Has anyone built a GRP kit yet? If so I would very much like to hear of your experience.

But ... wait ... wouldn\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'t that be a good idea, to supply the GRP hull and cockpit parts raw or pre-assembled, and then the pre-cut timber and metal outfitting parts on top? Sure, you could not ship that by mail, it would have to be collected, but hey! why not.

That was how my scale model kits arrived -many years ago-, and that is -though with ready pre-fab plywood hulls- how a yard in Netherlands -Waarship- got a large marketshare for their keelboats. The amount of work and skills required to complete a boatkit that includes a pre-fab hull seems to be affordable by many. But maybe the price would be high.

Claus

Matt, could we try a slightly different approach to this.

How about this as possible approach:-

The key element is that you are sub-contracting the GRP laminating. If just the completed moulded hull and deck bonded together were supplied, then this sector of your business could be grown without slowing down all the new boats you are drawing, including the lovely Toppit. Your sub-contractor would be much happier with more work and you can recover more quickly your investment in the tools.

The moulds are made, grp is reasonably cheap, efficient labour utilisation building batches of mouldings, and low overheads for you without all the bits to source, buy and move on.
The benefit for your sub-contractor would be batches of 4 boats at time. Much more efficient. Possibly the same for the other suppliers too.
The benefits for your customers? Your customer base is ready and willing to do work to have a lovely boat at an affordable price. Many of us lack confidence to build hulls, but are happy to start with solid well moulded hull/deck assembly. You could trust us to produce a good high quality result, as you do all your other customers.
All you would need to supply with the sub-contracted mouldings are:
A4 list of fittings to buy from Classic Marine
A4 list of rope needed to halyards, sheets etc
A3 spar drawings, or supplier details for Robbins, Collars or carbon tubes.
Full size template for centre board and rudder cheeks and rudder blade. Possibly these items actual ply parts. Similarly hatch covers.
Trailer combi spec details to order from set up supplier.
I have so far bought a classic moulded tender and fitted it out in oak and everyone at the club is jealous of her. Then a GRP scow which was my last winter project and it turned out really well. I would love to fit out a Storm 17 this spring, ie Jan to April.

If anyone else would also like to do this please add your penny worth, and perhaps we can persude Matt to mould a batch in Jan for us.

Thanks Claus for supportive comments, not much luck with Matt though.

If grp hull not going to be available, how about another option!

With your experience with Searaider do you think a 16\\\' singlehanded version would work, ie planned for singlehanding sailing and rowing, etc. Would have ability to take out friends and family, but planned for singlehanded raiding, dinghy cruising.

Reason for 16\\\' is that length is probably big enough for one anyway, but my local sailing clubs and council dinghy parks only allow a maximum of 16\\\'.