Deadline is set for Fountain bidders

[Steve 1]

What does make sense is moving Hustler from high cost Long Island to low cost rural North Carolina. Trying to leverage that into making Hustler a high unit producer will be very problematical. Do the industry a "favor" and let the Fountain and Baja "brands" rest in peace.

In any event this is just my .02...and I wish Hustler good luck tilting at windmills.

T2x

Why do you think that Fountain and Baja should die? Someone needs to build a good quality, affordable, middle of the line offshore performance boat. Not everyone can afford OL, Nortech, Cig, Skater, etc. I think Reggie and Fountain has done a lot for our sport and the industry.[/QUOTE]

See post #96

 

[fund razor]

Why do you think that Fountain and Baja should die? Someone needs to build a good quality, affordable, middle of the line offshore performance boat. Not everyone can afford OL, Nortech, Cig, Skater, etc. I think Reggie and Fountain has done a lot for our sport and the industry.

And frankly.... general motors has done alot for our country. Like supply most of the equipment for WW2. I loved the trans am and will always remember my Mom's Firebird Formula.
Yet... the pontiac brand was not sustainable and it was allowed to die. There is a difference between thinking that a brand should go the way that market forces determine and thinking that it should die. (Not to speak for Rich.)

In a world without a middle class.... mid line production performance boats will have an incredibly tough row to hoe.

 

[T2x]

Why do you think that Fountain and Baja should die? Someone needs to build a good quality, affordable, middle of the line offshore performance boat.

I don't care who dies ...but there are too many builders...simple fact. Unemployment and lender restrictions have devasted the "affordable" buyer and market...and the industry will never again be what it was. I am in trucking and we are all waiting for two of the largest companies to take the pipe. While they desperately struggle to hang on the entire industry is being pummeled by sub cost freight rates that they are creating.

The same scenario will decimate the boating industry. Genmar (emerging from Chapter 11) has Scarab, Velocity is still around, Sutphen, Eliminator, Sunsation, etc, etc, etc, etc continue as well. WE DON'T NEED ALL OF THESE BRANDS!!!. Screw what so and so has done for the industry...This is about survival of the fittest.

Frankly, I see an opportunity for a new and totally different pleasure/performance boat emerging from the shambles with a new set of dynamics and a more up to date product vision. Fountain, Baja, et-al have existed on detrivatives of Aronow's original products and profiles for decades and ...in the words of the worst president in our nation's history....."It's time for change."

T2x

 

[T2x]

Dateline: Washington N.C. 15:50 15, September 2009. AP wire, for immediate distribution.

A New Jersey resident, claiming to be in the environmental services industry (though the only evidence of employment lists him as a garbageman) has just purchased the assets of Fountain Powerboats. He plans to continue operations, while changing the name to "Steczerette". When asked what interested him in the Fountain operation, he replied "Every boat has a FREAK"! He was than informed that Fountain powerboats have 'Beaks' not 'Freaks'. Mr. Stecz than began to cry, realizing the error of his purchase and offered to sell/trade his new company to one Mike Fiore for the sum of two (2) warm Miller Lites and a half (1/2) eaten baloney sandwich. At this time a dwarf in a black jump suit, tentatively ID'd as "MC Reggie" (presumed to be a rap star due to the black jumpsuit, incoherent tirades and extensive gold jewelry) became rather upset. MC Reggie then started a fist fight, but was only successful at hitting people in the knee area.

In related news, a Mercedes apparently owned buy "PETA" members, was seen running down a cat killer (presumed to be part of MC Reggie's posse) and fleeing the scene at a high rate of speed.

Good post...not great mind you....but a good post.

The style seems vaguely familiar....

 

[Steve 1]

I don't care who dies ...but there are too many builders...simple fact. Unemployment and lender restrictions have devasted the "affordable" buyer and market...and the industry will never again be what it was. I am in trucking and we are all waiting for two of the largest companies to take the pipe. While they desperately struggle to hang on the entire industry is being pummeled by sub cost freight rates that they are creating.

The same scenario will decimate the boating industry. Genmar (emerging from Chapter 11) has Scarab, Velocity is still around, Sutphen, Eliminator, Sunsation, etc, etc, etc, etc continue as well. WE DON'T NEED ALL OF THESE BRANDS!!!. Screw what so and so has done for the industry...This is about survival of the fittest.

Frankly, I see an opportunity for a new and totally different pleasure/performance boat emerging from the shambles with a new set of dynamics and a more up to date product vision. Fountain, Baja, et-al have existed on detrivatives of Aronow's original products and profiles for decades and ...in the words of the worst president in our nation's history....."It's time for change."

T2x

Rich sorry that post got convoluted somehow my reply was only referring to post 96 BTW I agree with you 100%

 

[TCEd]

Fountain seems to do well with the fishboat line, maybe those hulls will become the product line with offshore boats as a upscale custom build by the new ownership.
ed

 

[Sunsation96]

Why do you think that Fountain and Baja should die? Someone needs to build a good quality, affordable, middle of the line offshore performance boat. Not everyone can afford OL, Nortech, Cig, Skater, etc. I think Reggie and Fountain has done a lot for our sport and the industry.

:iagree:This is just a cleaning cycle, this is all it is get's rid of the weak and the strong make it. You watch when times turn around more builders will start to pop up again Do I hate to see anyone fail yes but it is how it goes. It only helps the others. Do I want to see Fountian fail heck no but this stuff happens alot. This is just happens to be a buisiness in a sport that we love. But I agree you need a middle of the road builder not everyone is going to buy a Mystic even though I really want one:rofl:

 

[TCEd]

So who becomes the middle of the road manufacturer ? In most industry the middle of the road product is a high volume item also. Fountain obviously was high volume for performance boats and somewhat middle of the road.

Who's left that has built boats EVERY year for the past ten years, has a engine supplier connection, something resembling a warrenty and some continuing product history and entry to middle of the road pricing ? Formula is close, others ?

ed

 

[DollaBill]

Formula's pricing is OUTRAGEOUS. And, don't take it the wrong way, but they are def a "gentlemens" performance boat.

 

[bcfountain]

Formula's pricing is OUTRAGEOUS. And, don't take it the wrong way, but they are def a "gentlemens" performance boat.

you are right on about that.i think alot of people posting on this thread have never been a entry level performance boater or have forgotten what it is like to be one.i think fountain and baja have there place in the industriy as such and should not go away.lets face it guys,in anything.you have good,better,best.not everybody can aford the best,,,,but there is a whole lot of boaters that want better.why should they be denied.take away fountain/baja what elese is there.just my 2cents

 

[Chris]

So now they're building BaFouStlers?

 

[db71]

I still stick to my story of dealer or dealers buying fountain. I aslo think anyone who thinks they can take fountain back to its pre BR production numbers is out of touch with reality. Especially if you figure baja pre BR production numbers also. You can make the boats but who will buy them? Or finance the people who will buy them.

I see them emerging as more of a custom performance boat builder with a production fishing boat and smaller entry level baja boats no cruisers. Maybe a good year 100 to 150 boats with 10% to 20% performance 40% to 45% fishing and the rest entry level.


T2X what trucking companies are going down? I used to be involved with trucking a little and just wondered.

 

[THEJOKER]

So who becomes the middle of the road manufacturer ? In most industry the middle of the road product is a high volume item also. Fountain obviously was high volume for performance boats and somewhat middle of the road.

Who's left that has built boats EVERY year for the past ten years, has a engine supplier connection, something resembling a warrenty and some continuing product history and entry to middle of the road pricing ? Formula is close, others ?

ed

We're the smallest builder in the business but every mold is paid for , the building is paid for and we have zero debt. Look for our new 41ft cc to be revealed @ The Miami Boat Show 2010 and then the go fast deck is next. We only custom build and have no dealers , no financing and no bs. I've been doing this for 10 years and we offer a lifetime warranty on every hull. Just ask Tyler and Warren about our race boats. I know how to run a business and keep costs down. If we don't have new boat sales we just simply do repair work or work on our molds. We're here to stay! www.JokerPerformanceBoats.com

 

[cosmic12]

I have never gotten an E-mail from or have never talked to anybody at Hustler but I just got an announcement by e-mail, The same one that was posted earlier on here about them purchaseing Fountian. Very strange, anyone else get it?
Are they spamming everyone?

 

[Chris]

I did not receive it.

As far as Hustler buying the Fountain biz, I think it could be a brilliant move. Baja died purely by mismanagement by its parent SeaRay. And when they left, it created a vacuum in the marketplace. They built a very nicely constructed boat and they hit a very attractive price point. Had the economy been stronger, SeaRay may have held on a bit longer or if not, other manufacturers would be making bigger efforts to seize that market share. Keep in mind, it wasn't a soft economy that pulled Baja down, it was a product design flaw coupled with a softening market that had them hemorrhaging cash.

Fountain? They definitely sold some boats. They suffered from some production issues and Reggie's business model of exponential growth was doomed from the start, but as a mid-sized builder of upper-midrange boats they certainly have a place and a following in the marketplace. Minus the Reggie pyramid scheme, the company should certainly be viable- especially if the expectation is to build a couple hundred a year, not a couple thousand.

 

[db71]

I got the email probaly from oso

 

[cosmic12]

I deleted it I knew I shouldn't have a second after I did it:ack2:

 

[Expensive Date]

The buyers of the boats we love are such a small percentage of the population.Yet all builders concentrated on an even smaller percentage of population that wants/can afford 200k+ engines in there boats.All builders are going to have a long hard road ahead of them because there is probably a five years supply of used boats out there.There are even a lot of dealer repo's floating around.
Hustler...believe it when it happens nothing against them there are a few running around just don't see it working.Say what you want but if Fountain goes our sport changes forever if it has not already.

 

[OldSchool]

I did not.

I didn't get one either. Maybe one of the other websites is selling their email lists..........and there is only one that I requested to be removed from their email list. It's not OSO.....

 

[JupiterSunsation]

People seem to bag on Fountains/Bajas but they are decent boats. A 36 Outlaw is a great looking boat especially with the SST package. Fountain needs to abandon the under 35 market and concentrate on the 35-48 market.

T2X there has always been too many boat companies. Look at the "cruiser' market or the center console market there seems to be hundreds of choices. Some of the performance boat companies have been around for years but haven't produced many boats lately. Velocity, Hustler, Sutphen, Donzi all have heritage but probably haven't produced 10 boats each this year.

So what is better someone who produces 50 boats and makes no money/ stuffs them down dealer throats or a builder that only makes boats on demand/on orders only?