Page 35: of Marine News Magazine (June 2022)

34 36

to foreign customers. SAFE Boats, like many other domestic and interna- • A relatively new con? guration to the SAFE Boats tional boatbuilders, has not been immune to the supply lineup, the builder delivered its second 27’ chain issues plaguing manufactures and consumers alike. walk around cabin, tow boat edition. “Despite the numbers indicated above, there are many • In December, January, March and May, the boats we have not been able to deliver on time because of company delivered four traditional 27WACs to delays in receiving items such as engines, major compo- customers in Massachusetts, Virginia, North nents and trailers,” said Troy Knivila-Ritchie, marketing Carolina and Michigan, respectively. and sales specialist at SAFE Boats International, “Our • The builder just completed on-site training in procurement department has performed minor miracles the Republic of Georgia aboard four 27’ full scouring the nooks and crannies of the internet to secure cabins that were delivered in April, part of the parts from non-traditional suppliers in order to com- United Nations’ International Organization plete boats. Additionally, some of our customers have for Migration. made the decision to switch their favored engine pack- • Some of the other vessels SAFE Boats delivered ages to another manufacturer in hopes of getting their include a 29’ T-top for Delaware and another boat in-hand sooner.” going in to service in Colombia, a 33’ full cabin Knivila-Ritchie said the majority of SAFE Boats’ cus- to a ? re department in Connecticut, a 35’ full tomers are state and local law enforcement and ? re depart- cabin delivered to a port here in Washington ments. “Because we are seeing 12-to-18-month delivery state, a 35’ T-top for a sheriff’s of? ce in Texas, times from some engine manufacturers, our customers a 29’ WAC for a sheriff’s of? ce in Wisconsin are having to wait much longer to receive their completed and two 29’ T-tops to an agency in Florida. boats,” he explained. “It really goes without saying, but • These deliveries are in addition to the $90 ? rst responders can’t afford to wait that long to get their million Mk VI Patrol Boat contract the builder boats out on the water to do the important job of saving has with U.S. State Department to deliver six lives and patrolling the waters around their communities.

of those vessels to Ukraine. The ? rst boat on this “We are doing everything we can to mitigate the delays order is expected to be delivered around the end related to supply chain issues. While there is a dim light at of the year. This contract is responsible for the end of the tunnel, we will continue to look for ways expanding SAFE Boats’ workforce by creating to deliver completed boats on time with the same level of 75 new positions and allowing us to reopen its expert quality and attention to detail that our customers Tacoma, Wash. large craft production facility. have come to expect from SAFE Boats.” www.marinelink.com MN 35|