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Author Topic:   Dealer drops Whaler
DavidM posted 06-17-2003 05:39 PM ET (US)   Profile for DavidM   Send Email to DavidM  
A coastal Carolina BW dealer with three stores is dropping Whaler after a 20+ relationship. While there may be many reasons (he also sells Grady White) what I'm hearing is general unhappiness with the way BW is treating their dealers and being forced to power with Mecury. Seems some folks want other brand motors. Regardless of the reason this will leave Whaler out of a large market area, unless some other dealers pick BW up.
lhg posted 06-17-2003 06:36 PM ET (US)     Profile for lhg    
Sounds like a broken record. I'll bet the other engine brand is Yamaha, and he had to choose between them or Mercury. He couldn't afford to give up the lucrative Yamaha profit picture and handle Mercury and Mercury servicing also, so Whaler/Mercury cancels the contract. Maybe the issue included un-powered Whalers so he could put Yamahas on them. The Grady/Yamaha franchise might have been more profitable for him than Whaler/Mercury

It's all part of the fight for marketshare.
Yamaha was in a lot of big Whaler Dealerships during the pre-Brunswick OMC days, and now they don't want to let go. So Dealerships that don't sell Yamaha are going to get the new Whaler contracts.

Dick posted 06-17-2003 11:42 PM ET (US)     Profile for Dick  Send Email to Dick     
DavidM

I would bet that you will see Boston Whaler in your local Sea Ray dealers showroom soon.

I don't have a problem with the Brunswick philosophy of giving the Whaler dealerships to Sea Ray dealers. The problem I have is with the Sea Ray dealers that don't take Whaler seriously and have educated sales people.

Dick

Sal DiMercurio posted 06-18-2003 12:15 AM ET (US)     Profile for Sal DiMercurio  Send Email to Sal DiMercurio     
Could be they might just be pricing themselves out of the market.
Last satuday I drove into Oakland to the nearest Whaler dealer, needed to pickup a couple things, while I was there I thought I might just as well get a couple of new Whaler stickers as mine have a few scars on them.
All they had was the raised lettering & they wanted $45.00 for 1 & $90.00 for a pair......needless to say my scars got much smaller as I walked out.
I know things are expensive & i'm far from tight, but thats rediculous to pay that & advertize for them, you would think they would be happy to give them to you or at least be reasonable.
Sal
Sal
hooter posted 06-18-2003 08:07 AM ET (US)     Profile for hooter    
Thanks for some thoughts on the question, "why?", Larry. As the boat motor war in this country and related market changes continue, somethin' occurs t'me. When was the last time you ever heard of anybody goin' down t'the GMC dealership and raisin' hell because they couldn't buy that nice big Yukon with a Ford motor?
dscew posted 06-18-2003 08:27 AM ET (US)     Profile for dscew    
Go to Ebay if you need stickers. They're on there all the time, in correct sizes, and they're cheap.
hooter posted 06-18-2003 08:41 AM ET (US)     Profile for hooter    
Look closely at the e-bay ads before you buy. Ah've noticed that many of the decals listed there clearly do not replicate the Whaler logo, which was originally hand drawn before modern computers and was never pulled off a given standard "font". Janis, at Magic Brush, has the real McCoy for a reasonable price.
tabasco posted 06-18-2003 09:58 AM ET (US)     Profile for tabasco  Send Email to tabasco     
The Connecticut Whaler dealer has picked up the Yamaha line of motors this year. Doesn't seem to be any problem. He sells most of the Whalers in the Connecticut area.
hauptjm posted 06-18-2003 11:29 AM ET (US)     Profile for hauptjm    
Interesting topic. Here in Southeastern Louisiana, the only dealer for Whaler is in New Iberia, several hours to the west of New Orleans. Our only other option is to go to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi to the East of New Orleans. So you have what is one of the largest boat markets in the country, and we don't have a Whaler dealer. Granted, we're not Florida, and we have a tremendous number of boat dealers, but someone is missing the boat.

The original Whaler dealer in New Orleans went out of business many years ago due to a family tragedy, but the succeeding dealer carried the line for many years afterwards. I'll contact them to see what was their reasoning for dropping the line. I'm curious!

p.s. If anyone from Twin Cities Marine is listening, we would love to have a quality group like yours here in the Big Easy.

BWdaunt18 posted 06-18-2003 12:39 PM ET (US)     Profile for BWdaunt18  Send Email to BWdaunt18     
I live in SE Wisconsin.

Chicago Sea Ray aka Skipper Buds carried Whaler until this season. I was told the relationship ended due to poor or limited demand for Whaler products due to high cost. Limited market.

Buds sold Whalers with Mercury power.

Twin Cities Marine in Two RIvers, WI carries a full line of Whaler and Grady White. THey will power the boat with Merc or Yamaha. Excellent dealership.

Hauptjm-Is Twin Cities a local dealer or a "chain." ?

hauptjm posted 06-18-2003 02:23 PM ET (US)     Profile for hauptjm    
BW, I'm sure just local, but I think they are The standard in the industry. I was just dreaming!
Chesapeake posted 06-18-2003 06:15 PM ET (US)     Profile for Chesapeake  Send Email to Chesapeake     
Not too surprising.

Just learned last month that Chicago Searay, the only Whaler dealership in Chicago is no longer going to show the line on its showroom floor. Wow...

Jarhead posted 06-18-2003 07:34 PM ET (US)     Profile for Jarhead  Send Email to Jarhead     
I was at the local Whaler dealer on Monday and noticed that there were no 160 Dauntless'. They usually have at least two.
I was told they had some on order but it would be a couple of months before Whaler could make delivery.
Maybe it's just that they [the dealer] are sold out of the 2003 160 Dauntless' and are waiting for the new model year [2004]? However I can assure you the Boston Whaler business is alive and well in North Central Florida. :)
Eric posted 06-18-2003 08:24 PM ET (US)     Profile for Eric  Send Email to Eric     
Cannon's marine, here on Longboat Key in Sarasota county, had been a whaler dealer since opening in 1960. They dropped the line, to sell Scout and Grady White boats, and yes, they're a yamaha dealer.

I talked to a family member of an long term Cannon's employee, and some of the factors were as mentioned with the issues of service of the Mercurys, but it seems that the demands may not have been real reasonable for their situation. The dealership is on a barrier island, without a lot of room to grow, and they were told that to retain the Whaler line they would have to stock $1 million in parts, have all of their mechanics Mercury certified, and greatly expand their capacity for service.
They certainly play hardball.

Bigshot is another local resident, I would welcome any comments.

prm1177 posted 06-18-2003 08:28 PM ET (US)     Profile for prm1177  Send Email to prm1177     
This kind of dealer consolidation is not uncommon in other industries, particularly ones with stron brand name recognition and loyalty. BMW motorcycles went through a similar change a few years ago and many bike shops selling multiple brands had to follow the BMW line or else.
huladick posted 06-18-2003 08:47 PM ET (US)     Profile for huladick  Send Email to huladick     
DavidM.... Is that Crocker's in Wilmington ?
Dick posted 06-18-2003 09:46 PM ET (US)     Profile for Dick  Send Email to Dick     
Eric

Having been there I can assure you that Whaler does not require you to carry 1 mil in parts. A good sized dealer would stock 25 to 30 thousand in parts.

Dick

osillator posted 06-18-2003 09:52 PM ET (US)     Profile for osillator  Send Email to osillator     
It is Crockers in Wrightsville beach -Wilmington. I recently asked the owner why he made the decision and he said it was just a business decision!???

His salesman and others who know him have reported that stocking requirements as well as other newer requirements have been uncomfortable lately.

I only know he has been a huge Grady-Yamaha dealer for many successful years.

I hope to get the inside scoop from crocker later this summer.

I am disappointed.

DavidM posted 06-18-2003 10:04 PM ET (US)     Profile for DavidM  Send Email to DavidM     
It is Crocker in Wrightsville as well as his Morehead City store, and another in S.C. Parts guy tells me they will continue to stock parts for a year or so, and that they have been getting most of them from the suppliers anyway.
msc posted 06-20-2003 10:20 AM ET (US)     Profile for msc  Send Email to msc     
I have been a Crocker customer for years having bought two new whalers from him over the last 10 years. It is my understanding that the demands have become unreasonable coupled with the issues with Merc engines. Kay Crocker is a savvy businessman and while Whaler is a desirable line in that part of the world Grady rules the midsize fishing boat market. The dealership will probably go to MaineMax and get lost in the shuffle of large SeaRays. This is a real shame and a pain in the a$$ for me. Crocker is an excellent dealership but there is no way for me to avoid becoming a redheaded stepchild in the deal. Oh well...I had already decided if I move up from my Outrage 28 it would be to something other than Whaler. They have lost me with their new boats. That new 32 is just not for me. I think I am headed towards Pursuit with Grady also in consideration. I will always have my 88 Outrage 18 to scratch my Whaler itch. I will be very interested in watching Whaler navigate the market because they look very confused from where I sit.
huladick posted 06-20-2003 07:26 PM ET (US)     Profile for huladick  Send Email to huladick     
I sure hate to see Crockers drop the Whaler line. I never bought new from them, but was nice place to get parts and dream a little. Always friendly to me, even though I wasn't spending thousands....
Kelly posted 06-21-2003 09:24 AM ET (US)     Profile for Kelly  Send Email to Kelly     
There is not a Whaler dealer in the Atlanta, GA area either. The most recent dealer does not carry them anymore.

Kelly

John Bocskay posted 06-22-2003 01:21 PM ET (US)     Profile for John Bocskay  Send Email to John Bocskay     
Just came back from the BW factory in Edgewater where there was a flatbed truck in their inner yard with a canvas cover over it, under the cover, were Yamaha crated motors
Found out that G&G marine down the road on US1 sold 28 if the motors to the U.S. Govt who will put the motors on Whalers being built for them next door, they also ordered 4 spare power heads. The Motors were a non bid item.....
Eric posted 06-22-2003 10:35 PM ET (US)     Profile for Eric  Send Email to Eric     
Dick:
Yeah, that number does sound high, and I have no way of verifying it. The story was that they already had 30 to 40 thousand in Mercury parts on hand.
Jay A posted 06-23-2003 12:38 AM ET (US)     Profile for Jay A    
Bottom line is price! Dealers that have carried Whalers for years are having a hard time selling them. Consumers now realize there are many more brands that will give "more bang for the buck" The quality of other brands has risen. It's now possible to buy a similar size boat that's half the price of Whaler!Three years ago when I was in the market for a bigger boat,I went to the Boston Boat Show.My 1st choice was a Whaler. Then I got a sticker shock of mammoth proportions! I wasn't alone. It was comical to see the reactions of others that visited the display.I ended up buying a Seapro 21' W/A. The major factor other than price? Same foam core construction technique as Whaler....But I did retain my 13' 1970 Whaler!
meb posted 06-23-2003 08:12 AM ET (US)     Profile for meb  Send Email to meb     
you can purchase a 17 ft Montauk (motor and trailer) with top and swim platform for under $19000. Is that price out of line with other brands?
DavidM posted 06-23-2003 10:48 PM ET (US)     Profile for DavidM  Send Email to DavidM     
Having owned numerous Whalers over the past 22 years (currently own 5 classics) my two cents worth. When I bought my first one it was a unique boat even here one the coast. You could spot a Whaler a mile away, and other boatbuilders tried to copy them. Whaler developed a large brand loyalty in the late 70s and 80s, and I'll bet the sales figures would reflect this. As the prices rose and the hulls changed in the 90s Whaler became just another fish with a lot of competition. I'm not knocking the "new" boats, haven't owned one, and I hope the company continues to do well.
pstroh posted 06-26-2003 09:48 PM ET (US)     Profile for pstroh  Send Email to pstroh     
Here on Long Island, we have two Whaler dealers, SurfSide3 Marina and Hampton Watercraft. I can't speak much about Hampton Watercraft as I only visited the dealership once.

Surfside3 is a large SeaRay dealer who also sells Whalers. From what I can tell business does not look good for the Whalers here on the Island. The marina is all filled with SeaRays and you don't see many newer Whalers on the water, too much competition and too high prices for most.

I was interested in Whalers for quite some time before I made my purchase and I came real close to buying a Grady. As I walked through the NYC boat show every other boat was far better priced, however, as I reviewed each option over and over I realized that the cost comes with many benefits so I left the boat show with the mind set that I would wait until I had more cash. The dealer had already known me by this time since I had stopped by the dealership on several occasions to view the boats. Since he had seen me at the boat show and I didn't purchase he called me to tell me about the leftovers. Surfside made great offers from the beginning on the 2002 275 Conquest still sitting in the showroom in December but I still played hard ball. I ended up purchasing the boat for close to 40K less then the same 03 model.

No problems with the Merc's, great mechanics at Surfside. The boat has been excellent so far, I have about 45 hours on it. Every piece of the boat has held up to its reputation of quality.

boxers posted 06-28-2003 12:24 AM ET (US)     Profile for boxers  Send Email to boxers     
"Crockers" is a very nice dealership and the one we have used in Wilmingtom, NC. It is a shame that they have dropped the Whaler line. This past winter Crockers repowered our 20 Outrage. I think that from our conversations in Jan and Feb 2003 that Boston Whalers NEW policy of not selling blank boats was a big issue. I stated to Kay at the time I would have been inclined to buy a new "Boston Whaler" boat if I could put a Yamaha on the back. I'm sure after hearing that type of responce from the loyal customers it becomes difficult to sell Mercurys to folks who don't want them. Kay has two Yamaha F225s on his Grady-White. It would be hard to sell what you don't believe in. The Boston Whaler boats were probably not the problem. If Crockers could still buy blank hulls from BW I wonder if they would have dropped the entire BW line? I will be sure to ask Kay next time we are in the area.
whalernut posted 06-28-2003 07:11 AM ET (US)     Profile for whalernut  Send Email to whalernut     
Yes Boxers, I think you are right about that. Also, even better was when you get get a pre-rig with everything but the engine from the factory, even the transom holes were drilled for a certain brand of motor, and the controls and gauges were their also. All the dealer had to do was hook the motor up to the controls and steeering. better yet, some(buyer and dealer) even liked it better when you get the whole shabang from the factory with whatever you wanted on it or a combo of anything, that surely was the good old days of buying a B/W. I would even be more inclined to buy a Bare Hull if possible, and I know it is available thru Commercial,but I am talking just the regular whalers, either bare hull or just with some accessories without any engine, maybe even just pre-rigged for convinience :)Maybe even an option for the Barbour 3 peice rubrail would be nice!! These factors keep me from buying a New Whaler, but it seams the bundling isn`t turning too many off as they seam to be selling according to what I have heard, but it is killing some dealers either by choice or? I for one won`t buy from any MarineMax dealer, but they make for a good laugh when I go into one and talk Whalers, and hey their hair is always pretty!! Jack.

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