Maybe the supplier is still selling enough of these boats (to only the Aussie market) this year (Not sure that it is), maybe even next year. But with the decline of cat sailing in Australia right and without a chance of reviving the sales (of the OD version) abroad it is, in my opinion, just a matter of time before the sales drop below the threshold. Maybe the introduction of a really competitive design is all that is needed to tip the scales. I don't know, but walking so close to the line any small hick-up can tip the scales. And that is what the Taipan 4.9 class did wrong. They never diversified their markets, thus building up sufficient demand and sales so that a domestic (Australian) hick-up will not trip the class altogether. That the class would always survive on other regions in the world. Currently the class can only survive on the Oz region and that will now never be different in the future. I call that a gamble.
Wouter
AHPC are currently building as many Capricorn F18s as they can for the European market. My understanding is the hulls are built in SE Asia (Malaysia I think) with the rest built here.
This has also tied up their capacity in Bendigo (Australia). They are definatly still building Taipans and getting one is still a 12-16 week wait. My understanding is that the F18 is AHPC's main focus at the moment though.
Michael
