Ledgend Boats and Champion?

[champ188]

Guys, just got home from the Madison Wisconsin boat show and as I was checking out Legend boats and I have to say that they are sooooo nice and very will built. I was so impressed with the boat but more impressed with the company. I had the pleasure of talking to Dean from Legend about the boats and their company. I also mention that I am a proud owner of a Champion and he said that Champion is a great boat and they (legend) are considering buying Champion. I got excited but he went on and added that they believe that PE probably will not sell it. They don't want to have anymore competition out there.

Now I don't want to start rumors, im just quoting what he said and makes me wonder what things can happen to the Champion line if a company like legend would own them.




Modified by champ188 at 5:47 PM 2/28/2010

[badgerbass]

Those two Legends at the show were sharp as heck...nice fit and finish. If something were to happen to Champ, it would probably be a Legend!!!

[champ188]

yes i was very impressed with the boats they were super nice. i would seriously consider one if i didn't have a champ to buy. They also said that champion has a following like no other. they are paying attention.

[Cullbynoon]

Sounds like a good move on Legends part. Buy a proven manufacturer and brand name to co-exist with non committed buyers. I run a Champ and would like to own another but if there not there I will not just look at the big 3. Looked over a Legend last year and they look similiar to a Champ. Clean, simple, and the goods without having to put lipstick on everything.

[Tx Champ]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Cullbynoon &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Sounds like a good move on Legends part...</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't know ... Legend is kinda like Bass Cat in that it's a small company and caters to it's customer base. I don't know that it would stand to gain anything by bringing another upper line boat to compete for sales, but then again, I could be wrong. One other thought might be that Legend wants the Champ hull for their boat line. Remember that the Legend came from the purchase Hawk boats which is another Storrie splash/refinement, but more on the order of the Viper/Cobra hull.

[Gunnar]

I was at the Madison show helping out with the 'Casting for Kid's' contest and looked the Legend boats over pretty good too... Of course I was wearing my custom ChamP hat that reads *Ride & Decide* on the back and they really went out of their way to tell me the Legend will out ride & out-perform my boat etc..

They are fine boats no doubt and I have always admired the fit & finish detail... but they still ain't no ChamP hull even with the rounded rear corners... The gas tank is in the rear though and the over all lay-out is very good...

They sit on gator coated tube trailers which look good, but not sure if they offer a channel trailer option...

I'll probably never leave ChamP but might have to ride in one of the newer Legends to see if how they turn & respond in real day to day water... They were pushing the new 191 model due out soon...

[btsmbass]

Micheal we really appreciate your feedback and will be more than happy to set up a demo ride with you at anytime. I'm only about 30 min from Woodstock, and you can get in touch with me at bryan@wibass.com.

As far as the channel trailer, that is available.

You are correct that they are not a champ by any means.

[Lea]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by champ188 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I got excited but he went on and added that they believe that PE probably will not sell it. They don't want to have anymore competition out there.
</TD></TR></TABLE>


PE is in it for the money. I don't believe they, themselves are worried about competition, although one of their brands might be. If PE can make a profit by selling any of the brands, my guess is they will.

[Tx Champ]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Lea &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">PE is in it for the money. I don't believe they, themselves are worried about competition, although one of their brands might be. If PE can make a profit by selling any of the brands, my guess is they will. </TD></TR></TABLE>

100% agree

[MMosher]

After having toured the Legend plant in October I can say I was highly impressed by Legend. My father and I spent about an hour there picking their brains. Fit and finish of those rigs is really breath taking and I honnastly belive much more attention to detail than the newer Champions. I would be just giddy for Legend to by Champ. If they did I belive that Legend built Champion rigs would be the finest Champions ever built. I was that impressed with Legend.

My two cents for anyone that cares.

[btsmbass]

If you listened to PE's news conference and other correspondence with the media, they didn't spend three plus years and millions of dollars building the project boat holdings inc. to sell all their brands. As far as the sale of champ, like Ive said before champ was free, if brunswick corp can spend 150 million for Triton, and PE gets Glastron, Larson, Seaswirl, fincraft, wellcraft, Ranger, Champion, and Stratos for 70 million. Can you alot the amount of money was spent on Champ? If Project boat deems it necessary to eliminate competition to gain market share, they will. If they benefit more by selling it they will sell. I do know there have been suitors interested in Champion. Now the million dollar question is, if there were more than one suitor and a possible bidding war to drive up value, why hasn't Champ been sold yet?

[Bassin Bob71]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by btsmbass &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you listened to PE's news conference and other correspondence with the media, they didn't spend three plus years and millions of dollars building the project boat holdings inc. to sell all their brands. As far as the sale of champ, like Ive said before champ was free, if brunswick corp can spend 150 million for Triton, and PE gets Glastron, Larson, Seaswirl, fincraft, wellcraft, Ranger, Champion, and Stratos for 70 million. Can you alot the amount of money was spent on Champ? If Project boat deems it necessary to eliminate competition to gain market share, they will. If they benefit more by selling it they will sell. I do know there have been suitors interested in Champion. Now the million dollar question is, if there were more than one suitor and a possible bidding war to drive up value, why hasn't Champ been sold yet? </TD></TR></TABLE>

The only comment I would make about the value thing is Triton wasn't bankrupt and Genmar was. I'm more familiar wth machine equipment from bankrupt manufacturing companies and I know that can sell for as low as $.10 on the dollar. Basically it becomes a liquidation deal to the "highest" bidder. Don't claim to know what happened but that would be my best guess.

[pmgoffjr]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by btsmbass &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Micheal we really appreciate your feedback and will be more than happy to set up a demo ride with you at anytime. I'm only about 30 min from Woodstock, and you can get in touch with me at bryan@wibass.com.


You are correct that they are not a champ by any means.</TD></TR></TABLE>

ANYTIME you decide you need a demo ride, gimme a call cupcake, we'll see what one looks like.

[bassin butch]

Bryan be sure to bring a helmet and a fresh pack of depends as you will need it!

Put the hammer down Pat.
Butch

[btsmbass]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by pmgoffjr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

ANYTIME you decide you need a demo ride, gimme a call cupcake, we'll see what one looks like.

</TD></TR></TABLE>


Deal bro. I'll be in the hill country in June. Plus I think it was you that gave me a test ride in a 203 back about 10 years ago when you sold boats out of that dealership that used to be on 71. Where do you think I got my inspiration for the test rides I give.

[ribbit_man]

Pat

I'll sit on the sidelines ---------watch you and btsmbass during a Champion breach turn. Then I would like to see btsmbass in his legend during his breach turn. Sounds like a lot of fun---if you are on the shore.

[jpuryear]

Ok, this sounds like fun...

I guess I'm taking some vacation in June........where's the hill country

Jeff

[Merc Guy]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by pmgoffjr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

ANYTIME you decide you need a demo ride, gimme a call cupcake, we'll see what one looks like.

</TD></TR></TABLE>Cupcake

[pmgoffjr]

Gotta be careful what you bring to a gunfight...see, I *know* what I can do, you *believe* you can do everything you see, but the difference is, you're don't know what I know.

[btsmbass]

You ever met that guy that just has to know what his limits are then test them again after failure to see if his adjustments were correct and will stop short of nothing till perfection? Well......

I've been with a lot of great drivers and am trying to get there myself if it wasn't for my SST and STV driving abilites I would think that bassboats are the best boats in the world. Don't getme wrong bassboats are fun, but not many are 125+ mph fun for only 10k in cash. Really where they shine best is to fish out of, but as far as y'alls "bat turn". I'll be quite honest, that is not what impresses me most about a champion. What impresses me about a champion is its ass end. It does do more (203 and 202) than the Legend at trimmed up all out speeds. That is where the Champ surprises me. Nearly all boats can breach turn some are just stickier than others. Skeeter and Stratos not very sticky, Champ, Charger and Legend is sticky. The breach turn is a simple quantifiable realm of physics. It comes down to set down distance at what speed and how much back pressure there is at set down. If done improperly can cause quite an uncomfortable feeling. If done right you are just about 180* from where you started and go again.

I can tell you why the Champ performs well at wot turns better than most others and it comes down to the design of the pad, chines, chine distance, chine shape, transom deadrise, and hook. If you want the dissertation version of how this all works together too bad, I'm not that good of a typer.

Most things a champ can do a Legend can do also, I will admit though from the 90"beam boats the 202 and 203 can do some high speed turns a tad quicker and tighter than the Legend. As far as rough water ride, physics, my measurements, and also real world experience in both says they are damn near equals.

Really I feel bad for champ owners because the older champs had some speed to them also, and required a little driver input. Now they are just a standard 95" beam run of the mill boat. Even though the 203 and 210 carry visual similarities they are no where near the same boat. That is basically why I am in a Legend today.

Don't worry Pat I'll make sure we run into each other again, and I hope to God you know more than me you are an elder.