If you ask a Champion dealer they say Champion is fine and as strong as ever. I hear from others that they will be out of business for good in less than a year. What is the real story?

Champion is still alive and going strong. even better fit and finish now. alot of talk out there about lots of things but the truth is they're doing good..

C@O isn't carrying them anymore so that has to say something about them. There are not that many dealers around for em either like Ranger. I think Ranger gets a lot more from Genmar than Champion does, Champ did go bankrupt once and may go again in the future. They have invested in new models but they will only last if they can generate revenue because with out that you can't swim in the market, you'll drown and be dead in no time. Another thing is they don't market the product as much as Ranger do or Triton does. Those companies have their name out there and there trail, Triton has BASS and Ranger has FLW so they are marketing the product way more than Champion is and that marketing generates more sales.

I belive I heard skeeter is now the boat for BASS.

Champion is doing fine. They did restructure under Genmar, and thier new boats are as good as any I've seen. What most people don't know about what happened to them in 2001, was the previous owner skipped out with all the pension funds, payroll money, ect. That was when they went under and then Genmar purchased them.

So while they don't have the dealer network they used to have, they are still building good quality boats.

I wouldn't hesitate today buying one.

Champion is fine. Its owned by the same corporation that owns Ranger and several others. They have a robust following and have no reason to go out.
C&O brought on Allison and fazed out Champion.

One of the things that seems to be happening is that their new contracts were more restrictive than before. The local Champion dealer didn't want to put out as much up front at they wanted so he quit handling them. It is kind of curious since he is also a Ranger dealer.

There has been a rumor for the last few years that Genmar is going to beef up the Stratos and drop the Champion because Champion is getting into the Ranger profit margin. It is not inconsceiveable since they have done this before. When they bought Champion and couldn't make a deal for the buildings they moved Champion to the Stratos/Javelin plant and dropped Javelin.

i was told that stratos is now at the ranger plant and champion has new facilities.

That could be. I haven't talked to anyone in a while.

Ranger is built in Arkansas and Stratos is built in Tennessee.

The Ranger plant is full up with Rangers. I don't think they could even pass off the bad press if it was put out that Stratos was being built there. But you guys are pulling my leg....Ho Ho.

The plan for Javelin going under has been going around since the 90's. They were a cheap Stratos without the frills. They lost many of their local pros a couple of years before Champion went under in late 2001 so the timeline wouldn't fit on that one.

Well, I know one longtime dealer for Champion that doesn't sell them anymore. And they were perrennially in the top 2 or 3 volume dealers in the country. When I asked him why, he didn't say anything about money or demands. He said he went to the new plant and took a good look around, and he decided he would move on because they weren't the same. Champion was always an innovative company that marched to a different drummer. Their hull designs were different, they had huge lockers and long decks before most other brands. They were lighter than similarly focused brands and ran like it. They added labor to produce a stronger hull, rather than gimmicks and cliches. While Skeeter was heralding their 'Hand Laid Hull', Champion invested the labor to roll out the excess resin to give their boats a more optimum glass to resin ratio-less weight and more strength at the same time. That company is gone.

I've owned an '88 model 184DC (still have it) and a '99 203 Elite. I've ridden in and driven a few newer models, and while they are nice looking and ride pretty well, they are heavy and not as fast or as nimble as they used to be. I'm sure I will get plenty of grief for my comments, but you asked for them.

I you want another opinion from someone who has been around them for a long time, ask Pat Goff. He's been around them for more than 2 decades, and he doesn't mind giving out his opinion.

Champion sells half the boats they did 3 years ago. Although they are still doing fine as the owner(s) knows how to adapt to a dynamic market. With the upcoming year looking poor for outboard markets. You never know. I would like to see them around for many years. They are an awesome boat. Maybe not the fastest or most stable, but for a former great lakes angler they don't get much better, except for the new alpha series Legends, they are the best rough water boat. That is purely subjective though, but I'm sure many would have to agree.

I have no affiliation with anyone at champ anymore, so I have no political agenda....

Champ is in fine shape, not for the reasons that bass guys understand though..

It's their bay boats that have kept them going strong, and the bass boats are doing well enough to keep going without a doubt.

It's not the same company, it's not the same attitude, but it's still a very good boat in a very diluted market.

C&O's decision wasn't easy, or did it have anything to do with the quality of the boats it was a decision made by champion to not sign their contract. I think it was dumb, but people do dumb stuff all the time.

Here's the point to ponder when a rangerphile starts yakking about genmar and pulling another brand, blah blah blah...

Genmar is a partner in ranger, not sole owner, they are sole owner in champ/stratos, it would make zero sense to not support the brand you actually own 100% of.

Preach It pat

You might want to check your dates. The Javelin was mfgd up through 2002. Genmar moved Champ to TN and took the unfinished boats with them. Completed them and started up the 2003 units in the Stratos plant.