Brit boatbuilding on a roll Clipper now Spanish dealer

Industry bounces back as new orders flood in Flying start planned

Both Sunseeker and Princess have returned to profitability in the last few months of the year after reeling in record new boat orders over the crucial autumn boat show period.

Sunseeker took over £70 million of confirmed retail orders with a further £25 million expected to be agreed over the coming weeks. Princess matched that figure pound for pound reporting retail sales of £70 million during the Cannes and Southampton boat shows, pushing its total order book up to £280 million.

Despite these promising figures Princess announced a loss before taxation of £20.25 million on turnover of £201.23 million for the year ending 2015 (£239.63 million in 2014).

The company pointed to the lingering effects of damage to stock, facilities and production scheduling caused by the hurricane-force storms in 2014, coupled with unfavourable sterling exchange rates and highmargin boat models reaching the end of their life cycle.

However, executive chairman Antony Sheriff confirmed that the company had returned a positive operating profit over the last three months of 2016 thanks in part to the launch of six new models in as many months. As part of the ongoing recovery it plans to invest £55 million into the business over the next three years in new models and facilities. “It feels like the entire industry has bounced back,” he said.

Sunseeker International has also embarked on an ambitious investment programme, injecting £50 million into new models and manufacturing processes over the next five years. Look out for the first of those launches, the new Manhattan 66, which will be unveiled at the London Boat Show in January. Award-winning Clipper Marine is now the official Bavaria dealer for Spain.

The deal was announced by business development manager Luca Meffle.

Clipper was looking forward to making a flying start to its new role for the German manufacturer at the Barcelona Boat Show.

Directors Richard Hewett and Matt Attree said the deal was “another landmark” in the expansion of the ten-year-old Swanwick-based company.

Stefan Klaassen, Bavaria Yachts’ head of sales, said that Clipper Marine had risen to become one of the largest dealers in the world for Bavaria Yachts.

“The team of Clipper Marine works extremely professionally and we’re very proud to have Clipper Marine as an experienced partner in Spain,” he said.

Clipper Marine became a UK dealer for Bavaria at the end of 2008. The company won the Garmin Customer Service Award at the Motor Boat of the Year Awards 2016.

They showed “outstanding customer care” and went the extra mile to deliver unrivalled service, said their customers.

They are already UK distributors for Azimut, Benetti, Bavaria Sailing Yachts, Bavaria Motor Boats, Bryant Sports Boat and the Clipper Storm 22 Trailer.

opens in Amsterdam and runs from november 15-17 at the RAI exhibition and convention centre.