Where Was Your Baja Built?
12-23-2008, 09:52 AM
#24
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[QUOTE=XT-Innovator;2764026]
And it's changed today how?
But hey without the rendering the other 10 to 20 would not have a clue what they were working on.
It's still a nice looking boat.
And it's changed today how?
But hey without the rendering the other 10 to 20 would not have a clue what they were working on.
It's still a nice looking boat.
12-23-2008, 09:54 AM
#25
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Wow, some of this is before my time when I started working for Baja in 1984.
In the mid-late 70's there was production of some Bajas in Arkansas, mostly the Cararra models, and some others became models for Concord Boats. In the mid-late 80's Baja was riding the "high horse" with max. production in Ohio, and a small (production only) site in Texas. Bev Carlisle even went down to be a superviser as she recalls. Get this! Aurthor Anderson was our accounting firm at that time and they really F***ed the Texas plant bad.
Things were great in the late 80s with a private Citation Jet to communicate, and a pilot that was a great guy. We even sponsered a car in NASCAR around that time. We also had purchased land in Florida, and started to develop it for a new plant. THEN the first Gulf War hit, and that was just as bad as things are now with boat building. We lost over 50% of our dealers that year, and had to borrow millions to get through that time period.
Business was slowly getting better, and it wasn't until late 1994 & cash flow was soft, then we asked the bank if we could skip a payment. Well that back-fired and the bank DEMANDED payment, and sold the note before we could come-up with the cash. There are more details to this, but that is how Brunswick came to own Baja. Doug Smith stayed on until 1999 as President under Brunswick, and they were good years up until he retired. I think the more recent history is better known, and I am getting tired of pecking at the keys.
XT
In the mid-late 70's there was production of some Bajas in Arkansas, mostly the Cararra models, and some others became models for Concord Boats. In the mid-late 80's Baja was riding the "high horse" with max. production in Ohio, and a small (production only) site in Texas. Bev Carlisle even went down to be a superviser as she recalls. Get this! Aurthor Anderson was our accounting firm at that time and they really F***ed the Texas plant bad.
Things were great in the late 80s with a private Citation Jet to communicate, and a pilot that was a great guy. We even sponsered a car in NASCAR around that time. We also had purchased land in Florida, and started to develop it for a new plant. THEN the first Gulf War hit, and that was just as bad as things are now with boat building. We lost over 50% of our dealers that year, and had to borrow millions to get through that time period.
Business was slowly getting better, and it wasn't until late 1994 & cash flow was soft, then we asked the bank if we could skip a payment. Well that back-fired and the bank DEMANDED payment, and sold the note before we could come-up with the cash. There are more details to this, but that is how Brunswick came to own Baja. Doug Smith stayed on until 1999 as President under Brunswick, and they were good years up until he retired. I think the more recent history is better known, and I am getting tired of pecking at the keys.
XT
12-23-2008, 10:19 AM
#26
Custom Interiors & More
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XT
12-23-2008, 10:34 AM
#29
Custom Interiors & More
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[QUOTE=Dock Holiday;2764164]
Yes, but look how different the real 370 looked from the rendering. In the more recent history boat designs were all done in the computer in 3d. Everything is figured out before we even made the hull mold, that was cut on a 5 axis router.
XT
XT
