Is the Dragon dead?
 

http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsd...32ibinews.html

( link first posted by oso Wally)

Hmmmmmmmm.....doubt it!

Congrads Craig. Good luck with your new job.

no.... but i heard they will be layed up at a "new" place today..

Agreed - it's Craig's baby and i am sure he won't let that happen.

Congrats and a good move for all involved.

I think he will be a great asset to Donzi .... I hope the Dragon lives
congrats Craig\ Donzi

Spoke with craig a few days ago. Dragon operations are going to the Donzi Faciltiy. Craig will tear it up for Donzi. Great opportunity for both.

good stuff...

Tidal shifts in the Industry !
 

Craig is just the spark that Donzi really needs to kick their performance level up a few good notches. Donzi definitly makes a great looking package and quality product, with Craigs knowhow they should be able to bring the hull capabilities up to a new level. I see a Donzi Dragon in the tea leaves! Could this be why Reggie is buying Baja??
Ah the Soup thickens and the chatter starts click'in !! this is way better than American Idol !

Congrats to both Donzi and Craig for what should be a great future for both !!

Holly Cow ! Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

there ya go get a dragon!!!

Rumor is that the Dragon will now be called the Dragonzi. :D



Best wishes to Craig, Donzi and Dragon.

Sounds very interesting and this should bring some exciting stuff.

I am reminded of the article in Powerboat about 2 years ago where the owner of Donzi said the small manufacturers were not good for the industry and should be regulated out of business.

I may not be using his exact words but close enough.:(

2112,

If you're talking about the long Q & A in Powerboat with Donzi CEO Lee Kimmell, I "wrote" (as much as anyone writes a Q & A) it. I don't have the article in front of me, but I am relatively sure he didn't say or imply anything of the sort.

Maybe it was another magazine (my piece on Kimmell was several years ago). Our conversation ranged far and wide, and even got a little heated a few times, but I just don't recall him saying anything about small builders hurting the industry, much less suggesting they be "regulated out of business."

I will check, though, because if I'm wrong my memory is more shot than I think it is.

Matt......would you be surprised? :D

funny matt

I would appreciate you looking, as although I have subscribed for 19 years, I don't save them. It was your article BTW.

If I misinterpreted his comments, I will eat my words but I was worked up enough at the time I contemplated writing the editor as I have owned two boats built by small builders and they were of a much higher quality than my "production" boat.

I dont think the boat achieved a new standard in Vee bottom performance, while being built with the lastest technology, it isnt the fastest slickest design. Some will claim how competitive it is racing but that is in bracketed classes. it never broke out in the major league field of Skater, Fountain,or Donzi for that matter, in the ranks of Super Vee.

Just my .02

Did somebody say shots???????:drink::evilb::drink::evilb::drink:

Congrats CB!!!!!!

Congrats to CB and Donzi!
Donzi hit a home run with the Zr designs thanks to Steve Simon. Unfortunately since his passing, Donzi has been unable to fill the enormous void left behind. Donzi needs a strong performance and detail oriented person to run the show. Craig should fill that void nicely.

congrats craig, i'll guess we'll be seeing more of ya down around here.
grove harbour crew

Lee Kimmell is definately a colorful charachter but to truely understand the man you need to know and understand the man. You also need to be a pretty bright individual to be 39 years old and one of the top players at Salomon Brothers.

Here is a clip from the NY Times 20yrs ago:

"COMPANY NEWS; Appointee at Salomon Has Brash Reputation
By SARAH BARTLETT
Published: March 7, 1989

Lee H. Kimmell, 39 years old, who has been named to head the merchant banking efforts at Salomon Brothers, is a figure with a colorful reputation on Wall Street. He is viewed from inside and outside the firm as a smart investment banker who built Salomon's financial institutions advisory business into one of the most profitable areas of investment banking at the firm.

Lee H. Kimmell, 39 years old, who has been named to head the merchant banking efforts at Salomon Brothers, is a figure with a colorful reputation on Wall Street. He is viewed from inside and outside the firm as a smart investment banker who built Salomon's financial institutions advisory business into one of the most profitable areas of investment banking at the firm.

Among the deals he has overseen are the sale of Texas Commerce Bank to Chemical Banking, the defense of Bank of America from a hostile takeover by First Interstate, American Express' acquisition of Shearson and Shearson's acquisition of Lehman Brothers.

But Mr. Kimmell is also known for constant use of vulgar language, blunt criticisms of colleagues and rudeness that is notable even by the standards of Wall Street deal-making. 'Cannot Tolerate Mediocrity'

Mr. Kimmell acknowledges that aspect of his reputation. ''I simply cannot tolerate mediocrity,'' he said in explaining his manner, which he does not believe has hurt his ability to do business. ''If I'm so abrasive and such a holy terror, then how come so many people hired me, and many of them on a repeat basis?''

And there has been little turnover among the people who work for Mr. Kimmell. Those who work with him say he has matured with the additional responsibilities he has been given in the last few years.

The chairman of Texas Commerce, Ben Love, who has been advised by Mr. Kimmell for more than 10 years, said in reference to his intensity and reputation, ''I'm not telling you the fellow's a marshmallow.'' He then added, ''I've always thought of Lee as a younger version of John Gutfreund, and that's a compliment.''

I don't quite recall the snipit that you are referring to in Matt's story because I don't think it exists but in regard to that topic: The truth is that there are way too many boat manufactures in this industry and alot of them are going out of business today becuase of the economy. Even when the economy is good there is no way shape or form enough demand to sustain all of the boat companies that are out there today.

Getting back to Lee, as brash, colorful, vulgar or rude that he may be he has a huge heart and to truely understand and appreciate the man you need to know him.

When I went to work for Essex Credit I called Lee if he would come to San Francisco and give a "state of the boat business" speech. He said absolutely and re-arranged his schedule to attend. He also paid his own way and wouldn't let me pay a dime.

I am proud to call him "one of my more colorful" friends ;)

october 2003 powerboat

As much as I respect Dave P. and his friendship with Kimmell et al, I rue the day that investment bankers and buyout artists entered the retail boat business. IMHO they are responsible for driving the greatest creative minds out (starting with Carl Kiekhaefer), dumbing down the product line, and mass marketing "units" so that there are far too many pleasure boats floating unused in marinas, aging in driveways, and/or out and about in the hands of people who belong anywhere but on the water. The U.S. was built on the efforts of entrepeneurs who in most cases operated a small business. Today, if you have even a remotely original idea you must navigate a sea of regulation, Capex limits, liability issues, and patent infringement from both the U.S. and abroad (China), making the little guy a non participant. If Carl K. were starting out in this era of instant electronic gratification, and the performance outboard and I/O industry had not been started yet.....it never would be.

T2x

Well said ! :cool-smiley-011:

Who's on first?
 

Didn't anybody pick up on my comment about Reggie buying Baja? Your reading to fast for comprehension!

Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

Yes but until it is a done deal and publicly announced it is called "RUMOR or HEAR SAY" and god knows there is enough of that on OSO.

I saw on OSO that Dave P. bought a Dragon from Craig Barrie, slapped a Donzi sticker on it, and sold it to CustomRyder on Paycheck-Loan-Credit. Another OSO member saw it in transit outside of LOTO's SuperCat Cove behind a black Dodge dually, sticking vertical out of an industrial wood chipper being towed with a weight distributing hitch.

To clarify: It was a Dragonzi :D

That is f'n hilarious!!!:D wasn't it diesel powered too???

Bio even. :grinser010:

How is Donzi's customer service, consumer relations and warranty departments?

:evilb::hitfan::evilb::hitfan:

Anyone care to cut and paste? :party-smiley-004:

what he says is that there are too many people in the business. and that ,too many people trying to fight for a small space,too many people willing to charge less than real value, and alot of competition in this industry that is somewhere between silly and foolish. PB: DO YOU SEE OVERCAPACITY CHANGING ANY TIME SOON? LK: NO UNFORTUNATELY, I GUESS I DON'T. I'D LIKE TO BELIEVE IT IS ,BUT NO , I DON'T SEE IT .

LMFAO!:evilb:

Thanks. I can hardly believe it was that long ago.

I guess my take on this is that competition usually (not always) brings a better product to the customer. Like I said earlier, my two small manufacturer boats kick the living crap out of the production boat in the quality department.:cool-smiley-011:

that was an 8 page article, so I kind of condensed it.

"The Congress of The United States oF America has voted to ban the sale of Alcoholic Beverages!"

"The Congress Of the United States of America has voted to rescind the ban on Alcoholic Beverages!"

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"

" Mister Nakajimasan, what is that white flash over Hiroshima???"

"Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party?"

"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

"President John F. Kennedy was shot today in Dallas, Texas".

"Thanks to the efforts of President Ronald Reagan, the Berlin wall was torn down today and the Iron Curtain is no more."

" I did not have Sex with that woman!!!"

" We here at Fountain Powerboats are proud to have developed the first Stepped Hull."

This was a 100 year Century, so I kind of condensed it.

:D

T2x