Iconic Marine Group Sells Pro-Line Brand to Former Partner
#11
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What's concerning to me is all of these Fountains and Donzis I see being built for spec or inventory.
Are any of them actually sold?
Is there a market for a dozen new Classics?
I saw what happened to Donzi in 2008/09 when they floor planned a ton of boats, lost all their dealers, had to eat the boats and then went bankrupt.
Are any of them actually sold?
Is there a market for a dozen new Classics?
I saw what happened to Donzi in 2008/09 when they floor planned a ton of boats, lost all their dealers, had to eat the boats and then went bankrupt.
#12
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Biloxi, MS
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What's concerning to me is all of these Fountains and Donzis I see being built for spec or inventory.
Are any of them actually sold?
Is there a market for a dozen new Classics?
I saw what happened to Donzi in 2008/09 when they floor planned a ton of boats, lost all their dealers, had to eat the boats and then went bankrupt.
Are any of them actually sold?
Is there a market for a dozen new Classics?
I saw what happened to Donzi in 2008/09 when they floor planned a ton of boats, lost all their dealers, had to eat the boats and then went bankrupt.
#13
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I never really thought the more hard core fishing boat only line belonged in the same factory as Donzi/Fountain/Baja but also understood Proline to be good quality and the 'bread 'n butter' stuff for business. Sounds like the sell off will simplify the operation for a bigger push on the remaining three.
Always want the best for these three important brands. I know this is nit-picking but IMO, the word "Iconic" sits better with the three sports boat than Proline. Hope sales boom into 2017!
RR
Always want the best for these three important brands. I know this is nit-picking but IMO, the word "Iconic" sits better with the three sports boat than Proline. Hope sales boom into 2017!
RR
Padraig
#14
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That's cool! With a fountain involved in building Fountains. There will be a demand for the brand again. imo
#15
The buying public isn't interested in buying 200-300K performance boats that are essentially 10-15 year old designs. Short warranties on I/O combined with the hassle of maintenance has made the OB's dominant with offering 5-8 year warranties and less maintenance combined with similar performance capabilities.
I would bet even if they had a crazy promotion for new 42 Fountains with 565's for 250K that they would have a tough time selling a dozen of them.
#16
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I think that ship has sailed......It isn't the "who" is involved but rather the product line! Fountains are like VCR's, everyone had one in the 80's and 90's but that doesn't make them relevant in 2016. I like Fountains, I have met Reggie at boat shows/poker runs and the guy is certainly a legend who built more powerboats and won more races than anyone but the fact is the industry has changed. Sunsation has been around as long as Fountain and their bread and butter was sport boats, now they only make center consoles due to the market demand and I think it was reported that Nortech was heading in the same direction.
The buying public isn't interested in buying 200-300K performance boats that are essentially 10-15 year old designs. Short warranties on I/O combined with the hassle of maintenance has made the OB's dominant with offering 5-8 year warranties and less maintenance combined with similar performance capabilities.
I would bet even if they had a crazy promotion for new 42 Fountains with 565's for 250K that they would have a tough time selling a dozen of them.
The buying public isn't interested in buying 200-300K performance boats that are essentially 10-15 year old designs. Short warranties on I/O combined with the hassle of maintenance has made the OB's dominant with offering 5-8 year warranties and less maintenance combined with similar performance capabilities.
I would bet even if they had a crazy promotion for new 42 Fountains with 565's for 250K that they would have a tough time selling a dozen of them.
#17
No but those 300-450K CC's are stealing former I/O customers quickly!
Look at OSO members as examples:
Bob the builder.....owned dozens of new boats. Hasn't bought an I/O boat since his last 50 NT (guessing 2008) and it is a diesel. 3-4 OB boats have been purchased since.
Bob Christie from NJ (Matt Trulio just wrote an article on his new OB Cigarette). Multiple go fast cats/vees and just ordered a new Cig OB boat.
Bill63 from Michigan that had a 42 Fountain, bought a new 39 NT, then recently took delivery of another 39 NT CC with Mitcher T paint. Fountain is long gone now.
I can't think of a single person that has had OB powered stuff that went back and bought a new I/O powered boat after owning OB's......Ron Szolack doesn't count as he is more of a boat dealer than a boat owner! Boat manufacturing is dependent on NEW boat sales. I just think Baja, Fountain, Donzi are selling boat lines that simply aren't in demand (like VCRs or DVD players).
Look at OSO members as examples:
Bob the builder.....owned dozens of new boats. Hasn't bought an I/O boat since his last 50 NT (guessing 2008) and it is a diesel. 3-4 OB boats have been purchased since.
Bob Christie from NJ (Matt Trulio just wrote an article on his new OB Cigarette). Multiple go fast cats/vees and just ordered a new Cig OB boat.
Bill63 from Michigan that had a 42 Fountain, bought a new 39 NT, then recently took delivery of another 39 NT CC with Mitcher T paint. Fountain is long gone now.
I can't think of a single person that has had OB powered stuff that went back and bought a new I/O powered boat after owning OB's......Ron Szolack doesn't count as he is more of a boat dealer than a boat owner! Boat manufacturing is dependent on NEW boat sales. I just think Baja, Fountain, Donzi are selling boat lines that simply aren't in demand (like VCRs or DVD players).
Last edited by Jupiter Sunsation; 12-10-2016 at 09:02 AM. Reason: corrected name
#18
Registered
No but those 300-450K CC's are stealing former I/O customers quickly!
Look at OSO members as examples:
Bob the builder.....owned dozens of new boats. Hasn't bought an I/O boat since his last 50 NT (guessing 2008) and it is a diesel. 3-4 OB boats have been purchased since.
Bob Christie from NJ (Matt Trulio just wrote an article on his new OB Cigarette). Multiple go fast cats/vees and just ordered a new Cig OB boat.
Bill63 from Michigan that had a 42 Fountain, bought a new 39 NT, then recently took delivery of another 39 NT CC with Mitcher T paint. Fountain is long gone now.
I can't think of a single person that has had OB powered stuff that went back and bought a new I/O powered boat after owning OB's......Ron Szolack doesn't count as he is more of a boat dealer than a boat owner! Boat manufacturing is dependent on NEW boat sales. I just think Baja, Fountain, Donzi are selling boat lines that simply aren't in demand (like VCRs or DVD players).
Look at OSO members as examples:
Bob the builder.....owned dozens of new boats. Hasn't bought an I/O boat since his last 50 NT (guessing 2008) and it is a diesel. 3-4 OB boats have been purchased since.
Bob Christie from NJ (Matt Trulio just wrote an article on his new OB Cigarette). Multiple go fast cats/vees and just ordered a new Cig OB boat.
Bill63 from Michigan that had a 42 Fountain, bought a new 39 NT, then recently took delivery of another 39 NT CC with Mitcher T paint. Fountain is long gone now.
I can't think of a single person that has had OB powered stuff that went back and bought a new I/O powered boat after owning OB's......Ron Szolack doesn't count as he is more of a boat dealer than a boat owner! Boat manufacturing is dependent on NEW boat sales. I just think Baja, Fountain, Donzi are selling boat lines that simply aren't in demand (like VCRs or DVD players).
#19
Fountain makes a great center console. Great boat for old lazy men or avid fishermen.; I am not going to bash the center console . It looks like a really fun boat to go out on. But you are missing something. Would you rather have a 700 HP Hellcat, Shelby or Vette? Or a cadillac.? I like the cadillacs cause they are rockets nowadays and cool looking. We need to look at the auto industry and what they are building. They are building muscle cars. Not fishing boats..
I get the car analogy but that doesn't compare to boats. Cars can be leased easily and disposed of in less than an hour if you have a Carmax nearby......boats not so much.
Your wife could borrow one of those cars to run errands, a boat not so much. I think your car/boat analogy would be better if you compared CC's to SUV's. They used to be solely purpose driven haulers, now they can be and often are performance haulers!
I recently attended a Cadillac Performance Driving event and I love the new CTS-V but at 100K MSRP there are a lot of alternatives. I got to drive the ATS-V on a road course and it was fast, not sure I would write the check for 75K to buy one.
#20
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iTrader: (1)
do you yourself believe the crap you type?
[QUOTE=Jupiter Sunsation;4508372]I think that ship has sailed......It isn't the "who" is involved but rather the product line! Fountains are like VCR's, everyone had one in the 80's and 90's but that doesn't make them relevant in 2016. I like Fountains, I have met Reggie at boat shows/poker runs and the guy is certainly a legend who built more powerboats and won more races than anyone but the fact is the industry has changed. Sunsation has been around as long as Fountain and their bread and butter was sport boats, now they only make center consoles due to the market demand and I think it was reported that Nortech was heading in the same direction.
The buying public isn't interested in buying 200
[QUOTE=Jupiter Sunsation;4508372]I think that ship has sailed......It isn't the "who" is involved but rather the product line! Fountains are like VCR's, everyone had one in the 80's and 90's but that doesn't make them relevant in 2016. I like Fountains, I have met Reggie at boat shows/poker runs and the guy is certainly a legend who built more powerboats and won more races than anyone but the fact is the industry has changed. Sunsation has been around as long as Fountain and their bread and butter was sport boats, now they only make center consoles due to the market demand and I think it was reported that Nortech was heading in the same direction.
The buying public isn't interested in buying 200