(Topic ID: 213643)

Andrew Heighway's new Australian hydrofoil venture

By Pinballs

5 years ago


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  • 142 posts
  • 65 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 5 years ago by pinsanity
  • Topic is favorited by 12 Pinsiders

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    There are 142 posts in this topic. You are on page 2 of 3.
    #51 5 years ago

    This popped up in the Daily Telegraph Australia. I can't read the full article as it's behind a paywall, just this snippet from google. Something about buying the boat 2 years ago too? Anyone in Oz able to access this article in full and paste it here?

    Curl Curl hydrofoil set to steam all the way from Italy to Sydney
    https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/...hydrofoil.../5ca94b32806d5a369460682a8086de8...
    8 hours ago - ONLY a mad dog or an Englishman would think of restoring an old Manly hydrofoil and then “flying” it under its own steam all the way from Italy to Sydney. After all, all eight of the hydrofoils that served on the Manly run arrived on the back of container ships. And Englishman Andrew Heighway admits there's a hint of ...

    #52 5 years ago
    Quoted from Pinballs:

    This popped up in the Daily Telegraph Australia. I can't read the full article as it's behind a paywall, just this snippet from google. Something about buying the boat 2 years ago too? Anyone in Oz able to access this article in full and paste it here?
    Curl Curl hydrofoil set to steam all the way from Italy to Sydney
    https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/...hydrofoil.../5ca94b32806d5a369460682a8086de8...
    8 hours ago - ONLY a mad dog or an Englishman would think of restoring an old Manly hydrofoil and then “flying” it under its own steam all the way from Italy to Sydney. After all, all eight of the hydrofoils that served on the Manly run arrived on the back of container ships. And Englishman Andrew Heighway admits there's a hint of ...

    clicked on the link and got:
    "Uh-oooooooh. This article is no longer available."

    #53 5 years ago
    #55 5 years ago

    Thanks for the link! I don't think that boat is going to be able to motor from Italy to Australia. I wonder how much Andrew paid for it?

    Auction closed Thu 29/10/2015 at 15:00

    Reserve price Reached
    Bid increment EUR 500,00
    Buyer's Premium 10,00 %
    Deposit: EUR 2.000,00
    VAT on the lot 22,00 %
    where applicable

    #56 5 years ago
    Quoted from InfiniteLives:

    clicked on the link and got:
    "Uh-oooooooh. This article is no longer available."

    Google truncated the URL. The correct link is:

    https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/manly-daily/curl-curl-hydrofoil-set-to-steam-all-the-way-from-italy-to-sydney/news-story/5ca94b32806d5a369460682a8086de84

    You can see the story mentioned here:

    https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/manly-daily

    But it looks like it's behind a paywall.

    #57 5 years ago

    yes you have to pay, still wrote to their feedback line though

    #58 5 years ago

    If things progress, it won't be long before you might expect to read that Andrew has stranded himself in the middle of the ocean aboard the S.S. Misadventure, when he decides to sell his successful hydrofoil company on letgo.com. Of course, buyer must pick the boat up where she still floats. In small print -> comes with Andrew onboard.

    #59 5 years ago

    I wonder if he knows how to swim?

    1 week later
    #60 5 years ago

    Hydrofoil Blog on facebook

    pasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).png

    13
    #61 5 years ago
    Quoted from MrBally:

    I wonder if he knows how to swim?

    He treaded water for years.

    1 week later
    #62 5 years ago

    https://www.facebook.com/FerriesOfSydney/posts/951130058383953
    Last comment. I wonder which Helmut this might be.

    #63 5 years ago

    Has he completely lost his mind? How is this going to be a money making venture? It seems like the bucket list fantasy of a deluded egomaniac. Am I wrong? Is this some kind of publicity stunt for another "venture". I honestly don't understand.

    #65 5 years ago

    So he definitely used alien money toward this, right?

    #66 5 years ago

    shut up and take my money Andrew.

    IMG_0216 (resized).PNGIMG_0216 (resized).PNG

    #67 5 years ago

    If he can find people crazy enough to invest in a pinball company, then he can easily find people crazy enough to invest in a boat. Good luck Andrew!

    #68 5 years ago
    Quoted from Wolfmarsh:

    So he definitely used alien money toward this, right?

    We can't know. What I do know is that I've learnt quite a bit about myself during this Alien debacle. When I met Andrew at the DPO 2015 (?) he came across as so enthusiastic but still humble which caught my interest in his products. I had a good amount of faith in his upcoming Alien pinball I even considered pre-ordering at this time. Luckily I didn't.

    But I went ahead and rooted for him on the forum and even defended him against some postings I considered hostile towards him.
    In hindsight, let's say I had just been charmed having no factual reason to trust whatever he was doing at that point in time.

    Taught me a lesson. Thanks for that, Andrew. Let's hope your fellow Hydrofoil enthusiasts are being treated a bit more fairly than your pre-order customers.

    #69 5 years ago

    Remember about five months ago how Andrew came back to Pinside to defend himself? He accused others of rubbish while pedaling more of his own. I have highlighted Andrew's quote towards the bottom in my screenshot picture concerning his hydrofoil business. The rest is there for context.
    Keep in mind Andrew posted this 5 months ago.

    Comment #18321 in the, Alien Pinball - Official Game Thread

    zzzzzz Andrew (resized).pngzzzzzz Andrew (resized).png

    #70 5 years ago
    Quoted from rubberducks:

    Surprise, surprise. Not exactly the case.
    People who thought he was a good guy in a bad situation not of his own making were dreaming. There are years worth of his posts here, dozens of people posting about their outrageous experiences with him, and seminars recorded online which paint a picture of either a compulsive or pathological liar.

    He promised me my games “at the front of the line” if I sent him payment in full. After I wrote a scathing post here, he asked to call me to discuss. He went into a lengthy narrative blaming everyone else, the pinball gods and whoever else he could lasso in for the failings of Heighway. I listened patiently. Then he offered me the pole position in a new venture he was undertaking provided I would sign a non disclosure agreement. I advised him of the old Star Trek line from ‘Scotty’ saying, “fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”. So, to Andrew, Thanks, but no thanks, and good riddance.
    So...., I’m still waiting 2 years later for my Alien and Full Throttle LE. Melissa, at Cointaker, thinks the new management will come thru... eventually. She is far less optimistic with Dutch Pinball.
    I’m not holding my breath.

    #71 5 years ago
    Quoted from Davidus56:

    .... Melissa, at Cointaker, thinks the new management will come thru... eventually. She is far less optimistic with Dutch Pinball.
    I’m not holding my breath.

    Interesting sentence in regard to DP. If CT sees more future in HP as DP where they stopped accepting orders in Alien, thus have little faith in HP, where does this leave DP ??

    So may I ask is this your free interpretation of a discussion or where this her exact words?

    #72 5 years ago

    Yeah, I remember three or four years ago at Expo when she insisted TBL would ship by year end as she and her husband "saw them being built".

    #73 5 years ago
    Quoted from Davidus56:

    He promised me my games “at the front of the line” if I sent him payment in full. After I wrote a scathing post here, he asked to call me to discuss. He went into a lengthy narrative blaming everyone else, the pinball gods and whoever else he could lasso in for the failings of Heighway. I listened patiently. Then he offered me the pole position in a new venture he was undertaking provided I would sign a non disclosure agreement. I advised him of the old Star Trek line from ‘Scotty’ saying, “fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”. So, to Andrew, Thanks, but no thanks, and good riddance.
    So...., I’m still waiting 2 years later for my Alien and Full Throttle LE. Melissa, at Cointaker, thinks the new management will come thru... eventually. She is far less optimistic with Dutch Pinball.
    I’m not holding my breath.

    Cointaker dropped them. It's not good at all. I'm fully paid on Aliens LE 2 since 2014.

    #74 5 years ago

    Makes sense for CT to fold. They probably made a small margin on each game, but with repeated quality issues from HP, CT customers need replacement parts and had to go through CT to get them, and CT was being ghosted by HP. Parts were promised to CT's Alien customers dozens of times for over ten months and they weren't flowing, even by the request of HP's biggest distributor. It is not hard to ship parts so HP either didn't think it important, didn't intend to send them, didn't have money to buy them, didn't have credit to get them made or something else unfavorable.

    HP had the opportunity to make this company work, yet it seems like they were grossly unfunded and never made it out of the gate. HP also and came in thinking their product was 100% when it still needed physical tweaks. Hopes for a turnaround were high, yet have since crashed and burned. If you were paid in full and counting on seeing your Alien, that option is forever gone. Sorry folks but it's over at HP, and somebody needs to turn out the lights on the way to the parking lot.

    #76 5 years ago
    Quoted from jeffspinballpalace:

    Makes sense for CT to fold. They probably made a small margin on each game, but with repeated quality issues from HP, CT customers need replacement parts and had to go through CT to get them, and CT was being ghosted by HP. Parts were promised to CT's Alien customers dozens of times for over ten months and they weren't flowing, even by the request of HP's biggest distributor. It is not hard to ship parts so HP either didn't think it important, didn't intend to send them, didn't have money to buy them, didn't have credit to get them made or something else unfavorable.
    HP had the opportunity to make this company work, yet it seems like they were grossly unfunded and never made it out of the gate. HP also and came in thinking their product was 100% when it still needed physical tweaks. Hopes for a turnaround were high, yet have since crashed and burned. If you were paid in full and counting on seeing your Alien, that option is forever gone. Sorry folks but it's over at HP, and somebody needs to turn out the lights on the way to the parking lot.

    That seems to be the critical problem there.

    CT appear to be taking the stance that they aren't willing to pay upfront for all the machines ordered because of the QC issues and parts availability. Understandable, CT customers are the ones they're legally responsible to, the people who are going to shout at them if things go wrong. CT are (wisely) not willing to risk their reputation by precipitating what is obviously a huge, unprofessional mess.

    HP, for their part, seem to be operating hand to mouth - which is never a good sign in business - so they aren't prepared to send these pins to CT without full payment. That's their choice of course, but their reputation is such that they don't really have the luxury of operating like this. Sometimes companies have to burn cash, or offer preferential payment terms, just to repair relationships or to right the ship. HP doesn't seem to want to do this, perhaps the investors have a line draw in the sand, perhaps they simply can't financially. Neither is a sustainable state of affairs.

    -67
    #77 5 years ago

    Statement From Andrew Heighway

    I am truly sorry to hear about the turn of events announced today.

    In June 2017 I sold my controlling stake in Heighway Pinball Limited – including its commitments and liabilities - to a group of investors who claimed to want to put significant funds into the company, achieve mass production and deliver part-paid and fully-paid games to customers, as well as new machine sales.

    Throughout the five years that I ran the company, we developed and sold games up until the time of my departure. This was never a ponzi scheme, as some have suggested. A mix of technical problems, supplier quality problems and unrealistic timeframes resulted in delays that financially crippled the company. We were all committed to delivering games to all paying customers. I personally apologise for the unrealistic timeframes.

    There have been suggestions that I stole or diverted company funds for my own ventures. These are very serious accusations and never once have I been interviewed by the police for any alleged wrongdoings. The company’s accountants have never suggested any wrongdoings by me. It can be proven that the company owed me significant monies and not the other way round. I would therefore advise people to refrain from making any libellous or slanderous statements about me – as I will defend myself and my integrity.

    I very much regret that the company’s owners have closed the company without honouring its commitments to all paying customers and I wish everyone the best in pursuing their claims against the investors or via the insolvency practitioners.

    This situation has appalled me and I am extremely sorry for the anguish that it will inevitably cause.

    Andrew Heighway

    #78 5 years ago

    Your apologies are hollow and fake. Pay everyone back every dollar owed for undelivered machines and parts with cold hard cash from "Selling your successful pinball COmpaNy". You blatantly lied to people and did not stop.

    Then there is the issue of unpaid services rendered.....

    24
    #79 5 years ago
    Quoted from AndrewH:

    I will defend myself and my integrity

    do61c (resized).jpgdo61c (resized).jpg

    #80 5 years ago
    Quoted from AndrewH:

    Statement From Andrew Heighway
    I am truly sorry to hear about the turn of events announced today.
    In June 2017 I sold my controlling stake in Heighway Pinball Limited – including its commitments and liabilities - to a group of investors who claimed to want to put significant funds into the company, achieve mass production and deliver part-paid and fully-paid games to customers, as well as new machine sales.
    Throughout the five years that I ran the company, we developed and sold games up until the time of my departure. This was never a ponzi scheme, as some have suggested. A mix of technical problems, supplier quality problems and unrealistic timeframes resulted in delays that financially crippled the company. We were all committed to delivering games to all paying customers. I personally apologise for the unrealistic timeframes.
    There have been suggestions that I stole or diverted company funds for my own ventures. These are very serious accusations and never once have I been interviewed by the police for any alleged wrongdoings. The company’s accountants have never suggested any wrongdoings by me. It can be proven that the company owed me significant monies and not the other way round. I would therefore advise people to refrain from making any libellous or slanderous statements about me – as I will defend myself and my integrity.
    I very much regret that the company’s owners have closed the company without honouring its commitments to all paying customers and I wish everyone the best in pursuing their claims against the investors or via the insolvency practitioners.
    This situation has appalled me and I am extremely sorry for the anguish that it will inevitably cause.
    Andrew Heighway

    Please Andrew, keep posting this in other threads. I'd love to max out my daily downvotes.

    #81 5 years ago

    I'm actually looking to purchase a hydrofoil.

    When will these be available for public viewing and pre-order?

    #82 5 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    I'm actually looking to purchase a hydrofoil.
    When will these be available for public viewing and pre-order?

    Will be available after he raises enough funds to sue all of us...

    You know...for integrity

    #83 5 years ago
    Quoted from AndrewH:

    I will defend myself and my integrity.

    How can you possibly defend something you do not have?

    #84 5 years ago

    What’s the deal with hydrofoils anyway? Why not just a normal boat?

    #85 5 years ago
    Quoted from AndrewH:

    Statement From Andrew Heighway
    I am truly sorry to hear about the turn of events announced today.
    In June 2017 I sold my controlling stake in Heighway Pinball Limited – including its commitments and liabilities - to a group of investors who claimed to want to put significant funds into the company, achieve mass production and deliver part-paid and fully-paid games to customers, as well as new machine sales.
    Throughout the five years that I ran the company, we developed and sold games up until the time of my departure. This was never a ponzi scheme, as some have suggested. A mix of technical problems, supplier quality problems and unrealistic timeframes resulted in delays that financially crippled the company. We were all committed to delivering games to all paying customers. I personally apologise for the unrealistic timeframes.
    There have been suggestions that I stole or diverted company funds for my own ventures. These are very serious accusations and never once have I been interviewed by the police for any alleged wrongdoings. The company’s accountants have never suggested any wrongdoings by me. It can be proven that the company owed me significant monies and not the other way round. I would therefore advise people to refrain from making any libellous or slanderous statements about me – as I will defend myself and my integrity.
    I very much regret that the company’s owners have closed the company without honouring its commitments to all paying customers and I wish everyone the best in pursuing their claims against the investors or via the insolvency practitioners.
    This situation has appalled me and I am extremely sorry for the anguish that it will inevitably cause.
    Andrew Heighway

    I don't know how you can say you sold your successful business and then want to come to Australia and get investors in on your next dream boat venture

    the boat article that stats you sold your successful business - not true to sell something successful when it was struggling
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/curl-curl-hydrofoil-return-sydney-harbour-20180330-p4z74j.html

    then the article that stats you "stood down" and that basically the major investors kept the hope and dream afloat longer than you could of on your own
    http://www.pinballnews.com/news/heighwayexit.html

    I think you should leave pinball and boats alone - not a great venture.

    #86 5 years ago

    Hey AndrewH very soon all these “NDA” documents you have hid behind look to expire and the real truth of what you did will come out and there will be no mercy. I hope you get sued by the second investors, I hope you get sued by your customers you stole from, and I hope you get sued for fraudulently soliciting “investments” for the hydrofoil BS you are now involved in.

    You are not successful, you have no integrity, you have no honesty.

    I guarantee if Heighway Pinball was in the USA you would have been sued years ago and forensic accountants would have torn you apart. You lucked out being so far away.

    #87 5 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    When will these be available for public viewing and pre-order?

    Two weeks.

    #88 5 years ago

    images (1) (resized).jpegimages (1) (resized).jpeg

    #89 5 years ago

    Posting again because I’m really curious I’m the answer... What’s the deal with hydrofoils anyway? Why not just a normal boat?

    #90 5 years ago
    Quoted from jonesjb:

    Posting again because I’m really curious I’m the answer... What’s the deal with hydrofoils anyway? Why not just a normal boat?

    In operation there is less drag and better fuel economy but that doesn't come without drawbacks. Sounds like it's right up Andrews normal MO.

    - Hydrofoils are expensive to build. A vessel like the Boeing Jetfoil currently costs about three times the price of an equivalent catamaran passenger ferry.

    - Hydrofoils are still considered exotic by many commercial operators of high-speed craft and many will not risk trying such exotic vessels when they have no experience in operating them.

    - They are technically complex and require high maintenance, which has put an end to most military hydrofoil projects.

    #91 5 years ago
    Quoted from Travish:

    In operation there is less drag and better fuel economy but that doesn't come without drawbacks. Sounds like it's right up Andrews normal MO.
    - Hydrofoils are expensive to build. A vessel like the Boeing Jetfoil currently costs about three times the price of an equivalent catamaran passenger ferry.
    - Hydrofoils are still considered exotic by many commercial operators of high-speed craft and many will not risk trying such exotic vessels when they have no experience in operating them.
    - They are technically complex and require high maintenance, which has put an end to most military hydrofoil projects.

    So complicated machines, unique engineering and a huge financial downside with a tiny margin for profit and gigantic startup cost . Sounds perfect! Hey if he pulls this off, he should try Pinball!

    #92 5 years ago
    Quoted from jonesjb:

    Posting again because I’m really curious I’m the answer... What’s the deal with hydrofoils anyway? Why not just a normal boat?

    Hydro = Water
    Foil = Foil

    Lyle Lanley

    #93 5 years ago

    If you ask me, he sounds like the Most Interesting Man in the World.

    #94 5 years ago

    He needs to be stopped. I think he may have met his Waterloo......

    2 months later
    #95 5 years ago

    I post this for the record, but think it's fake e.g. the mention of deeproot, pinball brothers, and getting it up and running in 2 weeks. ho hum...

    https://www.gofundme.com/help-me-fix-this-bloody-hydrofoil

    "Hello
    I sold my successful company Pinball company last year, but I am embarking on a new enterprise, to bring the last remaining Sydney hydrofoil around the world on its foils - back to Sydney Harbour.

    The Curl Curl is totally deeprooted. I need over 500,000 Pounds to bring it back to its former glory.

    Fellow pinball brothers, help me out! I do not have the power of the Seattle 7 to push this campaign so I am relying on you to help me set sail!

    Arggh!

    Everyone that donates will be welcomed abroad the maiden voyage. I hope to get it up and running in as little as 2 weeks.

    Your friend.
    - Captain Andrew"

    #96 5 years ago

    lets bring it all together now

    hydrofoil-boats (resized).jpghydrofoil-boats (resized).jpg

    #97 5 years ago
    Quoted from InfiniteLives:

    lets bring it all together now

    Switch Alien and pinball machine object for the version of them pointing in opposite direction. Let's see ... that would put Andrew's head near the alien's crotch. Hmmmm. You know the Alien with his fingers moving and the game lights twinkling. You might have to sacrifice the Supreme and repurpose it as Alien, please.

    I'm getting shivers running down my spine - mr burns

    #98 5 years ago
    Quoted from Pinballs:

    I post this for the record, but think it's fake e.g. the mention of deeproot, pinball brothers, and getting it up and running in 2 weeks. ho hum...
    https://www.gofundme.com/help-me-fix-this-bloody-hydrofoil
    "Hello
    I sold my successful company Pinball company last year, but I am embarking on a new enterprise, to bring the last remaining Sydney hydrofoil around the world on its foils - back to Sydney Harbour.
    The Curl Curl is totally deeprooted. I need over 500,000 Pounds to bring it back to its former glory.
    Fellow pinball brothers, help me out! I do not have the power of the Seattle 7 to push this campaign so I am relying on you to help me set sail!
    Arggh!
    Everyone that donates will be welcomed abroad the maiden voyage. I hope to get it up and running in as little as 2 weeks.
    Your friend.
    - Captain Andrew"

    I’m so backing this go fund me. The world needs more hydrofoils and more Andrew Heighway.

    1 week later
    #99 5 years ago

    Any updates on the hydrofoils? Will this eventually turn into a tourism operation?

    10
    #100 5 years ago
    Quoted from jonesjb:

    Any updates on the hydrofoils? Will this eventually turn into a tourism operation?

    might be ready in 2 weeks, 2 weeks, 2 weeks ......

    this won't get of the dock

    There are 142 posts in this topic. You are on page 2 of 3.

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