SMODwatch from Racing Classes Review

Originally posted by damp_freddie Phew, new thread for this one! Cheers Whatever happened to the MRX?? 38 new build RS400s -..oowaaah......a grand VAT, a grand rig, a grand sails and sheets, two grands hull, half a grands foils....one and a half grand margin a pop?? things are healthy at LDC, why spoil it with an RS5.....ok I'll stop there!!

Thats some margins, Im in the wrong business.

fair point..... I was just a little suprised when it all weighs up just how profitable a mass produced dinghy might be. Thats got me thinking and, dispite toppers failures I still feel its a good turner.......its just extremely important you have a success..... like the RS400, and not a loser like the BOSS.(or dare I day RS500).

Restaurants suffer risk cos marketing has limited effect, for boats its a directly proportional response....so best keep on the good side with Y's and Y'ing.

Ive not even finished my day yet and Ive already lost 5million+ so it can't be that bad.

Originally posted by JimC Originally posted by Guest#260 I'd be interested to see you sheet fully populated as per Then I'd have to go back and get numbers for various classes I'm missing etc. You'll have noticed I included no singlehanders...

Do you not have any for singlehanders then?

I still think 3700 new Lasers in the UK is very high????

Originally posted by Bumble I was just a little suprised when it all weighs up just how profitable a mass produced dinghy might be. (snip) like the RS400

The RS400 is not even close to being "mass produced" in the normal sense of the word. "Mass production" means turning out (minimally) 10,000s of units a year from an assembly line. The RS400 is probably "batch produced". Consult a textbook on "Operations Management" for endless discussions of the terms. 

Originally posted by JimC Originally posted by Bumble Thats some margins, Im in the wrong business. Not as simple as that.  How much do the premises cost, how much the marketing, how much reserve capacity do you need, all the rest of it. Judging by the number of times Topper have gone bust its not the most profitable of businesses. Restaurants work on far higher gross margins, but don't necessarily make money. The easiest way of making a million building raceboats continues to be to start with 5 million.

For UK manufacturing with this labour intensity a GM of 25% is positively indecent.

Marketing? Y&Y is hardly the sunday times supplement back cover is it? Sell ten RS400s a year- pay most of their marketing costs and the staff will do weekend event cover for no pay(?) - dare I suggest they are enthusiastic about it all and happy with this GM (guestimate- please no law suits)

Factory? stack your moulds, build in 5's, oh little order for 600s or that wee keel boat they did, dig it out the store and get the same staff on it. Who seem to build to pretty high quality finish.