From the Oceanis 34.1 to the Dufour 32
The Grand Pavois 2021 will host the launch by Dufour and Bénéteau of "small" yachts from their catalog. While Bénéteau will unveil the Oceanis 34.1, Dufour will present its Dufour 32 for the first time. The Rochelais boat show thus confirms its status in the sailing sector and sees the presentation by major shipyards of expected novelties, whereas the animation and the good surprises in the port of Les Minimes came more, in recent years, from modest-sized builders.
Responding to neo-pleasers?
We can discuss the notion of a small boat. A few decades ago, a sailboat over 30 feet in a port was already a beautiful unit. The core range of the large monohull shipyards has progressively moved towards 40-footers, accompanying the demand for comfort, but also the evolution in age and income of existing owners. Today, the aging of boaters is an identified but unaddressed phenomenon. A large boat can be intimidating for a beginner. Could the new models remove some of the obstacles, especially since the crisis has created a new appetite for boating?
How profitable are small boats?
We usually hear an economic argument to justify the absence of small boats at the big sailboat manufacturers. The margin is too low. While the Bénéteau group builds many small motorboats, its offer of small sailboats under 30 feet had completely disappeared before the takeover of the Slovenian shipyard Seascape. Dufour is also absent. The small shipyards, each with their own identity, have been able to maintain their creativity in the under 30-foot segment. But the volume of boats produced remains low. Can we imagine a return of the major players to this market to offer an entry-level product and win the loyalty of new boaters, even if it means accepting lower margins? Or will the second-hand market remain the gateway to boating? The evolution of the different ranges will certainly be observed in the years to come.
