[Rhodes22-list] the war of the rhodeses

[stan]

Dear Rhodies:

Art says we are boring you all with this issue, that it is a private, 
personal matter and not appropriate to discuss in this forum.  He is 
incorrect.  It is a fundamental issue to GB's well being and therefore to 
you, to the extent of your interest in your Rhodes.   We suggest you hear it 
out until resolved one way or another.

Should you need a new IMF mast or centerboard or rudder blade or endless 
other unique parts that Art or others do not choose to invest in producing - 
and GB is not here, no one is going to be able to make your boat whole 
again.   There is good reason why most of us would not buy a car that is out 
of production - there is certainly good reason why the Rhodes is not only 
easy to sell but also demands a premium price over boats no longer being 
built.  The former editor of Practical Sailor, in his book recommending 
trailer sailboats, ends his list by pointing out that the Rhodes is the only 
suggested choice still in production.

If not for the many private sellers and purchasers going along with the 
voluntary GB loyalty/royalty program (which incidentally, Art, who has 
purchased and sold several Rhodes privately, would not agree to) and not for 
parts sales such as Pop Top enclosures (which, incidentally, we have $10,000 
worth of sitting here in inventory), in an economy such as this, where not a 
single new boat is being sold, GB would have no choice but to abandon this 
ship.


OK, you can stop reading here. But for anyone wanting to understand why we 
are so troubled by this particular Parts issue, a little background on an 
agreement that, we now learn from Art's e-mail to the List,  has 
unilaterally "mutually" agreed to have ended:
Art worked on this project inside the GB plant, used the GB "not-the-Hilton" 
facilities, displayed the product in hard to get and costly water space that 
GB worked out during the Annapolis Boat Show and that GB ended up paying 
for, including even an additional day that Art unilaterally elected to take. 
At the St. Petersburg Show, where after several years of trying, we managed 
a valuable water space, after hearing Art had his boat in FL, we asked if he 
would like to promote the boom room at this show.  We returned Dr. Fullers' 
beautiful new boat that we had planned to use for demos from this space in 
favor of Art using it with the understanding that we could use his boat for 
an occasional demo for a qualified pending prospect.  When Elton did take a 
prospect to Art's boat he found Art was not honoring the Show hours and the 
boat was chain-locked to the dock.  Art's position, "No one sails my boat". 
When we did mange Art to give a demo sail we explained to him that part of 
the demonstration is that we go in and out of the large harbor under sail as 
the competition does and that demos are only an hour in case another hot 
prospect comes along.   Art refused to sail and each time went to and from 
the bay under power.  I suppose once sailing he was in his element since he 
stayed away for hours and few demos were done during the show.  Art's 
remarkable position:  He was a volunteer and could therefore make his own 
rules - just like volunteers for the army or the Red Cross.  Elton finally 
blew his top when, after arranging for our hottest prospect to make a long 
trip back to St. Petersburg on Sunday for a demo sail, Art announced that he 
was leaving the show a day early - after all he was a volunteer and could 
make his own rules from moment to moment.   I certainly felt like an idiot 
not having put Dr. Fuller's boat in that precious dock space.   I do not 
know if Art ever did show the boom room.


The deal with Art pertained only to the boom room, with shared income from 
its sales.  It was not for competing with other parts like the Pop Top 
enclosures which we have an inventory investment in.   Of course it is a 
free country and a free market and, of course, we all have seen what 
unregulated "freedom" can do to our economy.   To believe GB has the freedom 
to keep investing in new ideas and keep investing in promoting the boat and 
taking care of current Rhodies' needs, for the non-rewarding benefit of 
private re-sales and parts sales for others to profit from, is a fantasy. 
It is important for us to have your feedback on these kind of issues.   We 
need the support of our owners if we are to keep worrying and working to 
keep our owners sailing and keep the value of their boats growing.  Or do we 
just stop being so damn conscientious and say the hell with it and go 
sailing ourselves?  (No need for us to hear Rummy's answer to that last 
question.)

stan/gbi



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cowie" <ccowie at cowieassociates.com>
To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 6:36 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] the war of the rhodeses


>
> I had the pleasure of deploying my Bimini and pop top enclosure on my 
> recent
> trip to st Michaels.  Both worked great.  I understand Stan has recently
> improved the fit of the pop top enclosure and his guys did a great job on
> the custom installation.  While I could have ordered certain items direct 
> I
> have made a point to go thru general boats.  I think it's neat that I own 
> a
> boat that was concieved the same I was and hope to help it keep going for
> another fifty.
>
> stanleyl wrote:
>>
>> OK gang, it looks like Art and I are going to take up the slack left by
>> the withdrawal of the political junkies.   At first I thought we should
>> label these upcoming e-mail missives so you can delete before reading.
>> But on reflection, what is going to be covered gets to the business 
>> basics
>> of General Boats and its future.
>>
>> Art will be a formable opponent in this case, having graduated from the
>> Academy vs. my not being able to get beyond the "Petty" ranking due to a
>> Navy designated overbite.  My protestation that I did not plan to bite 
>> the
>> enemy fell on deaf ears.  I think being able to hear was not one of the
>> requirements, as the unraveling facts in this case will bring out.
>>
>> In Art's opening remarks he says that the business terms with General
>> Boats had been voided.  As proof he waves a blank paper that he has in 
>> his
>> hand about a sale GB nixed but he salvaged.   GB will show a timeline and
>> investments that will paint another picture.  The importance of this 
>> small
>> claims case is seen in Art's 7/12/09 e-mail to Mary Lou - the tip of a
>> collectively growing ice burg that can sink the Rhodes  You may want to
>> stay tuned to be informed by GB, Art, and fellow Rhodies, to draw your 
>> own
>> conclusions.
>>
>> stan/general boats
>>
>>
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>>
>
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