Marinette Boat Forum

Does anyone know how many were build and the number of different Models ?

And when is someone going to fire up the old Marinette plant and put some more out the door?

The number of models depends on year and whether you are talking about Lake vessels or houseboats. The 32' Sedan Flybridge of the late seventies-early eighties was, I believe, Marinette's best selling model. See a lot of them up here in western Lake Erie. Always see a lot of 37/39's Aft Cabins on the "boats for sale" web sites too. I would bet there are many Marinette houseboats down south, have only ever seen one houseboat up here.

I read somewhere around 8,000 total from 54 to 91.

John Althouse may have production numbers. I remember reading an article someplace that there were over 5000 built.

As many of you know, the company was bought by a houseboat outfit that moved production to Tennessee--one of those bean counter moves to consolidate production. The story I got from John A was they never produced very many down there in part because they left most of the experienced workers behind in Louisville. (When I was taking business courses in college we read lots of case studies. At the time I wondered where they got all those bad examples--i.e. who could be that stupid?--now I wonder where they got the good ones.) To be fair the company was also the victim of the recession in the early 1990s--though George Garcia undoubtedly made it through some tough times too--e.g., the early to mid 1970s.

The problem today is labor cost. Genmar can turn out a 40' hull in something like 8 hours of labor--e.g., two workers take 4 hours. (Of course the better fiberglass builders take a little longer but you get the idea.) Even assuming someone came up something like the jigs Marinette used it would still take a relatively long time to build a hull with skilled labor. (I assume welders command more money than the workers spraying glop into a mold.) If there is robot technology up to the task, you'd need to sell a lot of boats to justify the capital cost. Maybe if 3D printers could spit out aluminum, but I bet they have them spitting out carbon fiber first.

The Australians seem to have no trouble building and selling aluminum cruisers though that is likely a more discerning market than we have in the USA.

One other note on the demise of the Marinette brand. The company originally was making airplanes during WWII. Once the war ended, the factory at Standiford field in Louisville (a hanger) was converted to building Big M's. Eventually, Standiford expanded and the company was going to be booted from their then location to make way for airport improvements. It was then, as mentioned by Joe above, that the recession played a significant part in the sale of the brand to the houseboat company in Tenn. And I believe the "luxury boat" tax imposed by the feds at the time also was a major contributor. There were a large number of boat makers who went belly up because they couldn't move their product.

Bill

I call your attention to this authoritative article by Jack Hornor for Boats US:

http://www.boatus.com/boatreviews/power/marinette32.asp

In it, you will see reference to the introduction of the 32" sedan in 1976. He says 1,800 were made in the course of its run until the company foundered 14 years later.

Great comments and "Spot" on. Many quality boat MFG. went under in the 90's. Luxury tax, recession, labor costs etc.

Marinettes, like Cape Dory Yachts and others were built by hand by skilled craftsman. Mass produced FG boats with little regard for quality flooded the market. Many boaters entered the market where they were unable to afford quality boats like Aluminum Cruisers Inc.

Today the all weld aluminum boat has returned and is very popular in Jon Boat configurations.
Most the large welded aluminum boat production is done in the South along the coast supporting commercial crew boat operations and oil rig support. I have seen some very nice commercial aluminum boats that were purchased new and customized into personal yachts. Very expensive proposition but that is the best way to get Big M quality in todays market.

Pluckerbaum in Louisville is still in production and builds in my opinion the best quality luxury Aluminum boats in the world!

$$$ but look how long our Ms have been on the water and still going strong !

If you have the means and are let's say in your 40's buying a new Plucker would be the last yacht you would ever have to own.
Feast your eyes on these!!! Aluminum Cruisers were good friends with Plucker and many constructions practices were similar.

http://www.pluckebaum.com/

safe boating,
dave

Dont over look this beauty

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1999/Pl ... NKimFUrLRY

One can dream. cant I

bill

Hi, I recently purchased a 1985 39’ sedan bridge ... I see a number of the aft. Cabin models, but does anyone know how many of the 39’s were built?

Thanks!
David