Performance Boat Companies that have gone or are almost gone
 

We have this discussion about once a month (my friends and I ) and there is always someone new i had not thought about that used to make boats and I don't hear about anymore

I thought it would be interesting to name those that were predominant, and now are gone. Or at least update their situation

Please feel free to ad to the list

there are a few that are still around and we just here nothing from them

put those on the list and then maybe someone can update there status

This is just what i can think of off the top of my head

1) Ocean Express - It has been a while since i have stoped by their shop. I havent heard anything about them in a long time but every time i stopped they had something new in the shop just hear zero about them anymore

2) Chief Powerboats - Most know this was a disaster and was here and gone in a flash. I was involved with them for a short amount of time. It was a good Idea that went bad

3) Saber Powerboats - Contrary to some peoples opinions they are no longer viable. They have leased out more than 75% of their facility to a plastics molding operation and just do some boat repair in the room that is left
Great guys with a nice operation that were sucked into a bad deal a couple of years ago that pretty much put them under

4) Powerquest-We hear much about them being alive and well and i drove buy last week and saw maybe 6 cars in the parking lot . Anyone have an update on these guys ??

5) Baja- Not Gone but been absorbed into the Fountain operation (FAJA) Does anyone know if they will retain the Baja name or become a Baja by Fountain

6)Wellcraft Scarab- been a few years now since Wellcraft stopped building performance boats

7)Challenger - I was told that they are now done (again) anyone have confirming information on this ???

8) Powerplay - Great rough water boat. Owner with some shady dealings finally went under just a few years ago

9) Awesome Cats - After screwing many customers the company folded in Michigan. Assets and name moved to MO and was trying to get off the ground. Now it has been reported that they have gone under as well

10) Axium (Offshore Concepts) Cool boats built in the 80's by a friend off mine Lance Sonevelt, Lance sold the molds to guy in MO and the boats have never resurfaced

12) American Offshore - Someone told me they are still up and running but i have not seen anything written about them in a long time Anyone have info on their status ??

This is just a start of the list

Add to the list with a little backup information on any company that you may list

Is it wrong to consider a boat company dead if it has not produced a boat in over 2 years ????

wellcraft uses the scarab name again, but not the same boat.

How about Excalibur, P&D, the REAL apache???

I am sure there are many more, just too early to get the brain going!!!

It will not be long before that list grows. :eek:

Super Hawaii - looked hard at a SH several years ago before I bought my Formula. Always thought they were a great looking boat. What happened to them?

American Offshore is still around I believe. They moved out West and are making the 26 and a deck boat I'm nearly positive.

Powerquest claimed they were going to be building boats this year but I've yet to see an '08 model. They were always a regional boat and the region they sold in is so depressed that I cannot see how they would make it even if they did start building '09 models. Boat plants are being closed, not opened or reopened in this market.

Chief is still around....not building boats for the time being unless you call them but they're still around. They built two boats, one was called a Newtech (spelling), the second was Chief. Bob is doing mostly restos and other projects these days since the new boat market is in the crapper, I spoke to him last week..

Here is an '08 28 deck boat on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Boats...3286.m14.l1318

Looks like the Nordic 27 Lightning.

What about Black Thunder? There were some reports earlier of their possible demise.

Magnum
Apache
Carrera

What about Dragon??