Aquasport production halted for 'repositioning'

[aquasport246]

This was taken from the Soundings Trade Only web site.



Wellcraft Marine has stopped production of its Aquasport fishing boats as it “evaluates the positioning of the brand,” said Wellcraft president Dean Samuelson.

 

The company, a subsidiary of Genmnar Holdings which also manufactures Wellcraft and Hydra-Sports, is working with dealers to sell through their inventory, Samuelson said in a phone interview. Many Aquasport dealers have picked up alternative Genmar brands, such as Wellcraft, he said.

 

Samuelson said the company is suspending production indefinitely, but intends to reintroduce the brand at some time in the future.

 

“We’re repositioning it and bringing it back,” Samuelson said.

 

Genmar is taking a look at all of its saltwater brands, which also include Wellcraft, HydraSports and Seaswirl.

 

“We’re positioning each one of these brands,” Genmar Chairman Irwin Jacobs said in an interview with Soundings earlier this month. “What we’re attempting to do is not confuse people.”

 

Jacobs said the issue of reintroducing Aquasport will be “revisited next year.”

 

Founded in the 1960s, Aquasport has long been a popular brand. The company claims to have built the first center console, the first walkaround cuddy cabin and the first production boat with a tuna tower.

 

The company struggled financially at times, and in 1989 was bought by Genmar from an investor who had purchased Aquasport out of bankruptcy. Genmar moved the company from the Miami area to North Carolina, before consolidating production into the Wellcraft plant in Sarasota.

 

Wellcraft this year will be introducing nine new Wellcraft and Hydra-Sport products, Samuelson said. Some of the new boats will be unveiled at dealer meetings in August.


http://tradeonlytoday.com/me2/dirmod.as ... 0053DD5A78

[Radioshop]

I really hope Genmar sells Aquasport.  I think it would be the best things that could be done at this point.  Genmar has been really slacking off on quality.

[scott_gunn]

Hopefully they "reposition" it as a hard core fishing brand and bring back the 222 :)

[JimCt]

Scott's right... bring back the 222!

The 222 was an undisputed success and a success in any business is not something you walk away from.  Lee Iacoca in his biography lamented the fact that Ford's marketing people walked away from the original Mustang, dispite the fact that the car was keeping the company alive.

The other thing about the Aquasport name: it is The Classic.  Anybody care to venture what an old 222 is going to be selling for in ten years?  To help get a sense of the future market, look up what a '66 Mustang convertible is going for these days.

To me, the reason Genmar is "rethinking & repositioning" is that Corporate hasen't a clue where or who the AS market is.  In short, they are not qualified to continue the line.  Based on the latest, and likely last, AS designs they are truly lost.  They have abandoned the AS "look" and consequently now look like everybody else's design; a guaranteed recipe for failure.

Be interesting to see what happens...  Best for all would be if an angel came along, bought the line and started cranking out the simple, strong hulls that earned AS its great name in the first place.

[DEFIANT]

I strongly agree with you Jim!

When I was at the Atlantic City Boat Show this spring some of the Wellcrafts and Aquasports were exactly the same other than the name on the side! They are both Genmar boats.