Livingstone was purchased by a Company in the Carolinas about 3-4 years ago, the manufacturing moved from the west coast to the new plant, my boat was built at that time so I'll blame the problems on that. I don't know if the flaws have been corrected I hope so because they perform well, maybe a recent purchaser can chime in.
Steve W
We bought our 9' Livingston in early 1999 so it was made here by the original company. The 9' boat has no seats per se, just molded in "platforms" in the bow and stern with a centerline "platform" connecting them. The interior of the boat is one big molded piece so there are no joints or seams to split or open up.
One thing we learned when we decided to buy one is that if a Livingston is going to be carried on its side on a swimstep in Weaver-type davits it must be the reinforced-side model. The reinforced side version has more layers of fiberglass in the sides. This prevents the side that's down from excessive bowing under the weight of the dinghy. Without this reinforcement the side will distort too much which can eventually cause structural problems. So said the dealer and Livingston, anyway.
At the time the company also made a "resort" version of most of their models. These had plywood reinforcement inside the sides. This was to make the boats very strong for the sort of service they might get at a fishing resort or whatever. However this also added weight to the boat and the dealer did not recommend this option for a swimstep-carried dinghy.
I have no idea if the current manufacturer has continued these options but if they have, anyone contemplating the purchase of a Livingston that's going to be carried on its side should make sure to get the reinforced-side model.
Another excellent option offered by the original company was stainless steel keel strips. On our rocky, gravelly shores, these do a great job of protecting the bottom of the boat.
Livingstons are butt-ugly but for a utility shoreboat they can't be beat. Amazingly stable, very simple, rugged construction (at least the originals), lots of interior room. The one drawback to them vs. an inflatable/RIB is that with a sizeable load there is very little freeboard, at least in the smaller models. So not the kind of boat you want to take into choppy water or out amongst boat wakes with a full load in it. I wish they'd have made the hull a few inches deeper on the 9' model. This is why when the time comes that we start taking more and longer trips north we'll replace the Livingston with a Bullfrog. But for now, as a shoreboat and calm water fishing/crabbing boat, the Livingston is ideal. Until the popularity of inflatables and RIBs took off, Livingstons were the dinghy of choice in this area and you still see a huge number of them about since they last pretty much forever.