www.iFourWinns.com

Ok... So everybody knows the economy is in the ditch. Boat sales are down - but not as bad as RVs.

How are your local dealers doing - and I don't just mean Four Winns? Are you guys seeing people closing their doors left and right? Dealers coming close?

In Seattle -- one of the larger boating markets in the country -- we have been hit HARD. I would say harder than most (purely because I don't know of anyone else seeing what I am).

Bayliner/Maxum/Meridian/Trophy/Supreme -- sold by Olympic Boat Centers - Which I think was the largest dealer chain in North America. GONE
Regal/Baja/Fountain-- sold in Seattle by Power Boats NW in Fife. Lost their Regal license and just about GONE.
Formula/Supra/Sea Doo/Moomba/Tahoe -- Sold in Seattle area by Gonnason's Marina in Kent. Rumor has it - they are about to be GONE.
Four Winns/Mastercraft/Reinell/Centurion/Boston Whaler -- Sold in Seattle by Cope & McPhetres. GONE as of today.
Meridian Yachts - built in Arlington, WA. GONE. Dealer network still exists, but there went 1200 jobs out the window.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Nothing here in Texas, our market is flat.

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I see a lot of inventory around Charlotte, NC. but so far have not noticed any closed dealers. My FW dealer seems to be OK.
240 Joe

The Four Winns (and MasterCraft) dealer in Memphis just put up a "Going out of Business" sign.

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John
2001 Four Winns Horizon 230
VP 5.7 GSi / DP
2007 Ford Expedition EL

As you can see from the Topeka Boathouse thread the Kansas City area has seen the effects first hand. I'm waiting to hear back from some of the guys at LOTO to see how the dealers down their are fairing. The Four Winns dealer at Table Rock Lake had very few boats on their lot but at the time I was unaware of the problems at Topeka so we didn't even stop.

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Mike
Smithville, MO
08' Hayabusa, 2011 Subaru Outback, 03' Infiniti G-35 S.C.

Who is that?

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Dealer in Jackson, MS reported to me last week that they suffered with the FW line this past year. Sales were down, and as a result ordered very few FW boats for the 09 year. My two cents from the south...

Will be even worse for the boat manufacturers that export... For some reason the US$ has gained something like 40% over the Australian$ (and other currencies like the Pound, Euro etc.) in the last 6 weeks. Basically means a boat imported from the US to Australia now costs us 40% more than it did 6 weeks ago.

While the Australian economy is not having any financial problems at all, this sort of price increase will kill the import boat business here so we can expect to see some of the same sort of closures also. Hopefully my local FW dealer will weather the storm...

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

I was curious about the same thing. My boat is at our local 4Winns dealer PhilDill (Lewisville, TX) and I went in to say hi to the sales people after I was done in service and asked that very question. To my big suprise Maryanne said they have had a normal summer, as expected things were currently slow, but in general she was saying things were good. Granted this is a salespersons response, but interesting none the less.

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

Not sure the name of the Dealer at Table Rock Lake, but the boats were between Kimberling City and West Branson. The year before last a dealer had a large display of Four Winns and Master craft(I think) on 265 just south of the State Park. I didn't stop either time so I'm not aware of their name.

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Mike
Smithville, MO
08' Hayabusa, 2011 Subaru Outback, 03' Infiniti G-35 S.C.

OK, thanks. That's the area we normally stay in, so I'll have to keep my eye open.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic