Our customer is moderated by a need to go

A small sheet metal hangar, an open field, at the edge of a departmental. Along the fence of large mahogany logs endure maritime rain arriving from the West. 10 Km, the port of La Rochelle offers a body of water ideal for testing. Inside, a smell of fresh sawdust and varnish climbs to the nostrils. The sound of a saw resonates in the metal workshop; wood particles float within a radius of Sun of end of the season. This messy and dusty atmosphere emerges a real little jewel: a Blue hull of Prussia gleaming varnish mahogany shine like chrome of Bugatti Royale. "It's a Morgann Joli, who had been." He liked well. It has already sold 31 copies. "It takes 18 months to two years of waiting for the next", says Franck Roy, who made 480 euros in sales in 2005 with six classic wooden and composite models sold between 15,000 and 30,000 euros. "The demand is there, but if it wants to maintain the quality, it cannot accelerate rates", continuing the pattern of the site Construction Navale Franck Roy, has "any desire to grow." "I got up to 10 employees, remembers the young business leader. It is unmanageable. It spends his time to solve administrative problems. And then, mind 35 hours is spent there. Everyone is in agreement to take a quarter of an hour in the coffee break, but there is more person when it comes to ten minutes more to finish a varnish.

Twenty-eight months of waiting

Former shipwright of the construction site Latitude 46, manufacturer of the Tofinous, famous regatta on the island of Ré keelboats, Franck Roy created his own company in February 1999. Last September, he engaged his 100th vessel. "Our rate of fifteen units per year is satisfactory." Could do more "This doesn't interest me." I prefer to adapt each boat to the taste of the customer: in a Katy, I made Hi-Fi mahogany grids! "Franck Roy, with its small site and his talent, is found a niche. It allows him to live his passion for wood, the beautiful book, twelve layers of varnish that is going on with love on a current hand sanded to be smooth like a hood of car, the universe of the first trade. But, unlike this sector where it is inconceivable to start from nothing, the boating world is still open to entrepreneurs.

Alongside the Group Beneteau, leader of the yacht and its 5.400 employees, primarily in Vendée, exists today in France 50 manufacturers, producing tens of boats per year, sometimes more, while being profitable. The key to this success: niches.

Thus, site Amel of La Rochelle, real case, proposes since 1965 virtually the same sailboat, opulent, comfortable and manoeuvring. Two or three marginal developments in forty years led to a 54 foot for couples who leave travel. "It is our culture of the monoproduit." It is about 30 per year. Our order book is full and it is not to grow. "We prefer to focus on the quality of service to the client", commented Jean-Jacques Lemonier, Director General of the site which carries out 24 million turnover and one third of the 130 employees is a shareholder. 760,000 Euros HT unit, the application is such that wait time stands at twenty-eight months... Customer: Executive or patterns of SMEs which organize their retirement.

The effect "papy-boom".

They also are the Alubat health with its ships from 35 to 65 feet, inspired by the same concept and to the large cruise. Vendéenne company in 2002 by Philippe Aupinel, fate 60 units per year with prices ranging from EUR 200,000 to 1 million. Of course, the new boss "would like to able to meet the demand and achieve 100 vessels per year." But the shortage of labour flange development: "I do not find the Boilermakers welders I need", regrets this former Executive of Unilever, which notes that 'papy-boom' driving demand. "Our customer is moderated by a need to go." Our alu shells are solid, safe and sell very well of opportunity. The market carries, including export. "For us, it's 65 of sales," he assured.

A success which has not escaped with two young engineers, Stéphan Constance and Xavier Desmarest. They were created in 2003, to Cherbourg, like Yachting and offer three models of 40 to 50 feet, alu and superstructures polyester hulls. Their tip Subcontracting. They have assembled a boat in 2003, both in 2004 and this year they will reach the dozen. "There are brothers Peyron one of our customers." They want to sail to Greenland, welcomes Stéphan Constance. Our clients: future retirees, but also managers who want to meet with the family. "Sailing holidays are in the air of time seniors seek and comfortable boats. "We are confident in the evolution of our market," says the young like Yachting pattern. A deposit of customer discovered long date by Richard Wrighton, who created his site at Béthune thirty years ago. "I have three models of biquilles." "I in sold 850 since startup", he explained, while it prepares to sell his site for departure to retirement. With 1.7 million of turnover and 15 employees, it has an annual growth in double digits since the beginning of the century. "It is only on this niche of the family cruise and it works", welcomed the contractor of the Pas-de-Calais.

If the site Wrighton aims a clientele of middle managers, the popularity of the catamarans is worn by a population of executives and patterns of SMEs in difficulty of travel. Although the two hulls market represents that 3 of registered sailboats 3.902 in 2005 - 2006, it displays two-digit growth. This dynamic affects all sites that produce series boats as Nautitech or Lagoon than those which build of luxury as the Catana catamarans.

Racing Sailboats

Other breeds, and not least, because the competition has always been a powerful engine of the boating industry: the race. In just two years, the class 40, name borrowed from the length of these monohulls, exploded. 30 Units were built and six small worksites are positioned on this new market "hosted by a customer who, wishing to light but offshore, boats embodies the new pleasure and is the heir of the practitioners of the small sports Carabinieri of the 1960s", explains Jean-Marie Finot, naval architect whose firm designed the Pogo 40. "Powerful but economic." It is the concept of this boat. "This allows to make the transatlantic races with budgets more affordable than those of 60 feet," confirms Erwan Riou, who runs the site Jumbo to Trébeurden (Côtes-). Four of their boats ran the Route du rhum - La Banque Postale, rightly won by two Pogo 40. "We have a 100 race and cruise versions with which can trip on a sport boat," continued the Director, who, as a first step, hoping to build, with its two partners, 8 boats per year to approximately 300,000 euros exhibit.

But perhaps the true King of the niche is all simply... the Beneteau group. In 1992, the Vendée site known for its wide range of boats sold recreation under its brands Beneteau and Jeanneau, but also Wauquiez or Lagoon, completed its offer with NBC. The Bordeaux site won its stripes in the universe of luxury with superb sloops, exported to 80. Among these units of prestige, the Hamilton II of 117 feet commissioned by the Aga Khan and eventually purchased by an Englishman. This boat has drawn Philippe Briand was elected, in October in the United States, best sailboat of the year in its category by the Superyacht Society International. A dedication to the French know-how in a highly demanding sector where competition from American, British or Dutch is rude.