SNIP Yachting acquires V1D2
In mid-October 2023, the SNIP Yachting group announced that it had finalized the acquisition of the V1D2 shipyard. After the takeover of Chantier Naval de la Vilaine in Arzal at the end of 2019 this is the second integration for the Ouistreham shipyard. With the acquisition of V1D2, based in Caen just a few kilometers away, SNIP Yachting now employs around 30 people across 3 sites, with cumulative sales in 2022 of around ?17 million. V1D2, created in 1999 by Marc Lefebvre, has 900 m2 of storage and 600 m2 of workshop space, alongside the quayside, as well as a paint booth.
Meeting the needs of SNIP Yachting customers
The acquisition of V1D2 was the result of a threefold observation, explains SNIP Yachting general manager François Blossier: "The first thing we've noticed over the last few years is the increase in the size of the boats we handle, across all brands. Some powerboats are reaching 50 feet. While the average size of a Bavaria sold was initially around 35 feet, today it's more between 40 and 42 feet. Our crane was becoming a little limited above 45 feet, and so was the size of the quay, all the more so to develop our Nautitech catamaran card, for which demand exists in our North-West zone, but maintenance facilities are lacking. The second observation is the growing demand for boat refits, with demand increasing every year. Particularly on atypical boats like our Targas, where it's worth investing with a good resale price. But this posed a problem of space and organization. It's tricky to do heavy work alongside new boats being prepared, so we needed a more industrial tool. Finally, the 3rd observation was that more and more loyal customers were asking us to store their boats in winter, and we needed a hangar."
Complementary nautical skills
Faced with this analysis, the SNIP Yachting team carried out an analysis of the buildings available in the sector, but realized that it would be necessary to invest in tooling and recruit. A few months earlier, we had discussed the possibility of taking over the Caen shipyard V1D2, as its manager Marc Lefebvre was preparing for a gradual retirement. François Blossier sums up: "This allowed us to have a tool that was already more industrial and complementary skills; V1D2 brings skills in composite, painting with a real cabin, and obviously in rigging and fittings, while SNIP has mechanics to bring to V1D2. We were already working together occasionally on rigging and hull preparation operations. Now, our staff will be able to go from one shipyard to the other, which are only ten minutes away by car. At SNIP, we're also quite passionate about ocean racing, both as sailors and as event partners with Targa. V1D2 will enable us to enter this field without starting from scratch. Marc Lefebvre is accompanying the sale by staying with us for at least a year, and will continue his activity of accompanying racers in parallel, which will bring us business."
