2008 30 custom checkmate

[smallblockford]

it was built for the powerboat magazine shoot in florida. but a helicopter crash on tuesday cancelled it geting photos in powerboat magazine. It is going to be coming my way back from florida for one day and we are going to get pics of it for the 2008 catalog i will see if I can get you guys some pics. I saw the boat when it was being built at the factory it is awsome.

[JW]

Cool! :thumb:

[boatn70]

i read about the crash....very unfortunate.

the exposure would have been great for the "new" checkmate. still, i will look forward to seeing more in mags and at boat shows!!!

[smallblockford]

added pics of 30 to Checkmate Community Member Galleries (http://checkmate-boats.com/photopost/showmembers.php) on my name got pics of the new 30 checkmate was going to put in powerboat. Got to drive her for the helicopter shot. she felt light for her size and really got up out of the water well was a lot of fun to drive

[Chris]

Thanks for sharing smallblock! :thumb:

Here's a few thumbnails...

http://checkmate-boats.com/photopost/data/500/thumbs/photo_shoot_001.jpg (http://checkmate-boats.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/1076)

http://checkmate-boats.com/photopost/data/500/thumbs/photo_shoot_004.jpg (http://checkmate-boats.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/1078)

http://checkmate-boats.com/photopost/data/500/thumbs/photo_shoot_003.jpg (http://checkmate-boats.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/1077)

[smallblockford]

thanx for pulling those pics out didnt know how to post em.

Cant tell you how awsome to drive that boat was

[bravo 1]

now that is one smokin hot checkmate

[175checkmate]

WOW!!!!!:drool: what a boat.

[Big Red]

The Boat looks good. I don't understand why they put the cubby cabin vents all the way at the back by the cubby door. The vents need to be up front over the bed so you can get some air while you are sleeping.

Thank you for the pixs good job

[Old Navy]

Are those small blocks??? Seems like for a "boat show boat" it would be equipped with more than nice graphics and green bling....

[Craig]

Are those small blocks??? Seems like for a "boat show boat" it would be equipped with more than nice graphics and green bling....

I bet what they (Checkmate) were looking to do is have a boat there that could smoke most others the same size with only small block power.

[smallblockford]

twin 6.2s it had plenty of get up and go believe me i was in a small area getting 70 plus out of it and having to turn. straight aways are only about as long as a 1/4 mile and have to turn in this small lake. believe me the boat when you drove it, you could run the trim to the sky and get lots of air under the hull. 6.2s also give room to change plugs on the moters 496s are very very tight. also the boat had a very nice stance in the water i dont know how much i would have liked the 496s believe me when we were doing photos for this boat with the heli we had a 260zt a 20 pulsare and this 30 running and I had no problems smokeing them all and this boat was much more fun it felt like i could get more air under it than the 20 and if you go to the pics on my web site you can see air under the 20 when i was driving the 30 was alot more exciting. and I have drivin all the boats that were here in akron ohio for that photo shoot. I was in love with that 30 and was very suprised

[Big Red]

Toss the 2 small blocks and run 1 healthy big block. Who wants to work on 2 of everything especially 2 small blocks. 1 big block will smoke them 2 small blocks any day and less to work on and less weight. You need torque in a 30 footer and thats something a small block does not have.

What impresses me is a 30 footer with 1 engine that will run 80mph. This is just my opinion.

[smallblockford]

havnt seen any big blocks that had that good of a warrenty for the price as 2 6.2s puttin out a combined 640hp and the props rotate towards each other making a pretty good lift but i do agree that there is 2 moters to winterize to drives to service. 2 props to hit. you have a point it is debatible and i do agree that a big block can make torque and can make more horsepower than that. but it isnt cheep either anyway you look at it red.

[Big Red]

THANK YOU SMALLBLOCKFORD FOR THE INFO ON THE NEW RIDE. I just look down the road when I buy my next used boat that twins won't be nothing but a pain when they get some hours on them. I have even kicked around buying a new one, but would never consider twins. I guess twins would be okay if you bought a new boat every 2 years. But I don't see many Checkmate owners doing that. Because of the fact that you will loose at least 25 grand on a 30 footer in 2 years on trade in.


Keep us posted of new info and send a decent Dealer to the Lake Norman area. Theirs a crap load of money on this lake. Its NASCAR breeding and stompping grounds.

[mate229]

When I was at the Checkmate Poker Run, Dean showed me some pictures that he had on his cell phone. He stated that the boat was being build for the Powerboat Test Trials in Florida, and was worried about completing the project on time. Even though the phone pictures weren’t the best quality, the boat looked incredible, and I was looking forward to seeing it in Powerboat Magazine test report.
I like the direction that Checkmate taking with the graphics packages. My favorite is still the purple flame boat the Kunkles sold. This may be my second favorite boat.

Checkmate - Keep up the good work!!

[Old Navy]

Love the graphics. The small blocks are Merc's replacment engines for the 454's. For a "boat show boat" small block power is ho hum. The idea is to get buyers excited about your product so you can sell some. Show a fully optioned, big power, custom painted (graphics) boat and let the buyers wallet determine what they want to order.

[SCT]

Smallblock- What do you think the WOT speed is on the boat?

BRed- a comparison is Kunkels Purple flame boat w/ a single BB around the same hp was running mid 80s (if I remember right...)

SCT

[smallblockford]

un broke in in a small area 72 is what i saw. I would say it would be mid 75 broke in and stretched out.

[smallblockford]

the boat had a really good feel i meen it felt like i could run the trim out for ever. I cant beleive how much it lifted up and i am used to gettin air under a boat i have an stv that gets plenty of boat out of the water and after driving it getting a fun pass out of a boat can be hard. i thought that this 30 would be boring in a lake that has no real chop but let me tell you this boat was more exciting to drive than anything we had here. checkmate definatly builds a fun boat

[Big Red]

Kunkel's said 84.3 on gps and as far as I know the boat is still for sale around 84000.00 Damn somebody lite a fire under my A-- and make me go buy that thing. Just my opinion, but this boat should of been in that photo shoot

http://checkmate-boats.com/photopost/data/538/Purple_Power.JPG

[smallblockford]

last i saw kunkels boat was for sale for 96,000. must of lowered the price. get the firewood out, red that boats you single big block 572cu.

[Big Red]

The price is 83900.00 on Boat Trader and 96 on their website.:D That means if I buy it off boat trader instead of their website I will save 12100.00 :sssh:

[mate229]

I was told at the Poker Run that the boat was sold.

[mate229]

Motor
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n71/283Convincor/100_2157.jpg

[Kelly O]

Red, If you get serious about a newer Checkmate and want one of the nicest rigged, best maintained Mates with horsepower to spare, then we should talk.
I am looking to go bigger but will need to find the right buyer for my ZT280. The boat speaks for itself and drops many jaws.

My engine compartment makes that 572 look like a nice economy beginner motor.

[Old Navy]

Red, If you get serious about a newer Checkmate and want one of the nicest rigged, best maintained Mates with horsepower to spare, then we should talk.
I am looking to go bigger but will need to find the right buyer for my ZT280. The boat speaks for itself and drops many jaws.

My engine compartment makes that 572 look like a nice economy beginner motor.

Let's see the engine! That 572 is really nice looking, but it's missing it's blower!

[Big Red]

I want to here mph numbers on GPS, 84 is what the purple boat will do with know huffer. Sorry kelly o but your boat is no bigger than what I have now. I would still like to see the engine pic

[SCT]

SBF- Mid 70s is a great speed w/ twin small blocks. I'm sure w/ the price of gas alot of people will be interested in the speed/ mpg/ and purchase cost w/ the 6.2s. I like the updates to the 30....but Kind of wish the graphics were not painted on. Cmate is known for there gel and mold work.

Cheers-

[cooperider]

SBF- Mid 70s is a great speed w/ twin small blocks. I'm sure w/ the price of gas alot of people will be interested in the speed/ mpg/ and purchase cost w/ the 6.2s. I like the updates to the 30....but Kind of wish the graphics were not painted on. Cmate is known for there gel and mold work.

Cheers-I'm with you SCT, they could have done that boat in Gel.

[smallblockford]

gel work was pretty good on the boat just like checkmate is known for. i dont know how they got the logo on the back of the boat

coop did you get to see how they did the colors and graphics at the factory on this boat.
when i was there they were sanding it and getting it buffed out on the deck and hull. then couple weeks later the boat was in the lake.
wish i could have watched the process.

The boat performance wise for gas with twins you could pull the throttles back to about 2000 rpm and it would hold plane at 30mph i would say that would save on gas for cruzing wide open i Bet she would suck the fuel though.

[smallblockford]

clip of back with logo

[cooperider]

Sorry smallblockford, the only color of Gel Coat on that boat is white. They sprayed a plain white hull and used it to design the new inner liner. Then they pulled the hull. The deck was the first one out of the mold after they modified it, this was also just plain white gel coat. They took these parts down to www.kustomcolors.com (http://www.kustomcolors.com) in Marion OH, the same guys that paint the Baja Poker run boats.

Thats what SCT and I are talking about its a painted boat, which could have been done in Gel Coat instead. But it would have took too much time away from production.

[cooperider]

BTW smallblockford, I might be up your way in the next month or so to see some friends. Would it be ok to stop by with the camera and take some pics at your place to do a little article for the guys here?

[smallblockford]

yea that would be cool coop stop up and visit bring the camera do an article. hm i couldnt even feal any edging or difference in texture or it was a real good job thought for sure it wasin the gel except for the air brush on the back. specially when you see all the other stuff that was done in gel on some of the other boats in the past from checkmate. i meen some times you can feel a difference in paint where they would put a stripe on top. but thats what makes those guys so good at it

the new mates have such good gel work love the colors. I have picked are 20 pulsare apart for flaws and it is good. bones really takes pride in his work.

[cooperider]

yea that would be cool coop stop up and visit bring the camera do an article. hm i couldnt even feal any edging or difference in texture or it was a real good job thought for sure it wasin the gel except for the air brush on the back. specially when you see all the other stuff that was done in gel on some of the other boats in the past from checkmate. i meen some times you can feel a difference in paint where they would put a stripe on top. but thats what makes those guys so good at it

the new mates have such good gel work love the colors. I have picked are 20 pulsare apart for flaws and it is good. bones really takes pride in his work.
Bones is a miracle worker with what few tools they give him.

[Big Red]

OK I MIGHT BE KICKED OFF THIS SITE FOR THIS BUT I HAVE THE BALLS TO SAY

IT LOOKS LIKE A DAMN BAJA AND MY BOY IS 14 AND HE SAID THE PAINT JOB ON THE BOAT LOOKS LIKE A CLOWN BOAT AND SHOULD BE IN THE CIRCUS AND SMALL BLOCKS IN A 30 FOOTER BELONG IN THE DUMPSTER

BAJA'S ARE PLAYED OUT AND IF THE NEW OWNER STAYS ON THIS ROAD CHECKMATES WILL BE TO. HE DOES NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT ME OR YOU OR HE WOULD HAVE POSTED ON THIS SITE ALREADY.

THIS IS MY OPINION AND I AM STICKING TO IT

[cooperider]

OK I MIGHT BE KICKED OFF THIS SITE FOR THIS BUT I HAVE THE BALLS TO SAY

IT LOOKS LIKE A DAMN BAJA AND MY BOY IS 14 AND HE SAID THE PAINT JOB ON THE BOAT LOOKS LIKE A CLOWN BOAT AND SHOULD BE IN THE CIRCUS AND SMALL BLOCKS IN A 30 FOOTER BELONG IN THE DUMPSTER

BAJA'S ARE PLAYED OUT AND IF THE NEW OWNER STAYS ON THIS ROAD CHECKMATES WILL BE TO. HE DOES NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT ME OR YOU OR HE WOULD HAVE POSTED ON THIS SITE ALREADY.

THIS IS MY OPINION AND I AM STICKING TO IT


lol, OK Red, Checkmate took a plain white boat they used for some prototyping, and had a custom paint job put on it. This thing sold before it was finished. Clown Boat paint jobs seem to sell, I'd say the paint job was nicer than a Baja's maybe even better than Baja's "Poker Face" and "Lucky Sevens" custom Poker Run boats, because the Checkmate has no "skulls" or "playing cards" on it. I think the paint job is trying to look like these "clown" paint jobs that Outerlimits, Skater, Hustler, and others have.

SCT and I just think it would have been kick ass if they had done it in Gel, but like I said, they were taking a plain white prototype and doing something nice with it.

Yes Baja's are played out, but if you look they seem to be moving to more of a cruiser market and look more and more like Sea Rays with every new model. I sort of feel bad for them about that. Well sort of anyway.

As far as the new owner posting.....How often did the old owner post? I'll tell you Doug is a member on here and does read on here from time to time. Usually he asks me or Kip about what's going on here. Several times when I talk to him he says hey, can you post something about this or that, he really doesn't have the time to be on here very much, he's got a boat company to run and doing that takes a BIG chunk out of anyones day.

I'm with you on the small blocks, because I don't believe smaller is more efficient. For example pound for pound, my delivery semi, is more efficient than that stupid Prius.

[smallblockford]

red I am with you on baja being played out. but it wasnt doug(new owner) that put that company there it was in my opinion when brunswick took it over. hell it is kinda like when harley got taken over. Doug can run a boat company take what combs had built and what doug can do and you will have great boat.

coop did the 30 go to the boat show in conn.

[cooperider]

coop did the 30 go to the boat show in conn.


Yes it did.


When your talking about Harley, are you talking about it going to hell when AMF took over? Because now-a-days since AMF is out they're calling its rebirth as a success story.

What dealers I talk to are telling me is that Doug is using the Harley business model and selling them on the the "Checkmate Lifestyle".

[smallblockford]

yes the amf story before me but yes. believe me doug is not amf he will get r done he isnt trying to mass produce. quality not quantity. yes harley is a miracle know. i think doug and linda bring a renewed life to the company.