Offshoreonly.com - Fountain=Weak display at MIA boat show...

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- - Fountain=Weak display at MIA boat show... (https://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/fountain/248668-fountain%3Dweak-display-mia-boat-show.html)

It doesnt really affect me to much, by the time I can afford a boat that was built today its going to be 10 years at least.

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Originally Posted by mcraymond3 (Post 3342597)

I am one of those "weak dealers" now carrying Fountain boats. I signed up right before everything went down with Reggie. You bet, I am sorry he is not there!!! Every time I ever saw him at a poker run or at the factory, he would thank me for running his boats. (even though I was in a fish boat at a poker run) At Loto, he jumped on my boat and wanted to go out and wave to the crowd. Everyone loved him. It didn't matter if they were on a 55 Sea Ray or a 15ft Bayliner. People LOVE and RESPECT him! It is a shame that he is gone! He Left. Liberty wanted him to stay.

With that said, the new guys from Liberty and the guys that are still at Fountain, especially Tony and Brian, are committed to making Fountain boats better than before. I had a special request with the second boat we ordered. They are building me a one of a kind boat. They are taking my odd request and making it happen. It is great to see the factory so busy. We may be a weak dealer network now but we are so excited about the product and the future with Fountain Powerboats. We are taking baby steps in this economy but I feel great about what is happing with at the factory and about the product. I have personally owned 9 Fountains, 2 OL's, and three Cigs. NOTHING compares to a Fountain in my opinion. I think a lot of people are going to be surprised with the new Liberty/ Fountain team. Just give them a chance.

Mat
www.gosanders.com

Good luck, Mat. I wish you the best in your new endeavor as a Fountain dealer. I suggest anyone interested in a boat/truck/car get in touch with this man and just talk to him. He comes across as a totally honest and legit business man and I liked his style. Dan

I'm sorry...Its easy to jump on the Liberty bashing train for them showing RF the door.
I would much rather see them work something out with Reggie to have him back on board. I think the Fountain line is a great product and would hate to see it drop off.

Maybe I am missing something here but I have read on here people that bashed Reggie for spending so much money when he shouldn't have.

Most boat companies don't want to build to inventory, so IF they (Liberty) would have had a big display of boats wouldn't they have been doing just that?

I really don't think Liberty pushed him out. I believe Liberty wanted Reggie to stay but he would not sign a "non compete". In fact, this is what I got from the interview with Reggie in Powerboat Mag? There is no doubt that Reggie is the Man! I love him too and wish him the best with RF Powerboats. However, the guys from Liberty are all right in my book. Reggie started Fountain Powerboats but Liberty saved Fountain Powerboats.

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Originally Posted by Wildman_grafix (Post 3342971)

You kind of nailed it you did. He drove them into the ground at precisely the wrong time. Sometimes, timing is all you have, good or bad. No sense knocking a company that bailed them out, and did it in a way that made good business sense. The other alternative, which Reggie fought himself in court, was apparently not a nice one.

Reggie has his ego, Liberty wants to run a business. Take you pick as to what's more important. I would assume somebody has used Walker's telephone number by now?

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Originally Posted by mcraymond3 (Post 3342975)

I'm huge Reggie fan but I do not think that Liberty "pushed" him out. Looked more like a childish hissie fit on his part to me, grandstanding gone bad, Reggie pushed himself out. My guess is that he wanted to take off on a mega-buck revamp of the line adventure on Liberty's dollar and Liberty wanted to just settle in, build some boats in hopes of actually making some profits. Is there something wrong with the line as it is now? Why not just build them and get back on some solid financial ground. Is that not a reasonable approach in these times, do the revamp when things turn for the better.

I wish Liberty the best, they did in fact save FPB from extinction. Said this before but, Reggie seems to have forgotten that.

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Originally Posted by RaggedEdge (Post 3343165)

I wish Liberty the best, they did in fact save FPB from extinction. Said this before but, Reggie seems to have forgotten that.

Totally agree!

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Originally Posted by RedMatter (Post 3340797)

Yeah, really disappointing. Also the price on the 42 with 700's was like almost $500K. Fountain certainly lacked the presence they used to have and seemed somewhat lost at the show. Hope that changes in the future.

I have one for 385k less than 30 hrs.