F-2 Speedy

But you like your Cig better, lol

ScottF

LoL!!!

Marginmn

When I visited the factory in Dec to test my Donzi they actually had quite a few boats under construction - including a brand new 700 38 ZR.

Captain YARRR

I'm not in the hater camp, that's good news. We all should want to see boat builders putting out boats. Just because RF isn't involved doesn't mean they are guaranteed junk. I hope they are solid and continue the tradition.

soggy bottom

Not for nothing, but a bare bones 42 lightning with 525s even with the $100.000 discount, is still 1/2 million dollars no bargain there.

http://www.fountainpowerboats.com/Bo...rms/LTG_42.pdf

Dean

Perfect Storm

WOW! According to their website, Fountain is willing to stand behind their new hull warranty for a full two years!

thisistank

I disagree that it will take RF to bring fountain back but I do agree with your train of thought. It's going to take a dynamic leader with charisma and a LOVE for this lifestyle and sport to bring any of Baja fountain or donzi back to what they once were. The problem is, liberty marine is a corporation. And what do corporations want? Money! Unfortunately it seems they've spread themselves out to thin trying to recoop their investment. Unfortunately their strategic plan misses the mark, the point that every successful boat builder has: someone behind it that loves offshore powerboats, loves this lifestyle, loves this sport.

What liberty needs to do is separate the brands from each other to give them their own identity back. Not Baja by fountain or donzi and fountain offering factory incentives. I'd go as far as to say you don't advertise the brands are owned under the same banner at all. They can obviously be built at the same factory together but each entity needs it's own "CEO". Someone that is invested and has that love and drive above just making money. Drive to make money is always there, it doesn't have to be the focal point. Pride in build quality, design, performance, comfort and customer service should be the focus. The money part will hopefully follow. The CEO of each fraction will concentrate solely on their company/boat and not be concerned with what the others are doing.

I think their business plan and marketing plan are flawed and they need to sit down and re-evaluate their strategic plan to build these names back to what they once were. That starts with isolation of each company and backing each company with solid people that genuinely care about the product and offering quality.

All this back and forth and now they're here now they're not. They're building boats, they're not building boats. It causes the buyer to be apprehensive. Where's all the donzi fountain and Bajas at the boat shows and poker runs and races? Where's a rep or sales guy or someone that can answer ANYTHING on here? Even the companies that choose not to come on here have die hard fans and customers that are in touch with those at the business. Relaying what's going on if theirs a question.

They also might want to read their industry a bit better. 1mil for a 42 fountain. Eeeeash! Not at this stage I can say.


Good luck either way. The more boats built the merrier!

Jupiter Sunsation

Tank,

Good synopsis but without new models/designs they are "dead in the water!"

Every boat they make today is a 10-15 year old design and for the premium they are asking that won't cut it. Other builders are evolving with new models, new designs and they are still stuck in 2000-2005.

Wildman_grafix

^^^^^^that. As much as I like both Donzi and fountain the boats they are selling are no different then what was being made before everything crashed.

Sure they have taken some Baja's and strapped egg beaters on the back but did the COG even get thought about?

If I was going that route I would call AT.

Kind of Sad really, all good brands with their place.

thisistank

Yes, I agree. And really all it would take is some vision, focus and drive from someone that wanted each line to succeed for the right reasons to step in and start updating things as well. Wouldn't be difficult to make even minor changes to a 42 fountain to stream line it, make it a little sexier and updated. I'm not even a designer and I could make that happen!

The perception is it lacks commitment and is a bit desperate. One toe in the pond or at a minimum big business elsewhere distractions are not going to move any of those lines ANYWHERE.