Contender

[DJWILLIAMS]

Wiley,

Maybe you should bring Contender (Joe Neber) and Team Bloodsport here for a civilized discussion?

Maybe that's not a good idea, it would lead to Moderator watch 24/7....

Hopefully a resolution will be made soon..

David

[Chisox]

Wiley,

Maybe you should bring Contender (Joe Neber) and Team Bloodsport here for a civilized discussion?

Maybe that's not a good idea, it would lead to Moderator watch 24/7....

Hopefully a resolution will be made soon..

David

Dave,

I really don't think the room is big enough...

[DJWILLIAMS]

I totally agree, the crown royal was slightly talking... but I believe it's too late to discuss on this forum, due to the fact of so many opinions!!!

I hope a conclusion/decision is made soon....

David

[Chisox]

I totally agree, the crown royal was slightly talking... but I believe it's too late to discuss on this forum, due to the fact of so many opinions!!!

I hope a conclusion/decision is made soon....

David

Dave,

I'd have to say the damage, to each side, is almost irrepairable...

Edited February 27, 2010 by 250 Osprey

[SCAngler]

As usual, a "bashing" thread on THT has taken on a life of it's own. Now granted, the President/owner/whatever of Contender certainly did no favors for his company nor the Contender community. However, the fact, and it is a fact, remains that Contender makes an excellent boat, and will continue to do so. I'm sure for every disgruntled Contender owner out there, there are thousands who love their Contenders and, in many cases, wouldn't buy anything else but Contender.

Having been at the OEM level for so long, there are certain aspects of the business that most don't see unless they are in it. One of those aspects is the tremendous egos of those who own/run boat building companies. Look at Reggie, look at Bob Dougherty (spelling)just to name a couple. Combine those egos with egos of many well-heeled buyers and a lot of interesting fireworks can happen. Secondly, every boat builder does what we call "warranty replacement" boats, usually under the radar, usually at great cost to the builder, and usually listed under "Goodwill" on the monthly warranty cost reports. It is typically in the builders best interest to perform these replacements as the reputation of the builder can be quickly tarnished by a zealous owner who thinks he has been wronged, especially with the advent of forums like this one (which, thank god doesn't seem to stoop to that level)and THT. To be able to get a "gripe" out there for all the world to see so quickly and so wide-spread is something that simply wasn't available not that long ago. Builders are becoming more and more aware of this and in most cases are reacting to the potential damage a thread like the Contender thread can pose, but sometimes the reaction and explanations are either not quick enough in coming to stem the tide, or the ego of someone got is the way of making a good, sound business decision.

When I was at Hydra-Sports (back when it was still at the old Sunbird plant in Columbia, SC), I was building the 3000 Vector. The first 7 boats I built were warranty replacement boats for owners of Stratos 3300s where the transom cracks in the splashwells were so big you could almost slide your whole hand through them. Nothing was ever heard of these replacements, it was simply done as a cost of doing business, and everyone came out happy. Imagine that scenario in today's world of instant access and forums that allowed the type of bashing we see.

So it's been going on a long time, and the Contender issue does not surprise me at all. But it certainly could have been handled A LOT better than it was...

JMHO

250 THE OLD Sunbird/Hydra-sport plant is now Where Sea Hunt builds their boats.The owner of Sea Hunt ??? The original owner of Sunbird (he sold out to OMC). Funny how things comeback around

[Chisox]

250 THE OLD Sunbird/Hydra-sport plant is now Where Sea Hunt builds their boats.The owner of Sea Hunt ??? The original owner of Sunbird (he sold out to OMC). Funny how things comeback around

Ain't that some sh!t! My building was at the far eastern end of the plant, they used to weld trailers in it. All by myself. Give me a hull, a deck, and a liner, and 2 weeks later I gave them a boat. Enjoyed it, but Florida was beckoning me to come back home...

Edited February 27, 2010 by 250 Osprey

[renagade69]

250 THE OLD Sunbird/Hydra-sport plant is now Where Sea Hunt builds their boats.The owner of Sea Hunt ??? The original owner of Sunbird (he sold out to OMC). Funny how things comeback around

Ain't that some sh!t! My building was at the far eastern end of the plant, they used to weld trailers in it. All by myself. Give me a hull, a deck, and a liner, and 2 weeks later I gave them a boat. Enjoyed it, but Florida was beckoning me to come back home...

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6367/is_11_79/ai_n29225489/

Interesting read. Contender is appealing the ruling based on Privy.If he wins then he will void all Contender warranties and in fact set case law for every boat owner in FL to have their warranty voided if they didn't buy direct from the Manufacture.

[team oldschool]

I was wondering how long before this got onto this site. The topic has been all over many sites, not just THT, and always seems to becomes a shouting match so to speak.

[Chisox]

I was wondering how long before this got onto this site. The topic has been all over many sites, not just THT, and always seems to becomes a shouting match so to speak.

Have to admit I've been kind of ignoring it as of late. But what has come out, it would seem, is the plaintiffs are not exactly as innocent as they purported to be. You know the old saying, "He who lives in a glass house..."

You'd think that many intelligent people would have something better to do with their time...

[ScarabChris]

Its an unfortunate situation for Contender and the owner of the boat in question. This could have gone so many different ways and had a better outcome.

I haven't looked at that thread on THT since like page 10. Its got to be over 100 pages by now. The boat owners accomplished their goal, to create negative buzz about a company that they felt burned them.