Have we heard this before?

[gcarter]

http://speedonthewater.com/in-the-news/938-baja-acquires-fountain-and-donzi-production-back-in-2013.html?fb_comment_id=fbc_399383883465282_352073 7_399435016793502#f3e42459ecba074

Comments?

[mattyboy]

a little late don't ya think

65 days til the end of the world and 67 days til Christmas :p


good news to see production back for the workers who will be employed not sure how the line up will sort out a ton of redundant offerings

all four made fish boats

3 of the four made go fasts

will be interesting to see who makes what


Bonzai

[joseph m. hahnl]

There goes the neighborhood! How can we ever look at any one in the eyes again?

A Donzi made by Baja the world really must be at an end:shocker:


You Know they will steal all the technology and but it into the Baja and sell it for less money or sell Baja's with the Donzi name


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pzifRQd37EQ/TwaMSQmoOfI/AAAAAAAAA7s/YUaDMqmATM4/s1600/whiterapper.jpg

[dsparis]

They're blowing the dust off the Regazza molds as I type.

[f_inscreenname]

Just a name on a sticker now. They will be pooping out Bahonzi's soon.

[Scott Pearson]

Kinda reminds me of this.....A Classic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf4C9ssuPjE

[VetteLT193]

It could be worse, Chris Craft could have bought them ;)

I doubt they will mess with the brands too much. Baja has been the straight bottom (cheaper to build) price point boat and I'll bet they try to keep it that way.

I'm curious as to what Fountain and Donzi will build. I still think it is a mistake to drop the smaller boats in the lineups. It's easy to get into a small Fountain or Donzi and get sucked into the brand for years to come. If they don't offer anything that is affordable I don't think they will stick around in the long run.

I can still remember drooling over the Fountain 24CS as it was like a baby INXS that was obtainable. Around the same time the 20 Cig and Blackhawk 22 Donzi's were out...... I know I wore out all of the brochures.

Right now they are aligned as Baja builds the smaller boats and Fountain/Donzi pick up around 35 feet. I don't think that will bee too successful of a model for the long term.

[Z14Fun]

Donzi and Fountain really need to have entry level boats. The Classic series are the entry level boats for Donzi and represent what the brand was all about. Hopefully, the new lineup will include a couple Classic models.

[gcarter]

"I hear a 22' classic with a beak is in the making:eek!:"


Would that make it a 25' ?:yes:

[f_inscreenname]

An entry level Donzi is what, 50 grand?
Until you can get something that floats and has power for under 20 grand no one will think it's an entry level boat. So they will go with the cheaper brand if at all.

[joseph m. hahnl]

BONZI:bawling:!!!!!



(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8TgfI7GdHY)

[Morgan's Cloud]

Would that make it a 25" ?

LOL ... Only in price George .. OK ,well maybe in bragging rights too. You know , who's got the 'longest one' ..

[gcarter]

We've discussed this before, and any entry level performance will be over $100K, we just don't know how much more.

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Vettel , excuse me .............. and why mention Chris Craft , hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm , considering there are so many other builder's out there . Vettel , if you have been in this business as long as i have ..............you would know that there are a few exceptions or should i say................ a chosen few that are basically junk no matter what.................... that have had problems in the past in there build at one time or another , and not to mention even are dearly beloved Donzi .:hyper:

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Fixx , i have seen the plug in the making, and not to mention it was only last week !

[mattyboy]

the entry level is the 23 outlaw an I tell ya what the nicholas cage ghost rider graphigs are fu cking bit chin man
that is one BOFT


if the world don't end they have the 50th coming up


Matt's next blog was on how the smaller designs in the line up are driving production at skater

[gcarter]

Matty, here it is............

http://speedonthewater.com/new-boats-engines/942-smaller-models-driving-skater-catamaran-production.html

And the Skater CEO spells it out........there's no money in small boats, and very small profit margins.
We often forget the labor in a 25' and a 40' is probably within 20% of each other. I'm sure labor is the largest single expense. So, $100+ K will be the norm entry level boats.
This "SHOULD" help the prices of our older boats. But let's not hold our collective breaths, some of us might need resuscitation before we see prices spiking.

[joseph m. hahnl]

Vettel , excuse me .............. and why mention Chris Craft , hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm , considering there are so many other builder's out there . Vettel , if you have been in this business as long as i have ..............you would know that there are a few exceptions or should i say................ a chosen few that are basically junk no matter what.................... that have had problems in the past in there build at one time or another , and not to mention even are dearly beloved Donzi .:hyper:



I beleive it was a shot, because at one point Chris Craft did build DONZIs.:bonk:

sheez what a kill joy when you have to explain a joke.:doh:

[mattyboy]

well in good comedy besides timing there must be a little truth and irony in the mix.

and well this has it !! funny thing the CC classic donzi were probably better made thean the previous versions of classic donzi ;)

[silverghost]

The Donzi "classic' 16-18-22 were never really inexpenive "entry level' boats at any time in their long history.

In the early 1970s an 18 listed for about $7500. to $9500. depending on engine builder,horsepower, drive type, and add-on options + trailer.

In 1973 my Uncle paid over $9000. for an X-18 with a 390 HP Berkeley jet/455 Olds drive package , jet-o-vator , various other options , covers & trailer etc.
That was a very high price for such a small fiberglass speedboat in that 1970s time period.
The X-18 with the Olds455/Berkeley jet package was the highest priced
Donzi 18 power package I believe in 1973 ?

Now factor in inflation over 40 years, modern higher wage & materials costs, higher taxes, modern FI , FWC, & cat converter equipped V8 engine & outdrive prices, etc. and I think you might find that today's potential $100,000 "Classics" possible list prices might not be too far out of line pricing wise.
Just look at today's car ,& house prices as similar examples.


The Donzi "Classics " were never offered at low cost high volume production, chopper gun built, Bayliner prices.

I seriously doubt Donzi will ever build any of the "classic" 16-18-22 series boats again.

Just My opinion.

[gcarter]

I've posted the original paperwork for my '88 TR, it was about $46K, which converts to about $83K today, it's easy to see where this goes.

[f_inscreenname]

You guy should play with this for a little while.
It will tell you what it should cost, http://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/ppowerus/

[VetteLT193]

[ QUOTE=$originalposter]I beleive it was a shot, because at one point Chris Craft did build DONZIs.

sheez what a kill joy when you have to explain a joke.[/QUOTE]

Yes, that was the joke. As in... it's no big deal because Donzi has been through it before and with a brand that was super crappy at the time.

My family had a couple of Chris Crafts that were built in that era and they were total pieces of crap. We chalked the first one up to the fact that it was kept in salt water. With the second one came rack storage then a lift, always covered and well maintained. It fell apart. This was late 80's just before CC purchased Donzi.

Even though there are obvious things that were cheapened during the OMC era of Donzi, members here consistently say that they are well built hulls. This means OMC bought Donzi for the quality name and wanted to keep it there. Things will be fine if Baja does the same.

[mattyboy]

Vette

the term OMC ownership should really be the genth houser era. Donzi under their mgmt and OMC ownership started in late 88 and ended in 93.

the OMC era Chris Craft Donzi ( with a chris craft HIN not a donzi HIN) that I have seen have been laid up pretty well and were solid boats . I have seen some early genth houser boats that the lay up was not so solid.

[VetteLT193]

gotcha, what's the subset year range on the CC HIN boats?

[mattyboy]

I think it was around 1990 that classics went to indiana, to the chris craft plant which was the old stuery plant.

the ones i have seen were later one 92 and two 93's

maybe they picked up quality for the sale to AMH?

[mattyboy]

well the baja entry level boat used to be the 20 outlaw and you would find them at shows before the economy tanked at around 40k and you could get the next size up 23-24 with mild performance stuff for like 65k as a show special.


now the 23 outlaw all 4200 lbs of it pushed by a 320 hp or a 380 hp motor will be the entry level boat at will be priced north 80k????????????


making the hornet and the sutphen look better and better.