A Good Start

January 2013 in my mind looks better to that of 2012, thanks to the resurgence of the German economy in recent years and for having one of the largest boats shows on the planet take place in this period at Dusseldorf.  What happens in Germany should change the fortune of at least some production builders, and give signs for a solid year ahead.  Another good sign is also that some European economies look in a better position to how they where a year ago.

Could 2013 be the year when the boating industry settles back and starts growing up? 

It is very difficult to say. There is still two problems which still challenge the market, the over abundance of offer and competition which is not a bad thing to customers, and too many used boats for sale in the used market. 

The German Dusseldorf boat show is always a very interesting venue thanks to the connection it gives to the North South of Europe and the different boating cultures these represent.  In recent years we have also seen the resurgence of the Dutch, these offering some impressive medium large sizes models, most of which are build in steel and some in alloy offering a semi custom approach in around the fifteen meter size as standard.  At this moment in time these Dutch builder represent the most interesting part of the European boat building community, thanks to a touch of classic flare, nice looks, and a very high standard of fit and finish. It will be interesting to see how customers will  perceive these builders in future years.