As species develop within an ecosystem, there is often a 'co-evolution' that takes place. Several species evolve together, and their lifestyles become so intertwined it becomes hard to imagine one without the other.
This may describe C-Dory/C-Brat community. The C-Dory that 'was' led to the eventual development of a group of like-minded owners, which led to the development of the C-Brat web site. This in turn led to the recruitment of even more like-minded individuals (like myself), who buy into the C-Dory concept largely because of the boat itself, but ALSO, and maybe just as importantly, because of the group dynamic with the C-Brat site, and between the C-Brats and the factory.
So here we are, Or were, about a year or so ago. Evolution never stands still, so there is no reason to believe that the C-Dory boat, the C-Dory factory, or the C-Brat community will continue unchanged.
For example, the C-D 29 has by no means been met with open arms by members of this group. However, maybe by definition, the members of this site are not the likely buyers of this new design, for precisely the reasons that they are likely buyers of CD-16's, 19's, 22's, and 25's. They are different designs. If the factory envisioned this boat as a possible stepping stone for current owners, recent comments suggest they may have guessed wrong. As noted, they had ample opportunity to ask the current owners about this in advance, but for whatever reasons, chose not to. OTOH, if they envision this boat as another entry point, for another market segment, then perhaps C-Brat input would not be very helpful. (I don't necessarily believe this course of action was wise, but I'm not running the company, and don't yet understand where they are going with all this.)
Back to the core business, however. It seems that the mindset of the typical CD owner, and the current CD design, and the business practices of EQ Marine have evolved very closely together. Les (I'm guessing) likes working with the types of people that are inclined to buy C-Dories. As a result, he enjoys the close personal interaction, and the time spent advising customers on the right rigging for their optimal usage. He has all the skills required to take the boat from the factory floor, tune it up, add the options, advise the buyer, service the deal, and so on. With this mindset, it is likely (my opinion) that such a dealer would receive much less satisfaction selling cookie-cutter products. From the other side of the counter, it is quite clear from this thread that the C-Brat community holds this unique set of skills in very high esteem, and the (current) C-Brat community does not necessarily want to buy cookie-cutter products, either.
As stated by others above, good will and reputation can be earned over time, and can be destroyed surprisingly quickly; they cannot be bought at any price. And Wefings points out -- market research like this cannot be obtained at any price either. Therefore, these are not trivial issues facing C-Dory, E.Q., or C-Brats.
The future of C-Dory might (?) already have evolved to the point where it MUST sell cookie-cutter products, in higher volume. My intuition tells me, however, that if this happens, the enthusiasm of current C-Brats for future C-Dories is likely to change considerably. Rather than telling people at the gas station, or the camp ground, or the boat launch, to visit the C-Dory factory site, they may well be pointing them in the future toward the C-Brat Marketplace for used boats.
I may be describing a rock and a hard place here for the factory, but can a new high-volume marketing strategy increase sales so much that they compensate for the lost sales that occur due to the loss of good will of the current C-Brat community? Or the members of the community that go to Les, or dealers like Les, and buy boats OTHER than C-Dory's (for all the reasons mentioned above? These issues may (?) not matter to that 'other' market segment out there. (IF that 'other' market segment indeed exists . . . )
The next year or so will be interesting . . .
Personally, when the $$ fall into place, I'll probably look for an older CD. I realize I may have to update, and maintain various systems. I may want to replace ferrous corner clamps with fiberglass tabs, as Dr. Bob suggests. but I'll be damned if I'm going to buy a new boat with screws into the core w/o proper epoxy, when this very issue has been discussed DOZENS of times on this website, and still is not fixed (or even acknowledged?!) by the factory.
When I work with a dealer (such as Les, or others), I'd like our efforts to be directed toward power options, radar arches, chart plotters, and trim tabs. NOT leaking shower fittings, poorly glassed transoms, improperly installed tanks . . . . . . . With a few minor exceptions, I expect the dealer to augment the product that comes from the factory, not spend their time fixing the factory's care-less shortcomings and mistakes.
The 'evolution' continues.
The next year or so will be interesting . . .
Given E.Q.'s standing within the C-Dory / C-Brat community, ending this dealer relationship would make me veeery nervous if I were a FaC-Dory guy. Then again, how would I know? I'm a scientist, not a businessman.
iggy
