The new Hinckley DS 36! not!.

When I say, 'wood' I mean the newer tech. RM had a campaign to build some of the older designs in cold molded wood. Sounded like a reasonable venture to me. Most small custom builders have an in house design division(1 or 2 designers on CAD). They can easily convert any lines, new or old, to a molded hull in wood sheathed in glass or even more cutting edge coatings. They will customize the deck, interior, whatever - change the shape anyway you want. Station set ups for the build can be cast off after one build. These are quality boats that will last.

That process results in a very expensive new one off boat. I don't think there are enough(any?) people out there looking for boats like that. And the old boats, mostly glass - wood for that niche of the market - supply wanted restoration prospects for most 'classic' buyers for less $. They NEVER die.

Ironically, we have all the skills today, to build the classics as they were originally built-plank on frame. I don't think many(any) buyers are out there for such new, old design, boats. Even those old boats, NEVER DIE.

Hinckleys power boats still have demand due to (as you point out) more people looking for power yachts than sailing. But I see the same problem: these newer large power yachts(Hinckely, Sabre etc) have the same potential(as sail) to flood their own market in the future.

I have a hard time believing that this big power boat buyer is a growth market able to sustain the new productions needed to keep these industries alive. Yet that's where these builders are putting all their eggs.

Time will tell. I hope I'm wrong and the big custom powerboats built in Maine go on forever.

Today though; to the Morris Sailboat,... RIP.