Fountain Aquired Baja
03-27-2008, 09:24 AM
#262
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03-27-2008, 10:38 AM
#263
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Reggie will be here Monday so hopefully we will know something soon. A few area business have signs up welcoming him to town and encouraging him to keep the plant open. I thought that was kinda cool. 
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03-27-2008, 02:29 PM
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Dock.. I agree personally agree with you. It would have been nice to see the tour continue. I was just looking at it from Fountain's viewpoint. Speculatively. It makes no sense financially to support a marketing tour for a model that is being eliminated.
I hope that this merger benefits Baja. Allowing the experience and performance gains that Fountain has to be applied to the Baja lineup. I would hate to see Baja become the financial work-mule for Fountain to continue to develope and showcase the Fountain lineup while the Baja lineup dwells at a lower eschelon, handicapped performancewise so not to share the pedestal yet providing a solid base. Only time will tell.
It would be interesting to see what a aerodynamic Baja deck can do with a efficient stepped hull with carbon fiber layup. Might make a few other brands shake...
I hope that this merger benefits Baja. Allowing the experience and performance gains that Fountain has to be applied to the Baja lineup. I would hate to see Baja become the financial work-mule for Fountain to continue to develope and showcase the Fountain lineup while the Baja lineup dwells at a lower eschelon, handicapped performancewise so not to share the pedestal yet providing a solid base. Only time will tell.
It would be interesting to see what a aerodynamic Baja deck can do with a efficient stepped hull with carbon fiber layup. Might make a few other brands shake...
03-27-2008, 08:30 PM
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03-27-2008, 10:03 PM
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03-28-2008, 10:49 AM
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Actually, it would make more sense for Fountain not to step the Baja line, at least from a marketing, sales and cost perspective. Here's why:
First, word is that Fountain likely will discontinue all Bajas over 30 feet. That way, they don't compete with Fountain's bread and butter sport boats for sales. Second, they don't want to canibalize sales. Sure, Baja and Fountain make significantly different boats, but the buyer looking for a bargain will, given a choice, go with a less expensive version of what he perceives at the "same" product.
So now you're looking at Bajas of 30 feet or less. And you're also likely looking at boats positioned at entry level. Conventional V-bottoms have marketing advantages with that audience. (Don't think for a moment that the Baja people didn't discuss going with steps over the years ... their choice to stay with conventional V-bottoms was calculated and deliberate.)
Third, consider the cost. If Fountain were to step all Bajas of less than 30 feet, consider the retooling costs would be substantial.
I don't see Fountain putting steps in Bajas. I could, of course, be wrong, but it doesn't make much sense from a marketing, sales or production-cost perspective. At least to me.
Like everyone else, I'm just speculating. But if not for speculation, this would be an awfully quiet board.
First, word is that Fountain likely will discontinue all Bajas over 30 feet. That way, they don't compete with Fountain's bread and butter sport boats for sales. Second, they don't want to canibalize sales. Sure, Baja and Fountain make significantly different boats, but the buyer looking for a bargain will, given a choice, go with a less expensive version of what he perceives at the "same" product.
So now you're looking at Bajas of 30 feet or less. And you're also likely looking at boats positioned at entry level. Conventional V-bottoms have marketing advantages with that audience. (Don't think for a moment that the Baja people didn't discuss going with steps over the years ... their choice to stay with conventional V-bottoms was calculated and deliberate.)
Third, consider the cost. If Fountain were to step all Bajas of less than 30 feet, consider the retooling costs would be substantial.
I don't see Fountain putting steps in Bajas. I could, of course, be wrong, but it doesn't make much sense from a marketing, sales or production-cost perspective. At least to me.
Like everyone else, I'm just speculating. But if not for speculation, this would be an awfully quiet board.
