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Why no forum thread for Navigator yachts?

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Rusty Mayes, Sep 13, 2020.

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  1. Rusty Mayes

    Rusty Mayes Member

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    Sep 5, 2019
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    It seems as though there is a thread for just about every make of yacht except the Navigator line. Am I missing something or does the lack of a thread on this forum speak volumes to the popularity of the line. I have found mixed opinions as to the navigator's quality and pedigree but there are a couple of models that hit all of the notes we are looking for in a mid 50 foot pilot house boat for our next venture. Any thoughts on navigators would be appreciated.
    Thanks
  2. PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    There are more threads on the trawler forum probably because of the owners who first built the Calfornian trawlers/yachts that were so popular before starting the Navigator line. The Marshalls, who owned Navigator, where able to build a good product in the USA that competed with the Asian imports. They were all about a good value, quality construction with logically laid out and easy to access systems, a very good ride in their class with 15 degree dead rise at the transom, comfortable and spacious layouts with nice wood options, quite a few boats were customized to owners requirements.

    Builders like Carver saw their success and copied them with their 530/560 Voyager line, as a common dealer had both lines and they showed up with tape measures in hand and a new line in the following year.

    In some ways the business model was a lot like the family owned Ocean Yachts on the East Coast, they also built boats that checked the boxes and offered the owner a good value . Both companies built thousand of boats during their time.

    I will let you in on an incident that shows how the boat media works. Navigator advertised in Motorboat & Sailing, Yachting, and Sea Magazine only. That’s it, they had no desire to spend more and increase the cost to the buyers. I talked to the advertising head of Power and Motoryacht and they had no clue of a company that was building 40 to 50 yachts a year from 39 to 63 feet, because they were not advertising in their magazine. Didn’t even know the brand name, completely clueless in their bubble! The comment was something like you don’t exist unless your are in PMY, a very arrogant group.

    Search Navigator here and you will find there is information and a great group of owners on this forum.
  3. gr8trn

    gr8trn Senior Member

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    Probably since it was a regional boat with a following up and down the west coast.

    In addition to the fact it is no longer a yard.

    Very nice and active navigator owner’s group on the face book groups offering.
  4. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Pretty much this. Nobody on the East coast even knows they exist.
  5. PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    At one time Galati was selling an equal amount per year in comparison to the largest West a Coast dealer’s. A personality conflict between the owners ended the relationship which was really too bad as you need a high profile dealer like Galati to make an impact. Navigator had dealers from Boston, North Carolina and both coasts of Florida. Had quite a few sold into the Midwest that would run down to Florida every year.

    Not everyone’s cup of tea but they pushed out a decent amount of product over 25 years.

    https://www.**************/core/lis...im=quick&ybw=&sm=3&Ntk=boatsEN&currencyid=100
  6. gr8trn

    gr8trn Senior Member

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    That is why we see them in NC and FL a bit then, there are a few in Australia and New Zealand as well.