Concordia Thailand D36?

hebert01 · Post by **hebert01** » Mon May 21, 2007 7:46 pm

Does anyone have information on this boat? Any connection to the Concordia of old?

http://yachtworld.com/core/listing/boat ... =2545&url=

Hirilondë · Post by **Hirilondë** » Mon May 21, 2007 8:02 pm

It doesn't really even look like the Concordias built by Abeking and Rasmussen for the Concordia Co. of Padanaram, MA. We have a 1930s 31, 3 - early 60s 39 yawls and 1 - late 50s 41 sloop at the boatyard. All of the post WW2 Concordias have a ton of over-hang and longer booms. Concordia never made the switch to glass. I believe the last 39 built was 66 or 67.

hebert01 · Post by **hebert01** » Mon May 21, 2007 8:16 pm

I realized it wasn't an older A&R built Ray hunt design, and based on its hull design I assume it's thoroughly modern. But I believed the Padanaram yard continued to build modern custom glass boats under the Concordia name. I'm curious how the licensing of the Concordia name progressed after the "glory days" of their wooden yachts. Based on the name, I'm assuming this boat is being built in Thailand. Do you happen to know who owns the "Concordia" name nowadays?

Thanks

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Mon May 21, 2007 8:50 pm

oh, who cares? that thing is gorgeous!

Hirilondë · Post by **Hirilondë** » Tue May 22, 2007 7:31 pm

The Concordia Yard still exists but is hardly more than a marina any more. Yes, there were a few custom glass boats and I've heard that a couple cold molded boats were made there as well after the A&R construction ended. But there was never any "production" as such after the 60s. And nothing is being built now.

I looked into the Concordia 36 you linked and found out that it and even some catamarans are being built in Thailand by the Concordia Yachting Company. http://www.concordiayacht.com/ I don't believe there is any relation to the Concordia Co.. It seems that the 36 is a modern boat inspired by the 6 Meter.

hebert01 · Post by **hebert01** » Tue May 22, 2007 9:14 pm

Thanks, Dave! That's just the info I was looking for. I wanted to know who was making this D36 boat. I was curious if the "Concordia" name on the D36 was in any way connected to Padanaram or the C.R. Hunt design team in New Bedford. Nope!

I used to live right around the corner from the Concordia yard. As you probably know, that yard's been taken over by Hunt. While off topic for this board, I recently saw that they just released an attractive center console version of the Surfhunter 25.

Hirilondë · Post by **Hirilondë** » Wed May 23, 2007 8:15 pm

I knew Concordia's waterfront site was for sale. It was not owned by the Concordia Co. and the owners put it up for sale as the lease was running out. Several groups were interested in buying. One was a group of Concordia owners who were considering buying the land and the Concordia Co. if their research showed it to be a viable option. I guess Hunt was interested as well. In the end Cape Yachts bought the land and have set up shop in So. Dartmouth/Padanaram: http://www.southwharf.com/

The Concordia Co. does still exist but owns only some land locked land and a storage building and shops. They are planning on continuing operations there but will no longer be in the marina business. Only time will tell how that goes and exactly what their business plans will become.

Noah · Post by **Noah** » Sat May 26, 2007 8:26 am

I wonder how old that listing is? It seems like a very nice boat for the money. I think I would have considered that instead of the Swede had I found it.

Al · Post by Al » Sat May 26, 2007 4:33 pm

It's a current listing; it was last updated on May 2. And $68K does seem almost too good to be true.

Chris Campbell · Post by **Chris Campbell** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:31 pm

Compare that listing to this one: Link

Something wrong with the first one? Somewhat too optimistic in the second? The pictures in the first listing are more graceful than the second, also, but they look like the same boat, just more successfully photographed.

Lovely boats, though, both of them.

Post by **Tim** » Tue May 29, 2007 6:58 am

I have to say that this boat design does absolutely nothing for me: it's sterile, predictable, and cliche. Too narrow for her own good, and lacking the looks and detail to go with it otherwise.

For me, she's right up there with the Morris 36 in terms of uninspiring daysailers that try, unsuccessfully, to capture the elegance of a bygone era.

The Taiwan Concordia featured in the early part of this thread also looks way too much like the old Tartan 41 (pictured below) to me--which is a boat I actually like, but don't need to see recreated in an uninspiring day boat.

Noah · Post by **Noah** » Tue May 29, 2007 10:19 am

I both agree and disagree with Tim. For me on the Lake a nice big day sailor with simple overnight capabilities is perfect (yeah, that's why I bought a 53ft boat...). I would like a really big cockpit - I'm young and we often take out 2-3 couples for an evening or weekend day sail.

My Hinckley was great, but I always wanted a longer cockpit and a smaller cabin. To me the Morris and this boat kinda do this.

Now on to my agreement:

There is a Morris 36 at the yard, and one day my Hinckley 36 and the Morris were side by side. Above the water hull shapes were nearly identical, but my Hinckley looked much nicer. So far almost none of these day sailor designers have gotten the hull shape right. They are close, but I just don't think the modern designers have an eye for curves the way their predecessors did. Perhaps it's designing in CAD, and not on paper...

I would probably look at this boat, but I would have to see it in the flesh before I made a decision.

BTW, I love the Tartan 41! I almost purchased a neglected one when things were going pear shaped with the Swede.

Jason K · Post by **Jason K** » Tue May 29, 2007 10:43 am

The boat Tim posted looks a bit bland, but the one in the first photo is striking. I like it.

Post by **Tim** » Tue May 29, 2007 5:04 pm

The boat I posted is a Tartan 41. My text was a bit vague, so I modified my earlier post to clarify.

And I'm not against big daysailers...after all, I built one.

The basic concept, while perhaps becoming overdone as every manufacturer seems to enter the race, is a good one. I just think too many are lacking in the right details for my eye. Like this Concordia one. It might be a fun and useful boat, but it just lacks the right look to me. One man's opinion only.

Too many of this newly-rediscovered class are also too busy trying to be the most expensive and most complex of their type...kind of oxymoronic with the simplistic concept of any daysailer.

hebert01 · Post by **hebert01** » Tue May 29, 2007 7:30 pm

Insert Ensign plug here! :-)

Seriously, the Ensign's simplicity and gigantic daysailing cockpit are entirely its allure for me. No complicated systems or big expenses...just go sailing. But I feel that I'm missing the ability to take that (comfortable) overnight or long weekend cruise now and then. With a few more creature comforts and an inboard diesel, I'd be quite close to the perfect boat for my needs. But there's a bit of "grass is always greener" perspective to my daydream. I think the Ensign is darned near perfect for its intended purpose.

I think these modern daysailers are appealing to those of us that won't be doing extensive cruising, but would like a safe, capable day/weekend boat. I still have yet to understand why someone can't build an exceptional version of this type of boat at a reasonable price point. For example, I find the modern adaptation of the Alerion quite attractive, but it's still quite pricey. Not as expensive as some of the others mentioned, though.

Post by **Tim** » Wed May 30, 2007 7:36 am

It's amazing how much time is required to build a high-end boat--even a smallish one. Materials are expensive enough, but it's the labor costs that cause these high-end boats to be so costly in the end. All that woodwork, fine detailing, and quality systems installation takes a lot of time.

A builder can cut costs by increasing production (with the inherent efficiency of repetition) and cutting out some of those nice details...but then you start to lose the quality of execution and fine detailing that draws your eye, and you end up with something that is less unique and less appealing, overall. A boat like the Alerion Express 28 fits into this category: it's a nice boat that sails well and does exactly what it's supposed to do, but even though it's well built and attractive, it lacks the true eye-catching details that really draw the eye. And even at that, it is an expensive boat.

Good boats cost what they do in large part because of the labor costs. The only way to reduce the price is to cut corners (which some do), or lower labor costs. Lowering labor costs means shipping production overseas (which can be bad on many levels, "global economy" or not), or reducing the complexity and detailing of the finish work, systems work, and general construction. The people who build the highest quality boats deserve to be well paid for their efforts...and this will be reflected in the final price of the boat.

When I built the Triton Daysailor, I certainly had the Ensign in mind in terms of overall concept and general simplicity. Even so, the 28-footer was far more complicated than an Ensign, thanks to the fact that she had a diesel engine and electrical system, as well as a more finished interior (though still very basic).

As a custom boat built basically from scratch, she took a lot of time: I estimate at least 2000 hours of build time, and quite possibly more (I didn't keep track, unfortunately). I sold her for a good bit more than she cost to build in terms of materials and equipment, but if I truly factored in my labor costs at a realistic level, she would have cost much more.

You don't always get what you pay for, but you have to pay for what you get, I think.