Merrill Stevens Closes Friday December 18

What economic recovery? Jobs continue to be lost amid speculation of an improving economy. Even though the yachting industry is typically the last to see the upswing, it's sad to see an institution such as Merrill succumb after all these years. And around the holidays, that just sucks.

We need to keep things in perspective. I hope these workers and staff members can support themselves and families as they venture off to the job market.

Good luck.

it's very sad indeed, for the people employed there and also since MS is one of the oldest and most respected yards.

but let's face it. no employer is going to hire anyone unless they really have to, or expand or even try to borrow to stay afloat, without knowing what's going to happen with Card Check, Cap and Trade and health care reform, which will all cause labor costs to escalate our of control.

It's sad to see a yard go. Besides the economy, I think it's mostly because the majority of the yachts go to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm. While there are not as many boats in the yards as before, I think there is work to go around. It's a tough decision to spend money to modernize a yard that will bring in business, but it has paid off for Rybovich and LMC. I think the other yards need to consider offering the boats and crew something more than just a bill for a haul out and work. Your thoughts?

i certainly can see how yards in FTL or WPB can be more attractive considering the neighborhood MS is in (you dont' want to walk there after dark...) and the hassle of going up the miami river... the pool of services is also much larger in FTL and WPB for whatever has to be contracted outside the yard.

What any yard has to deliver first is quality work performed on time at a reasonably competitive price.

I don't want to kick a corpse but yards die when they don't deliver.

+1

As far as quality, Mr. Forbes' Highlander was a regular for maintenance and he had the HP to go anywhere.
Lotta big iron was made to look pretty again there over the years, but...it's still a shame.

The real problem Merrill Stevens faced there was the neighborhood. It's not the greatest neighborhood anymore, no crew really wants to be there and there is little top notch ancillary services available. Ft Lauderdale is also where all the ancillary industry that services these refits is, and that's an ugly commute to down there and back on a daily basis.

That of course is the primary issue, but I don't think that was MS's real problem, they were capable of and have produced quality work. What sank them is location. As for extra service from the yard, concierge service is also a big plus. Help in locating local resources is high on my list of value when looking for a yard to do a refit in.

Jorge, looking at how Rybo revamped their yard and marina, I have to give hats off to them for the effort. I've never had repair work done there, but captains and crew I've spoken to do like the yard service they get, and it has become a favorite destination for crew when stopping in the area. With the new lounge, workout room, pool, upgraded facility and regular crew parties and functions, why not go there. I've also heard from a few owners that they believe that a happy crew makes for a happy yacht, so why not treat the crew once in a while?

I also realize that Rybovich's owners have deep pockets, but it still was a heck of a risk to undertake the changes. BTW, the day after FLIBS closed, 22 yachts headed to Rybo for either work or to relax a bit, and more came in later that week. That Friday night crew party was hopping.

Rybo has as large marina... MS doens't, they have a few sheds and yard space, a few hundred feet of dockage on the river, very different. as i mentieond in my first reply, the neighborhood is jsut awful. it has to impact a captain and/or owner decision in picking the yard for a project.

It's kept me out of there for 3 large projects in the last 6 years.

Like I wrote earlier, I don't like to kick a corpse but the the wounds were self inflicted and severe.

At least one boat got pulled from there this summer and most of the work had to be redone in Lauderdale. To add insult to injury, the bottom paint applied at MS fell off on the ship to Europe - six months late and the paint literally fell off. That European owner said he will never, repeat never, bring a boat to Florida again. This is not rumor, it is first hand knowledge.

That boat was not the first to be pulled from the yard this year and I Just learned today (second hand) that it was not the only one to have bottom paint fall off.

We can't afford that level of quality.

Marlow Marine Just announced that they Bought Merrill Stevens

Marlow Marine Just announced they Bought Merrill Stevens...