The Xtaeros sold, got built, and delivered to Kodiak and Juneau. Here is a video, if you want to see details. And I'll try to post some video, as well. I gotta tell you, the years of focusing on this and never giving up on the dream feel better than anything. But the boat is a really great boat, too.

Here's a link to a video if you care to see more:


Travis

welder wrote:Hey, I need 30K to rebuild my 1956 ford F600 pumper into my boat hauling rig, someone hook me up. Already have the truck just need working capital.

Welder, you were right, Kickstarter really bombed, but I had pretty good luck on Craigslist.

Travis