Chris A's Epic boats on wakeworld

[phenom_1819]

In case you haven't seen the conversation, some people on wakeworld just started asking about Chris A's new line.  Chris' launch date is towards the end of this month.  Here's the link:

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/216163.html?1110393719

[festivus]

I know Chris is a contributer here and all, but I still have issues buying into the whole "Never heard of Epic" line.  Did they do any research, like seeing what has and hasn't worked?  Why a buzillion dollar company like Toyota couldn't hang in the industry and their start-up will?Seems like basic business 101 to me.  Then again, what do I know...

[festivus]

dang, that sounded kind of harsh, Festivus.  I honestly hope Chris has a very successful run.  Competition is great for industry.

[toyotafreak]

He never said that he hadn't heard of them. Cal said that, but even then it was just a little comment that somebody jumped on. WW has a knack for that.


He had heard of them, he just arrived at the name from a different perspective and was/is hoping that people will view the boats on their own merit. He is in no way trying to leverage off the TOYOTA use of the name. IMHO, that can only be a negative conotation at this point.

Personally, I think he came to us last year because of the warm welcome we gave POS boats. ALSO....he knows we are a loyal following and figured (correctly) that there's something in the TMS Epic that is worth/has earned our respect. He knows the engine is a big part of it, and hears us describe fit and finish but doesn't really know much about that.

I filled him in on what I could.

He filled me in on what he could.

If I were in the boat market, I'd be REALLY interested in his roll out. As it turns out, I'm not in the market, but I do look forward just because he seems like a nice guy, and smart enough to introduce himself to us Epic weenies well before the rollout.

[cyclone]

I think he'll have a tough time selling boats, people are so brain dead in the comp boat world. They have tunnel vision for a couple of brands, you've seen how people get flamed on WW for pointing out obvious shortcomings of the big three. And new boats that have revolutionary features (B52 with 2 sp trans, Calabrias ballast system) get no love from the CC, Bu and MC cliques.

Not here. Hey, the new Xstar is FUGLY and underpowered and overpriced and the dash looks like it was cobbled out of some Virgil Exner show car from the 50's

The new Moomba XLV puts out just as good a wake, but you won't hear that on WW.

I sure hope Epic Wake boats do well, but it is definitely an uphill battle.

[festivus]

it's definetely an uphill battle.  The price point has to be a good fit.  I think if people know that they can get better quality for less moolah, they are going to be interested.  It also needs thaqt aggressive look.  The new Malibus are tough, I think the X-star looks like it fell off the delivery truck upside down, but the graphics are edgy.  Also, getting one of Chris' boats into Gravity or X games would be huge, not only for name recognition but also to have some pro riders give it props.  I really hope Chris can pull it off.

[Chris A]

I will chime in later tonight, but I've got to run and get some stuff handled   Thanks for the support on WW and the kind words here...As you guys can tell, I'm just trying to build a really cool Wake Boat that people will enjoy.  I don't feel the need to bash other great boats out there(every boat has something good about them, well and bad about them).  But I can be objective about other brands, and I can appreciate other peoples objective views on our new boat and business, and whatever...

[phenom_1819]

For the record, yes I did say that he hadn't heard of the boats. But that was a regurgitation of info on here.  Chris elaborated on it, and I don't think it's a big deal?   I totally support what Epic Wake Boats are doing, and Chris, I hope I didn't offend you with my post because that was absolutely not my intention.

[toyotafreak]

Cal, it's just the WW crew seeing a crack and running with it. No surprise there, right?

Chris, someday I do hope you'll have time to show me around the plant. I'm feeling prety unfulfilled right now in terms of making glass parts. When I was set up before I was doing glass over foam and lost-foam stuff. Never got to actually make molds and build bagged parts in molds. Now my bitchen vacuum pump is gone, my foam-cutting table is toothpicks...no more epoxy and only a little carbon.   LOOOOOOOZZZER!!!

[cyclone]

Hmm, a little EPOXY ENVY Derek??

[Chris A]

Yeah, no offence taken Village.? People on WW read into every little detail of the posts there.? I guess just the volume of people there lends itself to a few odd balls taking pointless digs at ?whatever?.? Such is life?

Things are moving along with EWB(Epic Wake Boats).? We are putting the finishing touches on the first production boat and refining the manufacturing process to get the ball rolling for a full mobilization into this industry.? It has been a LOOOONNNNGGGGG road.? But our blood, sweat and tears have paid of in the form of a really nice boat.? I appreciate your guys input on this and look forward to surprising you all with some of the really cool features we have managed to incorporate on this first Line of boats.? You are all welcome to our launch party if you can make it down to San Diego on the 2nd of April.? Just e-mail me at: chris.anthony@epicboats.com for details?

And Derek, you can come down any time if you feanin for some infusion fun? ? I?ll wet your pallet first: 41CFM vacuum pump, Low Styrene Resin, 108oz Uni-Directional Quad Sown cloth, and more zinc oxide tape than you can shake a stick at? ?? ? ?

[Chris A]

COPIED FROMM WW:
By Psyclone (cyclonecj) on Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 11:56 pm:
Chris,
There are plenty of hot girls to go around, you will not piss off anybody by putting them on your new boats, in ads, on the tower, in ski lockers, etc.

Derek is the king of long posts, he doesn't cut and paste, it is all off the cuff. He is a Super Genius. He needs to come work with me.

Well, hopefully I've tweeked Derek's curiosity enough so that once I get him down here to see the shop I can then get him so wrapped up in the science HE WILL NEVER LEAVE!!!?