NAI'A up for Sale.

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Out of curiosity, what are the economics of owning and running a lob? There are the typical capital and operating costs, but there must be other considerations that factor into the balance sheet too. I’m guessing that since there are only about 250 lob’s operating today, the margins must be thin or more would be operating.
We made money 3 of 15 years. We made a lot of money those years.
 
Just off a week on the Nai'a.

Good diving, GREAT crew, food, etc. OLD boat. Not up to today's standards; bunkbeds, no place to relax other than the dining room. Noisy. My take is that it needs to be gutted and extensively revised. The hull is sea kind, but dive deck is spread out, camera "room" is a couple of shelves as an afterthought on the bow, etc. Boarding the RIBS wasn't terrible (we were in 1.5-2 meter seas...) but a bit dicey at times. Crew made up for it all. One couple that was with us had last been on her when she was new and said it hadn't been changed at all...

Village visit-1.jpg
 
We made money 3 of 15 years. We made a lot of money those years.

Wow. I was guessing the business was tight but not that tight
 
<<today's standards>> There are standards? :) I can understand wanting a better boat but I don't know if a refit could make much more room.

<<RIBs>> I recall just stepping off the boat onto the RIB. What improvement were you thinking, stairs to the boat?
 
<<We made money 3 of 15>> Thanks for the candid info.

Can you summarize why you didn't make money for those 12 years? That would be the most enlightening part.
 
<<We made money 3 of 15>> Thanks for the candid info.

Can you summarize why you didn't make money for those 12 years? That would be the most enlightening part.
Weather, the economy, not charging enough, declining numbers of divers. Not necessarily problems for the N'aia, but US boats make up for cheap prices by packing them to the rafters. You'll notice that US dive boats tend to be near population centers. San Diego, LA, New York, Houston, Miami. Notice Key West isn't on the list...
 
I'm just saying the layout isn't up to what I've seen on newer boats. We try not to book bunk bed cabins anymore for instance. For the price people are paying, they shouldn't have to crawl up a ladder to bed. Almost no camera facilities other than a couple of shelves and a power strip. I'm not saying it was bad, just not up to what the competition is offering.
 
I hear Siren Fleet needs a new Fiji boat.

They need to keep building a new siren fleet. Otherwise, how to keep the terrible record (lost 4 boats? in 6 years). If not building a new one, no more boats to operate
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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