Sad News for Checkmate boats

[JasonRS]

Definitely more of a midwest boat i think! Nearly everytime we go out, we have someone tell us a story about thier old one, or a friend that had one. I will say, alot of the same people dont even know they still exist

[282]

Small speed boat market in my area is really quiet. Growing up we had an allison dealer, hydrostreams, avengers, skiff and garvey races ect ect., now it seems to be mega CC's and Marine Max pumping out Sea Rays. A bunch of fast stuff but it's all big stuff. My current Checkmate

[Instigator]

Kunkels Marine was a dealer a 1/2 hr from the factory, an hr from me.

Probably the oldest, longest standing dealer.

When I worked for a dealer in 89/90, we had performance reports in our dealer packets from the factory.
Which prop, speed, rpm etc.

Kunkels did all that testing, it was real, and they were very good.

Harold (Mr Kunkel) liked to go fast.

I was at his shop yrs ago looking at a then, new, 251 Convincor.

He had three motors on stands.
All bad SOB’s, at different power levels.

Whenever Checkmate came out w/a new model, he ordered one w/base power.

When it arrived, he then pulled the stock power and plugged in one of his bullets.
And his props.

He had a 251 running 126 30 yrs ago!

Funniest part of the story is when I stopped in one time, just after they took on Eliminator boats.

They had a 25 in there shop and Harold laughed that w/the same power it still wasn’t as fast as the 25 Checkmate ��

I was anchored this summer at a sandbar and my Boat has a big checkmate down the side....some guy walks by and said do you like chess? A lot of people don't know the brand checkmate. If i knew the title of Grandmaster was a chess stud I would have said I was one. I have owned 3 checkmates a 17 sportfire, 21 starliner and a 25 SFx. Aside from a few small things they are a great boat. They where not known as the fastest boats but I always saw them as well made. I hope they don't tank.

[team supra]

My brother bought two checkmates from Kunkels marine, a 24 ft with rude v8 outboard, and a 25 with pro charger 496. Both boats ran fast, and to see their shop and the bullets they had on stands was very cool. Those boys loved their speed

[Greg G]

Wasn't Kunkels in business for decades with Checkmate? I remember my Dad talking about them.

[Instigator]

Yep.

I bought my wife’s 253 from them 2 yrs ago.

Father and son now.

Jason (son) has a gorgeous 251.

Wasn't Kunkels in business for decades with Checkmate? I remember my Dad talking about them.

[Greg G]

Has anyone on S+F bought or seen a 2021 model Checkmate?

[HydroSkreamin]

Has anyone on S+F bought or seen a 2021 model Checkmate?

This was the last I had heard about them. A friend went to look and liked what he saw, but never heard any more.

http://www.speedonthewater.com/tinus...use-boat-show/

[Pulsare2400]

This was the last I had heard about them. A friend went to look and liked what he saw, but never heard any more.

http://www.speedonthewater.com/tinus...use-boat-show/

It sure sounds like something has gone wrong? I have seen pictures of those 2 boats at Tinus Marine before, as well as at least 2 others that were completed on the new Checkmate website. I wonder if Tinus Marine knows what's going on and would even share it?

[Instigator]

Approx 2 yrs ago, I was in the Bucyrus factory and they had the then new, 28 twin OB cuddy, I think just back from Miami and a 25
center console that I thought was gorgeous.

They guys agreed but said they couldn’t sell one.

Was other boats getting restored and I think, one or two new ones nearing completion.

This was just after their sale to the Hustler People.
Kip said they were paying their bills on time.

I dont think they’re were more than 4 worker bees on the floor though.

[FUJIMO]

...is there a checkmate, hustler or global marine website?. post a link please...

[Pulsare2400]

I can add a bit to that. Global Marine bought Checkmate in 2013, I believe. I was in the Checkmate plant when I ordered my 2400 in early May, 2019. At the time they had a grey colored Convincor (not sure of the length, but around 26 ft. with two 300R outboards on the back and it was at the Miami boat show).They also had a blue 2400BRX with a 400R that had been at the boat show and I test drove it, and could have bought it for a steal. They had trouble selling that 2400 and the twin outboard boat. The BRX had the lowered seat pedestals but no kick out for your feet and I just did not fit in it well. They had a few older boats in for repair, and were building a 2400 with a 300ProXS for a Canadian customer and mine was supposed to be the next one. When I asked how many they built per year they said about 8 boats and mine was supposed to be completed by June 30. A friend of mine visited them in April and ordered a 2400BRX with a 300R (he has since passed away). My boat was still not quite finished at the end of September and I had a bad feeling they might go under and I would lose everything, so I went to Bucyrus and picked it up near the end of Oct. When I picked it up Dean told me that Global Marine was selling Checkmate which did not surprise me. They did eventually finish Tom's 2400BRX and he went to get it also not quite finished in Mar or April of 2020. My 2020 was the last boat finished in 2019 and Tom's was the last boat ever finished in Bucyrus and that was in the spring of 2020.

[Pulsare2400]

...is there a checkmate, hustler or global marine website?. post a link please...

http://www.hustlerspeedboats.net/speedwear/index.php
https://checkmatepowerboat.com/

The blue boat on the checkmate website is the one I test drove in Bucyrus but eventually went to a dealer to be sold.

[SCT]

I believe this is the 2600 CM at the Miami boat show a few years ago.

https://boats.iboats.com/research/20...0/2149510.html

[Pulsare2400]

I believe this is the 2600 CM at the Miami boat show a few years ago.

https://boats.iboats.com/research/20...0/2149510.html

That is also the one I saw in Bucyrus and I might have a picture of it on the production floor. I don't know if that was a spec boat for the Miami boat show that never sold? The blue BRX, according to Dean, was a custom boat for a customer and he claimed financial issues and got out of the contract. They had trouble selling that one. I am 6'-2" and the intended owner must have been short for him to sit in it without his knees up to the steering wheel!