New Checkmate Factory Tour Up!

[Scream And Fly]

Check it out here!

Checkmate Boats Factory Tour (http://www.screamandfly.com/screamandflymagazine/features%20checkmate%20tour%201.html)

Greg

[Tom D.]

Excellent!!:cool:

Tom

[175checkmate]

Great job Jim, They still can build the older c'mate huh, I wonder if they still have the tri-mate mold? Just a thought, it has passed now. Lots of better NEW stuff.

[Instigator]

Very well written.
Still bummed I missed that trip.

Been a while since I've been in the plant, and seen the guts os a Mate.
Their quality is amazing.
I too remember visiting one of my local dealers who carried both Checkmate and Fountain.
I remember thinking and reading that Fountain was supposed to be one of the best in the Offshore class.
I climbed back and forth between one of each and there was no comparisson.
Checkmate was clearly way ahead in everything from cosmetics (perfect gel work) to construstion.
I still want a twin O/B 25!
Thanx for the story Jim, And thanx to you Shannon for getting him in!
Gary

[Talon2.5]

good job on that story!! :cool:

[BLUElixir]

I really enjoyed seeing the construction process and the plug being built. Great work!

Adam

[Hydrovector]

:D I used to live not to far from there too, Akron Ohio!!! When I was a kid my dad had a Starcraft that he bought from a dealer that sold Checkmates too. I would go with him when he ever went to the dealer so I could drool over the Checkmates in the showroom, and dream one day of having a speed boat.

[MTCM]

Jim and Greg. I always liked them boats. Looks like they still build them well. I know that mine was very solid and it never gave me any problems.

My first hotrod: 1979 Exciter, 150 'Rude. Put a 200 Merc on it in 1982. Stolen in 1983. I cried like a baby. Still hurts to think about it.

[checkmate243]

Looking forward to going down there to check it out this winter!You missed your calling,checkmate rep!;)

[SCT]

JW,
Great article Jim! You should give up working on those over priced airplanes and sell boats for Premier....

SCT

[JW]

I hope everyone enjoys the article. Greg, you did a great job formatting all that material I sent!! I like the little tweaks you made. Flows really well!

Thanks to Greg for all his HARD work, to SCT for giving me the 'ultimate' tour AND buying my lunch, and to all the Checkmate workers that made me feel totally at home. Special thanks to Bill Combs for enhancing my tour and taking the time to talk to a couple of tourists!!

[FCnLa]

2 thumbs up!!!:)

Now I know where mine came from. Also neat that it is possible to get a new one just like it!

Not too many companies that operate like that.

Thanks.:D

[Scream And Fly]

Paul,

We need some detailed pictures of that Youngblood tunnel. It's a nice looking rig!

Greg

[JW]

Check it out.....
http://www.dallasboats4sale.com/pages/checkmate.html

[Pete]

hey,
great read!
i loved all the pictures, i think my next boat will have to be a checkmate, no STV , nonono alison
ahh i cant choose, ill make the decision when i have the $$$

Pete

[JW]

Update....
Only a few 'old' molds remain, of the most popular 'not too old' models. The rest went to the dump a while ago, all crushed up.

[sho305]

I am pretty sure I talked to that Bill Combs about my '73. He said my old trihull type design molds went to Panther boats in Canada in '80-82? That is when they went to the vee/pad type hull design they have now and they were closed for a year changing over. Mine is really a vee with bigger reversed chines anyway, not a tri hull. No pad, but it handles nice and has good lines.

Unless you are talking about molds since then and I don't know about them(looks like they have them), but he did say they could make a new interior for about all of the boats since the change over.:)

Nice article, great pics too. Thanks! That about sums up their reputation around here. Glad to see more BRs coming out too. You can always cover it if it slows you down you know...the extra room is great and hard to give up once you have one.

FYI: http://www.checkmatepowerboats.net/

I was very impressed with the way they helped me out, and knew about these old boats yet. That made points with me.;) This is the same as my '73:

[H2Onut]

Do any of the employees visit this website ? Did they know who you were when you contacted them ? That was a EXCELLENT article, very well done, I enjoyed it. Plan on any other factory tours ?


Happy Hanukkah
Merry Christmas
Feliz Navidäd
Mele kalikimaka

[25Daytonaless]

Could someone tell me what kind of speed I could expect from a 211 pulsare with a 1999 300 merc. Thanks.

[sho305]

They told me from the factory a 21' would go 80 with a 225, 72 with a 200. I believe that was Mike Combs. Check their site and call them if you are serious. They are very helpful and happy to chat boats with you. He said they have seen that, with an empty boat, good setup, etc. I am sure somebody here can guesstimate a 300 for you.

[BANJO]

Checkmate's quality and strength are unbeatable. My 186 pulse has traveled some hard miles and still looks better than new!

[BANJO]

pic

[JW]

I have gotten 'Congrats' from a couple of the owners sons. They all must know about it at the factory by now. I am a moderator at the Checkmate message board, and Kip Combs visits there regularly.
In case anyone is interested, the site is: www.checkmate-boats.com
This board is for Checkmate owners, and is run by a private individual like Greg. Not affiliated in any way to any manufacturer. He just likes Checkmates

As far as other tours, I am thinking of doing a Skater tour, possibly an Awesome tour, but I'm not sure. The article was quite time consuming, I'm sure for Greg too.
I wish Greg would do a Progression tour for this site, that would be cool.

[H2Onut]

Thanx JW