Butt Cat Factory burnt down?

[stephenplumb]

I saw on the DSBC WhatsApp group this am that there was a big fire at the ButtCat Factory. Sounds like a bit of a write off. Hope they manage to get back in business soon and they did not loose too many boats. I think they are in the EC somewhere.

[vstromPE]

In PE.
https://www.algoafm.co.za/local/bay-...troyed-in-fire

[Dirk]

Last night at about 9pm. Massive fire, building is gone. Both Buttcat and Nauticat burned to the ground.

[BruceHun]

Very sad news.

[AfriqueDS]

Terrible news. What a disaster!

[stephenplumb]

Last night at about 9pm. Massive fire, building is gone. Both Buttcat and Nauticat burned to the ground.

Haibo - not nice for any business. For our business we can laugh off a complete burn down as we would by a couple of PCs, work from home for a few days and run everything off the cloud. For a business like this, the bricks and motor is the business along with all the physical stock, moulds, motors, hulls etc.

Very sad and I hope they were able to insure some of their losses.

[danie1957]

Haibo - not nice for any business. For our business we can laugh off a complete burn down as we would by a couple of PCs, work from home for a few days and run everything off the cloud. For a business like this, the bricks and motor is the business along with all the physical stock, moulds, motors, hulls etc.

Very sad and I hope they were able to insure some of their losses.

Very sad. Must be the oldest and best catt manufacturer in the country with a mountain of history.

The Butt's have always been survivors.

[Koos Best]

Good boats , was especially popular with commercial fisherman.
Bad bad news.

[WernerDL]

Haibo - not nice for any business. For our business we can laugh off a complete burn down as we would by a couple of PCs, work from home for a few days and run everything off the cloud. For a business like this, the bricks and motor is the business along with all the physical stock, moulds, motors, hulls etc.

Very sad and I hope they were able to insure some of their losses.

What is even worse is that it looks like they were storing boats for clients as well. 16 were destroyed. Must have been a hell of a difficult call to make.

[JadeDsantos]

Last night at about 9pm. Massive fire, building is gone. Both Buttcat and Nauticat burned to the ground.

That is terrible

[A1ex]

This is horrible news, I hope they didn't have their moulds in that warehouse?

[stephenplumb]

This is horrible news, I hope they didn't have their moulds in that warehouse?

I heard from the guy where I store my boat that the moulds went up, but I am not 100% sure. Have no idea what goes into a mould but that seems to be the IP.

I know angler boats, who was probably the highest quality local manufacturer also went under, but it looks like their moulds have gone to the guys just outside pe that we’re building the nobles, cobras and gt40. Forget what they were calling themselves.

[Mike N]

Is this the same Butt Cat that used to be at Kenton-on-Sea / Boesmans way-way back. Stanley Butt and his sons used to build the smaller cats in sement moulds on there plot, and also built a BIG mould next to the Boesmans river so that they could launch directly into the river. (My uncle and father had one of the original Butt Cats launching from Middelstrand in Kenton, early 70's to middle 80's)

[EtienneB]

I heard from the guy where I store my boat that the moulds went up, but I am not 100% sure. Have no idea what goes into a mould but that seems to be the IP.

I know angler boats, who was probably the highest quality local manufacturer also went under, but it looks like their moulds have gone to the guys just outside pe that we’re building the nobles, cobras and gt40. Forget what they were calling themselves.

Hi-Tech Automotive.

[Mal Hannes]

Is this the same Butt Cat that used to be at Kenton-on-Sea / Boesmans way-way back. Stanley Butt and his sons used to build the smaller cats in sement moulds on there plot, and also built a BIG mould next to the Boesmans river so that they could launch directly into the river. (My uncle and father had one of the original Butt Cats launching from Middelstrand in Kenton, early 70's to middle 80's)

Yip as far as I know this is tge same business.

Spent years on butts out of Knysna. Still convinced it is the softest ride on the sea.

[Dirk]

This is horrible news, I hope they didn't have their moulds in that warehouse?

Based on newspaper article, boats are built in Port Alfred, and final outfitting done at the factory.

[Luka]

Yip as far as I know this is tge same business.

Spent years on butts out of Knysna. Still convinced it is the softest ride on the sea.

Agree, and The Supercats of Shultz @ Port Alfred were even better. I know Butcat claimed Shultz copied the desighn IIRC.

[A1ex]

Based on newspaper article, boats are built in Port Alfred, and final outfitting done at the factory.

Yoh that is good news.

Stephen you are correct all the IP sits in the moulds. We have just built a set and they are extremely time-consuming and labor intensive to build.