Cats from China . . . ?

[Brandywine]

Originally Posted by GordMay

South Africa's Robertson & Caine (R&C Leopard catamarans) has signed a deal with Chinese company Flying Eagle to manufacture some of its catamarans in Fuyang City near Hang Zhou, China.
Goto: R&C expands manufacturing to China

International Boat Industry NEWS Home: International Boat Industry home - the trade magazine for global marine business

Found this post by Gord in one of the other threads thought it should be its own topic not to start a thread on bashing china or cats with lead paint.

But given the position of the dollar and how china's currency is managed to the dollar, this could be a god send for people looking to by a new cat.

[44'cruisingcat]

It could be, but then again... an Australian company set up over there, building the Multihaven 37(?). They brought their first Chinese built boat over for the '06 Sanctuary Cove boat show, and it was a disaster. The finish was appalling, and some of the materials used would not last 6 months in a marine environment.

They will need to monitor the quality very closely.

[Celestialsailor]

I have rarely seen a product from China that was in any way reliable or of decent quality. I have known of a mast falling down due to a Chinesse bolt at the masthead holding the tangs, a Chinesse water pump that quit and seized an engine, Chinesse made lighting that you constantly have to play with because contacts were not plated. The list goes on and on.

[liberty16]

I am not aware of a SINGLE product from China which is considered to be of high quality.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by liberty16

I am not aware of a SINGLE product from China which is considered to be of high quality.

With all the recalls in the USA for Chinese toys, that should beg the question,

"Who wants to buy a multihull which will probably be full of LEAD?"

<sarcasm>

Steve B.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by liberty16

I am not aware of a SINGLE product from China which is considered to be of high quality.

Snipped from another China bashing post with additions


Are these all crap product ???

GM (General Motors) China
Shanghai GM

FORD China
Ford Motor Company - Press Release - FORD MARKS FIVE YEARS OF STRONG GROWTH IN EXPANDING CHINA MARKET

VW-China
VW tests China diesel waters - Michael Wilkes discusses Volkswagen-China and diesel vehicles - Brief Article - Interview Diesel Fuel News - Find Articles

Nissan-China
Nissan Diesel to Tie with China Dongfeng Unit

Deutz-China
German Diesel Maker: Made In China To Be Exported to the World

Toyota Prius-China
Green Car Congress: Sichuan FAW Toyota Starts Prius Production in China

Audi-China
Welcome to Audi China > About Audi > News


Dave

[Southern Star]

Has anyone seen a Flying Tiger 10? It is the new 10 meter racing boat designed by Robert Perry that ships in a cargo container and then has the keel re-installed on delivery. Carbon fibre mast, extending bow sprit and an incredible finish throughout - I mean no waves, or cloth impressions visible anywhere through the gelcoat.

Yes, the construction supervisor is American. Yes, the hardware is Harken and other name brands. But they can build a very high quality product at prices that Europe, South Africa and North America cannot compete with.

Would I buy one? Not a chance. China does not recognize the intellectual property of other nations and, as a result, sell various cars/trucks that are virtually a photocopy of the products of Toyota, etc. They also have no environmental standards and their currency does not float, but rather is controlled at a rate very favourable for the export market. In short, they are marketplace pirates.

Sadly, in future we may have little choice but to buy from them. Chrylser, for one, has announced that they are commencing production of a low-priced car in China - another example of exporting jobs to third-world states in order to get around the labour/environmental laws of a developed nation. I suspect that if current trends continue we will find more and more boat production transferred there as well. It is impossible for us to 'compete' with a country that is not truly in competition with the rest of the world.

Brad

[ireaney]

Originally Posted by liberty16

I am not aware of a SINGLE product from China which is considered to be of high quality.

This reply is not aimed solely at libert16 it is just that his quote seems to say what the rest of you are implying and I think you are all talking CRAP, you cannot generalise on saying China does not produce any quality products.
I deal with large blue chip international companies who ask my company to source quality but well priced products, and China (unfortunately, as it is killing all manufacturing in the Western world) produces some great products.
You will probably find that a lot of your cell phones, navigation kit and 80% of your sails are made in China. Etc, Etc.
I will admit that they can produce crap but so can the States and Europe, as a nation they are much more efficient and honourable in my experience than 95% of Western manufactrurers - and I have dealt with hundreds.

[Joli]

I agree completely. I travel to China and source product there for my customers as well. There are some very good manufacurers and some very bad manufacturers. If R&C works hand in in withthe maker they will have a very good product to sell I'm sure. If they simply look for the cheapest price and offer nos supervision they won't have a quality product.

It is an eye opener to walk into a modern factory and se row after row of Okuma Howes, tour the QC department and see the same process and equipment we use. They ain't third world.

Originally Posted by ireaney

This reply is not aimed solely at libert16 it is just that his quote seems to say what the rest of you are implying and I think you are all talking CRAP, you cannot generalise on saying China does not produce any quality products.
I deal with large blue chip international companies who ask my company to source quality but well priced products, and China (unfortunately, as it is killing all manufacturing in the Western world) produces some great products.
You will probably find that a lot of your cell phones, navigation kit and 80% of your sails are made in China. Etc, Etc.
I will admit that they can produce crap but so can the States and Europe, as a nation they are much more efficient and honourable in my experience than 95% of Western manufactrurers - and I have dealt with hundreds.

[craig boorman]

Speaking of Diesels, came across this and wonder if this will be the new guy one day. http://www.vw-m.de/fileadmin/Produkt...drive_engl.pdf

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

China does not recognize the intellectual property of other nations and, as a result, sell various cars/trucks that are virtually a photocopy of the products of Toyota, etc. They also have no environmental standards and their currency does not float, but rather is controlled at a rate very favourable for the export market. In short, they are marketplace pirates.

Brad

And yet we (the masses) are falling for it.

[ireaney]

Originally Posted by Therapy

And yet we (the masses) are falling for it.

Of course we are, but the whole world is becoming so competetive and the large companies want to sell at the cheapest prices to get the lion share of customers to please their shareholders, and we all turn a blind eye to copying which the Chinese are very good at, so long as we get a good deal!!!

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by ireaney

, so long as we get a good deal!!!

Yup................

[David M]

I would not have any problem buying a catamaran from China provided the quality control was done by a non-Chinese boat building company of foreign origin with plenty of experience. (A certain percentage of a company doing business in China must be Chinese owned). Other than Cheoy Lee out of Hong Kong, the Chinese really don't have any experience at building high quality yachts.

Yeah I realize all the ethical issues..but seriously, look at how much stuff we own now that is already made in China.

There are good products and some bad products coming from China. It's really not accurate to say that all products coming from China are junk.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by David M

I would not have any problem buying a catamaran from China provided the quality control was done by a non-Chinese boat building company of foreign origin with plenty of experience.

In a perfect world, this might be true. But there are many other factors playing into building anything. Example...Who is doing the quality control for the resins, hardner and cloth? The mast maufacturing and so on. I have worked in many disc drive companies with outside labor from other countries working on the premises. We were ISO 9000. Still flaws got by us. No matter how hard you try, it gets by. Some of the Taiwan boats in the 70s-80s made similar claims about quality. Some were good, some not. Even within one manufacturer, quality varied from boat to boat. A friend of mine in Northern Ca. Had a Rafiki 37. He was going to repower and needed to instal new engine beds. After grinding the area for the new beds and washing it down with acetone, he could see that area of the hull had been cored with newspaper!