EQ Marine and C-Dory

D

dotnmarty

New member
This was posted on the EQ web site.

"C-Dory
It would appear that we're no longer a dealer for C-Dory. We've not been able to get any response from them as of 12/5/07."

I would like to know more about this. I have thought about it and concluded that it is indeed our business, for all the reasons noted in the many previous postings. I am therefore ressurecting what may be a contentious issue. I just am not ready to accept that the builders of such a fine vessel and a dealer who has contributed so much to its story cannot come to some accomodation.
 
I have to agree. For all the luck I have had with "customer service" and "technical support" I might as well have bought a Sea Ray. To me, Les was the premier representative for C-Dory in this region. If you are going to make such a lame decision as to sever ties with EQ, what will the next bad decision be? The Rosborough is looking better all the time.
 
It's there.

On the opening page, click on the 'new boats click here' in the upper right corner. The info is in the middle of the next page.
 
Nope, this morning they had a much longer discussion of how C-Dory has treated EQ. I can see why they took it down. Now it's just a short sentence, Scot's name is no longer part of it.
 
I am not surprised. A new dealer was appointed only a short distance from EQ. A large Sea Ray dealer is now the Majority dealer in the PNW.
EQ has taken on the Rosborough line. Cutter marine was dropped as a dealer, Three Rivers was dropped as a C Dory dealer.

In hard times, some manufactuers requires the dealers to take a certain number of all of the line of boats, even those which do not sell well. The dealer must buy these boats--and if he cannot sell them, he will go under.
These are hard boating times. I have no idea what the C Dory sales are, but I do know that many other boat companies are in real trouble because sales are down and costs are up.

I do not feel that it is right to drop Les. But that is none of my business, except I do believe that a manufactuer should support their loyal dealers.
I do recognize that Les had done a lot for the C Dory line and for us owners. I was going to buy my Tom Cat from Les, but then he decided not to carry the Tom Cats. I had questions about props on the CD 25 and he spent quite some time on E-mails to me about the best props. I appreciate this and respect him.
 
:tea Nice cup of coffee this morning...think I'll go catch up on the C-Brats.."

:disgust Humm, the small guys take the small niche boat of C-Dory and make it an option for folks that want a boat tricked out with the bells and whistles that a lot of us who really use boats want on our boats.

:disgust Those same small guys do not like receiving boats that they have to take apart and put back together properly...as mentioned about 3,000 plus times on this site. OK, personnel changes... But, 18+ months later, the same poor quality control issues, and those that know the boats enough to realize it, stand up to the factory. :embarrased I still have some not so positive reflections with a real close friend of mine who I stood on a lot beside and said sure you can buy that boat and know you are getting quality.... Yes, in time, a bit over 18 months now, the boat is getting there, right where it should have been coming from the factory. It is still a great boat now, but, MOST of the problems should have never left the factory. I am not looking for a perfect boat to be delivered each time. That will never happen either

I like buying a boat from someone who stands up and expects to receive a quality boat that was once made. Still tuff as nails of a hull, but it is all the other things that make a boat a boat you can receive from a factory, rig out, and send out safely in the NW waters and know your customers are going to be fine. Others, just sell boats by the numbers.... Kinda makes me go hummm.... wonder how the hulls were that were delivered to that shop? Must be two QC lines up there.

Scot Reynolds has been real ...real quiet of late. Last I saw, he let Tom (although not called by name or I missed it) and some others go after making a post about how many folks they had hired and employed. So, some things are changing, but once again, a big ol owners group left to ponder and figure on our own and that can be dangerous. No adult supervison.

Maybe, Scot will have something to say... just before the Seattle Boat Show and all us Brats getting together as we have for years. Or, was it a tactical descision as to get as many orders at the show prior to letting folks know he was no longer shipping hulls to EQ? I am not sure why he would not want to at least keep them getting how ever many boats they wanted coming, or how few as to keep their quality shop flowing.

I missed seeing Les sitting on the hulls at the show in his flannel shirt, packed full of knowledge and abilities. No white long sleeve shirt on him. Nope, looks more like us, ready to use the boats. I missed seeing all the Hondas on the boats too....and looking at some other post, some are willing and authorized to SELL, but dance around the service parts. If you do not service the motors (and I am not talking about changing the oil and oil filter), just say so. There should be plenty of shops to service the Honda motors.

I must say, this would make for an interesting education on business practices to reflect back about 3 years on the C-Dory factory. This last chapter seems to be titled " Let's pee on the legs of the folks that carried us to the dance!!"

Yes, at times, we just have to put our personal feelings on the shelf but that does not appear to be what is happening.

Yes, I last looked at the C-Dory factory site, and it had EQ listed. But, I do not think the order for a few hulls from EQ has been filled in a few months. Deliver the boats if he is a dealer, if not, stand up and let the Brats know, before the 08 Seattle show.

Am I the only one that really wishes Jeff Messmer was still the go to guy at C-Dory. And Scot's Father Rich could not be a nicer guy either, but he is not the boss (I do not think).

The Rosborough boat is really a different boat, other than being 25' and trailerable. Heavier, thicker everywhere, flatter more useable roof, different front/bottom design which gives a smoother ride, better access to things that some day will need to be worked on, deck hatches that do not leak, a bit deeper draft but not much when really in the waters we go to, all and all just a differant boat. For these items, there is for sure a price difference that may be the difference in someone being able to buy a new 25' boat, and still have some coins left to enjoy it, or spend on their Children's education or other items. A different boat and a fine 25' trailerable pilot house boat that you can heat/cool/trailer and enjoy 12 months a year.

I also enjoyed having Mike Shotwell in FL where I could go to one place and see the 21' Martini, the 21' Ranger Tug, the C-Dory boats, the TomCat boats, and for a brief period, the Cape Cruisers. Maybe another business call on Scot's part that might not have worked in his favor as time has passed. Scot seems to just want to pick and choose, but it is his factory, for now at least.

What a meri-go-round here.

Again, all the more important to realize it is our C-Brats that make these boats and all our good times, travels, friendships and times on the water what it is. :smiled :thup :hug C-Brats & Gatherings & Travel :hug2 :dog :cat :beer :lol:

Good Day....and go do something with a C-Brat today!!

Byrdman
 
Byrdman-

Well said, my friend!

Lots of things to ponder!

Can't ever figure out why the factory leadership seems so obscure and makes the operation an enigma when a straightforward, positive, and friendly approach would reap boundless results............?

What's wrong with simple, open honesty?

See ya' in Seattle!

Joe. :thup :thup :thup
 
Visions of grandeur - C-Dory dealerships all over. Change the boat
so more can be made, faster, ignore some of the previous detailing
and get more made, quicker. Or so it appears. Not my factory.

Hopefully, the resale value of the older boats will hold up and hopefully
2001 will be in that grouping! OTOH, we have no intention of selling
Shelly-IV any time soon, so it's not that big of a deal.

Mike
 
It is hard to see the important things go by the wayside for quick profits... but that's corporate America... Craftsman still are around, and quality is still available for the extra dollars... I just hate to see our fine little boats reputation turned toward the dark side (Bayliner) Hopefully the factory will take a hard look at what makes C-Dory such a fine and rugged boat and rethink ......especially when it comes to faithful dealers.

Joel
SEA3PO
 
I am sorry that EQ and the factory are
having their dificulties .
Whatever the end result will be is between them and only them. If they wish to make it open to us so be it, but I don't think we , who already are owners of these fine boats, should go sticking our noses where they don't belong.
I am so tired of the factory bashing going on on this site lately .
I am thankful that the factory built my boat and a lot of others so that we are able to have this wonderful web site to come to several times a day and read what others are doing. If the factory decided to go another direction and build some totaly different boat, OH WELL, we still have our C-dorys, and EQ will still be in business selling some other fine watercraft. that is the bottom line.
 
Hmm... Yesterday the EQ site said that they weren't dealers. Today it says

Boats are on order but the schedule hasn't been confirmed yet. We anticipate having a 22 Cruiser, a 22 Center Console, and a 25 Cruiser heading this way fairly soon. The schedule will be posted here as soon as we have the details.
Click to expand...

Hmmm... Sounds like really poor communication is the real problem here. <shrug>
 
gljjr":3m65jp5l said:
Hmm... Yesterday the EQ site said that they weren't dealers. Today it says

Boats are on order but the schedule hasn't been confirmed yet. We anticipate having a 22 Cruiser, a 22 Center Console, and a 25 Cruiser heading this way fairly soon. The schedule will be posted here as soon as we have the details.
Click to expand...

Hmmm... Sounds like really poor communication is the real problem here. <shrug>
Click to expand...

Your honor, the defense rests :wink:
 
No person with any real savvy regarding business dealings would expect full disclosure of all the thinking and decisions that go into the operation of any business, of course, but it would seem that in return for the vastly valuable resource we provide C-Dory, they could provide a courteous information stream of well thought out announcements and consumer information that would promote a positive image of themselves with the C-Dory boating world.

Joe. :teeth
 
Hey y'all,

Seems sometimes my timing is just as horrbile as anyone else's and if I'm not watching the path I'm apt to step in it! Thus is the case with the bit of information posted on our website a couple of days ago. Another person had inquired about the C-Dory boats and once again we had to tell them we didn't know what out status was. I decided to post something on our web site to indicate what was happening. No sooner had I done that and was out testing a boat then I got a call from C-Dory...and NOT the result of my post. To make a long story a little less long they have re-organized; the guy on the other end of the phone was one of the folks we worked with at C-Dory when we first started with them. He had since departed but now is back with them and was calling to tell us that they definitely want us to remain as a dealer. Given the re-organization and re-thinking going on at C-Dory we're only happy to do so; we still think it's a great boat.

I've not liked where the company was headed over the last few months and I had strong opinions about the situation which I tried to keep out of the public arena but was voicing direct to C-Dory earning me a fair amount of ire. While I didn't agree with a lot of what was going on at the same time I recognized their right to do what they thought best and wished to do...I don't own the company.

Scot and I haven't always had the easiest relationship or seen eye-to-eye on some things. I look at it as strictly business and am very aggressive about any "issues" pertaining to the boats. I know I can come across as very demanding and particularly irritating if the person on the receiving end isn't also looking at it with "busines only" eyes and feels there's some element of personal attack in it which for me is a foreign concept.

I wrote the above preface in order to make the point that I admire Scot greatly regardless of whatever business disagreements we've had; no two folks are ever going to run their businesses exactly the same way and if you're an entrepreneur and hanging it all out there you'll likely to be pretty convinced your way is the right way (elsewise you wouldn't do what you do). So Scot...kudos to you for weathering the storm; for having the willingness to try what you believe in even if it doesn't work always; and for having the grace to make difficult decisions and do what's necessary to make things work in the long run. We're really on the same side even if I seem to carry a bigger bat than the enemy at times.

With that said...we have boats on order and we look forward to a long and continued relationship with C-Dory (even with the bumps in the road sometimes).

I also want to apologoze for not hanging out here more often. We've had our challenges too and we once again find ourselves short-handed so almost 100% of my time has been spent in the shop rigging boats. It looks like I'll have a bit more time over the next few weeks and I hope to do some catching up.
 
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