correct craft today

I feel the same!! The service here really isnt good. They dont care. They are hurting themselves!! Everytime I went to the CC dealer in NH, I was surprized where they blew me off several times on service and they told me to go see this guy for that!! So I bought a new engine from SKIDIM complete and it has issues. I called them and asked if they would do warrantee work on it and that said no way. I didnt get it from them, so they wont touch it. Its funny because the reason I bought it from them is because it seemed they never wanted to get into that stuff always sending me elsewhere. Whats up with that anyway?? If I were to run our business like that, I wouldnt have too many happy customers.   

I just wish I could buy some original front seats.

I have done extensive work on two of these old relics and found CC in Florida very helpful...but I live in louisiana! Local dealers are probably not too good with the old boats, so I hear what you're saying, but I would never have as nice an old boat as I do now without Woody and some of the guy's at SECC. I think you just have to drop the local guy's...I never use the Louisiana Rep....got tired or repeating '64 or '72 and the guy saying "huh"!

Trike,

I think it is simple ecomics. As you mention you can find a lot of parts for old Mustangs, Camaros, etc. But, to my knowledge, most of the parts are aftermarket, and there were thousands upon thousands of these made. Further, Ford and GM were multibillion dollar companies in the first place.

By contrast, CC is a family owned business. Even today, they produce only about 2500 boats per year, and that includes at least 10 models. In the Senventies, CC fought off bankruptcy, and paid its creditor due the Meloons personal and business values. The economics just aren't there for CC to produce and stock parts for 40 year old boats.

If the hobby gets popular enough, or if the premiums get high enough, I'm sure some enterprise will start to produce parts. You can find specialty parts for old wooden Chris Crafts and Gar Woods, but they are expensive. When the market supports it, I'm sure you'll see similar parts for the fiberglass classics.

BKH

Yes, simple economics. BUT do you think that there would be profit to be made in supplying interior kits, emblems, graphics kits, swim platforms,? (that is ALL the factory support we need).Sure there would. Especially if you had the means, like the factory does. I dont think that it would make the company doubly profitable, but I also dont believe that they would lose money. Just a simple web link would do it. I hope they read this board.

trikeaholic wrote: Yes, simple economics. BUT do you think that there would be profit to be made in supplying interior kits, emblems, graphics kits, swim platforms,? (that is ALL the factory support we need).Sure there would. Especially if you had the means, like the factory does. I dont think that it would make the company doubly profitable, but I also dont believe that they would lose money. Just a simple web link would do it. I hope they read this board.

Trike, I'm not an accountant, nor a supply chain expert, but, given the way corporations finance and account for inventory, yes, I do think CC would probably lose money on stocking parts more than 15 years old.
They probably lose money on parts more than 5 years old, but that gets factored into the original costs of the boats, and the projected
average lifespan of a boat, etc.

Corporations keep tremendous controls on inventory and inventory turns. Supply chain management is one of the most expensive components of manufacturing. If it were profitable, Ford would still be making and supplying parts for model A's, IBM would still make parts for selectric typwriters, Apple would still make chips for Apple 1s,
Zenith would still make tubes for old televisions, etc.    It just isn't profitable
for large corporations who are in the business of producing new products.

In addition, CC didn't make most of these parts. Of those you mentioned, probably only the upholstery was made in house. The suppliers face similar pressure supply chain problems. It is too expensive to maintain production capabilities, when demand drops below a certain level. Even if CC wanted to maintain inventories, it is probably not feasible.

The good news is that when demand is there, opportunity is opened up for specialty businesses. Witness the aftermarket parts for cars - easy for camaros, mustangs, 56 chevies. Not so easy for Ramblers, Nashes,
Henry Js, etc. The market will dictate the business opportunity.

The specialists can profit because they can charge premiums; because they do not necessarily have to meet the original manufacturing standards; because for them this is primary inventory,not secondary; and because in many cases these business are smaller and are producing and flooring inventory with cash, not with borrowed money.

I have a Friend who collects Chord automobiles. He has 9 of them, and a couple sit in museums. He travels the country just to take a look at a possible original door. He spends lots of time and money trying to find just the right craftsman to make parts that might be missing. For him, I think the hunting is most of the fun.

In a way, the frustration is created because these boats have held up so well. We can still drive and ski a 40 year old nautique the same as if it were new, so we expect to be able to service them like new. That's the frustration, but that's why we love the quality of these boats.

Now that I've written War and Peace, I'll sign off.

BKH

now that I've written War and Peace, I'll sign off.

BKH[/QUOTE]

nautiquefrk,

It's sounding to me like you are the man to take advantage of this business opportunity

BKH

i always see people on this site asking if there is a market for home made seat brackets or emblems that they have cast themselves. maybe someone could create a "new original seat" kit complete with brackets, foam wood and skins for jim in houston? with how many people i see asking about seats on this site and others, i'm sure they could sell a heck of alot of them! (if you need to practice, you can always us my boat, i would make that kind of sacrifice for the team!)

a site like this would be awesome! you could make a ton of money on the banners alone! there are so many old cc's out there needing replacement parts and pieces that there is surely a market!

and i would love to see a gallery of old cc's that had people's new takes on these old boats. i have always loved wakegoddess' old 2001 that couldn't look more new if she had just rolled it out of the factory, but has that awesome classic low-profile look of the 2001 (and by low profile i mean it looks like there are about 10 400 lb-ers riding shotgun!).

bkh said it best.. "In a way, the frustration is created because these boats have held up so well. We can still drive and ski a 40 year old nautique the same as if it were new, so we expect to be able to service them like new. That's the frustration, but that's why we love the quality of these boats." not that i think i have ever used this phrase before while sober, but "true that!" we are still getting the kinks out of our old 2001 (thank God for woody and the boys over at secc, don't be jealous 64 skier!) but when we are out on the water, the boat runs like new, if you're not thinking about the duct tape that's wrapped around the wood rotted seat sticking to your thigh, that is!

i can't wait to see the new site, mike! need a site designer?

tg wrote: if correct craft reproduced interior recovers, windshields, and step plate only... they would make a profit

thats what i was saying!! thats all we need