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Just got a call from Kip Combs

topgun

topgun

Well-known member
Anybody else geat a call from Checkmate today? Well I did. It was Kip himself. He tells me that they are as of today officially up and running and he was put in charge of reaching out to all the people who have been trying to get ahold of them over there in the past couple months.
He told me that he is getting a list together of what people need so I told them I needed an interior but wasn't going to order till the end of the season . He said they are are going to do two at a time. I was told that since I am making the leap in the off season that he would reach out to me when they are ready. My guess its going to be by waiting list.
So glad to hear they are back and was kinda kool to talk to the man himself. I hope I did not get any of this wrong.....Rich


Checkmate lives ese! :cool:
 
Agreed. Thats exactly what I thought. :thumb:
Wish I could order right now but I need to wait at least till october. But will order it whenever he call me so I don't miss my turn. Kip sounds to be a real stand up guy.
 
Hey topgun, you didn't by chance here if Mike Combs was still there also
did ya, he was great help to me a few times in the parts department and
also when ordering my new interior. He was like a human Checkmate
computer.
 
Sorry, it really didnt think to ask. He took down my hull number since my check is a mid year change model and like I said before, he said he call me with a price when they would be ready for me.
 
When I spoke to Kip I felt like I was talking to the new checkmate under hustler. If you know what I mean? Also if I would of been talking to Doug or dee I would have been very Leary about the real purpose of the call.
To me the whole thing feels like the new checkmate trying to get itself back up and running just like the man himself told me. He also mentioned that until the orders for new boats start coming in he could start dealing with all of us who are looking for service and or parts for our boats. All seem legit to me sofar.
 
Kip is a good dude.

His father may have started the company, but at the end of the day he is just a guy that follows the boss' orders.

I would be suprised if he had any control and/or knowledge of the shady dealings, therefor it is not his position to explain them after the fact.

IMO, it isn't fair to fire off questions about the former ownership to Kip.

HD
 
I just got off the phone with Kip!! It was great to talk with him again. They will be gearing up to start spraying gelcoat and building boats shortly as supplys arrive. He said Mike will eventually come back also as things ramp up. The new owner (Joe/Hustler) wants to get new product back into production and into the market place first. Right now Kip is super busy weeding through thousands (no exaggeration) of emails since the doors were closed. Give him time and he will get back to all the (real) Checkmate fanatics that are looking for parts/interiors/etc. I did not ask any questions pertaining to Doug Smith as I wanted the conversation to be positive as I welcomed Kip back. All I can say is that I personally am very happy that Kip is part of the New Checkmate and that the legacy will continue. At the last Miami boat show I had the opportunity to climb aboard a couple of the new Hustlers on display. If Hustler's interior workmanship carry over to the Checkmate models, we are bound to see some GREAT new boats out of the Checkmate factory!!!! Best wishes for a fresh start and success to all the Checkmate family. Steve
 
JUPITER PULSARE said:
I just got off the phone with Kip!! It was great to talk with him again. They will be gearing up to start spraying gelcoat and building boats shortly as supplys arrive. He said Mike will eventually come back also as things ramp up. The new owner (Joe/Hustler) wants to get new product back into production and into the market place first. Right now Kip is super busy weeding through thousands (no exaggeration) of emails since the doors were closed. Give him time and he will get back to all the (real) Checkmate fanatics that are looking for parts/interiors/etc. I did not ask any questions pertaining to Doug Smith as I wanted the conversation to be positive as I welcomed Kip back. All I can say is that I personally am very happy that Kip is part of the New Checkmate and that the legacy will continue. At the last Miami boat show I had the opportunity to climb aboard a couple of the new Hustlers on display. If Hustler's interior workmanship carry over to the Checkmate models, we are bound to see some GREAT new boats out of the Checkmate factory!!!! Best wishes for a fresh start and success to all the Checkmate family. Steve
Click to expand...
I can tell you that Kip has always treated me and us here in the forums great. He's always been very co-operative and always tried to help us here when he can.

As one example, back in the early days of the community Kip would often send me messages or call offering info and one of the nice things he and Combs' family did was that they pulled some of the older Checkmate brochures that they had out Checkmate's archieves and couriered them to us to scan and post. Some that Checkmate had extra copies of, he would tell me to keep and some others that were very rare, of that Checkmate only had one of, we would courier back to the factory.

Kip also used to also email me a steady stream of build pictures of various boats that were being built or under construction and we even got to see many early plugs and concepts that were being considered. As one example, we got to see the Pulsare 1600 be developed almost step by step.

I hope under the leadership of the new ownership Kip will be able to play a more active roll again here again in the community, obviously once things get somewhat back to normal. :)

-Chris
 
My Pulsare BR is Kip's old boat. He treated me fair in that deal and has always had time for me when I've visited the plant or called with questions. Like everyone else here I don't know all the details of exactly what happened, but I'm not holding any of it against Kip until someone can prove I should. I hope they get things going, I'd like to get some new front seats with the flip-up bottom.
 
thats great news! glad Checkmate is building up steam! also good to hear that they are touching base with their clientele after the layover. all things will work them selves out in time.

wish them the best.
 
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