Chris-Craft and the future

never monday

never monday

New Member
Oct 5, 2006
289
Lake Lanier, GA
I think with the reintroduction of the Chris brand. Searay is going to step it up a bit. I spent most of today commissioning, and running the new Roamer 40. All I can say is WOW!!!! The fit and finish, choice of equipment, and quality of work all appear excellent. The Volvo IPS drive system is in a word AMAZING.
I could see this boat costing a few Sundancer sales.
 
I hope they make it. This is more like the re re re reintroduction of CC. It is aledged (?) by a very connected authority- not one with any thing other than a positive agenda, that CC did not close a single sale at the NY boat Show. The comments were part of a discussion of the broader market NOT a slam of CC or the product.
 
From what I remember at last years boat show, prices of all the Chris Craft models are quite a bit higher than their Sea Ray counterparts and even more expensive than Cobalts too. In my opinion, most of the Chris Craft line appeals to a different type of customer as well.

I have never seen the Roamer 40 so I can't comment on it. It does look like it is much more upscale than similar Sea Ray cruisers but that would be in keeping with the rest of their line up. I wonder how it will compare with the new (yet to be introduced) Cobalt Yachts?
 
WOW

I went on the 40ft and it IS quite NICE. Pricy, $ almost $600K
They offered to take me out for a ride in Miami in Feb.
 
Some independant Sea Ray dealers are carrying the Chris Craft line. They quickly admit that it is not a boat for everyone and it takes a special need, buyer or application. They do not look at the CC line as a threat to or detractor from Sea Ray, but rather a complimentary line to capture some sales they would otherwise miss.

Our dealer is one of them. I was with a group of 3...the service manager, the salesmanager and me, just a customer, albeit a real picky one, who spent about an hour and a half running and looking at the first CC to be delivered. This ain't the first boat the 3 of us have seen and we are all picky.......none of the 3 of us could find a single thing to complain about or that we would have changed......the boat was absolutely surperb.......they could teach the mass production guys over at Sea Ray a thing or two about fit, finish, and predelivery quality....and for darned sure they could show Sea Ray how to caulk a seam!
 
The new Chris is very good looking. My first boat many years ago was a 30 foot wooden Chris. It was lots of work to keep it looking good. The new line has lot of wood on it and strikes me a another boat that will require lots of manual labor by the owner or an owner who won't mind paying a yard big bucks to keep things looking ship shape. There is something to be said for boats that have all the trim of a Chlorox bottle. I'm for keeping things simple.
 
Has anyone looked to see who owns the name ChrisCraft "this year"? When asked to part with this kind of money I like to know a great deal about the company(ies) across the table. At least when it's Marine Max/Brunswick I know who they are, where they are, and a bit about their financials.
 
You feel more secure with a publicly traded company ( like a ENRON ) then a company that built its first boat in 1874?

They built landing craft that carried our troops into WWII

Its now owned by a single person who takes bankrupt companies and gets them back on its feet.

We can only hope that the great name continues on for another 100 years.

I have 2 Chris Crafts, one is over 30 years old and has not a single issue with it whatsoever.
 
Oh my! I did not mean to push your button. I am sorry if I was in any way unclear. Still, the name has had many owners over a long time, some have done well by it-others not. Further, the current builders had nothing to do with your wonderful boats. Nothing.
I was hoping someone knowledgeable would come forth with some information about the current owners of the name, what their history is-especially regarding building boats and having left satisfied customers in their wake and possibly some indication that they might be around for a while.
 
i think that what bliss means is that, yes, chris craft has been a brand name forever, but just in name. ownership has changed many times since the first fiberglass boat they built (the commander line) in the late 60s. some ownership was good and made a superior product, some were supremely questionable. sort of like a restaurant. same name, but new ownership, even new management, can make or break that name.

i dont think there's a "parent company" at work here. there are still some smaller privately owned boat companies out there. crownline is one. rinker was one until recently.
 
no buttons pushed at all.

I am all for the smaller guy.
One who makes his living as a result of the product he puts out.

He is not trying to make it up the corporate ladder and is not interested in his performance score that some pencil pusher in upper management gives him.

The owners change, but the core people usually remain.

Its getting harder and harder for smaller companies to compete against the big guys.

I dont know what to make of Brunswick- they are so large that when times get hard they just cut jobs and close factories and dont care who is in the unemployed line.
Same for Marine Max, seems like a awfull lot of expanding in a small time..... only time will tell I suppose.
 
the boat/us article makes it seem that it is still an independent company. but this quote from said article is what i was talking about...
 

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That is correct but the current owners bought it in 2002 if I am not mistaken and have gotten many awards/credits for turning the company around. If I am not mistaken they are now taking on Indian Motorcycles which has also gone under. It will be interesting to see how they do with this venture.

Wesley
 
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