I'm glad to see the President SOTU speech talk about bringing jobs back to the USA. When he mentioned all the job's we shipped overseas I could not stop and think about boat building in China. Yes, I have mentioned the need to support our boat builders here at home at least once prior to this post but it's something I believe in. I look forward to seeing a shift in our decision-making process which does not include the impact of funding other countries which are not our allies just because they offer the "lowest price". I look forward to seeing us purchasing a boat of equal or higher quality at slightly higher costs but built in the USA. If we need to settle for a slightly smaller LOA to keep the jobs in the USA then we should consider doing it. At least this is my thinking as one who is getting a little older and would like to see the follow-on generations have good paying manufacturing jobs (including boat building) in the USA and not support countries which are not our true allies.
This will not happen over-night and I have no plans to sell my wife's German built MBZ SL which sits covered on the garage and never driven (she would kill me) but if there is another new boat build on the shrinking horizon it will not be built in China but in the USA. Not sure anyone else thinks like me but I plan to do my part to contribute to this country's growth and continued world leadership of democracy.
OK, I'm ready for the feedback even it goes against my thinking. Discission of any type is good for everyone.
John T
Boat building in the US is largely a dream right now. I was involved with some who attempted to purchase a builder and bring them to the US but failed. The real issue is lack of investors for a real boat manufacturing firm. I'm not talking $10 million investors but $100 or $200 million. It's investors, not pricing or anything else. Europe has those investors although several are from China and China has the investors.
Now that many US builders are gone, no one is thinking of restarting builders up here.