Spoiler - a crisis in the outboard motor market. The lack of microcircuits, which are used in all control systems: from the simplest ones, like a blinking baby doll to complex aircraft, automobile and boat ones, is felt by the whole world. As for the motors, before they were always available. And now the dealers themselves "stand in line" to the manufacturer. Thus, the dealers themselves expect the motor from 10 months to a year. What we are doing so that you have something to hang on the transom, and your houseboat can start bringing you money sooner is in our article.
A houseboat is a complex engineering structure with ship mobility, cottage-like comfort and often complete autonomy. And if so, a lot of things are placed in a relatively small area. Kitchen, shower, toilet, bedroom, saloon, sun deck, bathing area, helm area, engine compartment - from the visible. Inverter, water heater, heating system, fuel tank, clean and waste water tanks, thruster and much more - something that the average user will never see. And no, we do not exaggerate the importance of our own work. Although, no doubt, it's not easy)) But now the problem is different - almost all manufacturers of boats, yachts and houseboats are faced with a global semiconductor crisis. The shutdown of production in South East Asia during the pandemic, logistical chaos, the surge in demand for diagnostic equipment and smart devices for remote work, the subsequent energy crisis in China, and many other things have led to the current shortage with chip shortages.
Interestingly, the pandemic has affected the boating industry in other ways too. When tourism infrastructure suddenly became inaccessible due to blockades and closed borders, individual recreation on the water, thanks to its unprecedented autonomy and safety, experienced explosive growth. There have been cases where houseboat rentals have been booked and paid for a year and a half in advance. Conversely, in America, large yacht manufacturers have been making bulk orders, loading motor production a year in advance. But even without the aforementioned lock-in, the houseboat rental industry has grown by orders of magnitude over the last decade to become one of the most visible parts of the intra-European travel industry. Germany has established itself as a significant player internationally, which is not surprising given that there are over 7,000 kilometres of waterways. This means that the prospects for this business and its profitability are unquestionable.
Trend Commercial houseboat rental companies offer houseboats for rent without motors. In fact, this is a rest on the pier, without the opportunity to sail somewhere. Despite some oddity, such a vacation is popular, and in 2002 it is a real trend. It turns out a vacation in an unusual location with all the inherent attributes of yachting life: a slight swaying on the water, the cry of seagulls and a beautiful view. On the other hand, these houseboats will be equipped with engines later, during the winter period, when the engines ordered earlier will arrive at the dealers' warehouses.
So, by how much has the production time for houseboat been increased? And what do we do in a situation of crisis in the outboard motor market?
The production time for houseboats has been increased to 9 months. This is due to the lack of outboard motors for sale. Due to the crisis, the waiting period for the motor can be up to a year.
How do we try to ensure that the motor is received in 9 months instead of 12?
We work only with direct dealers. These are serious reliable partners. We have several pre-ordered motors, the order for which is already placed in production. So, if the motor we have chosen suits you, then the waiting period will be less than stated by the dealers.
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