Sad News for Checkmate boats

[derpid]

Sooo does anyone else besides me think that the way its going down raises some suspicion? I mean the only "real" announcement (that I can find) that they are selling is in a post on the owners forum. no facebook updates, no website memo, no other published release that pops up on the google. its 100% true, but youd think that they would be trying to get the word out a little more? if the rent is the issue why not just move the assets to hustlers NY facility and build to order? something just seems off, or im bored and over analyzing.

[altamate]

It does seem a little funny how it's playing out but, why would they go to a big effort to advertise they are shutting it down. I wonder how well Hustler is doing, not hearing about a ton of new boats coming from them either?

[derpid]

they are not shutting down as in going out of buisness, they are for sale. is there a difference? perhaps. they were very clear that they are for sale and not shutting down or dissolving as I had asked. so what does that mean? maybe nothing, but it is a bit interesting.

[altamate]

Maybe someone will by it whole or in part? Paul used the word dissolve in his announcement, not me. If he meant it was for sale as an ongoing entity I'm sure he would have used other terms. But I think since there is no building involved with the sale and not much actual business volume, he was/is limited in how he can present what he is getting rid of.

[derpid]

yeah you got me on why the wording choice was so, but perhaps theres a method to the terminology. maybe there is a change of hands going on that requires certain legal steps to be completed. ive seen some interesting methods for ownership of a company to be transferred in my industry and whats going on here has my spidey senses tingling in the same regard.

[Instigator]

I think D Smith drove them in the dirt same as he did Baja before Mercruiser took them over after he defaulted on payment for the motors/drives they already sent him, that were in his plant when he stoped paying.
Last owners of Baja Marine was Mercruiser not D Smith.

Hustler (or technically their holding company, Global Marine) bought Checkmate lock stock and barrel in 2013, no partial ownership or anything like that. The number to call is their office in NY, makes sense since they own it all.

The Checkmate company everyone here loves went on life support in 2007 when the Combs family lost controlling interest and died in 2013 when Global Marine bought what was left after Doug Smith was unable to resurrect it.

[FUJIMO]

this is common. it is called "out of trust", with mercury/mercruiser holding the bag, as the companies largest debtor. Fountain, same thing, out of trust. many others too, when the economy hit the skids back when.

[JUPITER PULSARE]

I think D Smith drove them in the dirt same as he did Baja before Mercruiser took them over after he defaulted on payment for the motors/drives they already sent him, that were in his plant when he stoped paying.
Last owners of Baja Marine was Mercruiser not D Smith.

Doug Smith also screwed Randy Wildman Corson on motors that Randy paid for that were not received...In my eyes, Randy was doing Checkmate a great service by ordering numerous new Pulsares, rigging them to perfection and promoting the brand, only to get screwed by Doug Smith. I wish the original owners, Kip, Mike and Bill Combs would take the company back. They are good people.

[WILDMAN]

Doug Smith was in the business of stealing from his boat companies and then running them into the ground. The bank took back Checkmate after he quit paying on his loan. Also screwed Bill Combs out of $600k. He stole everything he could from Baja without paying Mercury and suppliers to the tune of a few million dollars until Brunswick took them over. He built a new $850K house the same year!. In 2013 when I was a Checkmate dealer, it seemed like that was one of the best years. Doug Smith did not pay any suppliers for the most part that year. He stuck Mercury, Eddie Marine, Livorsi, etc. I sent him $49,000 for three new motors. His daughter, who runs the office, said send the check and the motors will be here by the time your check gets here. I did not realize that Mercury already cut them off. Well, they closed the doors 1 day after they cashed my check. Never got a penny back and no law enforcement would go after him. He was one of the head guys in his church and even ripped them off. He will always be a thieving scumbag!!!! I hope he still believes in GOD, because heaven has no place for him.

[mikesufka]

^^^

Where is this complete and utter LOSER now ? Hope he's living in a trailer park, drinking cheap beer and looking out the window at his fat neighbor lady in a pink dress, wondering where the first wrong turn was ... LOL.

MDS

[Greg G]

Doug Smith was in the business of stealing from his boat companies and then running them into the ground. The bank took back Checkmate after he quit paying on his loan. Also screwed Bill Combs out of $600k. He stole everything he could from Baja without paying Mercury and suppliers to the tune of a few million dollars until Brunswick took them over. He built a new $850K house the same year!. In 2013 when I was a Checkmate dealer, it seemed like that was one of the best years. Doug Smith did not pay any suppliers for the most part that year. He stuck Mercury, Eddie Marine, Livorsi, etc. I sent him $49,000 for three new motors. His daughter, who runs the office, said send the check and the motors will be here by the time your check gets here. I did not realize that Mercury already cut them off. Well, they closed the doors 1 day after they cashed my check. Never got a penny back and no law enforcement would go after him. He was one of the head guys in his church and even ripped them off. He will always be a thieving scumbag!!!! I hope he still believes in GOD, because heaven has no place for him.

Had no idea about this guy. He will get his one day.

[WILDMAN]

From what I hear, he moved to Chattanooga, TN where his son lives and got a new house with all the money he stole.

^^^

Where is this complete and utter LOSER now ? Hope he's living in a trailer park, drinking cheap beer and looking out the window at his fat neighbor lady in a pink dress, wondering where the first wrong turn was ... LOL.

MDS

[FUJIMO]

Doug Smith was in the business of stealing from his boat companies and then running them into the ground. The bank took back Checkmate after he quit paying on his loan. Also screwed Bill Combs out of $600k. He stole everything he could from Baja without paying Mercury and suppliers to the tune of a few million dollars until Brunswick took them over. He built a new $850K house the same year!. In 2013 when I was a Checkmate dealer, it seemed like that was one of the best years. Doug Smith did not pay any suppliers for the most part that year. He stuck Mercury, Eddie Marine, Livorsi, etc. I sent him $49,000 for three new motors. His daughter, who runs the office, said send the check and the motors will be here by the time your check gets here. I did not realize that Mercury already cut them off. Well, they closed the doors 1 day after they cashed my check. Never got a penny back and no law enforcement would go after him. He was one of the head guys in his church and even ripped them off. He will always be a thieving scumbag!!!! I hope he still believes in GOD, because heaven has no place for him.

This happens more often than you know, in the boat manufacturing business. Imagine one guy doing this, multiple times also. It's real. Corporate Bankruptcy Laws, along with filing Personal Bankruptcy, at the same time, protect them. It's nutz.

[WILDMAN]

I also heard a story where he got up in front of his church congregation actually crying how he lost everything. The church chipped in and got him 3 months of groceries, etc. A couple weeks later someone from the church saw him at some fancy restaurant eating lobster and a bottle of wine.

[cooperider]

I talked with Hustler, it is an asset sale. Molds, patterns, the name, website, phone number, etc. Probably a good decent offer would buy it.

Hmm, I should start a GoFundMe.... I wouldn't have to move the molds far.