Checkmate factory busy?

[fast94persuader]

I read on OSO that the factory is pretty busy and there is a decent amount of wait for new boats.
Anyone know is this true?
Are they building a few boats?
Or other projects?
Awesome if this is true.

 

[senator-holland]

Just heard they are busy, very busy... good news coming up watch Miami boat show...

 

[karzrus]

In a post on Scream and Fly I asked Wildman why he stopped stocking Checkmates. He said it was because no matter what color boat he had it was always the wrong one.
Then I asked if he could order one for a customer and rig it up. He said that the last few times he tried, Checkmate gave him far too long of a delivery date.
So then I asked him if he though it was because they were that busy and he said he though it was because they don't have the capacity anymore to build very many boats.
I personally called Checkmate last year and talked to Kip, about having them do a new interior for an old Entertainer I wanted to buy and drop off. He said it would be 6 months or more before they would maybe be able to get to it.

So you can decide for yourself or maybe someone else with better info will chime in, but it seems weird to me that they make it that unattractive to do business with them.

It would be nice to know how many boats they built and how many more they restored or did interiors for last year(2018). But I think it might only be a handful, and that would partly be because they have only a few employees.

One thing for sure is there are not too many used checkmates available with build dates after 2013. So I don't think they have built very many since then.

 

[Sam I am]

I think you're exactly correct. They don't have the staff or the support in place to conduct business efficiently anymore.

 

[JUPITER PULSARE]

It's sad to think that something Bill Combs worked so hard to build up and hold onto for so many years has dwindled away. I'm sure that Global Marines' focus is on their Hustler brand but Checkmate should not be left behind. They're smaller, more affordable and have a following that reaches for 50+ years!!! It's always exciting to see new Checkmates in boat shows and on the water! As far as Wildman is concerned...he stocks Liberators and paints them with wild colors, rigs them to perfection and sells them reasonably well.. Why not buy blank, white gel coat Pulsare 2100's and 2400's and paint/rig them the way he does the Liberators?? That would take the heat off of Checkmate to rig or paint the boats and give Randy the ability to customize a new Checkmate to the customers wants & needs...

 

[karzrus]

I think Randy would still be selling Checkmates if the factory could keep up to him. I think he would order boats in what ever color a customer wants and then rig it, but if Checkmate gives him a 9 month or longer delivery (and tentative at that) what is he suppose to do. He orders some of those Liberators in colors so they are cheaper and shorter to deliver.

 

[Chris]

I personally wouldn't want a painted boat, but that's just me.

I guess if you're not keeping it docked anywhere and just trailering to the lake, then maybe it wouldn't matter.


-Chris

 

[JUPITER PULSARE]

I personally wouldn't want a painted boat, but that's just me.

I guess if you're not keeping it docked anywhere and just trailering to the lake, then maybe it wouldn't matter.


-Chris

I've always been a fan of gelcoat over paint. They both have their advantages and disadvantages but..color in the gelcoat always looks better to me than paint.

 

[Chris]

I've always been a fan of gelcoat over paint. They both have their advantages and disadvantages but..color in the gelcoat always looks better to me than paint.

Jup, wouldn't paint be less durable?


Usually with gelcoat I figure you can buff out lots of marks and superficial scratches etc.


-Chris

 

[SCT]

I know some folks really like "crazy and wild" painted on paint schemes but I think the majority of CM buyers appreciate the factory's long tradition of top notch gel work on their boats. They could update the graphics a little, though.

 

[merc245]

I know some folks really like "crazy and wild" painted on paint schemes but I think the majority of CM buyers appreciate the factory's long tradition of top notch gel work on their boats. They could update the graphics a little, though.[/QUOTE

Then how you going to spot them from miles away?

 

[karzrus]

I know some folks really like "crazy and wild" painted on paint schemes but I think the majority of CM buyers appreciate the factory's long tradition of top notch gel work on their boats. They could update the graphics a little, though.

It would be nice to know the factory was hiring and training new blood how to do that top notch gel work.

 

[JUPITER PULSARE]

Jup, wouldn't paint be less durable?


Usually with gelcoat I figure you can buff out lots of marks and superficial scratches etc.


-Chris

Chris, the advantage that paint has is that it's easier to color match and repair if something gets scratched or damaged. It's a lot harder to color match gelcoat. Most of the Offshore boat builders lay the boats up in white gelcoat and then send them out to get custom painted. I still like Gelcoat better! To me, it's classier seeing a nice gelcoat job, flake, etc.

 

[JW]

The factory isn't busy building hundreds of boats a year like in the 90's because the market has shifted away from 5-9 passenger cool looking fast but cramped interior boats to large party barges. Inboard ski boats and tri-toons that can hold 10-16 are the biggest sellers for lake boats now. If CMate had built a line of roomy V-drive wake boats starting 12 years ago, I wonder where they'd be now? All businesses need to follow (or create) the market to survive.

When my family size extended, here's where my money went. Brand new out the door 2019 on a tandem galvanized trailer for thousands less than the several year old used 2400BRX boats that were on the market last summer.

 

[Sam I am]

JW, you are correct. My family loves are pontoon. Many, many family on my lake have gone that route.

 

[Sam I am]

I meant: my family loves OUR pontoon.

Good grief. My mother was an English teacher.

 

[JW]

I’ve always had a hillbilly pontoon boat powered by small engines to go along with my speed boats and Jetski‘s and fishing boats etc. Big fleet to take care of. When I couldn’t find the ideal ‘next’ checkmate I decided to get rid of everything and get down to one small fishing boat and one 45 mph do everything pontoon boat that can hold 12-14. Mission accomplished.
If the 2400 BRX used boats hadn’t been so pricey I might have gone a different direction.

 

[karzrus]

I meant: my family loves OUR pontoon.

Good grief. My mother was an English teacher.

I thought it was the Pirate in you showing.
"We love Arrr pontoon"

 

[karzrus]

If the 2400 BRX used boats hadn’t been so pricey I might have gone a different direction.

Good used 2100br's are kind of hard to find and 2400BRXs are truly rare. The factory has not sold as many new as the used market could support. Too bad really, but the way it is.