Cornish Crabbers has new owners
Cornish Crabbers, the boatbuilder responsible for the Crabber and Shrimper ranges, has been bought out of voluntary liquidation.
A team from brokerage and yacht services firm Blue Lagoon Marine, led by Ben Walker, is the new owner of the Cornish Crabbers brand, its intellectual property and the moulds for ongoing production, after the boatbuilder appointed liquidators on 15 March 2024.
Walker said production will be overseen by new firm Cornish Crabbers Ltd, and will continue at the yard in Wadebridge. Cornwall.
Walker said:
“We cannot let this classic brand just disappear. It has been quite complicated and we have had the added complication of customers’ boats mid-way through production to deal with.”
The new owners will focus on the Shrimper 17, 19, 21 and Crabber 24, 26 and Pilot 30; and a “new suitor will be found” for the Mystery brand, which includes the 35 and 30 models, as the boats are “seen somewhat out of sync with the classic and traditional Cornish Crabber”.
Cornish Crabbers was originally called Select Yachts, located in Rock, North Cornwall.
Select Yachts went into voluntary liquidation in November 2008. The following year, its assets were bought by former customer and entrepreneur Philip Langsdale and the boatbuilder was rebranded Cornish Crabbers.
This was also a period of expansion, with new factory premises and the launch of new boats, such as the Crabber 26. Langsdale left the business in December 2012.
Before entering voluntary liquidation in 2024, Cornish Cabbers was owned by Peter and Samantha Thomas.
Established in September 2017 by Ben Walker, Blue Lagoon Marine offers yacht brokerage services, as well as dealing with servicing and maintenance.
The Cornish Crabbers range will now be sold through Blue Lagoon Marine at Poole. A new website is also under construction.