Nekton boats may come back!!

[tarponchik]

Looks like with the economy in decline, the mantra is "run it till it dies," and Nekton owners were not the only ones who saved on repairs: Passengers on fire-damaged Carnival Splendor face another trying day - USATODAY.com Not a bad idea if they knew the boats would be impossible to sell for anything but scrap metal. I got a free calendar from some sea conservation nonprofit yesterday--maybe, if I send them couple of bucks they will buy Nektons and sink them as artificial reefs?

 

[scubafanatic]

Looks like with the economy in decline, the mantra is "run it till it dies," and Nekton owners were not the only ones who saved on repairs: Passengers on fire-damaged Carnival Splendor face another trying day - USATODAY.com Not a bad idea if they knew the boats would be impossible to sell for anything but scrap metal. I got a free calendar from some sea conservation nonprofit yesterday--maybe, if I send them couple of bucks they will buy Nektons and sink them as artificial reefs?

...although I morn the loss of any liveaboard (as it reduces price competition within that industry) I've been amazed that anyone seriously thought the Nekton boats would come back from the dead. The boats' conditions had been deteriorating for a LONG time (many years), substantially damaging the 'brand' name.....and a tipping point was reached with the collapse of our bubble economy, knocking the legs out from under the finances of the low-to-mid middle class income types these boats catered to, so those customers are out of the industry. Given the long overdue increased scrutiny banks are now under, it was highly improbable financing for such a speculative venture could have been obtained either. The Nekton owners 'plan', seeing which way the wind has been blowing the last few years, was to squeeze whatever $ out of the business while they could, then close the doors...in the long run their business was likely doomed anyway, given world economic events.

 

[Shasta_man]

My post was just because you said this: "The biggest problem I find with live-aboards (other than my seasickness) is the cramped quarters". There wasn't any qualification in that statement.

No problem, understand your position.

 

[Damselfish]

Looks like with the economy in decline, the mantra is "run it till it dies," and Nekton owners were not the only ones who saved on repairs: http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/...uss-ronald-reagan-coast-guard/130568/1?csp=hf

Don't see where it says the fire was caused by saving on repairs? Or any reason yet.

 

[mitsuguy]

Don't see where it says the fire was caused by saving on repairs? Or any reason yet.

I concur...

Something as simple as a bearing that catastrophically fails (many bearings should typically last "forever") could easily cause an immediate fire that was not predictable, nor a lack of maintenance even. Other potential reasons include a fuel line rupturing into a hot area, thus causing it to ignite. That boat was very new (only about 2 years old), and even at high duty cycles, the pieces used in them are designed to last a long time prior to replacement.

 

[tarponchik]

... knocking the legs out from under the finances of the low-to-mid middle class income types these boats catered to, so those customers are out of the industry.

I said basicly the same thing on page 2 or 3 of this thread, but was hoping for a miracle to happen. Dum spiro spero, as the Ancients used to say.

BTW, did Rorqual in July '08. It was not bad at all; the only thing that broke down was one of the skitters (but they had 2 so not a big deal).

 

[tarponchik]

Don't see where it says the fire was caused by saving on repairs? Or any reason yet.

Don't see where I said it was. "Looks like" only suggests reasonably high possibility. But since they said the fire was in the ship's engine room, then, if not for human error (like some idiot decided to dry an oil-soaked rag on a hot surface), then the most likely reason was overheating of machinery or electric circuits. Which typically happens when machines are old and worn out.

 

[donhealy]

Deepdiver4U,

It was the correct decision. You did a good job of due diligence and arrived at the logical business decision.

Don

 

[Shasta_man]

I'm pretty sure that the reason for the fire was that their divers were not trained properly....

 

[Wookie]

I'm pretty sure that the reason for the fire was that their divers were not trained properly....

If they'd been breathing nitrox, none of that would have happened.