Boat shows

[Tx 201]

I have been crusing the Legend board and have noticed a lot of good press about those boats and the reaction they are getting at the boat shows. Sure would be nice to have the Cobra products sitting there since we had the design in place for quite awhile before Legend came into being. Both are very similar and both are eye catching. Legend is catching the eyes right now while it appears that Cobra is MIA.

Sure says a lot about marketing and being aggressive in the market place. I believe Legend will be a force in the industry, will Cobra? I would like to think so, but for now that thought is based more on hope than fact.

Come on Cobra, please let the world know you are out there!!!

[AlanW]

Amen, Tx201, it does seem Legend is getting quite a leg up on Cobra. Especially with the recent write up the Legend had in B&WB magazine. Given that the Legends are the basically the same hull, but with some improvements, if they get out ahead, it might be hard for Cobra to ever get going or catch up, the preception might end up being that the Cobra is just warmed up leftovers and the Legend is newer and better.

With both Legend and Cobra made in Arkansas, and both the Arkansas and the Little Rock boat shows coming up in LR.....and I realize neither of these are big shows in the overall scheme of things, but you would think Cobra would be at one of them. It's not like LR is that far from the factory.

Perhaps the problem is there are no dealers, maybe it is hard or too expensive for the factory to have an exhibit at a boat show, that is usually up to the dealer.

I don't know if Legend has any dealers or not, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a Legend at the AR show this weekend.

Now I'm obviously a big Coral Fish & Ski fan, so I'm in the Cobra fold, so to speak.....but frankly, if I was a relatively new to the boat game and was looking for a new BASS boat to buy, from what info is out there, from what I have seen and read, I would probably be leaning towards a Legend over a Cobra right now.

Now Cobra probably, maybe, has 2 things going over Legend, the new construction material of the hulls and the pricing. But people are not hearing about those things in the Cobra that I can tell.

There are a lot of really good bass boats out there now. It's not like the older days when you had a few premium brands and then everybody else falling in behind them. Rangers, BassCats, Champions, Stratos, Legends, Skeeters, ProCraft, etc...
are all now considered real good boats. The competition is intense and the difference in quality is much closer than it used to be. Cobra needs something to set them apart......I'm afraid it's going to be a long, hard road for Cobra to hoe unless they can afford to step it up over what has been happening. I'm not trying to be negative, but frankly, based on the very low sales and no publicity, I'm surprised the Venom/Cobra Company is still making boats, they have to be losing $$$. But I do wish them the best of luck, especially the dedicated people at the factory that have been through so much with this company.

[Cleveland]

Well guys, don't blame the work force at Cobra because we feel the same way that you do. You can go ahead and blame the piss poor management that we have there. That's right.....I said it......PISS POOR!!!!!

[Backlash Ar]

Alan...I agree with you wholehearedly! Cobra just might be the best bassboat out there that few people know about; and pricewise, nobody can touch them. THEY MAKE A HECK OF A GOOD BOAT! Cobra's are truly one of the best buys in the bassboat industry. But like you eluded too, Legend appears to have weathered the "new company" storm, has spent tons on advertising and has developed a respectable dealer network and it appears that network will grow drastically in size after the boat shows. I think it's a fair statement to say that Legend is making its mark on the bassboat industry. The company can nill afford to let another boat show season come and go without having Cobra's at several of them so people can lay their eyes and hands on 'em and know they exist! Dealers or no dealers it doesn't matter, they NEED to be there. If no dealers are close by, then Cobra should have had enough foresight to build a few boats that they could take with them to these shows and worry about selling 'em later. How in the world they expect to survive AND thrive without advertising and without developing a dealer network is anybody's guess.

[JoeBro44]

Just went to a boat show in Davenport Ia this weekend and low and behold... there was a legend (Besides me that is). God I hope Cobra picks up the pace and stays strong! In two years I'm gettin a new boat and I really want it to be a Cobra!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tx 201]

Never blamed the work force! You guys are the one responsible for making such a great boat! A little pride in craftsmanship sure shows and one look at a Cobra and you can tell there was a LOT of pride going into the boat.

I was out yesterday in my brother's '96 201 and I can tell you he puts it through he** on the water. (We used to say "tested Ford tough ain't ****! Tested Brett tough and that thing is indestructable!) She is just as solid today as the day he bought it. Going through 2 and 1/2 footers with the cruiser wakes thrown in and it was no problem, just hit 'em and go!!

Come on management!!!!!!!!!!!

[Daves32]

We got the show in Indianapolis next month sure like to see a Cobra dealer there to show off the corbra's anyone going to make it,to the show.

[brock belnap]

Last week I asked the question (did cobra go out of business again) I was answered by someone at the factory who said evasively no!! Nice!!


Modified by brock belnap at 7:13 PM 1/30/2006

[JoeBro44]

Yooo Hooooo...... I'm waiting for someone to say this isn't true.... anybody, please.

[Backlash Ar]

Brock...At the present time Cobra is NOT out of business. However, it must stated that Cobra, as of last Friday, is not producing any boats either. The current management has run into some difficulties and until things can be straightened out and a few matters taken care of Cobra's boat production will remain idle. The current situation should be cleared up shortly....stay tuned! Further information will be posted as it becomes available.

[JoeBro44]

any details?

[brock belnap]

Of course if their not building boats any more I couldn't have got one anyway!!



Modified by brock belnap at 7:15 PM 1/30/2006