Uncertainty at Ranger boats

[Champ188]

Tough way to make a living is putting it mildly. I've known a lot of them over the years and without exception, they'll tell you the two hardest things about it are (1) being away from home 200 days a year and (2) the time spent behind the steering wheel of a pickup pulling a boat.

[Bill Babler]

I can remember Danny Vasques when he was following the tour telling me he worked on one that had over 300 codes on it.  I have had one on the last 3 boats.  99% of these are over rev.

[vernon]

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Bass Pro Shops Updates Dealers on Management Issue

     

Ranger's Z520C bass boat is just one of the company's models that qualifies for the promotion.

Dec 08, 2015 - 2:12 pm

 

In a letter to its dealer network, Bass Pro Shops Founder, Johnny Morris, reassured dealers that the company's future is “unchanged” after three senior staff members resigned. 

In late November, Fishing Holdings' management team, consisting of President, Randy Hopper; Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Keith Daffron; and CFO, Mendel Hughes; has resigned from the company. Fishing Holdings, owned by Bass Pro Shops since late 2014, is the maker of Ranger, Stratos and Triton boats.

The letter contained the following:
This was a very sad day for me personally and I know it has to be deeply concerning for many of you as well. There can be no doubt that each of these very fine and most capable men will be sorely missed – we sincerely wish for them the very best.

This development has no doubt caused many of you to have questions and concerns. While we have not fully developed a detailed go forward plan, there are several key points I feel it is important for us to share with you.

• Our deep commitment to the company's future is unchanged.
• There remains in place a fantastic team of committed associates in Flippin, Arkansas that have our full support.
• Recruiting the most talented leaders possible to fill these vacated positions is a top priority.
• We plan to align significant additional resources to further strengthen product offerings and dealer and customer support.
• We will maintain separate new product development teams to ensure unique, differentiated product offerings.
• Maintaining the extraordinarily high-quality product standards of the legendary Ranger brand, developed by Forrest Wood, is considered an absolute top priority.
• We are contemplating moving the production of Triton and Stratos boats from Flippin to increase capacity and enable us to better serve Triton and Stratos dealers and their customers. We believe this action will also free up space for increased production of Ranger brand fresh and saltwater boats and accessories in Flippin. We want to get you and your customers boats, parts and accessories in a timely and efficient manner.
• A strong independent dealer network is vitally important for the success of the Ranger brand. Supporting your efforts to meet and exceed the high expectations customers have come to expect from Ranger remains our primary focus. With that goal in mind, we plan to appoint and convene a dealer council in the very near future.
• To be clear, when we invested in Fishing Holdings one of our primary motivations was investing in the opportunity to work alongside you, the absolute best fishing boat dealers in the world. We remain steadfast in this commitment.
• At this time, we are pursuing renaming Tracker Marine Group and Fishing Holdings to a new, more united “White River Marine Group.” In this regard, we are eager to share and to make available as appropriate many of the significant resources available from Bass Pro Shops and Tracker to help strengthen the Ranger brand and your business. At the same time we respect the need to maintain independence and brand integrity, and in that regard, we have no plans to sell Fishing Holdings brands through Bass Pro Shops stores.

We are excited to share a bright future together and are most grateful for your support.

As Morris mentioned, the production of Triton and Stratos boats could possibly be leaving Flippin, Arkansas plant. This now begs the question of where it would be moved to and what impact it would have on the employs involved in the construction of those lines.
 

 

Comments

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[Champ188]

Boy, that sure makes me feel better. Kind of like the deep peace I get from listening to Obama.

[vernon]

1 hour ago, Champ188 said:

Boy, that sure makes me feel better. Kind of like the deep peace I get from listening to Obama.

Ain't that the truth.  All is well.  Trust me.  I got this.

[Fish24/7]

i just  don't see how anything from bass pro and tracker boats could improve things at Ranger.. I think it would be the other way around jmo

[fishinwrench]

43 minutes ago, Fish24/7 said:

i just  don't see how anything from bass pro and tracker boats could improve things at Ranger.. I think it would be the other way around jmo

Well...... How many of us truly have plans to go write a check for a brand new boat any time soon ?

I gotta take the WHO CARES approach on the whole deal myself.

[ness]

2 hours ago, Champ188 said:

Boy, that sure makes me feel better. Kind of like the deep peace I get from listening to Obama.

LOL. 

[Mitch f]

Maybe someone in the know can tell me if there has been an increase in the quality of Nitro boats in the last 5 years?

[fishinwrench]

Don't know about the last 5 but in the last 15 there definitely has.   Nitro's are a fine boat.