Legend bass boats no more?

[slonezp]

Rumor has it they have closed their doors and Triton's will be manufactured at the plant.

[fishnkamp]

I can not say I am surprised by any move JM makes. If history tells us anything any boat company he buys is in danger of becoming extinct.  I wonder how long the Ranger and Triton brands will last?  

[12poundbass]

9 hours ago, fishnkamp said:

I can not say I am surprised by any move JM makes. If history tells us anything any boat company he buys is in danger of becoming extinct.  I wonder how long the Ranger and Triton brands will last?  

From what I've read so take it for what it's worth but Legend boats was in trouble before Mr. Morris bought it. From what I've read the Legend sign has been taken down from the factory but 'now hiring' signs sit outside the factory where Legend boats are made. 

 

The Johnny Morris hatrid is ridiculous in my mind. He is a modern Thededor Roosevelt. He has done more for conservation than anyone else on this planet hands down! Ranger is going nowhere! Their sales have never been better. From what I've read and again this is what I've read the jobs are safe and the Triton boats are being ramped up in the factory because Triton boats are popular and Legend boats were an anchor. 

Edited July 14, 2018 by 12poundbass
Stupid autocorrect

[38 Super Fan]

I hope the other independent brands out there survive. I shudder when I think about the possibility of a Morris monopoly on boats.

[slonezp]

8 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

From what I've read so take it for what it's worth but Legend boats was in trouble before Mr. Morris bought it. From what I've read the Legend sign has been taken down from the factory but 'now hiring' signs sit outside the factory where Legend boats are made. 

 

The Johnny Morris hatrid is ridiculous in my mind. He is a modern Thededor Roosevelt. He has done more for conservation than anyone else on this planet hands down! Ranger is going nowhere! Their sales have never been better. From what I've read and again this is what I've read the jobs are safe and the Groton boats are being ramped up in the factory because Groton boats are popular and Legend boats were an anchor. 

I think too many people are stuck on small town mentality. Like it or not, big corporations push technology and keep pricing down. JM is a business man. I don't know what the real #'s are but if your selling 100 Legends for every 1000 Rangers, it's time to cut your losses. Look at the big 3 automakers and most recently Ford. They have been consolidating brands for roughly the last 10 years and Ford got rid of their car line aside from the Mustang and Focus. 

7 hours ago, 38 Super Fan said:

I hope the other independent brands out there survive. I shudder when I think about the possibility of a Morris monopoly on boats.

If they weren't in trouble, they probably wouldn't have sold to JM last year.

Legend sponsored Anglers Choice Tournament Trail for as many years as I fished the trail. I've seen a number of them on trailers but only 2 guys in my club had them One was won at a tournament and the other was purchased. Nice looking boats, nice fishing platform, and a pretty hefty pricetag. One thing I liked about Legend was they were semi custom. You could build your own boat within reason. I don't know about in the south, but here in IL there was no dealer network. There was a manufacturers rep who would take you on a test ride in his flagship demo boat. fish for a half day with you, and then try and sell you. I'm sorry, but if I'm purchasing a vehicle, or making a large $$$ purchase I want to see the exact model I'm buying in person. 

[38 Super Fan]

2 hours ago, slonezp said:

 

If they weren't in trouble, they probably wouldn't have sold to JM last year.

Legend sponsored Anglers Choice Tournament Trail for as many years as I fished the trail. I've seen a number of them on trailers but only 2 guys in my club had them One was won at a tournament and the other was purchased. Nice looking boats, nice fishing platform, and a pretty hefty pricetag. One thing I liked about Legend was they were semi custom. You could build your own boat within reason. I don't know about in the south, but here in IL there was no dealer network. There was a manufacturers rep who would take you on a test ride in his flagship demo boat. fish for a half day with you, and then try and sell you. I'm sorry, but if I'm purchasing a vehicle, or making a large $$$ purchase I want to see the exact model I'm buying in person. 

Legend definitely built some great looking boats. They were rare around here too, I've only seen a couple of them out on the water. I always wanted one... I'm one of those guys who loves having something different than everyone else has.

[WRB]

The new owners of Bass Cat sound like they are continuing everything the legacy owners biult up, make their own trailers, hand make every boat with the strongest transums in market and still offer custom colors and features to the buyers specifications. If I was buying a new bass boat that's where I go.

Tom

[volzfan59]

WRB, that's because the new owners of Bass Cat kept Rick Pierce around to run the company. His dad built the company, Rick helped him run it. I remember reading when the new people purchased Bass Cat, they said that nothing would change at BCB. I guess they were serious.

 

Sloanezp, 38 Super Fan, there aren't many Legend boats around the Knoxville, TN area either. From what I have heard, they are excellent boats however. I think I've seen a total of two.

 

I agree with "12poundbass", it's crazy how people hate all things Johnny Morris. As mad I am about the whole "club" card thing, mad enough to quit my job, I still have the utmost respect for the guy. I don't personally believe in credit cards and refused to pimp them to customers, so I left. He built his business up from a closet in the back of his father's liquor store to what it is today. His charitable and conservation giving are huge. 

[lou304]

my fishing partner has an Alpha 211, so Ive been fishing out of one for several years. I've fished tournaments as a co-angler for a few years so I've had a chance to ride in almost all the big name boats and I have to say I like his Legend better than any other I rode in. Its a solid platform and takes big water well.

I never rode in a V20. Sorry to see them go.

[Sooner Steve]

Buddy of mine at Lake Fork purchased a brand new VX21 or VX22 a couple years ago with the wide front deck. 250 Merc Pro XS.

10k worth of Hummingbird.

80k plus. It's a lead sled "soak you" joke. 56 top end. He could not recover half his money if he sold it.

I would not own one.

[Tim Kelly]

6 hours ago, Sooner Steve said:

Buddy of mine at Lake Fork purchased a brand new VX21 or VX22 a couple years ago with the wide front deck. 250 Merc Pro XS.

10k worth of Hummingbird.

80k plus. It's a lead sled "soak you" joke. 56 top end. He could not recover half his money if he sold it.

I would not own one.

There has to be something wrong with the set up or the hull. No way that's representative of the boat or the brand.

[WRB]

Sounds like your buddy has more money then brains. The dealer should must it right as they are responsible for setting up the boat correctly so it performs with the right prop etc, etc.

Tom

 

[J Francho]

That boat should run mid 70s all day long.

[Tennessee Boy]

Great companies are usually started by people who are focused on building a better product.  Hopefully they know how to run a business and make money but these companies are build on the reputation of their products.  When these companies are sold,  they are usually bought by people that know how to make money but rely more on cost cutting and marketing. Forest Wood is great example of a product focus founder. Is there any question that his top priority was on building high quality innovative boats?    Johnny Morris is a great example of the latter.   No question the guy knows how to make money but do you trust him to come up with the next great  innovation in bass boats or anything else for that matter.   

[slonezp]

24 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

  No question the guy knows how to make money but do you trust him to come up with the next great  innovation in bass boats or anything else for that matter.   

Johnny moves products thru value driven marketing. He's not in the innovation business. Frankly, i don't know how much more "great innovations " are left in the bass boat industry. The only thing innovative about Legend was their marketing. They were the first bass boat company that really marketed semi custom production rigs and not railroad you into the same boat everyone else has

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, slonezp said:

Johnny moves products thru value driven marketing. He's not in the innovation business. Frankly, i don't know how much more "great innovations " are left in the bass boat industry. The only thing innovative about Legend was their marketing. They were the first bass boat company that really marketed semi custom production rigs and not railroad you into the same boat everyone else has

What about a boat that walks across dry land with power poles????!

[slonezp]

8 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

What about a boat that walks across dry land with power poles????!

Bass Cat already did it

 

[12poundbass]

1 minute ago, slonezp said:

Bass Cat already did it

 

Even as a big Ike fan that’s hilarious!

[Tennessee Boy]

12 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

What about a boat that walks across dry land with power poles????!

@TnRiver46 I think you are on to something big.  Get rid of the outboard and have four power poles.  You would never need a ramp.  You could wade around in the shallow water and dog paddle in the deep water.

I LIKE IT!