Fountaine Pajot Cumberland 44 & Cat A rating
Gram commented and asked:
Michael,
You have my sympathy, and I hope it all works out for you. I also
hope that I (and others) will manage to steer clear of your cowboy
broker, whoever he/she may be.
After all thi disappointment and cricitism of F-P, then, would anyone
care to comment other makers. I have heard of Geminie's capsizing
fairly, and I read that one of James Wharrams's lost a mast or
similar. The sea is obviously a harsh place, but is there not be
someone who takes pride in top-class quality; the Rolls Royce, or
Porsche, of the sector? Or is there?
gram.
REPLY:
As a Rolls and Bentley owner I can testify that the difference between
those and so many other marques of cars is chiefly the attitude and
effort of the builder. It is not the price, nor the exotic fittings,
but rather what shows up in the sound of the door closing, the lack of
fuss when motoring down the highway, and of course the affection of the
owners. I also own and love a PDQ 34, and I greatly mourn the recent
loss of this builder to issues surrounding building in Canadian dollars
while selling chiefly into a US dollar market, plus the overall rise in
matierial costs and the economic based slump in sales industry wide.
You may struggle to imagine how sincerely I hope for a resurrection of
this line -- I really miss their emphasis on sound, light weight and
high tech. construction; to slender hull/low power economy (perhaps the
salvation of boating for regular folks in times of increasing fuel
costs); combined with a uniquely clever and practical layout. They were
about the earliest big success in this power catamaran enterprise (113
hulls completed for the 34 foot line), and held strongly to virtues that
promise to see the rest of us through tough times ahead, like escalating
fuel costs, remote and difficult to control third world construction
practices, and the great inertia in the general boating world to
recognizing the power (and motorsailer) catamaran's unique promise
instead of cleaving to antique traditional notions of what comprises a
'proper' and therefore desireable boat.
Gary Bell
I toodle around in a Carrera 4 myself, but I take your point. You can
feel the quality and appreciate its behaviour compared to other
vehicles. I''' take a look at the PD!34.
gram.
On 7 Jan 2008, at 13:02, Candy Chapman and Gary Bell wrote:.
Gram commented and asked:
Michael,
You have my sympathy, and I hope it all works out for you. I also
hope that I (and others) will manage to steer clear of your cowboy
broker, whoever he/she may be.
After all thi disappointment and cricitism of F-P, then, would anyone
care to comment other makers. I have heard of Geminie's capsizing
fairly, and I read that one of James Wharrams's lost a mast or
similar. The sea is obviously a harsh place, but is there not be
someone who takes pride in top-class quality; the Rolls Royce, or
Porsche, of the sector? Or is there?
gram.
REPLY:
As a Rolls and Bentley owner I can testify that the difference
between those and so many other marques of cars is chiefly the
attitude and effort of the builder. It is not the price, nor the
exotic fittings, but rather what shows up in the sound of the door
closing, the lack of fuss when motoring down the highway, and of
course the affection of the owners. I also own and love a PDQ 34,
and I greatly mourn the recent loss of this builder to issues
surrounding building in Canadian dollars while selling chiefly into
a US dollar market, plus the overall rise in matierial costs and
the economic based slump in sales industry wide. You may struggle
to imagine how sincerely I hope for a resurrection of this line --
I really miss their emphasis on sound, light weight and high tech.
construction; to slender hull/low power economy (perhaps the
salvation of boating for regular folks in times of increasing fuel
costs); combined with a uniquely clever and practical layout. They
were about the earliest big success in this power catamaran
enterprise (113 hulls completed for the 34 foot line), and held
strongly to virtues that promise to see the rest of us through
tough times ahead, like escalating fuel costs, remote and difficult
to control third world construction practices, and the great
inertia in the general boating world to recognizing the power (and
motorsailer) catamaran's unique promise instead of cleaving to
antique traditional notions of what comprises a 'proper' and
therefore desireable boat.
Gary Bell
As a novice at this, I too was impressed with the PDQ 34.? Actually 114 made it out of the factory and is on its way to San Diego I believe.? I was committed to #115 which was only partially completed before things shut down.? I was happy to purchase #99 from a broker here in Seattle and am sure that I will be quite pleased with it for the spectrum of boating activities here in the northwest.? I am not too concerned that the company is no longer operating as I have confidence in their workmanship from having visited their place, looking at their boats and ?and talking with many?happy owners.? I think there is a good probability that in time the company will resume operation.? I hope it does.? It is likely to be quite a time I would think given what has happened.
Obviously, I feel the PDQ 34 if a great boat in spite of the failure of their buiness for a variety of reasons.? The quality of their product certainly was not one of them.
Tom Green
-----Original Message-----
From: gram rupert gramario@tin.it
To: Candy Chapman and Gary Bell tulgey@earthlink.net
Cc: Power Catamaran List power-catamaran@lists.samurai.com
Sent: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 5:58 am
Subject: Re: [PCW] Fountaine Pajot Cumberland 44 & Cat A rating
I toodle around in a Carrera 4 myself, but I take your point. You can
feel the quality and appreciate its behaviour compared to other
vehicles. I''' take a look at the PD!34.
gram.
On 7 Jan 2008, at 13:02, Candy Chapman and Gary Bell wrote:.
Gram commented and asked:
Michael,
You have my sympathy, and I hope it all works out for you. I also
hope that I (and others) will manage to steer clear of your cowboy
broker, whoever he/she may be.
After all thi disappointment and cricitism of F-P, then, would anyone
care to comment other makers. I have heard of Geminie's capsizing
fairly, and I read that one of James Wharrams's lost a mast or
similar. The sea is obviously a harsh place, but is there not be
someone who takes pride in top-class quality; the Rolls Royce, or
Porsche, of the sector? Or is there?
gram.
REPLY:
As a Rolls and Bentley owner I can testify that the difference
between those and so many other marques of cars is chiefly the
attitude and effort of the builder. It is not the price, nor the
exotic fittings, but rather what shows up in the sound of the door
closing, the lack of fuss when motoring down the highway, and of
course the affection of the owners. I also own and love a PDQ 34,
and I greatly mourn the recent loss of this builder to issues
surrounding building in Canadian dollars while selling chiefly into
a US dollar market, plus the overall rise in matierial costs and
the economic based slump in sales industry wide. You may struggle
to imagine how sincerely I hope for a resurrection of this line --
I really miss their emphasis on sound, light weight and high tech.
construction; to slender hull/low power economy (perhaps the
salvation of boating for regular folks in times of increasing fuel
costs); combined with a uniquely clever and practical layout. They
were about the earliest big success in this power catamaran
enterprise (113 hulls completed for the 34 foot line), and held
strongly to virtues that promise to see the rest of us through
tough times ahead, like escalating fuel costs, remote and difficult
to control third world construction practices, and the great
inertia in the general boating world to recognizing the power (and
motorsailer) catamaran's unique promise instead of cleaving to
antique traditional notions of what comprises a 'proper' and
therefore desireable boat.
Gary Bell
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