Former client takes over the Ocqueteau shipyard
Liquidated in November 2019 without a buyer, the Ocqueteau shipyard based on the Ile d'Oléron seemed to be definitively closed. The Gironde-based entrepreneur Pascal Duclos finally decided otherwise. A client of Ocqueteau for the development of his company's hybrid electric catamaran Pinball Boat, whose hulls were built in the Chateau d'Oléron shipyard, he finally took over part of the company's assets at auction. " Ocqueteau has built 1 prototype and 1 pilot of our catamaran Pinball Boat. After the liquidation, I first looked for other subcontractors, without success. In April 2020, I approached Jean-Yves Gaudron, who was Ocqueteau's technical manager, to consider resuming business. I had not positioned myself at the time of the liquidation because it was not my project and the Pinball Boat was not ready. I finally bought the tools, the Ocqueteau name and the moulds of the Abaco and Ostrea ranges "explains Pascal Duclos.
Revival of boat building
The new owner has leased a third of the buildings of the former shipyard and has restarted the construction of boats on the site. " We are relaunching with the Ostrea peach range. We started in June 2020 by finishing the boats in the process of being manufactured at the time of the liquidation, and we are organizing to attack the new boats in January 2021. At the same time, we modify the mould of the Pinball catamaran. We started with 4 people, we are 7 today in Oleron, all former Ocqueteau employees. It was a challenge not to let the know-how disperse "said the buyer.
2 commercial networks for Ocqueteau and Pinball Boat
At the same time as the takeover of Ocqueteau, Pascal Duclos is continuing the launch of Pinball Boat. The latter's design office, which employs 3 people, will remain based at La Teste de Buch on the Arcachon basin. " It is a hybrid electric catamaran of 9m by 3m, with dimensions identical to a V-shaped hull of the same length. It was due to be launched in Cannes, but it is difficult to launch a new brand without a boat show. So we started by pushing the Ostréa "says Pascal Duclos.
With about fifteen boats sold, in the absence of a boat show, since June 2020, the entrepreneur is satisfied. " I started canvassing part of the Ocqueteau network and I am pleasantly surprised by the welcome around Ostréa There will be 2 separate networks for Ocqueteau and Pinball. It's not the same range or the same approach, Pinball is more focused on the Mediterranean, whereas Ocqueteau is stronger in the English Channel and the Atlantic "he concludes.
