Power Catamaran World

PDQ goes SCRIMP

No, SCRIMP isn't the southern pronunciation of shrimp. It stands for Seemann Composites Resin Infusion Molding Process.

Here's the official announcement from Pearson Composites about the future of PDQ power catamarans:

Warren, RI, USA -- Pearson Composites, LLC announced today (February 11, 2008) that it has acquired the power catamaran business of PDQ Yachts, Whitby, Ontario, Canada. PDQ has been building catamarans since 1987 and their boats are widely recognized as superb in design, quality and performance.

"We are extremely excited about bringing PDQ into our organization.” said Patrick Burke, CEO of Pearson Composites. “PDQ boats align perfectly with Pearson’s strategy of designing, manufacturing, selling and servicing premium luxury branded products for niche markets. PDQ is a wonderful complement to our Alerion Express sailboat and True North powerboat products. All of these boats compliment the unique yachting interests and lifestyles of our customers”.

Pearson’s experience in building multihulls is not new.  For many years they were the exclusive builder of Lagoon Catamarans in the United States.  Under Pearson, PDQs will be built using SCRIMP construction which will make the boats even lighter and stronger, and this building process is less harmful to the environment. These factors, combined with the proven low fuel consumption of PDQ’s extremely efficient power catamarans, will give Pearson one of the most environmentally friendly cruising boats available on the market this year.  The first Pearson-built PDQs are expected to launch in August 2008.

Burke noted, “The benefits of owning a PDQ Powercat are nothing short of remarkable.  These boats deliver approximately 50% more living space than similarly sized monohulls.  Draft on both models is well under 3’ so they can safely cruise in waters where other powerboats cannot.  Stability is second-to-none, and their overall underway performance spectacular. We are very enthusiastic about how well these boats meet the evolving demands of boating customers.”

The PDQ 34 is equipped with twin Yanmar 110 HP diesels and, while cruising at 15 knots, burns only 4 gallons of fuel per hour - total for both engines!  The PDQ 41 is equipped with twin Yanmar 260’s and at a cruising speed of 18 knots burns less than 10 gallons per hour total!

PDQ finds savior

Molds sitting in the fiberglass shop at insolvent PDQ Yachts in Whitby, Ontario, will be transported to the new owners in Warren, Rhode Island.

True North Yachts/Pearson Composites has acquired the tooling and molds for PDQ power catamarans and the rights to the well-known name.

Production of the PDQ 34 and 41 could start as early as this summer at the Pearson plant on Narragansett Bay in Warren, the smallest town in the smallest county in the smallest state in the U.S.

PDQ's 44-foot sailing catamaran will also continue. A new company, Antares Yachts, will build the luxury cat in Whitby. Rob Poirier, for many years the face of PDQ at boat shows everywhere, will serve as president of Antares Yachts.

Dick Tuschick of Rhumb Line Yacht Sales, the largest dealer of PDQ powercats, issued the following statement this morning:

Remember the cliché “in every cloud, there’s a silver lining”?  With that in mind, here is some great news on the status of PDQ Powercats!

Wednesday it was “official”!  Pearson Composites LLC of Warren, RI has acquired all the powercat assets of PDQ Yachts of Canada.

This is an extremely exciting change for several reasons.  First and foremost, Pearson Composites is regarded as the most advanced, hi-tech boat builder in the US and is infinitely capable of continuing - and even improving -  the quality, performance and functionality of the PDQ 34 and 41 Powercats.

Pearson Composites is probably best known for their on-going production of the J/Boat line of sailboats, and their own product lines:  True North yachts and Alerion Express sailboats.  They are also the inventors of the SCRIMP® fiberglass construction technology and have been leaders in advanced composite technology for over 20 years.  We anticipate that with a much larger technical and engineering staff to focus on the PDQ models that numerous product enhancement will be forthcoming in future production.

We encourage you to visit Pearson’s website:   www.pearsoncomposites.com to learn more about the new ownership.

In our initial discussions with the Pearson management team, it is apparent that they share the same values that “we” have enjoyed with the former PDQ company and staff.  Namely:  pride in the product, commitment to quality, a strong sense of responsibility to the client and a corporate goal of making the yacht-purchasing experience a truly enjoyable one for the buyer.

Pearson plans to move the PDQ Powercat production to their Warren plant as soon as possible. They will be building the 34 and the 41 to the same exacting standards that we have grown to expect, but now there will be the added advantage of being able to deliver yachts year-around. Production at the new location is planned to start within 60 days, with new boat deliveries anticipated in late August.  We understand that the tradition of PDQ University will continue and PDQ Flotillas to all points of the world will be planned, as well.

To ensure a smooth transition in both production and marketing, Pearson has retained several of the key management staff, of the former PDQ company, as consultants for start-up assuredness. 

Rhumb Line will have both the PDQ 34 and the PDQ 41 on display at the Miami Boat Show, starting February 14th.   See us at the Sea Isle Marina, Pier 5, slip 566.

What does all this mean for owners? Well, there will certainly be a great hi-tech company reinforcing the brand and that should quell any doubt that there might have been about the future of PDQ products.  In the long run, more advertising and expanded sales will increase the popularity of the 34 and the 41 and a strong customer service network will all enhance the value of existing PDQs.  In addition, we anticipate that the first few hulls ordered will continue at the current all-inclusive price of $379,000 but then another sizable price increase will be implemented.

The closing of the Whitby, Canada PDQ factory was truly a disappointment and Rhumb Line will sorely miss the great people who made PDQ what it is today. I’m sure we all would agree that the closure was not a reflection on the products or the skilled professionals that built the yachts but rather on the difficulties of the economic times and the current boating industry, in general.