"TOP SECRET CHECKMATE" PIC'S

[hotdaddy27]

All I've got to say, is if the company can sell the resurrected boats for a profit and stay in business, then they stay in business to build my favorite Pulsare line.

If Big Boy (DS) begins carving up the O/B's, I may be sporting my 2100 'til the day I die.

No more profits from my pocket.

 

[Old Navy]

It's a "SPLASH", has been going on as long as boats have been built. How many versions of a Taylor SS jet are there? If those sold well as an H2X, they must appeal to people. Selling boats IS what keeps boat companys alive. IT'S 1 MODEL, (and maybe a couple others like the above posts state). The traditional models are still in production. If the new version has Checkmate quality, and appeals to new buyers, then whats the big deal? Selling boats to the masses worked for Baja, it might work here too. Diversity (with quality) is the key to attracting the most buyers. Flame if you must.

I own a Checkmate and am proud of it.

 

[hotdaddy27]

I agree with Old Navy to a point....

Where I draw the line is when the company begins to change the integrity of the product that people have identified with.

In the case of Checkmate, we have come to recognize them as a semi-affordable, balsa cored, exceptional gel'd, well tooled, classic looking speed boat.

If the company suddenly starts producing cheaper, tubbed, foam filled, anchors with space ship tooling, then they are not adhering to the integrity that many long term followers expect.

I am sure that BIG BOY (DS), as the smart business man that he is, expected some of the opposition expressed today.

I do wish the company well. 29 years in a Checkmate, it would be hard to drive anything else.

I hope that there will be a post at some point by the management pointing out the differences between the old and the new (Baja/Checkmate).

 

[plastic1]

With so much discussion here about "what if" DS builds a baja with a checkmate logo on it and so many people not wanting to see it why did they decide to make such a statement by making it their first move? I know there has always been the rivalry between checkmate and baja but I dont care where that h2x mold came from... I personally think it is the ugliest boat I have ever laid eyes on. it looks like a big ugly bathtub with seats. at least the taylor ss was a cool boat with neat lines. I realize why checkmate did this and I understand business is challenging these days so I hope they do whatever is needed to keep their people working and bucyrus on the map, even if it means building some ugly cookie cutter boats. I think this was meant to be a powerful statement made by the people of checkmate, and judging by the activity on these boards today I would say they did just that. BIG RED... as a fellow pridefull owner of a 1996 checkmate, after today, I now understand your **** talk of baja I earlier questioned on these forums. I have always loved checkmates and have owned a couple, seeing this today helps me understand where your comments about baja come from. thanks for the photos and if I ever meet ya I will be more than happy to buy ya a beer and look at your real checkmate.

 

[Big Red]

I cant see why Doug Smith cant just man up and call it what it is. Dont call it a Checkmate ZT

I think what would be right would be to call it " THE RETRO H2X " by Checkamate

And plastic1 that is the best description of the boat yet.

it looks like a big ugly bathtub with seats.

 

[boatn70]

All I've got to say, is if the company can sell the resurrected boats for a profit and stay in business, then they stay in business to build my favorite Pulsare line.

i agree JW. as a business decision........i may make sense. its unfortunate to all the checkmate fanatics who love the old school styling.
i have to say the newer checkmates that have been made up to this point really have looked sweet! consider this a stepping stone possibly.
as it was said before give it time.........even though it may hurt a little

 

[illMATTic]

I wonder how many times this weekend alone Doug will hear, "Isnt that an old Baja"?

What do you think his answer will be to a would-be new customer?

 

[Chris]

I wonder how many times this weekend alone Doug will hear, "Isnt that an old Baja"?

What do you think his answer will be to a would-be new customer?

I'll bite...here's my best guess....


DAMN I HATE THAT BIG RED GUY!

AND TO THINK I SENT HIM A FREE HAT



-Chris

 

[Heavy Handed]

I think it's fugly (never cared for that look, lines or layout) and I am a bit worried that the brand I have loved for a long time could move more in this direction. The beauty of the free market system, however, is that "it" will be the judge. I can't imagine that a smart business person would want to lose one part of his market share while trying to increase another--too much of a gamble in a really tight market. My sense is that he is going to try and keep the "old timers" happy while recruiting a peice of the Baja market. Time will tell and in the meantime, I'll hang on to my Convincor.

 

[Big Red]

I'll bite...here's my best guess....


DAMN I HATE THAT BIG RED GUY!

AND TO THINK I SENT HIM A FREE HAT



-Chris

I might make a deal with Doug if he gives me that Checkmate chair in the photo of the new RETRO H2x Beckmate I might shut up

 

[Chris]

Jayme, you should try to snag one of those old custom made Checkmate bucket seats that were made into office type chairs with castors.

I'm sure there must be a few kicking around.

-Chris

 

[boatman4021]

So much talk! WOW! What a hornets nest. You people keep talking like Checkmate is now using chopper guns and using cheaper materials and now Checkmates are not worth anything. They still make every Checkmate that was in the line up last year and they still make them the same way. I am NOT a Baja fan. But Checkmate did not start building boats the Baja way. They started buiding a Baja the Checkmate way! If it is built in their factory, they have the right to call it whatever they want. So, for those of you who don't like this new boat, don't buy one, buy the real Checkmate. But if you know someone who has said to you "I don't care for Checkmate's, I prefer Baja" pass the word to them. This will help keep the employee's at Checkmate to keep there job's. I wonder what you people would say if Bill Combs was still in control and this happened. Over the years, I have become good friends with both Bill and Kip and I have great respect for the Combs family. Fact is, when you are trying to keep a business of this size alive in such a tough market place, and adding a product to your line will help bring in other customers, you gotta do what you gotta do. As for those other 1million or so 24' Baja's out there, yes they are a dime a dozen because of the poor quality the put them out of business. No, I have no desire to buy one of these boats. But I welcome the chance to bring other people to our FAMILY and let them see the quality that we have been talking about for so many years. boatman

Doug Smith for president!

 

[illMATTic]

So much talk about Checkmate still building quality boats. How do we know these new eruuuh..... boats in question, are built to the Checkmate standard? The design certainly is not! If he is willing to pass off the piss poor style, why not try the piss poor quality as well?

I want this on the record right now. I feel this was a poor decision even if they only intend to go with these few boats and still produce the current Checkmate hulls.

Oh and by the way. That H2X looks like a damn nerf football.

 

[Big Red]

So much talk! WOW! What a hornets nest. You people keep talking like Checkmate is now using chopper guns and using cheaper materials and now Checkmates are not worth anything. They still make every Checkmate that was in the line up last year and they still make them the same way. I am NOT a Baja fan. But Checkmate did not start building boats the Baja way. They started buiding a Baja the Checkmate way! If it is built in their factory, they have the right to call it whatever they want. So, for those of you who don't like this new boat, don't buy one, buy the real Checkmate. But if you know someone who has said to you "I don't care for Checkmate's, I prefer Baja" pass the word to them. This will help keep the employee's at Checkmate to keep there job's. I wonder what you people would say if Bill Combs was still in control and this happened. Over the years, I have become good friends with both Bill and Kip and I have great respect for the Combs family. Fact is, when you are trying to keep a business of this size alive in such a tough market place, and adding a product to your line will help bring in other customers, you gotta do what you gotta do. As for those other 1million or so 24' Baja's out there, yes they are a dime a dozen because of the poor quality the put them out of business. No, I have no desire to buy one of these boats. But I welcome the chance to bring other people to our FAMILY and let them see the quality that we have been talking about for so many years. boatman

Doug Smith for president!

If Checkmate has another poker run does this mean all the baja's can come to. Or do they need to have 2 seperate runs.

And if Checkmate would have advertised a bit more instead of a 50 mile radius around their shop more people would still no they exist.

And why have we not seen any other models pushed and talked about on any other site like the new BECKMATE

Dude its a freakin Baja H2 its nothing new it has been around for years. He could have just bought one off boattrader and stuck a Checkmate sticker on it

 

[cooperider]

A Checkmate/Baja poker run. Imagine that group sitting down for drinks somewhere, sounds like a heck of a good time.

 

[cooperider]

A nice sunset from the condo in Miami.

 

[Reed]

cool sunset pic coop... I'm looking forward in 2 -3 weeks hope 2 to be able to come over for a visit... I can't wait to see what your working on. I'm ready for this ice to go so I can get to testing new ideas to get my boat to behave ~smiles~

 

[boatman4021]

OK, What is the real problem? If they had designed a new boat that looked almost the same and didn't save money by using the Baja mold, would you guy's still be crying. And by the way, who's money is Doug spending? How many people on this board have bought a new Checkmate in the past 2 years? They dodn't have to adverise for us to know, but still just a handful of new boat sales to the so called fanatics. This company has to stay in business some how and like it or not, they have already dodged the bullet once. If you people were true to your favorite brand, you stand behind them and support them, not trash talk them on the internet for others to see. This is a PUBLIC site. As far as splitting this site, maybe some of you should put your money together and start your own high tech performance boat company and find out how hard it is to survive in todays market. Then you could have a second site called WWW.CRYMATE-BOATS.COM. I will say it again, if you don't like the new boat, DON'T BUY ONE! boatman

 

[Craig]

OK, What is the real problem? If they had designed a new boat that looked almost the same and didn't save money by using the Baja mold, would you guy's still be crying. And by the way, who's money is Doug spending? How many people on this board have bought a new Checkmate in the past 2 years? They dodn't have to adverise for us to know, but still just a handful of new boat sales to the so called fanatics. This company has to stay in business some how and like it or not, they have already dodged the bullet once. If you people were true to your favorite brand, you stand behind them and support them, not trash talk them on the internet for others to see. This is a PUBLIC site. As far as splitting this site, maybe some of you should put your money together and start your own high tech performance boat company and find out how hard it is to survive in todays market. Then you could have a second site called WWW.CRYMATE-BOATS.COM. I will say it again, if you don't like the new boat, DON'T BUY ONE! boatman

I won't buy one, tough guy. You're the one cryin. It's plain and simple. You never use to need a checkmate sticker on a checkmate to know it's a checkmate from across the water.....now you do. This little stunt isn't an effort to stay in business. You're trying to tell me they need to build the old baja H2X to stay in business? Are you kidding me? The whole thing is, someone just can't let go of the past. I'll trash talk this "new" checkmate as much as I want whether you like it or not crybaby. I’ve bought 3 new checkmates in the last 8 years, 2 of them since Doug has owned the company. So if I see a new model that I don’t like I can say so. Who are you to tell me that I can’t? What are you 6’-9” 290lbs…..you better be.

-Craig

 

[boatman4021]

OK, Let's get real for a minute TOUGH GUY! How many ZT 240's do you think are on the water now? I don't Like a Baja any better then the next guy, but some one does. How many of these new 244ZT's do you think were sold by Baja? Yea, that's right, a bunch of them ! So some people must like the looks of it. Why not cash in on some new sales. If you can prove to me that Checkmate has lowered there quality standards just by building an old Baja in there factory, I will kiss you a$$ and give you 2 days to draw a crowd! You guys started this BS. I am not the one crying, just plum sick of all of the trash talk. You guys sound like the football fan who cheers for his favorite team and talks about how GREAT the players are until they lose a game. Then he hates the coach, thinks he should die, is never going to watch football again, not thinking that the players he was so proud of actually played in that losing game. Guy's, we are the players! If we don't buy new boats from Checkmate, someone else will! Yes, maybe even the Baja fanatic's. I will stand behind Checkmate until I take my last breath. If they want to take a Bayliner and build it to Checkmate quality and stamp Checkmate on the side, go for it! Most of you aren't going to buy on anyway. YOU JUST WANT SOME TO LISTEN TO YOU CRY! boatman