Pushing All the Buttons: Hargrave’s Recession Counterattack

Hargrave114

We all know what a recession does to the marine industry. But what if you decided to play by your own rules? That’s exactly what Hargrave CEO Mike Joyce has in mind with his recession counterattack. Confidant that an inventory of hot new models will be the key to the turnaround, the team at Hargrave is rolling out five new yachts in the 2012-2013 boat-show season.

A self-proclaimed student of the boating industry, Joyce researched the Luxury Tax-induced recession of the early 1990s and formulated an action plan for the next 12 to 24 months based on what he learned. When the American boating industry was creaking to a halt in the early 1990s, “The British showcased a tidal wave of hot new designs with great styling, exciting hull colors, and fast hull performance. Imports exploded,” Joyce says. “We all woke up after that shock wave and ‘got with the program,’ as they say. Hopefully this time around it will be the US brands, including Hargrave, that will help re-energize our industry.”

After five years of careful budgeting, Hargrave is “pushing all the buttons at the same time,” as Mike Joyce puts it, by investing millions of dollars in new tooling. Three new models will be introduced at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in October, followed by two more in February at the Miami International Boat Show.

The 114-foot Raised Pilothouse Cockpit Motoryacht has been announced as the first of these new models. Developed in cooperation with naval architect Jack Sarin for “maximum speed, stability, and soft ride,” plans for the 114 boast four king-size staterooms, three crew cabins, sit-down dining for ten in each of two locations, a large bridge, and Hargrave’s signature country kitchen, all finished in cherry, teak, granite, and marble. The Hargrave 114 isn’t all about looks, either. The fuel capacity of 6,000 gallons means that the 1,900-horsepower Caterpillar C-32 Acert engines can take you transatlantic, and electronics from Bose, Samsung, Furuno, and Nobletec will provide both onboard entertainment and voyage safety at the highest level.

Given the attention to detail in the plans for the Hargrave 114 Raised Pilothouse Cockpit Motoryacht, we can’t wait to see the other four models that Hargrave plans to launch this year.