Oliver and Doral Boats

Posted by Bill Molesworth 
 

Joyce said that Oliver would be combining a classification talk with a Vocational Tour and welcomed him to the podium.
Oliver said he was 28 and that he'd studied computer science and physics in university.  Unfortunately he'd discovered that these were good hobbies but they hadn't let to good jobs.  He'd tried his hand at business but said he hadn't had much success - lost some money - so he'd joined his Dad.  His father has managed some success and Oliver is enjoying working with him. 
The family has been involved with Doral Boats since Junneau, a French manufacturer, sold out in 1997.  It had been struggling and they are trying to turn the company around in this new location.
Apparently Oliver gets asked if there's a connection to the Doral Golf Course in Florida.  The founder of the company enjoyed the course and named the boats after it.
He had expected to spend about a year co-ordinating the move from Owen Sound and has now been here 4, but he says he's enjoying the challenge and the area.

 
Oliver then invited us to follow him for a tour of the factory.  We were a large group and the factory is noisy, so most of us missed a lot of the detail.  We were certainly impressed by the size, the organization and the cleanliness of the operation.  There's a state of the art air filtration system, which makes most of the noise.  The process is not an assembly line per se, but more a series of work stations that the boat moves through.  As many as 5 people can be working on one stage - the laying of the resin, for instance. 
They are managing between 8 and 10 boats a week, of different sizes.  One thing that sets the Doral boats apart, according to Oliver, is the way the seating cushions follow the curves of the design - a process that involves special fiberglassing that takes the staples without shattering.  They certainly look sleek and fast, even sitting in the factory.
It was an interesting and enjoyable change of pace from our regular meetings and we thanks Oliver for giving us the tour and welcome him to the Club.