Motor Boats Monthly's team blog
Web log entry dated 11 January 2008
The industry speaks
MBM had an interesting conversation today with Laurent Fabre, the head of Beneteau's motorboat division. While not welcoming the demise of low-duty diesel, he insisted that the sudden hike in fuel prices on 1 November would give his company an edge over the competition. "Beneteau is well positioned for the loss of red diesel," he said. "People don't often recognise how much it costs to run a boat, but we've been paying attention to that. It's why we've been focusing on hull efficiency. This will be a strong selling point after the loss of red diesel in the UK." Another interesting chat was had with Derek Carter, Fairline's MD. He revealed that an 85-footer was in development for possible release in 2010, and confirmed that his company was still committed to bringing out an entry-level Targa in the 35-foot range. He also said that Fairline had a paid order book of £100m, and that the company was well prepared for any downturn in the UK market. "We won't see a decline in the UK," he said. "And we're not preparing for a recession. The credit crunch will be history at the back end of 2008."
Photo: Laurent Fabre, head of Beneteau's motorboat division
Stewart Campbell, Assistant Editor
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