Delivery Delay

Everything coming through LAX and San Diego is delayed at record setting levels. See https://www.businessinsider.com/shippin ... rts-2021-8

The record for most ships stuck off these ports has been set four times in the last three weeks and stands at a current 56 ships. If you assume these are all container ships (they're not but let's make it easier to understand) that carry 10,000 containers apiece (many can carry much more). That's 560,000 containers sitting outside the ports waiting to get in, never mind the ships in port and the containers waiting for rail or truck transportation.

And just to make life interesting, Port of Corpus Christi is sending ships to sea because of Tropical Storm Nicholas, New Orleans is still picking up from whatever storm just hit it, and the Port of Shanghai is bracing for Typhoon Chanthu. By the way, we're also very short on truck drivers.

Jim Clark-Dawe

Ughhh

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Many items should consider using air freight, which can be less costly than you think and can sometimes bypass gateway airports. Certainly Hobie inflatable kayaks/boards and accessories should be able to fly from China.

I have even had modular rigid boats fly to me. A 2 piece rotomolded kayak cost me $60 for a 3000 mile flight, and a large 4 piece nesting fiberglass sailboat-on-a-pallet was airfreighted for free from nearly the exact opposite longitude on the globe. The sellers ate some air fees, but have air shipped me all kinds of inflatables with up to 4 person capacity from Europe where exports escape their usual 20% vat tax.

Yeah, there is a shortage of pilots but an excess of aircraft, especially with mothballing of practically new A380s which perhaps could be fitted with kayak racks:) Water shipping has been a bit dysfunctional even in good times because it is a visible target for gatekeepers with certain agendas. Air freight is less centralized, except for customs. My last import sat in (SC?) customs warehouses for 6 weeks while I escalated. BTW If Hobie builds modular rigid kayaks I hope they avoid the problem of mine where sand jams the pieces so they resist separating.

We are spending $100s of thousands on air freight. Not cheap when you consider the volume that we buy, but we have to to keep production running.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Thank you for the update Matt. I called yesterday and was told there would be a shipment on Saturday, "but we don't know what's on it." It sounds like it's not just the shipping delay, but gross communication failures, or a bunch of bs, is also happening.

Maybe not the primary person at the store? They should know once the truck is on the way.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Annnnnddddd.. it's still not in. What a bizarre pipeline for an order that was placed Memorial Day weekend, was supposed to be in mid-July, and still isn't here at the autumnal equinox.

Having waited on my hobie for a really long time, I know it sucks and I feel for you, especially with your bucket list; but it is just the world we live in now.

Any chance someone near you rents hobie kayaks? Your dealer may know of someone who isn't listed, or may be able to rent one out (I would explain situation) so you and your pup can hit the water. (my dealer discounted the price of my tryout rental on my new kayak). Or maybe put your general area in a new topic or under classifieds to see if someone can rent to you?

I will say my dealer (who has been great) told me they weren't sure if it was coming on a couple shipments as well (assuming I wasn't talking to main contact person)- but my dealer had multiple stores across the state, so possibly they just weren't sure which store yaks were going to.

Unfortunately, this quote from above explains the situation we are all having to live with these days, but I hope you can get out on the water soon!

Is there any update on 360 drives and seats being delivered? My hull has been in town for a few weeks but I can’t pick it up because we still waiting on the other parts. All I’ve been told is “360 parts are still on back order.”

There is a constant flow of these parts shipping out to dealers. Working through dealer's orders from Late September right now, so would depend on when that order was placed for the dealer.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)