Cornish Crabbers, which builds the Crabber and Shrimper ranges, has been bought out of voluntary liquidation.

A team, led by Ben Walker of the brokerage and yacht services firm, Blue Lagoon Marine, now own the Cornish Crabbers brand, its intellectual property and the moulds for ongoing production.

A new firm, Cornish Crabbers Ltd will oversee boat production, which will continue at the yard in Cornwall.

The boatbuilder appointed liquidators on 15 March 2024.

Production will continue in Cornwall. Credit: David Harding

At the time, the liquidator’s agent, Lambert Smith Hampton said it was looking for an “early sale” for the business, which included an established range of sail boat models, including Shrimper 17, 19, 21, Crabber 24, 26, Pilot Cutter 30, Mystery 30, 35, plus others; work-in-progress covering 11 sail boats; production moulds for all models with replacements cost approaching around £1million; Intellectual property (IP) assets including yacht designs, productions drawings and associated info, website www.cornishcrabbers.co.uk, customer base; a range of manufacturing machinery, factory equipment; plus stock of build parts and spares, worth approximately £160,000.

New future for Cornish Crabbers

Ben Walker said production would focus on the Shrimper 17, 19, 21 and Crabber 24, 26 and Pilot 30; 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.”

“We cannot let this classic brand just disappear,“ said Walker. “It has been quite complicated and we have had the added complication of customers’ boats mid-way through production to deal with“.

The Cornish Crabbers range will now be sold through Blue Lagoon Marine at Poole.

A new website is also under construction.

The Shrimper 19 will continue to be produced. Credit: David Harding

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.  Philip Langsdale left the business in December 2012.

Before entering voluntary liquidation in 2024, Cornish Cabbers was owned by Peter Thomas and Samantha Thomas.

Continues below…

Cornish Crabbers appoints liquidator

British sail boat builders Cornish Crabbers' business and assets are up for sale, after the firm went into voluntary liquidation

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