What sold you on your first champ???

It was about 1985 or so. My uncle was in the last stages of cancer. Over the past few years he and my dad had reconciled a strained relationship, and Chub had introduced me to fishing, gotten me hooked in a big way, and gotten my dad back into it some as well. My dad and his cousin and some other family had taken Chub on what would be his last trip to Bull Shoals, and his old Chrysler 75 horse motor wasn't running right. The only place around that had the part we needed was 101 boat dock on norfork lake... As luck would have it, a champion dealer!

I nearly wore that brochure out!

I spent the next couple of years bugging dad about a bassboat, specifically a champ. Pontiac marina on bull shoals, was a champ dealer and host of the TOC every fall. I drooled all over the champs they had there. Finally after a scary day in what I would now classify as a moderate chop, but at the time beat chub's old 14' trihull to death, my dad broke down and decided that even with chub gone, the fishing thing was gonna stick for his now teenager, and we needed a bigger, safer boat. The breech stop description in the brochure had impressed him, as well as the claim of champions being "impossible to flip without striking an object". Those safety concerns won out over the hype of ranger's cut away boat, and we happened across a mint 1987 184 "team champion" super v. Sand full metalflake hull, brown fox arrow, sand arrow pins. What a boat! I am pretty sure it was a "light n dry" boat, cause the 150 xr2 would turn a 24" custom chopper to 6100 rpms. I seriously think I waxed that thing daily for a year, and weekly for the next 7 or 8!

That boat was safe. It got us in the day on bull when we saw a funnel cloud while fishing. Lots of great memories were made in that rig, spent a lot of great time with Dad in that boat. Add to the quality some exceptional service by the champion family, um I mean factory in mountain home, and there ya go... Return customer now 4 times over. I don't know if I could own anything but a champ, tho dad was dissapointed when they closed the mtn home plant. Driving by, seeing fences locked and a couple of shells of boats sitting around was one of the saddest times we shared. The guys in tn are trying tho, so here is hoping genmar keeps the name alive, and gives those in charge the power to build boats that make lifetime customers like my dad and me...

That's my champion story.

What made you guys buy your first??

Honestly, I wasn't in the market for a boat when I bought my 181. I used to love walleye fishing and wanted something that was in decent shape and ran good. Saw the ole 181 and bought it. It was after owning it and riding/fishing in other boats that made me buy a second champ. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/boardstuff2/beers.gif

Great post! My first champ came around the same time, 87 I believe. It was time to upgrade from the 77 charger 15' tri-hull. I was in a bass club and a member had an 82 16'8" with an evinrude 150. It looked brand new and I knew I could trust this guy so I bought it. Used that boat from 87 to 05, 18 years and sold it for 1/2 what I paid for it. Great well built boat. Running an 04 187 cx while I save for my next one. http://xs-s.com/zf/images/smile/emthup.gif

Friend bought one. At the time I did not really care for the transom wedge. I was uneducated. My first trip with him in that 181 showed me the wisdom of the design. I have had at least 6 champs since then and loved each one.

A tournament on Grand Lake in Oklahoma out of my 18'6" ranger. Told myself that I wasn't putting up with this ruff water crap ever again. I bought a 206 champ and haven't looked back.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by pattece &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A tournament on Grand Lake in Oklahoma out of my 18'6" ranger. Told myself that I wasn't putting up with this ruff water crap ever again. I bought a 206 champ and haven't looked back. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Ran Rangers for years and a buddy of mine had a 198......then I decided I was sick of getting the guts beat out of me. Bought a 198 then a 200 and about to take possession of a 210. Wind blows to much around here not to have a good riding boat.

When I was in high school a friend of mine had a 1984 184, we use to go to Duck creek on Grand lake and jump cruiser wakes (stupid, I know ), that boat never missed a beat. All of my Dad's friends had Rangers and never fished Grand, said it was to rough and to many boats so when it came time for me to get a boat I was already sold on Champion, just always liked the look of a Champion. First boat was 1987 176. Currently have a 203, next boat will be a 210, I hope.... http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/praying.gif

My first Champion and first bass boat is a 1987 20" super v.
Guy said he had it sitting in driveway and sick of see it rot away and wanted me to buy it. He finally bought a set of jet skis and basically gave it to me $75 to get it out of his way.
Question what do you mean by "light n dry" Champion?

Had an idea I wanted to get a glass boat for the bigger rivers and lakes here. Had run a 12' Jon and then a 15' Alumacraft bass boat, but they were too small for the bigger, rougher water. Looked for a long time at various brands, but nothing clicked...until I went to a local boat show and they had a 168 there...I had never heard of Champion and examined that rascal from top to bottom, inside and out!

Ordered my 1990 176 a few weeks later...and have never looked back!!!!! http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/bows.gif http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/bows.gif http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/bows.gif

$75 Seabrook!! Holy cow!!

I've had several boats over the years, including a 14 ft Alumacraft, two Cobalts (which I've occasionally fished from), and a Bennington pontoon. When I saw an ad a year ago for the used Champ which I now own I did some research on the internet and found BBC. I had seen Champs before and always thought they were very high quality boats. BBC helped confirm my thoughts and provided great tips on buying a used boat. So, after my wife agreed and we inspected the boat, we purchased the boat. Both she and I have been having a great time in it, and we are fishing as much as possible. I think she's even starting to fish more and read less when we're out on the lake!

Had a few small boats and then ran a Skeeter "Starfire" and liked it. Then was in a buddies Champ and it just seemed like it handled rough water and chop better. Now mind you the Starfire did ok and is probably as close to the Champ hull as you will get.

Next purchase was a 181 w/150 Merc XR6.

Sold my 181 Champ for more than I paid for it.

Now looking at bigger Champs.

I watched two Champions raceing up the Caney river on the north side of Hula lake. They went threw some s-curves WOT side by side and I knew I had to have one.

I've been a multi species hunter most of my life, chasing Musky and walleye's mostly. I had several Astro boats(dealer was right up the street), and then moved onto both Lunds and Alumacraft Deep V's. Then came the Bass and Walleye Boats magazine article featuring Sam Anderson of the Professional Walleye Tour featuring the new 1999 190 Fishunter.. Wham, Bam, Son of Sam, I was sold and vowed I would run one within the next 5 yrs. Well it took me a bit longer, but I'm now piloting one damn it! And its been everything I ever thought or could be. My buddies who have "other' brands usually have me busting the water for them so their rides are a bit more comfortable. My only regret is that Champion stopped making that hull. I for sure would like to order me a nice new one in the future!

Drove one and decided,, now three Champs later http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/smile.gif http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/smile.gif http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/smile.gif http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/USA1.gif

I was in the market for a rig with a wheel. Before this I only ran tillers, and had what I thought was my last boat: Lund 1775 pro v se with a 75 hp tiller. At that time, that was a huge tiller... not so anymore. I used to check WC several times a day, and when I checked one monday morning, I saw this one with a cover on it. Read the description, called at 8:30 that morning (only to find out I was already the 3rd caller) to ask some ?'s. Mumma liked the price and asked if it was a good boat. I remembered reading it was fast and had a ton of storage and a huge front deck... that's all I knew about!!! I took it for a ride and was not sold ... because I was so used to the tiller space and being higher up in the water. It actually took me a while to realize the purchase I had made. In fact, I almost didn't buy it... cuz I didn't really like it that much!! How funny is that. Now I love it... just wish I had a newer engine on back. I think that's mainly why I sniff around looking for different boats... Maybe I'll buy Bowhunter's from him some day. I know his is nicer than mine.

A ride as non-boater with a our club rep in 1997 on green bay (wi) from the fox river to the oconto river .

His boat was a DC 20 footer (sorry cant remember the model but it was a 1993).

2 to 3 ft waves and I think a 20 mile run, the boat just rode like butter.

I knew from that day It was a must have brand of boat.

Champs for life now!

Butch

Was fishing out of a tin boat and knew it was time for glass. Went to the boat shows and crawled in, under and around every boat there. talked to soooo many sales people that when the shows ended everybody pretty much knew who I was. A real pain in the back side. Ya gotta understand that when it comes to buying something all I want is the best. Narrowed my choice to two brands. Champ dealer said lets get these boats to the lake, other brand salesperson flinched. that was all I needed to see. Been in a Champ ever since!!!!! http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/smile.gif

Used to fish the old RedMan Mountain Division in KY/TN as a co-angler and rode/fished in about all the different makes (some with some crazy drivers)... Each time I was lucky enough to draw a ChamP guy though, the difference in ride, performance and handling was clear enough to me... Fit & finish, no nonsense layout and a ChamP just looks good on or off the water...

With a wife & three small kids, didn't have the money (at the time) to get into a ChamP and ran a 17' Venture for 8-years or so, but I always knew what I wanted & when the time and opportunity presented itself, I jumped on it http://xs-s.com/zf/images/smile/emthup.gif

'Course it was sticky with the wife there for a while with 2-boats sitting in the driveway.... http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/embarassed.gif

I was looking for an upgrade from a 17' Sea Sprite bassboat. The lake I fished was dominated by Rangers and thought I should have one. So I called a local Champion dealer looking for a used Ranger ( http://xs-s.com/zf/images/smile/emhammer.gif http://xs-s.com/zf/images/smile/emhammer.gif) and luckily he didn't have one. He told me he had a used 18' Champ (93 180) that he said if I drove it once, I'd buy it. I went over and looked at it and it was love at first sight. I loved the classic style, no nonsense design, and of course the fit and finish. I told my dealer I had ridded in several 481/482 Rangers and said they all would porpoise (sp) from about 40-50 and would skip in a turn. He guaranteed me a Champ wouldn't. We headed to the water and with it being my first real bassboat he said let me show you a couple things. He nailed it out of the hole and it jumped on plane and we were gone. We got up to 45 or so and no porpoise whatsoever. He then cranked the wheel HARD and it cut a clean line with no skipping at all. He did this a couple times back and forth and that hull just dug in and turned. When I drove I couldn't believe how easy it handled, how smooth it rode, and how much lift it had. To say I was sold was an understatement.

These are the same reasons why I bought my 3rd Champ this spring http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/USA1.gif http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/USA1.gif http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/USA1.gif Flat out AWESOME boats

My father-in law, found a neglected small Champ when I was overseas, I gave the $ and he fixed her up enough for us to fish in for a few years.
I purchased a demo " Venture" back in 88 and while in Texas saw the smooth riding Champions at a dealership.
!990 184 with Merc 150 was my baby until last June when I found a new 203. At my age 66 and with the Champion Quality I don't expect to be in the boat market again. But if I win the lotto I' ll order a six pack of Champions being as I am not a drinking man http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/Laugh.gif http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/Laugh.gif http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/USA1.gif


Modified by Hillsreels at 9:38 PM 10/8/2009