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Doug Smith comes CLEAN

Big Red

Well-known member



I thought I would never read this or here the words come out of your mouth. Congrats man it must feel good to come clean. Kinda like biting into a york peppermint patty when you get that cool sinsation.
love0030.gif


Hats off to you big guy for coming clean now I can move on. sign0181.gif

POSTED ON October 12th 2010

:bigthumb:

Smart Moves at Checkmate

Under the leadership of Doug Smith, the founder of Baja Performance Boats, Checkmate is weathering the economic storm.
In a strange way, all roads lead to Bucyrus, Ohio—at least for Doug Smith. Smith started building the Baja line of go-fast boats there in 1971. He sold the company to Brunswick in 1994, and stuck with it until 2000.



Just down the road from Baja, which was later taken over and relocated by Fountain Powerboats, was a smaller performance-boat company called Checkmate. The family-owned company, which built less than 100 boats a year, never approached the 500-plus-unit production volume of Baja, but it did establish a loyal regional following. Checkmate became known for building spirited performers with outboard-engine power—at affordable prices.
After Smith sold Baja, he did what most hard-driven middle-aged men do when they retire: He went stir crazy. He rode his Harley. He got into his grandson’s go-kart racing hobby. He spent time in Florida. And though he says he enjoyed it all, he couldn’t sit still. Smith was, to put a fine point on it, bored.
So in the spring of 2007, Smith bought Checkmate. Though the Checkmate line and its reputation were still largely intact, it’s fair to say that the previous owners hadn’t done much to expand or improve the brand.
“The boats had not changed in five or ten years,” says Smith. “The graphics were the same, the seats were the same, everything was the same. So that was the first order of business—the boats needed to be reconfigured. We had to work with the tooling we had, but we changed all the seating. We upgraded our interiors. We had McLeod (McLeod Design Group) do the stand-up bolsters for us. We built cockpit liners for the larger boats.”
Other upgrades included new windshield and improved gelcoat graphics. But while Smith and company made significant changes to the existing line of outboard-powered Checkmate models, something was still missing—a stern-drive/inboard line-up.
Strangely enough, the solution came from Baja, Smith’s former company. When Fountain acquired the Baja line and moved production to its plant in Washington, N.C., company principal Reggie Fountain was only interested in the larger Baja models. Tooling for the smaller sport boats was left behind. Nobody wanted it and, according to Smith, the hull and deck molds for several once-popular Baja models were discarded.

"HERE COMES THE BEST PART" string.gif

“The tooling was at the dump,” says Smith. “The Fountain people were gone and didn’t want it. The Sea Ray (another Brunswick company) didn’t want to know about it. Nobody wanted it.
“Checkmate has always been known as an outboard sport boat company,” Smith continues. “Adding inboard models reconfigured from the Baja tooling gave us the ability to attract dealers who wanted to offer those boats as well.”
What “reconfiguring” means, according to Smith, is building the four Baja-based models, which range from 24 to 35 feet, in the “Checkmate way.”
“We hand-laminate all of our boats, and we save weight,” he explains. “Right out of the box, the 24-footer ran 5 mph faster than it did when it was a Baja—it’s lighter, and we raised the X-dimension. All of our graphics are done in the gelcoat. And the (Baja-based) models have all the updated features of the rest of the line.”
Not that Checkmate has abandoned its outboard-power, small-boat roots—far from it. In late September, the company introduced a 20-foot V-bottom called the 2000 BXR. With a 115-hp Mercury outboard on the transom, the V-bottom model rings in at $29,995.
“With the 115-hp engine, the boat runs 55 mph and gives the buyer a real performance-boating experience,” said Smith. “If you put the same buyer in a Bayliner, the boat runs 35 mph—it’s a slug. And when he goes to sell it, it won’t be worth anything.
“The goal was to offer a boat a guy could afford for $300 a month,” Smith adds. “That’s what it costs once you pay sales tax and put a trailer under it.



:popcorn: cheeseburger2.gif love-smiley-029.gif

 
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Nobody wanted it

“The tooling was at the dump
The Fountain people didn’t want it.
The Sea Ray didn’t want to know about it.
Nobody wanted it.
(What I got out of it)
I get it, NO one wanted it. So what makes a checkmate owner want it?

So Red, what are you saying about the checkmates after Doug gets a hold of them?

it won’t be worth anything.
:brickwall::brickwall::brickwall::brickwall:
Don't take it as bashing checkmate but Smart Moves at checkmate will end the company that Mr Combs built and leave us with a **** taste in our mouths:sick:
 
What I am talking about when I say come clean refers to a post Doug made. Here is the post

THERE IS NO TRUTH ABOUT BAJA MOLDS, WE HAVE NONE OF THE MOLDS AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THEY HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE LAND FILL.
I HAVE SPOKE WITH REGGIE ABOUT BUILDING SOME OF THE SMALLER BOATS FOR HIM AND THEY WOULD BE THEIR BOATS.

SO THERE IT IS FROM THE HORSES MOUTH.


 
So is this what TOONERS do! Research junk all day. Get back in a real boat man your gonna go crazy. I know a hull with parts for sale its brown!! lol
 
Yea......but who want's the "Detroit Lions" of performance boats....:poke:

Which is what a Baja is/was:sick:

I guess a previous owner of my Convincor went through a lot of effort to lenghten my boat, remove the outboards, and install a BBC:poke:
 
"Tooling was in the dump" that's hilarious. Anyone in the marketing dept had to go directly to the nearest bar.
 
“The tooling was at the dump,” says Smith. “The Fountain people were gone and didn’t want it. The Sea Ray (another Brunswick company) didn’t want to know about it. Nobody wanted it.



if nobody wanted it what makes you think checkmate does?
 
I think i just puked in my mouth...:sick:

so basically everybody wants a football with "stylish" seats?

I hate the football look of the new 2000 brx pictured above, and the flat passenger side dash even more, they should bring back some of the 80's boat's, I know I would buy one, but I guess I'm not Joe Public, it's funny talking to the majority of the population around here (Saskatchewan) that don't know squat about boats that say how great gayliners are and have never even heard of Checkmate, I guess if it looks like a bayliner people will think it's good and might buy it?

To me it looks like every other runabout on the lake and there's nothing about it that stands out and say's hey I'm a Checkmate.
 
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so is it time to officially make the distinction between pre and post doug smith boats on the forum here maybe start a new section for land fill boats

thats assuming anyone that would buy those boats is an owner that cares enough to join an owners forum.

:welcome:
 
I hate the football look of the new 2000 brx pictured above, and the flat passenger side dash even more, they should bring back some of the 80's boat's, I know I would buy one, but I guess I'm not Joe Public, it's funny talking to the majority of the population around here (Saskatchewan) that don't know squat about boats that say how great gayliners are and have never even heard of Checkmate, I guess if it looks like a bayliner people will think it's good and might buy it?

I argree john, i love the styling of just about every boat from the late 70 to the mid 90's... the starflights, pulse, convinsors, and now pulsare are just awesome, they all lot good but those are my favorites!!
 
at one time or another all our Checkmates were new boats and im sure not every new model and style fit everyones taste. im partial to my current checkmate which is a 08 zt280 and i used to own a 1997 253 . when the zt line first appeared i was not a fan, but over time and seeing a few on the water i grew to really like the style, its not for everyone but it works for me. i cant understand the Doug Smith bashing. its his company now. and maybe without his ownership the company would have just folded. as far as catching him in some lie about the molds. who knows the time frame for that quote maybe at that time he did not or could not say he had the molds. but really who cares . in this economy someone is at the Checkmate factory building boats. if you dont like.. you dont have to buy... but im sure if someone did buy a baja style checkmate they sure would not want to be part of this family and post there pics here for fear of being bashed.
 
A little Baja history from the local TF.

BUCYRUS -- A small fiberglass company named Aeroglastics Inc., which built parts and products for other companies, moved into building fiberglass boats in 1971.


That company, Baja Boats, was originally located at 543 Jones St., which had been a roller skating rink. The company had many ups, and downs, in its turbulent 37-year history in Bucyrus.

Aeroglastics was incorporated on Feb. 5, 1970, by Neil E. Baker, Charles F. Coulter and John D. Sears.

The company broke ground for a new $1 million facility in the Bucyrus Airport Industrial Center on Dec. 10, 1974. The new building was the first phase of a four-year expansion program which saw all aspects of the company's operation move to Issac Beal Road.

Company president Baker said at the time that plans for the expansion began some years before when it became clear that projected sales would exceed the capacity of the Jones St. plant.

The plans were rushed, however.

While still on Jones Street, the company suffered a series of fires in 1976, the first happening on Jan. 23 and the second Feb. 5. Both were small fires, causing little damage.

The third fire, however, was different. Much different. Fire ripped through the plant in the early morning hours of Sept. 20, causing more than $140,000 in damages and virtually destroying the plant. Flames were estimated as high as 100 feet.

"We couldn't have saved the building by the time we got there," then Bucyrus Fire Chief Gordon Grove said. "The building was down and gutted within 45 minutes after we got there."

The fire occurred just two weeks before an annual trade show in Chicago, but dealers loaned boats to exhibit to generate subsequent sales.

In the meantime, the Jones Street plant was shut down and Baja executives decided to move quicker to build the new plant on Issac Beal Road.

The building suffered another major fire on Nov. 29, 1977. This fire hit a building just 20 feet south of the site of the first fire. Both fires were eventually ruled to be of suspicious origin.

Aeroglastics also suffered another setback on Dec. 20, 1976, when an administrative judge of the National Labor Relations Board found the company engaged in unfair labor practices and was ordered to restore three employees with seniority and other rights and pay them their earnings.

Aeroglastics appealed the ruling, kicking the case up to a three-member panel, who affirmed the ruling of judge Almira Abbot Stevenson on April 10, 1977.

Baja completed its expansion plans in mid-1979, finishing a 12,000-foot square building. At the time, the company expanded its work force by 40.

The company held yet another groundbreaking for a $1.5 million expansion on Jan. 17, 1984, to build a 20,000-square-foot warehouse. The expansion was expected to create 35 new jobs with more jobs coming as other phases of the expansion were completed.

By 1986, Baja reported sales of more than $20 million and 235 employees, that raised to $32 million and 360 over the next year. During peak periods, production hit between 55 and 60 boats per week coming out of the Bucyrus plant.

In 1987, president Doug Smith announced that the company was opening a new manufacturing facility in Mabank, Texas. In that story, Smith said his company is experiencing unprecedented growth. The Texas facility closed after a short time.

Baja opened an 86,000 square foot engineering facility in 1989 and its Baja Sport 250 was named full size boat of the year by Powerboat magazine.

"Our business has doubled every two years for the last eight years," Smith said in 1989. "We have had tremendous growth."

But ominous days were still ahead.

On Jan. 8, 1994, workers were stunned when they went to pick up their paychecks and were told there was no money. National City Bank of Columbus froze the company's assets after the company laid off most of its 380 workers, including those in management.

According to then Baja vice president Michael Scruggs said that the problem resulted from two missed loan payments.

National City Bank, however, in a subsequent story, said that the decision to close the facility and lay off the employees was solely Smiths decision.

"Anything "Smith" has done as far as closing or slowing down his operation was a business decision on his own," said Stanley Harris, manager of public relations for National City Bank at the time.

Baja announced Jan. 29 it would reopen on Feb. 7, and filed for bankruptcy protection on Feb. 3, filing a reorganization proceeding under Chapter 11 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Canton.

Things gradually began to return to normal, and Baja employees were offered insurance in March.

Baja's mortgage with National City was purchased on March 31 by Genmar Holdings in Minneapolis, Minn. But management agreed to let Brunswick purchase assets to enable the company to come out of Chapter 11. In October of 1995, Baja Boats became the sole property of Brunswick/SeaRay Division.
 
thanks for the info , i did not know any of the past history of baja, but it sounds like the modern day fountain, donzi, baja, and alot of others . powerquest powerplay challenger profile etc etc etc. boat building is a tough business even in the best of times. all im saying is the people that are there and building boats today should have our support
 
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