Is Checkmate Boats for sale?

[onthehammer]

Alright, let's start a new thread on this. Even Coop is hijacking his own thread about his trip to Checkmate. I hope I don't recieve hate mail on this for being brave enough to start a thread instead of posting in another one.

[Diplomat82]

Hey Jeff why don't you tell us what you know.....it seems like you an Coop have an idea or know more than us.

[onthehammer]

Hey Jeff why don't you tell us what you know.....it seems like you an Coop have an idea or know more than us.

Tell you what, I have one call to make before I post anything more on this. Then I will tell you what I know. If Coop has anything to post I'm sure he will at this point. As you know we have strong ties down there. I think I even have Checkmate underwear somewhere. :thumb:

[checkmate fan]

For Sale or not for sale. Is not everything for sale, for the right price?

[Chris E]

sometimes selling isn't a bad thing, i think we are all concerned that the new purchaser (if one exists) will turn checkmate into the bayliner of performace boats. lets hope that if any of this is true that quality and style will remain priorities. more importantly though, lets here the full scoop before we jump ship!

[cooperider]

Well, the only thing I would be able to tell you, would be all the local rumors around town here. I usually try to stay out of that stuff.


As far as Checkmate being for sale. I think it has been for awhile, not activly, but if the money was right. As it was I was trying to put the money together to make an offer on the place myself, then I got hurt and that set me back. So that became an April fools joke.


Somewhere in another thread, checkmate fan kicked things off on here with his first two posts:

Hello, all you checkmate fans. This is a great site. I am glad that I found it. I love boats and always have. I am boatless at this point in my life but my Family had always had checkmates and in the next couple years I hope to have one of my own. I think I will have to get an older one though, as I have heard humors that there has been an EX-BAJA owner(D.S.) at the factory:confused: (seen a few times lately):confused: :confused: :confused: . What could that mean. Has anyone else heard this or does anyone know why he would be at Checkmate. I have to get back to the posts, there are a lot of great articles here.
http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/images/buttons/report.gif (http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/report.php?p=401138)


"Ok here is what I came up with this week. I talked to some people down in Bucyrus that said, they have heard from BAJA employees that they are going to leave the company on the south side and start work on the north side of town. Can we say FOR SALE.http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/images/icons/icon5.gifhttp://checkmate-boats.com/forums/images/icons/icon13.gifhttp://checkmate-boats.com/forums/images/icons/icon9.gifhttp://checkmate-boats.com/forums/images/icons/icon8.gif. Boy I hope all these people are wrong and the rumors are not true."


What an introduction!!!


Yes these are the same rumors, I have heard. It may or may not be true, time will tell.

Whatever happens, I do hope everything works out for the best. :surf:

[Diplomat82]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Baja owned by Brunswick? If that's the case wouldn't it be Brunswick and not Baja who would be buying the company?
Also Brunswick owns alot of boat companies would they really benifit from buy Checkmate?

[onthehammer]

You are right on the Baja/Brunswick deal. However it is actually the old owner of Baja, Doug Smith that has been around and not Baja/Brunswick/Bayliner/Sea Ray/Maxum etc......

[cooperider]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Baja owned by Brunswick? If that's the case wouldn't it be Brunswick and not Baja who would be buying the company?
Also Brunswick owns alot of boat companies would they really benifit from buy Checkmate?Brunswick does own Baja, and in my opinion, when they took over is when things at Baja went downhill.

[onthehammer]

Couldn't agree with you more Coop. Baja actually innovated a lot of nice things that we all love today, before Brunswick of course.

[checkmate fan]

Tell you what, I have one call to make before I post anything more on this. Then I will tell you what I know. If Coop has anything to post I'm sure he will at this point. As you know we have strong ties down there. I think I even have Checkmate underwear somewhere. :thumb:


Jeff,

Have you made the call yet?

[cooperider]

Couldn't agree with you more Coop. Baja actually innovated a lot of nice things that we all love today, before Brunswick of course.One other thing about Doug, he didn't sell Baja to Brunswick. Baja was taken from him. He was going to be late on a payment to the bank, and was asking for an extra 30 days, when the bank panicked and sold the note. (At least this is what I have been told.)

[onthehammer]

Made a call and left a message. Waiting for a return call, will post accurate info when I hear back. Coop, you posted at the same time as me. That is accurate info on he didn't sell it though. Just like with Fountain, I think Reggie has to check with Brunswick before using the bathroom nowadays.

[checkmate fan]

Like it has been said, it might be a good thing(new blood). New ideas. Just don't change the name or make them round and white. Mr. Combs is no spring chicken anymore and the company has been owned by the same people since the begining. Maybe they are all tired and ready to enjoy life instead of working. Time will tell what will become of the Company if or when the rumors are true.

[Mark]

If you look around, the only people who are making innovative boats are the independent and family owned builders. Though the big guys, Brunswick and Genmar, are using modern construction methods, their designs are boring and dull. I would hate to see Checkmate go the way of Bajaliner. For one thing it would be the end of their high performance outboards!

[Chris E]

Checkmate caters to a very niche market - i doubt brunswick or genmar have any interest in the company. the big boys only have one responsibilty - ensuring their shareholders get dividend cheques. as long as that happens life is good. I don't think checkmate has much to offer (ie technology) that would make those to take any serious interest.

i've been to every sea ray plant in tennessee and let me tell you this - what an operation - robots spraying gel coat, cutting flashing all very cool stuff - but at the end of the day they are a cookie cutter boat. custom is a four letter word around that place and so is warranty for that matter.

i'd love to see checkmate with some new innovations perhaps building a more family freindly bowrider (filler cushion - vee shaped seats) instead of the small benches, a bimini that could take high speeds or getting away from the wood in the boats - i know that would give a lot of guys around here a lot more free time!!!! there are plenty of unique and innovative products out there that could be explored but you have to be willing to invest the r & d funds to make it happen. if the prior owner of bahahahahaha is interested maybe that's not a bad thing as long as the quality doesn't take dive.

[Kip Combs]

Just to end this side of the rumors .......Baja Marine is not buying Checkmate ! Can't really comment any further beyond that at this time......

[janet]

everyone is wondering if checkmate is for sale. in my apinion i think they are trying to sale it to d.s. roomer has it waiting on the banks,ok! but you know how roomers are. but i believe something good is going to happen. i just hope they stick with some of the older boats. but it will be enteresting to see something new come along. i`m hoping for the best at checkmate. i also hope they keep building hand laminating, and not go chop gun like baja boats. i don`t own a checkmate boat. but i would not buy a baja. theres a big differents in the building of the boat. to hoping checkmate stays alive!:surf:

[Kip Combs]

I knew this would go crazy eventually.......we ( Checkmate ownership ) were not openly looking to sell Checkmate. But.....we have been approached by a group lead by the person everone is talking about. Nothing is final yet ..that's about all that really needs to be said. But......if it does go through nothing in the construction side of the businesss will change with the exception of grahic's and some upgraded equipment ie windshields ...things of that nature.

[onthehammer]

Like I said before, think positive things and positive things will happen! :thumb:

PS Kip, did you check your PM's?

[cooperider]

everyone is wondering if checkmate is for sale. in my apinion i think they are trying to sale it to d.s. roomer has it waiting on the banks,ok! but you know how roomers are. but i believe something good is going to happen. i just hope they stick with some of the older boats. but it will be enteresting to see something new come along. i`m hoping for the best at checkmate. i also hope they keep building hand laminating, and not go chop gun like baja boats. i don`t own a checkmate boat. but i would not buy a baja. theres a big differents in the building of the boat. to hoping checkmate stays alive!:surf:We need to find you a Checkmate.

[Chris E]

I knew this would go crazy eventually.......we ( Checkmate ownership ) were not openly looking to sell Checkmate. But.....we have been approached by a group lead by the person everone is talking about. Nothing is final yet ..that's about all that really needs to be said. But......if it does go through nothing in the construction side of the businesss will change with the exception of grahic's and some upgraded equipment ie windshields ...things of that nature.

keep us in the loop Kip (as much as you can anyway), i think everyone is just a little worried about their favorite boat! - what other boat company can say this? i think that speaks volumes about the work that your family has done over the years.

[Craig]

I’m probably jumping the gun here, since this company sale may not even happen, but just wanted to give my comments.

I think that if the company is sold, there is always a possibility of major changes, enough changes that none of us on this forum, or other hardcore Checkmate fans, will like. Graphics was mentioned as a possible area of change. That wouldn’t be a big deal. I like the graphics options currently, and I would also be open for changes, but if they are changed to the wacky type graphics that you find on Bajas, that would be hard for me to take. Some of you have mentioned that you’d like to see them change the construction and eliminate the balsa. Not me, I don’t want my Convincor weighing 800lbs more like an Outlaw does. I want a boat that’s hand-laid, balsa cored, and has top quality gelcoat with a hard shine. All the good ones use balsa coring,….Skater, Progression…ect. The only thing I’ve always thought Checkmate could change is glassing over the hull to deck connection….but their method of rivets, screws, AND thru-bolting exceeds that of most manufacturers and is more than enough. Maybe they could experiment with vacuum bagging, but I don’t really know if that’s an issue with Checkmate because they spend so much time rolling and working the fiberglass, it probably doesn’t really make a difference.

Beside construction, the other big thing for me is styling. If they eliminate the characteristic body lines with cocky look of the windscreen set back with the long deck, I would lose my interest in them. I don’t know if the windshields themselves are an issue, Checkmate has always offered the fiberglass windscreen if you don’t like the framed glass style, at least in the I/O models. I love the framed glass windshield they use, but I could probably live if they discontinue or change it.

Another thing I don’t like to see is all the hype out there and the attention that other manufacturers are giving to more cockpit room. I would hate to see Checkmate go that route. Have you seen the new 23 Outlaw and 26 Outlaw that Baja starting making. They are strange looking. They have the windscreen up past the center point of the deck. They are all cockpit. Not the way a speed boat is suppose to look, my opinion anyway.

Ultimately, we as the buyers/customers have the final say so. If we don’t like it, we don’t have to buy it. Checkmates have always been my favorite boats. I hope that if the company is sold, good things will follow. If not, there are other v-bottom boats out there that I like…Progression, Advantage, Eliminator, Sunsation….

-Craig

[janet]

in my opinion, i would not eliminate any balsa wood. there would not be much left to the boat. balsa wood makes it a much stronger boat. i don`t feel that any other material wood make up for the balsa wood. as for different graphics . checkmate has nice graphics, but it would be nice to see something esle come along. the horse`s head is awlsome! the flames are pretty neat also. oh yell! as for using vaccumn to build the boats. not a bad idea, but hand laminating is what i would perfer. if ,i was to buy a boat. :surf: