Why Privilege Catamarans Cost More

We are often asked why Privilege Catamarans cost more. Design, construction and the boatyard are all factors that determine the cost of any vessel. The initial design intentions determine the construction methodology and materials that the highly-skilled workforce at the Privilege Marine boatyard is tasked with building. Watch to find out more.

[@meditation131]

Wow that Sir had cemented the fact i always had about Cat builds after the whole Lagon 450 bulkhead saga i held off buying a cat but after watching this i might get back on track and look at the whole sailing life style again thanks Bud.

[@kendallseifert7723]

The Privilege is a catamaran that feels more like a custom product than a massed produced product. I have a been around for a while now and love their cats. Costs are what they will be. Good job Rob!

[@RogerWilco1]

Glad to see you making these videos. Next step is a directional cartoid microphone. They can be bought for under $100. You can dampen echo in a room with old towels in a picture frame (makes a sound aborber panel) Will boost production quality for cheap.

[@PrivilegeCatamaransAmerica]

Point taken, we're working on it.

[@megamilyon6111]

I like Privilege catamarans but lets be honest here. They cost more because of French labor costs. Compared to Poland or South Africa the labor costs in France are way higher.

[@PrivilegeCatamaransAmerica]

Your right that labor costs are higher but the real difference is the extra time required to build a vessel like Privilege. (Production 50' cat = 45 days - Privilege 510 = 51 weeks) We also need a more skilled and therefore more expensive workforce. However, labor is far from being the most significant cost factor in building a yacht. A Leopard from SA and a Lagoon from France have a similar selling price. Maybe Leopard is overcharging.

[@guenthermichaels5303]

@@PrivilegeCatamaransAmerica wow, Lagoon and Leopard have similar prices?. Have you seen all the recent issues with Lagoon bulkheads? and the cheap balsa cores....you are correct. 40,000 hours of Labour in France vs.Poland or Vietnam is a big difference, and contrary to your statement, this amounts to a major component of the cost.. BUT... Bentley, Rolls Royce and Mercedes S class are built in Europe as well, and you can't just substitute, quality materials, engineering expertise and craftsmanship with cheap Labour in other countries... If you want a Privilege yacht, you have to pay for the " Privilege ". Cheers from YYZ

[@johnny12895]

@@guenthermichaels5303 yea i think there are things that people are forgetting I kinda feel like the dude emphasized that well inthe video I for one don't like other cat designs that much they look too flimsy which is why mantas and privilege imo are the only good choices. Fountaine pajot are nice also lagoons are cool but big and i dont think constructed well. I would also prefer a straight shaft drive system .

[@philandlyra3365]

Haven’t even watched the clip yet, but I’m guessing is because their the best on the market and you get what you pay for,

[@gregoryjones289]

Did you see the sail drive in the clip of building before the upper deck was added?

[@nuffsaid7952]

A couple of questions, mainly directed to the 580. Is it possible to order a 580 circumnavigator with the galley up and a full size stbd fwd cabin with a pantry and extra full height fridge freezer in the stbd companionway? Are the stub keels sacrificial as fitted after construction of the hull? If not, is it possible to have them as sacrificial? The reason for this question is that the keels are the most susceptible item for damage on groundings. Another question, are all the bulkheads in the hulls true, proper watertight bulkheads? I’ve seen manufacturers make this claim where in actual fact none of the bulkheads are “watertight” due to holes through the bulkheads being made for cables, plumbing etc without using bulkhead fittings for plumbing, or MCT’s or cable glands for cables. A watertight bulkhead is a totally sealed bulkhead on all sides, top and bottom.

[@PrivilegeCatamaransAmerica]

Thanks for your questions. Yes, it is possible to order the 580 Circumnavigator with the galley up as you specified above. The keels are built into the mold, however, they are designed to absorb the impact of a crash. Yes, the bulkheads are proper watertight bulkheads.

[@dgib1694]

So many people talk of labour cost in France... which is the same then in the rest of Western Europe. People think it's because of the Welfare State. It's more about qualification, know-how, and easy sourcing as this is a well established industry.

[@Coleen-Love]

Why a 720p video? That is odd.

[@allycanuck]

Hi Rob, Has the option to have the galley up on the 580 Circumnavigator version changed? I noticed that it only mentions the galley being down now.

[@PrivilegeCatamaransAmerica]

Hi Ally, yes there is still the option to have a galley up on the circumnavigation version. Sorry for any confusion.

[@FlesHBoX]

A tad bit disingenuous regarding production line construction and implying that designing for manufacturing makes boats less well built. You're correct that it makes them less expensive because it reduces unnecessary rework and allows for the manufacturing process to be more streamlined, and I can guarantee that if I walked into the privilege boatyard I would see TONS of design for manufacturing techniques, regardless of whether you build a boat in one place, or move it from station to station. Why does Privilege seem to feel the need to justify themselves so hard? Privilege has an EXCELLENT reputation and I'm going to guess you're not having a hard time keeping your build sheet filled. Please, stop trying to justify your boats with statements that just don't make sense. If you want to show why they are more expensive talk about material qualities. Talk about using full hardwoods for a more premium finish, etc... Hell, even talk about how French labor rates are just crazy high. You can spin it that you are keeping labor domestic to help the local economy. Privilege has a lot of good things to talk about, so stop with the used car salesman routine please.

[@peteypie333]

I'm a huge fan, but don't understand why a 510 costs roughly $1.8m and a 580 costs roughly $2.8m. If you look at what you get for the extra 8ft, it's hard to see where the extra $1m goes. I understand why you can't do a straight-line calculation, but think of the additional $1m as 55% of the 510's cost, and not yielding anywhere close to a 50% increase in any dimension (e.g. engines, sails, usable space, cabins, etc.).

[@RogerWilco1]

Calculate out the volume of a 58 vs 51 foot catamaran. That pricing actually makes sense and is consistent. Additional volume means more furniture, more materials, more labor. Usable space is dramatically different and even if the engines are the same it's not relevant.

[@Lacroix999]

My guess is because there’s more work involved than *just* adding 8 extra feet to it...?! The layouts aren’t exactly the same either

[@t147han]

Its because of labour charges in france and they also do not build many.A lot of overheads including those in the offices.You can buy 2 knysna 500se to one privlege.And there making very good profit..Why do people on here ,no nothing of costs for furniture materials.The furniture is not expencive.Its because of brain washing in todays society.ie.look at diamond ring.its actual true value is less than 20% .Go look at those living in very expencive houses.Look at the fittings in yachts.because it says marine.its 10 times more expencive.£5000 for a fridge.for example.etc etc etc.Why if you have a boat always things breaking.Yet the parts breaking are very expencive to replace.Boats are a rip off.and everyone is making a good cut of money.Go look how many boats are for sale that they cannot sell.Look at the 510.in 5 years.you will be lucky to get 50% if you sell it and it would have cost you a lot of money to maintaine ,insure it, .Thats £180.000 a year.plus maintaining the boat.Thats £3500 a week minimum.on lost value.I think i can do a lot more than sit on a boat with that money.

[@Lacroix999]

@@t147han furniture that is built with cheap materials is cheap. If you had furniture built into your home, I’m sure it would cost more because it would have to be custom designed and build all by hand with better materials. Boat parts are expensive because they’re not as easy to come by because they’re not mass produced like cars are. Even your house and vehicle depreciates in value over time so why would a boat be any different? Things on a boat break more often because they’re constantly being used. It’s not like a house where the house just sits there and the majority of the appliances and materials are just sitting there not being used because you’re not at home 24/7 to use them or because your house is not floating around in the ocean having every aspect of that house actually serving a moving and functional purpose working together as a whole to keep the whole thing constantly running. Keep in mind that these parts are also all exposed to salt water in the air as well, something that houses and even most cars are not accustomed to. This causes corrosion on parts even meant to stand up and built to withstand these elements. Parts that are meant for a boat are built for a boat so you can’t compare home appliances or parts to the quality and material make up those you’d need for a home. They’re built more to be able to weather the elements. They’re not the same and that’s typically why you’re paying more for them. Things move and shift on a boat. Boats can bump into things, get bumped into and things can break in storms, etc etc, the list goes on. Does your car not need more maintenance than your home because it’s actually being driven, can get into accidents and need repairs more often than a home does? Boats are the same way except they need even more work than even a vehicle. Parts are “a rip off” because more than likely they’re made in a different country. Aren’t foreign/import vehicle parts more expensive to track down than domestic ones? Same difference. Saying a boat can’t be resold or there are none on the market is not true. If you can’t find a boat for sale, maybe you’re not looking in the right place or know where to find one. Because things can break and they need a lot of work, it’s going to be expected that if someone didn’t keep up and stay on top with their maintenance on a regular basis then that’s what you’re going to find in the market for used boats. However that’s not the majority of boats for sale. You can find good used boats for sale that were taken care of but you’re going to still pay that price deserved for it because they did get taken care of. You get what you pay for, but you can’t expect to be looking for a boat and want to pay lower costs as if you were shopping for a vehicle instead. Boats are marketed towards people who have the luxury of enough money to invest in them because they do cost more. If you’re going to complain about that and everything that it takes to maintain one, maybe the boat market or sailing in general isn’t for you. Coming to a boat channel complaining about their prices isn’t going to make them lower theirs. All they can do is try to explain why their costs are what they are and allow you to decide if you’re willing to invest in their company not. It’s not their fault if you can’t appreciate what it takes to build one of their boats or if you can’t afford one. If you want a cheaper one then go purchase a cheaper one, but you’re more than likely going to run into more issues and maintenance down the road if you do because again, you get what you pay for.

[@t147han]

@@Lacroix999 All that to tell me what i already knew.Yes you are also brainwashed into believing things have to be expencive.I did not make this video to justify the rip off prices.There are so many that buy boats not knowing what there in for.So you get the sales pitch to justify the cost.And i also know a lot more about boats than you will ever know.i have built them from 38 ft to also working on luxury liners.I have looked at all the costs of materials.So i know what things cost.My comment is to warn people about sales pitches.That are needed to be warned of making the huge mistakes that others have made.No i have never bought a boat,and have no intention to ever buy one.i know to much about them.And there are far better ways to spend your money.

[@muskietime]

Cost = (Initial Purchase Price + Maintenance) - Resale Price People who drive cars like a Lexus understand the concept well. Regarding Bluewater (“multiple Ocean Crossings) capable: Many catamaran brands have and do cross oceans. Heck, most production cats cross Oceans for initial delivery. But, upscale brands may (?) do it more comfortably, faster, more quietly and maybe, possibly, safer. But not sure if there is data to prove safety. Be well.

[@CatioBoB]

Labour costs in France might be higher but all in all privilege makes a quality hull

[@t147han]

They cost more because of french labour.Bulk heads hold boats together not furniture.

[@grancito2]

Lagoon is French made, and have shit structural workmanship, so they fall apart.

[@t147han]

@@grancito2 Lagoon could build a much better boat.There just to greedy.Made for the charter market.sold normaly under 5 years old.I would not advise anybody to buy a lagoon.Not even a smaller owner version.

[@muskietime]

Rewatch this video and you will see your mistake. Time stamp at 6:11.

[@t147han]

@@muskietime And what is my mistake.?.bullheads hold boats together.not furniture.if the bulkheads fail.that furniture does nothing but warp.And no matter how the furniture is fixed,has nothing to do with the strengh of the bulk heads.I have built boats for a living in my younger days.He,s trying to justify the cost of privlege,He,s a salesman.Yes of course there built better than production boats.And there furniture is ok.Nothing special.Compared to a good monohull.Privlege boats are now starting to look like ikea.Apart from a few touches.

[@muskietime]

@@t147han Furniture fiberglassed into structure creates strength. Furniture places into pans or screwed into structure does not create strength.

[@jonawei243]

Nice boot

[@alainpetit9948]

Réponse : parce que faisant partie d'un groupe très gourmand, il faut bien payer la Mercedes des actionnaires... Communiquer sur le prix élevé d'un bateau signifie déjà qu'il y a un problème. Vous devez licencier immédiatement votre dir-com...

[@TennesseeSniper]

Ads annoying. Why ?

[@tylordid2695]

They cost more because they are made in France period! For the price the Martin gale should be carbon fiber, also the mast and boom. How about a carbon solar array across the aft. The up sale sounds like a car sales man. You compare against crap charter boats. Compare against brands like Sunreef, because you are priced more than them and they offer more value for the money! Makes no sense on the 580 where you can keep the dive bottles and the under water scooters or a bbq on the aft like the 510. Things not designated like a bosun area or outlets for electric folding bikes or rod storage areas or as small as water collection. You talk about live aboard, you guys really did not think about the small details. $ 3million Euro plus for a true live aboard is a hard one for most to say sure because of the furniture.

[@johnny12895]

so must other companies don't frame up as much . I have literally been waiting to buy a privilege this video has made me want to wait for the right privilege cat!

[@greatpix]

Horrible audio from the annoying loud thump, thump, thump at the beginning to the speaker sounding like he's talking from the bottom of an aluminum trash can. First, never use the camera's microphone, buy a decent wired or wireless lapel mic with a 'dead cat' cover for the mic when used in windy conditions. The video isn't that great either. Privilege, invest some of that money you have to do better quality videos than these. They aren't even close to the quality of your boats. There are plenty of YT channels that will tell you exactly what you need in equipment and how to use it to make great videos.

[@douglindstrom]

#4- French Labor

[@thomasreedy4751]

My guess is they cost more because some people are willing to pay more.

[@oliverbrown8038]

terrible audio.

[@tikibeach]

You guys should sponsor 'Sailing Zatara' on KZbin. The Whitiker family. They have a Privilage 585 (2006) sailing around the world. Captain Keith would echo all you say here.

[@muskietime]

Just saw that Sailing Zatara is replacing both their engines. Ouch! One of the Best Sailing Videos (content, filming and editing) on KZbin ever!

[@tigersharkzh]

A boat is a hole in the water that you throw your money into, a catamaran makes two holes so you need two hands to throw that money out.