3 Top Ranger Execs Resign 2024

scbassin reply : 

One must wonder What Johnny Morris is up to. Randy Hopper, Keith Daffron & Mendel Hughes have Resigned from Ranger Boats.

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Catt reply : 

Cutting fat!

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fishnkamp reply : 

More like destroying the operations, preparing to shut down yet more competition and stealing better technology, just like he did when he bought ProKraft.  I was pretty sure he would do this, just not this soon!!!  Soon we will only be able to purchase his garbage boats.  Hopefully he never gets his hooks into Skeeter, Bass Cat,Legend, or Phoenix.  I guess Triton and Stratos will be gone soon also. 

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tomustang reply : 

I like how Hopper confirmed the 3 but declined to say why...

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fishnkamp reply : 

Probably was not allowed to comment for now.

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nosdog2 reply : 

You will see the Rangers right next to the Grady Whites in all the BP's.

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Al Wolbach reply : 

  On 11/28/2015 at 5:04 AM, Catt said:

Cutting fat!

Johnny Morris hasn't gotten where he is because he's a really nice guy.

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flyfisher reply : 

It happens with any merger of any business.  And i love how everyone is ripping bass pro but remember they were the buyer. not the seller here.  If you owned a business and a big competitor said hey i am for sale and you were able to afford it and expand your own business and make more money, wouldn't you buy it too?

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BKeith reply : 

In todays business world, it's not about the product, that they could really care less about, it's about the money they can make off the product. Investors don't invest in a company because they want to help that company make a quality product, they only want to invest where they are going to get the biggest return on their dollar the fastest. When that cow is milked, the sell it off and go for the next one.

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fishnkamp reply : 

People need to support the few INDEPENDANT builders that are left so we do not end up with Johnny's crap as our only options!! My next boat will be purchased in two years and I intend to get a Bass Cat.  I just hope they can continue to exist that long and long after.  Personally, I had a ride on Johnny"s crap this summer at The Bassmasters tournament on the Chesapeake Bay.  I do not want it in my garage!  More importantly, I do not want to be forced to put that crap in my garage!

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slonezp reply : 

  On 11/30/2015 at 5:29 AM, fishnkamp said:

People need to support the few INDEPENDANT builders that are left so we do not end up with Johnny's crap as our only options!! My next boat will be purchased in two years and I intend to get a Bass Cat.  I just hope they can continue to exist that long and long after.  Personally, I had a ride on Johnny"s crap this summer at The Bassmasters tournament on the Chesapeake Bay.  I do not want it in my garage!  More importantly, I do not want to be forced to put that crap in my garage!

BassCat was sold earlier this year to Correct Craft

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slonezp reply : 

Johnny bought his competition. Happens all the time. Ranger quality doesn't need to change and Johnny will still profit.

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webertime reply : 

  On 11/30/2015 at 5:29 AM, fishnkamp said:

People need to support the few INDEPENDANT builders that are left so we do not end up with Johnny's crap as our only options!! My next boat will be purchased in two years and I intend to get a Bass Cat.  I just hope they can continue to exist that long and long after.  Personally, I had a ride on Johnny"s crap this summer at The Bassmasters tournament on the Chesapeake Bay.  I do not want it in my garage!  More importantly, I do not want to be forced to put that crap in my garage!

Skeeter (and G3) are owned by Yamaha.

 

I wonder if 2015 and older Rangers will get the "Pre-Rapala Wiggle Wart" treatment?

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gulfcaptain reply : 

  On 11/30/2015 at 5:29 AM, fishnkamp said:

People need to support the few INDEPENDANT builders that are left so we do not end up with Johnny's crap as our only options!! My next boat will be purchased in two years and I intend to get a Bass Cat.  I just hope they can continue to exist that long and long after.  Personally, I had a ride on Johnny"s crap this summer at The Bassmasters tournament on the Chesapeake Bay.  I do not want it in my garage!  More importantly, I do not want to be forced to put that crap in my garage!

 

I don't think you have to be worried about being "forced"  to put ANY boat you aren't willing to buy.  Free market will decide.  There are other brands and other older models to choose from.  Only one that will be deciding on what you purchase is you.

 

 And Bass Cat has been around a long time.  I remember seeing them put other boats to shame when they came out with the Pantera II around 1990.  Skeeters were heavy, Rangers were slow, Nitro was just coming into the market, Champions were close to the top but noting rode as nice as that Pantera II did especially in rougher weather.  I don't see Bass Cat folding in the next two years.

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Fishing Rhino reply : 

Last year I fished with a friend on Lake Pickwick.  We alternated boats.  One day we fished out of his new Ranger and the next out of my piece of crap, garbage.  The fish did not seem to care which boat we were in.

 

I cannot imagine why such vitriol about an inanimate object.

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Ski213 reply : 

I guess it's anybody's guess as to what he will do with ranger, triton, and stratos. There may be no change other than whose bank account the profits end up in, or the brands may disappear.

I totally agree with trying to support the smaller manufacturers. In my opinion they have more to gain by paying attention to quality and detail. It's harder for them to sell cheaper so they better have something to help justify the higher costs.

I can't really speak to the quality of boats that Morris is putting out, since I've only been in a couple, but as far as fish ability and performance I didn't have any issues with them at all.

Don't be mad at BPS though. As was said, they bought it, it was for sale, they didn't take it by force.

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flyfisher reply : 

I don't get the whole support the smaller independent manufacturer deal.  When i spend my money i want the best value i can get for the product and service etc....i don't care if it is the mom & pop shop down the street or if it is a larger corporation.  In case you didn't know, most companies didn't start out as he mega corporations.....they started out small and grew their business to be where it is.

 

All that being said, I have fished out of quite a few tracker boats and one nitro and i can say they did the job nicely and i wouldn't hesitate to buy one when the time comes.

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BassnChris reply : 

Its just business as previously stated....BPS bought up competition as it was for sale.

They bought Procraft back around 1999 (I think that was about right) and Procraft continued until 2009.

When I look at the Nitros, even today's, I see a lot of Procraft in them.

I think he will keep Ranger and phase the others acquisitions. Just my guess.

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slonezp reply : 

  On 11/30/2015 at 8:53 AM, flyfisher said:

I don't get the whole support the smaller independent manufacturer deal.  When i spend my money i want the best value i can get for the product and service etc....i don't care if it is the mom & pop shop down the street or if it is a larger corporation.  In case you didn't know, most companies didn't start out as he mega corporations.....they started out small and grew their business to be where it is.

 

All that being said, I have fished out of quite a few tracker boats and one nitro and i can say they did the job nicely and i wouldn't hesitate to buy one when the time comes.

and Johnny started in his garage selling bait

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fishnkamp reply : 

I think you are missing my point, I do not CARE that Johnny buys them or owns them, only if he destroys them!!  His history each time he buys a boat brand is to PROMISE they will continue independently, and history shows he removes their better technology and soon kills them.  The ProKraft example I gave (and I know of personally, because I did go to the factory when I bought my 205 Pro Combo in 1999) is typical.  He bought them, promised to keep them running separately, then magically redesigned his crappy Nitro's (beginning with the fish and ski's first). The resemblance was unmistakable.  And yes he did shut them down around 2008-9. ProKraft is not the only brand he has eaten up, there are some other fresh and saltwater boats as well.  YES, I know Yamaha owns G3 and Skeeter.  Just how much turmoil have you seen at Yamaha or Skeeter recently? I do not expect them to go anywhere soon,   As for the Bass Cat, I had heard the ownership had changed, but to my knowledge they are still run the same. That was why I said " I hoped it would be still around in two years".  My home will be paid for by then and I can then "invest" the kind of money it takes to purchase a new boat with all of the goodies these days!

As for the Bass Cat, they still make some fine boats.  I have a friend with a two year old Cougar, that is a fantastic fishing machine. GulfCaptain  has already praised the Pantera II,  Its' interesting B/C has made 4 different Pantera floor plans, yet the company has sold more PIIs than any other boat model in their history.  If they are still available I intend to order a new PII with a Yamaha 200 VMAX SHO.  After 11 boats with Mercs it will be my first Yamaha powered rig.  After riding in a NitroMerc ProXS combo and a SkeeterYamaha SHO this summer I will order the Yamaha SHO, I was really unimpressed by the ProXS.  Both my wife and I agreed there was no comparison between the Skeeter/VMAX SHO and the NitroPro XS. The Skeeter out performed the Nitro in performance and rough water ride hands down!  Believe me, to take a ride in the Upper Chesapeake Bay during the BassMasters Elite tournament, we had a rough water demo!

I guess time will tell if I am correct on his next moves. It is a shame because I liked the Ranger Z118C and Triton TR189's floor plan and would consider buying one but can not trust the companies future existence.

If you disagree with me on the Nitros that is fine, just be honest with yourself! Turn on Major League Fishing.  Watch those Nitros struggle to get on plane when they take off. I even asked Dean Rojas at the tournament about them.  He said the Z-7 (the 18.8 footer) were dogs even with max horsepower. He would know he fishes on that circuit.  Remember that is Nitro's competition to the PII, Ranger Z118, Triton 189 or TX18 etc.

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K_Mac reply : 

  On 11/30/2015 at 8:00 AM, Fishing Rhino said:

Last year I fished with a friend on Lake Pickwick. We alternated boats. One day we fished out of his new Ranger and the next out of my piece of crap, garbage. The fish did not seem to care which boat we were in.

I cannot imagine why such vitriol about an inanimate object.

I have spent many enjoyable and productive hours, in all kinds of conditions, fishing from my partners Nitro Z8. Yes it lacks the fit and finish of some of the others, and the trailer is not as good as it could be, but it was many thousands cheaper. I don't know anything about Morris other than he has built a very successful empire giving reasonable value and selection to sportsmen. Like the old commercial using, "don't hate me because I'm beautiful", some hate Bass Pro because they are very successful. I will wait to see what, if anything changes at Ranger.

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scbassin reply : 

A friend of mine some what in the know(50/50)said quality issues were the problem & that they will have a new company within 7 years.

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tomustang reply : 

My guess is he will do what the auto industry has done which is learn that having too many brands was making them compete with themselves. Time to cut out multiple types and have two models, luxury/high class and blue collar.

They can do that with ranger and nitro, but as far as having triton and stratos in there they have both been meant to slowly disappear so ranger can look better from their previous owners for a while now.

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Fishing Rhino reply : 

  On 11/30/2015 at 12:45 PM, K_Mac said:

I have spent many enjoyable and productive hours, in all kinds of conditions, fishing from my partners Nitro Z8. Yes it lacks the fit and finish of some of the others, and the trailer is not as good as it could be, but it was many thousands cheaper. I don't know anything about Morris other than he has built a very successful empire giving reasonable value and selection to sportsmen. Like the old commercial using, "don't hate me because I'm beautiful", some hate Bass Pro because they are very successful. I will wait to see what, if anything changes at Ranger.

 

I bought my first Nitro in 2010, it was a leftover 2009.  It had a slight hook in the starboard side, just ahead of the stern.  I bought it for 19,500 dollars with a few options, the trailer brake package being the most important, and a Nitro ratchet boat cover.

 

It did struggle to get on plane, but a prop change cured that.  Someone had put the wrong prop on the motor.  Not enough pitch.  In the heat of the summer, that "hook" disappeared.  And yes, the fit and finish left something to be desired.  Open the hatches and the center forward storage area was fiberglass covered plywood, painted a battleship gray.  That was more cosmetic than structural. 

 

Two years later I traded it in for a new leftover Z-8.  The original bottom line price was 34,000 dollars.  Options were trailer brakes on all four wheels, a Nitro boat cover, and retractable tie downs for the stern.  The boat was reduced by 5,000 dollars.  And I got a thousand dollar BPS gift certificate which brought the price down to 28,000 dollars.  It has the standard 200 hp Pro XS. 

 

It has the, then new, rapid planning system.  It jumps right up onto plane fully loaded with two big guys (about 500 pounds total).  The fastest I've seen on the GPS is 62.8 mph with just me in the boat.  Plenty fast since I generally rarely cruise faster than forty mph.  Massachusetts has a speed limit of 45 mph on all state ponds and lakes.  The ride is much better than the Z-7.

 

The center forward compartment is now a "tub" molded into the one piece deck and cockpit.  The "rigging area is huge, easily accessible and can handle five batteries with room to spare.

 

I have no illusions that it is as good as a Ranger, or Bass Cat, or fill in the blank when it comes to quality or goodies.  But I would not catch one more fish out of a nicer boat, and I liked having that extra twenty or thirty thousand dollars in my pocket. 

 

My two lobster boats were "slabs" compared to most of the boats that fished out of the same port, but I caught more lobsters than those with their nicer, better, bigger and faster lobster boats.

 

I subscribe to the theory that the man in the boat is more important than the boat the man is in when it comes to catching fish, either recreationally or commercially.

 

1971  Cape Cod Bay out of a 15' wood work skiff, fishing alone. Stripers and bluefish.  Caught on a 6" Rebel, mackerel finish.

 

A typical day out of my 38' old Novi lobster boat. Circa 1978

 

 

 

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EvanT123 reply : 

  On 11/30/2015 at 1:44 PM, tomustang said:

My guess is he will do what the auto industry has done which is learn that having too many brands was making them compete with themselves. Time to cut out multiple types and have two models, luxury/high class and blue collar.

That would probably be a good business strategy. I had a washing machine repair man the other day tell me there are 8-9 brands of washer that are basically the same and interchange parts.

The brand you buy probably depends on the store you shop at.

I just finished the series the men who built america and I would say the consolidation of industry is not a new phenomenon.

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slonezp reply : 

  On 11/30/2015 at 3:22 PM, Fishing Rhino said:

I bought my first Nitro in 2010, it was a leftover 2009.  It had a slight hook in the starboard side, just ahead of the stern.  I bought it for 19,500 dollars with a few options, the trailer brake package being the most important, and a Nitro ratchet boat cover.

 

It did struggle to get on plane, but a prop change cured that.  Someone had put the wrong prop on the motor.  Not enough pitch.  In the heat of the summer, that "hook" disappeared.  And yes, the fit and finish left something to be desired.  Open the hatches and the center forward storage area was fiberglass covered plywood, painted a battleship gray.  That was more cosmetic than structural. 

 

Two years later I traded it in for a new leftover Z-8.  The original bottom line price was 34,000 dollars.  Options were trailer brakes on all four wheels, a Nitro boat cover, and retractable tie downs for the stern.  The boat was reduced by 5,000 dollars.  And I got a thousand dollar BPS gift certificate which brought the price down to 28,000 dollars.  It has the standard 200 hp Pro XS. 

 

It has the, then new, rapid planning system.  It jumps right up onto plane fully loaded with two big guys (about 500 pounds total).  The fastest I've seen on the GPS is 62.8 mph with just me in the boat.  Plenty fast since I generally rarely cruise faster than forty mph.  Massachusetts has a speed limit of 45 mph on all state ponds and lakes.  The ride is much better than the Z-7.

 

The center forward compartment is now a "tub" molded into the one piece deck and cockpit.  The "rigging area is huge, easily accessible and can handle five batteries with room to spare.

 

I have no illusions that it is as good as a Ranger, or Bass Cat, or fill in the blank when it comes to quality or goodies.  But I would not catch one more fish out of a nicer boat, and I liked having that extra twenty or thirty thousand dollars in my pocket. 

 

My two lobster boats were "slabs" compared to most of the boats that fished out of the same port, but I caught more lobsters than those with their nicer, better, bigger and faster lobster boats.

 

I subscribe to the theory that the man in the boat is more important than the boat the man is in when it comes to catching fish, either recreationally or commercially.

 

1971  Cape Cod Bay out of a 15' wood work skiff, fishing alone. Stripers and bluefish.  Caught on a 6" Rebel, mackerel finish.

 

A typical day out of my 38' old Novi lobster boat. Circa 1978

 

 

 

Man in the boat? I've heard that somewhere before. Hmmmmmmm...............

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slonezp reply : 

fishnkamp, Driving the company into the ground isn't a great business plan, but I get where you're coming from. The great thing about living in the U.S, is the free market and there are plenty of other bass boat brands to choose from if Ranger ends up in the crapper. Personally, I believe the dealer network is as important as the product itself. 

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South FLA reply : 

Time will telll, what will happen with Ranger. I hope the pre BPS Ranger's go up in price, because I own 2 (2003 185vs Intracoastal, 2011 2410 Bay) . 

 

@Fishing Rhino, I understand your point of why spend X amount more for something that has the same utility, but its a Ford vs. Chevy argument, its subjective. With that said I would rather buy a well maintained used boat w/ Engine warranty left (2-4 yo) from a top quality manufacturer (Yellowfin, Sea Vee, Ranger, Legend) versus a new boat from a lesser known quality manufacturer (Mako, Polar Kraft, Nitro, Tracker), especially if I will be keeping the boat for over 10 years.    

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Fishing Rhino reply : 

  On 12/1/2015 at 12:06 AM, South FLA said:

Time will telll, what will happen with Ranger. I hope the pre BPS Ranger's go up in price, because I own 2 (2003 185vs Intracoastal, 2011 2410 Bay) . 

 

@Fishing Rhino, I understand your point of why spend X amount more for something that has the same utility, but its a Ford vs. Chevy argument, its subjective. With that said I would rather buy a well maintained used boat w/ Engine warranty left (2-4 yo) from a top quality manufacturer (Yellowfin, Sea Vee, Ranger, Legend) versus a new boat from a lesser know quality manufacturer (Mako, Polar Kraft, Nitro, Tracker), especially if I will be keeping the boat for over 10 years.    

 

At age 74, just about any boat will be likely to serve me for as long as I can continue to fish.  I certainly do not need a boat that will last me twenty years.  But even if I were younger, I'd have the same philosophy.  I'm fortunate in that I have a large 34' X 34' garage, so I can keep my boat out of the weather and harmful rays of the sun when it's not in use.

 

The sun will harm all fiberglass at the same rate unless, company X uses a plain clear gel coat for the metalflake application rather than a marine clear coat which has ultraviolet inhibitors in it.  But not to do so in a boat that may sit out in the sun and weather is worse than penny wise, pound foolish.  There is not a significant difference in the cost.

 

It is so little that I use it for the stock car bodies I make that have a metalflake finish.  I could easily use the plain clear because stock car bodies do not spend countless hours in the sun, and they rarely use a body for more than a year.  Most will put on a new body, and keep the decent body panels that survived a season of racing for use as spares.  During a season some will go through several body panels while others only bust up a few.  The point being is that they do not have to last for years.  If memory serves there may be a thirty dollar difference in five gallon pails of the standard clear and marine clear.

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Redlinerobert reply : 

Now I wish I'd never sold my 2007 Z22. 

 

I think at this point I'll consider buying a used boat over a new one.  Ranger has discontinued the Z522 and sticking with the Z522D.  I've not seen it in person, from pictures it looks like a tub. 

 

Regarding the sale to BPS, I imagine Nitro will be the GMC and Ranger will become the Cadillac.

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Fishing Rhino reply : 

I was at BPS today and saw the Z21 and it has the "transformer" console, much like the Ranger.  I say transformer because it has sharp angular lines like the mechanical gizmos in the movie, very different from other consoles. It looked like they "borrowed"  the seating too, but I didn't check it out to see if there was storage under the center seat.  But it was definitely a much smaller seat than the outboard jobs.  The bottom curves slightly downward at the chines which will give it more lift and deflect spray downward.  The downside to that downward curve is that it will tend to make the hull slap going into a chop.

 

It had a single console and two large Lowrance units.  Bottom line price was 57,000 dollars.  I just gave it a cursory once over.  The forward running lights are built into the gunnel and must be bright LEDs because they are tiny.  The lens might be a half inch across.

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fishnkamp reply : 

One reason Ranger has held its position in the market place was its customer service, one phone call to Ranger parts with your serial number and almost any part you may need was available.  That won't work if your manufacturer has been shut down!  As I read through your responses many suggest there are plenty of other makes to choose from.  Really, look at the number of bass boat manufacturers that no longer exist.  Look here, I am worried that 3 premium brands may disappear all at once. The choices are dwindling.  That has been the point I am trying to make and you  keep missing it. Cabelas is on his radar now.  They sell some brands BPS's does not carry, and sometimes competes directly on price on the shared brands.  Do you really think he is interested in buying them to own or eliminate the competition?  Be honest remember his history not his words. I do!

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K_Mac reply : 

fishnkamp I understand your concern. I am not missing your point. Morris is not the problem here. The market will determine what is available. If Ranger doesn't offer what folks want then someone else will. Do you really think that Morris can corner the market? The only sure thing is nothing remains the same or lasts forever. The auto industry is a perfect example. When the big three arbitrarily decided what we would buy, others offered alternatives. The consumer ultimately benefited. Tilting at windmills is a waste of time.

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Catt reply : 

Allison

BassCat

Bullet

Legend

Phoenix

Skeeter

Xpress

Still plenty of choices

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RyneB reply : 

Glad I made the switch from ranger to skeeter. Ranger priced themselves out if the running when I was boat shopping. Between basscat, ranger, skeeter, and nitro. It was skeeter that got my business. Good bang for buck, rode better than the other 3 (wasn't even close), and came with a Yamaha. The fit an finish of the ranger was almost flawless, but for a smaller boat and motor I would have been paying several thousand more than for the bigger more powerful skeeter. I would have liked to have tried out a phoenix or legend, but nowhere near me sells them.

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WPCfishing reply : 

Quite frankly, I don't give a dam. I won't buy his reels either.......

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Justbass11 reply : 

All I know is that I will most likely be buying my first bass boat around the first of the year give or take a few weeks or months but I will be getting one. Those of you that have bass boats are lucky to have one. I really don't care which brand I get because its more like do you like walmart or kmart, ford or chevy...Ranger or Nitro.....just my .02 cents worth

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WIGuide reply : 

Just saw this statement this morning from Bass Pro:
"Last week we regretfully accepted the resignations of three executives at Fishing Holdings; Randy Hopper, Keith Daffron and Mendel Hughes. These actions were voluntary and do not reflect any changes in philosophy with regard to management. We remain deeply committed to the Ranger, Stratos and Triton brands and have tremendous respect for the strong, independent dealer network. The dealers and fantastic team of associates in Flippin, Ark. continue to have our full support and admiration."

I don't know that I buy that though. Randy Hopper had been with the company for over 45 years and Keith Daffron I believe is Forrest's son-in-law. I don't think they would all just resign if something wasn't up.

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flyfisher reply : 

Why wouldn't they want to resign?  i mean if i was in a company for 40+ years and was a high level executive in said company and we were bought out by another company I would seriously consider dong the same thing.  He has the money so why not retire and spend time with his family or doing something he loves instead of working for someone else?

 

It happens all the time in big companies when they merge and it makes life easier for most too because ultimately the people at the very top of the food chain don't stay unless they truly are only owners in name only.  I am not one to get too concerned with people leaving companies or companies merging until it actually impacts me or the product itself.  Speculation is just that, speculation. 

 

Besides, I fish from a kayak and for now I am not buying a motor powered vessel anytime soon but i can say that when kayaks i have been using merged with other companies i haven't seen any issues,.

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tomustang reply : 

  On 12/2/2015 at 1:07 PM, Justbass11 said:

All I know is that I will most likely be buying my first bass boat around the first of the year give or take a few weeks or months but I will be getting one. Those of you that have bass boats are lucky to have one. I really don't care which brand I get because its more like do you like walmart or kmart, ford or chevy...Ranger or Nitro.....just my .02 cents worth

 

Actually with the current trend it'll be comparisons of walmart vs walmart, ford vs ford, nitro vs nitro etc

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scbassin reply : 

The word I received this morning was that when Johnny Morris Got the word they were leaving he was on the plane to meet with them. One of the big problems was that the bean counters at BPS was not happy with the profit margin & were recommending layoffs at the Ranger plant. If you have ever been there you know its like one huge family. That did not set well at all & with other changes it did not go well & they moved on. Once again my source is 50/50 take it for what it is worth. But this does make some sense to me as to why the might leave.

Robert I am sorry you sold your boat. I am sure going to keep my 2008 Z-21.

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Fishing Rhino reply : 

  On 12/3/2015 at 5:17 AM, scbassin said:

The word I received this morning was that when Johnny Morris Got the word they were leaving he was on the plane to meet with them. One of the big problems was that the bean counters at BPS was not happy with the profit margin & were recommending layoffs at the Ranger plant. If you have ever been there you know its like one huge family. That did not set well at all & with other changes it did not go well & they moved on. Once again my source is 50/50 take it for what it is worth. But this does make some sense to me as to why the might leave.

Robert I am sorry you sold your boat. I am sure going to keep my 2008 Z-21.

 

That sounds like a reasonable scenario.   These three fellows had been with Ranger for decades.  No doubt there was more than a business relationship with them.  It is not unusual for a takeover and its changes to be upsetting to the existing management and workers.  It's difficult to change what had been a way of life and adapt to changes that cut across their grain.  They did not find that the changes were something they agreed with.  There is more than the money involved with these three.  I commend them for their integrity. 

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fishnkamp reply : 

I have no doubt "bean counters" working for Johnny could cause a collapse in the management of companies he takes over.  They have been overseeing his boat operations for decades, we see what their choices result in.  Remember though, they work for him so ultimately he is still responsible for this shake up.  When a company allows their bean counters to force changes most often quality and customer service are the first to suffer!  Just watching for what is next, similar "reductions and changes" at the other two? 

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FrogFreak reply : 

Maybe I'm in the minority here but I bought a Crestliner VT17 aluminum boat and I'm happy as heck with it! I understand the arguments above but I bet there are a ton of anglers who can't or won't pay over 30K for a boat no matter who makes it.

 

However, for those of you who are willing to pay that type of money for a boat, you can and should "vote" with your wallet. If you don't like what BPS stands for, go with another brand. There is one heck of a movement out there where people will only buy from companies that align with their beliefs. That's why I avoid Walmart like the plague.

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K_Mac reply : 

FrogFreak there are many Nitro owners who have voted with their wallets based on price and value. Nitro is a major player in the bass boat market because they make a decent product for a good price. A Z8 with a 250 ProXS is a great fishing boat that rides and performs very well. No it is not a Ranger, but it is not priced like a Ranger either.

I wish Ranger well. If I had deep pockets it might be my first choice, but times are changing. Remember when "Solid as Sears" was effective advertising based on their rock solid reputation. Now Sears is struggling to survive. Ranger will either survive or not. Johnny Morris and his empire is in the same position. As long as he gives consumers what they want he wins, and when he doesn't he will fail. Blaming Morris for Ranger's problems doesn't really tell the whole story.

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slonezp reply : 

  On 12/7/2015 at 11:34 AM, K_Mac said:

FrogFreak there are many Nitro owners who have voted with their wallets based on price and value. Nitro is a major player in the bass boat market because they make a decent product for a good price. A Z8 with a 250 ProXS is a great fishing boat that rides and performs very well. No it is not a Ranger, but it is not priced like a Ranger either.

I wish Ranger well. If I had deep pockets it might be my first choice, but times are changing. Remember when "Solid as Sears" was effective advertising based on their rock solid reputation. Now Sears is struggling to survive. Ranger will either survive or not. Johnny Morris and his empire is in the same position. As long as he gives consumers what they want he wins, and when he doesn't he will fail. Blaming Morris for Ranger's problems doesn't really tell the whole story.

Sears could have been Amazon had they changed their business plan. Ranger and Tracker are the 2 top selling freshwater fishing boats in the U.S. From a business standpoint, the purchase makes all the sense in the world. The money all goes in the same pocket. I believe It's been roughly a year since the purchase. As far as I know, nothing has changed in the manufacturing process. Nothing needs to change. The businesses can continue to run independently and be profitable. 

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carlm01 reply : 

scbassin I was stationed in Charleston on 2 different ships , Miss the place

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Tom18xs reply : 

The dominant culture always wins.  BPS culture wins and will dominate the Ranger culture.  Look at Ranger top management.   They left.  So how does BPS price point culture play out for future Rangers, Tritons and Stratos?  I don't think that is a $64,000 question.  I have a 2014 Triton and glad I have it and will not be selling it anytime soon.

 

None of these developments are negative.  BPS makes a great boat for the price.  Ranger makes a great boat at a premium price.   Just sayin'. 

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FloridaFishinFool reply : 

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Preytorien reply : 

And I'm over here just wishing I had a bass boat......

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gulfcaptain reply : 

Why is eveyone mad at BPS.......if Ranger was doing so great why did they sell?  If the bean counters at BPS looked at the profit margin and didn't see the right numbers why wouldn't you want to go in and take care of business to keep the company and the name alive?  And if you were one of the three that were going to be looked at and have to explain why the numbers aren't where they need to be then maybe they new that it was time to retire.  

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FloridaFishinFool reply : 

Ranger did not sell them self. Not possible when Ranger did not own Ranger. An investment company Platinum Equity bought Ranger's parent owner Fishing Holdings LLC under bankruptcy restructuring in 2010.

What I am about to write is purely my opinion based on a little bit of research I did looking into this situation and is merely my take on things based on information found online in various places.

I did some checking in and around the local area of Flippin, Arkansas from news outlets to forum discussions and from what I can gather is that back in 2010 Ranger was bankrupt and allowed to restructure and the three men who resigned were at the head of the restructuring plan and bringing Ranger out of bankruptcy and back into a growing profitable company.

I suspect that Mendel Hughes, Vice President of Finance, was the go between man overseeing all the details of the recovery on behalf of the investment company who purchased Fishing Holdings.

When Platinum Equity bought Fishing Holdings, they had to provide a substantial financial boost to the company as well as provide critical financial restructuring information and planning. So I suspect that Mendel Hughes was the man more or less operating as overseer and implementer of the restructuring plan for Ranger.

But, the company was apparently sold out from under them to Bass Pro by their parent holding company wanting to get their investment back and then some.

And this is where things made a turn for the worse it would seem.

From what I was reading online, when Bass Pro closed the deal to purchase Ranger from the parent holding company, Bass Pro sent a team to meet with these Ranger executives to go over facts and figures and for Bass Pro to sort of lay the new law down to the Ranger executives. But, Bass Pro CEO Johnny Morris did not go to this meeting. He sent underlings instead. Underlings who probably were not in a position to negotiate with the Ranger executives.

One thing that is interesting to note in this deal is that Johnny Morris said even though Bass Pro is outright purchasing Ranger, there are no plans to sell Ranger through Bass Pro:

" Bass Pro Shops and Tracker to help strengthen the Ranger brand and your business. At the same time we respect the need to maintain independence and brand integrity, and in that regard, we have no plans to sell Fishing Holdings brands (Ranger, Triton, Stratos) through Bass Pro Shops stores"

Apparently before Bass Pro purchased Ranger's owner Fishing Holdings there was some manufacturing overlapping between Ranger, Triton and Stratos, and now that Bass Pro owns Ranger Johnny Morris says he intends to break this situation up and move Triton and Stratos manufacturing elsewhere.

There is alot we don't know yet and may never know, but one thing is clear is that when the meeting of Ranger and Bass Pro came to a close, those 3 top Ranger executives resigned immediately causing Johnny Morris to hop on a plane and rush out there to meet with these men probably to try and persuade them to not resign.

In my opinion if this deal was all that important to Johnny Morris he should have been at that meeting where he probably could have mitigated the circumstances of their resignations in person before hand, not after the fact. Instead Johnny Morris sent a team out there to meet with Ranger to probably lay the law down to them that for one they were no longer in charge- technically. And, that possibly the lower profit margin Ranger was surviving with may not have been enough to satisfy Bass Pro who more than likely wanted to see the profit margin increase which meant some cost cutting somewhere within Ranger, maybe fire off some employees, trim some fat, use thinner metal in the boats, or you know, cut corners every way possible while keeping prices up there even though Johnny Morris said he would not tamper with the quality of Ranger boats, I have my doubts...

Those 3 executives I think resigned because Bass Pro was basically telling them they don't run things any more, and their mission to save Ranger from bankruptcy since 2010 was no longer 100% up to them and that Bass Pro and their "experts" would be actively involved now in guiding Ranger to an increased profit margin doing things those 3 executives probably could not live with.

Just take a look at some of the Bass Pro-Johnny Morris statements issued:

" We plan to align significant additional resources to further strengthen product offerings and dealer and customer support."

We, as in Bass Pro PLAN to ALIGN SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES to further strengthen product offerings. That right there says Bass Pro is stepping in and all but taking over Ranger. And for some men use to running it their way at least since taking it over in bankruptcy back in 2010, it is clear their reign is over. No longer in charge. Time to go. Staying means doing as told by Bass Pro and Johnny Morris.

" We will maintain separate new product development teams to ensure unique, differentiated product offerings.

We, as in Bass Pro will maintain SEPARATE new product development teams! As in Bass Pro will now have their own ideas to run through Ranger Boats whether they want it or not, or like it or not. Bass Pro will use Ranger manufacturing to make products developed by Bass Pro's separate product development team. Ranger is not to remain as independent as Johnny Morris says in his public statement. He sounds like he may be contradicting himself somewhat with double talk.

If you were use to running Ranger would you want some outside company ordering you to do this as told? Jump through some hoops for Bass Pro Ranger executives! Everyone out there at Ranger better snap too when told to! New things coming your way so get ready...

I can see why those 3 top dogs resigned at the close of the meeting. And based on what I am reading they resigned immediately after the meeting was concluded, but in the real world you can bet those men decided while in the meeting to resign. They knew their day was done before that meeting was over!

" To be clear, when we invested in Fishing Holdings one of our primary motivations was investing in the opportunity to work alongside you, the absolute best fishing boat dealers in the world. We remain steadfast in this commitment."

To be clear, this is not really all that clear! Johnny Morris is saying they purchased more than Ranger. They purchased either all of nearly all of Fishing Holdings and EVERYTHING they owned! So now Bass Pro owns Triton outright too, and Stratos. And Johnny is now planning on moving manufacturing of Triton and Stratos somewhere else so that Ranger can now only build Ranger boats and not be involved in the manufacturing of all 3 of them. What is up with this? I wish we could get more info on this. What is Johnny Morris up to? Could he be breaking up these companies so he can grow them as independents and maybe one day sell off one or more for some big bucks if he is successful? Surely breaking up manufacturing is not going to be cheap for him to do. So there has to be some other motivation I'm just not seeing or getting now.

I seriously doubt if Johnny Morris was simply investing to "work alongside you" as he says. I am not buying that for one second. This is more of a power move to literally corner a market. It is a shrewd power move that Bass Pro can easily afford right now. And a move like this will make boats CHEAPER for Bass Pro rather than selling someone else's product, it is now their product and they have eliminated competition and middle men and taken the whole ball of wax for themself. A smart business move that would make John D. Rockefeller proud that Johnny Morris was following his business advice that "competition is a sin."

So now Johnny Morris is going to merge Tracker Marine Group and his new ownership of Fishing Holdings (Ranger, Triton, and Stratos) into one new business called  White River Marine Group.

I'll leave it here for now. I think it is pretty clear at least to myself why these 3 men resigned after meeting with Bass Pro acquisition team. They had their company sold out from under them and literally taken away from them plain and simple, and now Johnny Morris is in charge lock, stock, and barrel and they simply did not want to go back to just being an employee told what to do and when to do it among other things in this deal they probably could not live with.

And it is also just as clear that Johnny Morris is doing a power play and creating his own monopoly as well as increasing his profit take from owning it all and controlling it all.

What is now clear to me is that the 3 men who resigned, they controlled Ranger as a company, but they did not control who owned them. These men could live with being in charge while having an investment company own them, but when Johnny Morris and Bass Pro bought Ranger from their owner and parent company, these men could no longer live with having their company sold out from under them and then taken away from them by Johnny Morris and his acquisition team.

And I think it probably angered them that Johnny Morris himself did not attend the meeting in person and this may have contributed to their decisions to resign.

For Johnny Morris to hop on a plane and run out there after they resigned was too little too late in my opinion. Johnny Morris should have had enough respect for them to make a personal appearance at the takeover meeting and try and smooth things out rather than send a hired team to lay out terms in a play hard ball fashion. Not a smooth move on Johnny Morris' part which is why his public press release sounded more like damage control more than anything else.

In conclusion I will throw in another piece I got some info from that goes back to the purchase deal in 2010:

Platinum Equity To Sell Fishing Boat Business To Bass Pro Group

Press Release · December 11, 2014

Manufacturing

LOS ANGELES, CA (December 11, 2014) – Platinum Equity today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to sell  Fishing Holdings, LLC, the Flippin, Arkansas-based manufacturer of the Ranger Boats, Stratos and Triton fishing boat brands, to Bass Pro Group, LLC. 

The pending transaction is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Platinum Equity acquired Ranger Boats and Stratos as part of a larger portfolio of boat brands in February 2010 from Genmar Holdings, Inc., through a transaction conducted under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.  Triton was acquired from Brunswick in July 2010. 

“Nearly five years ago we pledged to provide the resources and support necessary to help the company grow and evolve, while respecting the heritage and deep roots in fishing that make it so special,” said Platinum Equity Partner Louis Samson, who led the acquisitions in 2010.  “We achieved our goals and I am very proud of all that has been accomplished during our stewardship.”

In addition to the add-on acquisition of Triton, Platinum Equity worked with the Fishing Holdings management team to execute a series of other growth and operational improvement programs, including: the development and launch of a line of aluminum boats that involved developing a completely new manufacturing site from the ground up; continued introduction of innovative new products across all brands and segments; strengthening of dealer relationships; and numerous improvements in manufacturing capabilities and overall operational efficiency.

Mr. Samson credited Fishing Holdings President Randy Hopper and the hard work of Fishing Holdings employees as the key driver of the company’s success.

“Randy is an exceptional leader, with a very talented executive team supported by a tremendous group of dedicated employees throughout the entire organization,” said Mr. Samson. “The business will be in very good hands going forward.”

Mr. Hopper expressed excitement about the future as part of the Bass Pro Shops family.

“We’re very fortunate to be partnering with an organization with so much understanding of the industry and our brands,” said Mr. Hopper.  “This new alliance will provide synergies that will strengthen our independent dealer base and ensure our continued focus on fishing.”

“Nearly five years ago we pledged to provide the resources and support necessary to help the company grow and evolve, while respecting the heritage and deep roots in fishing that make it so special,” said Platinum Equity Partner Louis Samson, who led the acquisitions in 2010. “We achieved our goals and I am very proud of all that has been accomplished during our stewardship.” 

In addition to generating operational benefits, the transaction will provide further enhanced services and products to better support Fishing Holdings’ existing dealer network and large base of customers worldwide.

Bass Pro Shops founder and CEO Johnny Morris said, “We’re excited about the association with these iconic brands. Ranger Boats founder Forrest Wood has been a longtime friend and someone who has made a tremendous impact on our industry. We look forward to building on such a rich history.” 

According to Mr. Morris, after the transaction closes Fishing Holdings’ portfolio will continue to operate from its Flippin, Arkansas headquarters under the leadership of existing local management which boasts more than four decades of experience.  He said the new partnership not only joins some of the industry’s most respected brands, but also provides greater stability and growth opportunities for Fishing Holdings’ independent dealer base. 

“The business will continue to be operated independently by the same management team that has led it for many years,” added Mr. Morris.  “Our goal is to provide the products and services necessary to fuel our collective growth.” 

Fishing Holdings was advised by Harris Williams & Co. in connection with the transaction. Latham & Watkins acted as deal counsel.

About Platinum Equity

Founded by Tom Gores in 1995, Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with more than $7 billion in assets under management and a portfolio of operating companies that generated approximately $15 billion in revenue in 2013.  Platinum Equity specializes in mergers, acquisitions and operations – a trademarked strategy the firm calls M&A&O®  – acquiring and operating companies in a broad range of business markets, including manufacturing, information technology, telecommunications, transportation and logistics, media, equipment rental, metals and other industries. Over the past 19 years Platinum Equity has completed more than 150 acquisitions.

About Fishing Holdings, LLC

Fishing Holdings LLC, headquartered in Flippin, Ark., is the nation’s premier manufacturer of fiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, including the legendary Ranger Boats brand, as well as the Stratos and Triton boat brands.  More details, product information and specific offerings can be found by visiting www.rangerboats.com, www.stratosboats.com and www.tritonboats.com.

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"According to Mr. Morris, after the transaction closes Fishing Holdings’ portfolio will continue to operate from its Flippin, Arkansas headquarters under the leadership of existing local management which boasts more than four decades of experience."

Yeah right. That 4 decades of experience and local leadership is now gone... any wonder why??? I don't.

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FloridaFishinFool reply : 

I'm gonna throw this out there for what it is worth if anything...

Take a look at Randy Hopper for a second. This man literally grew up working for Ranger starting out sweeping up moving up through manufacturing to engineering and into management before being hand picked by the founder of Ranger Forrest L. Wood to be the company's CEO.

The man spent his entire adult life working for Ranger- some 45 years or so.

If you were in his shoes and now CEO of Ranger, and for 5 years- 2010 to 2014 taking full control of the company trying to bring it back from bankruptcy to a profitable solvent company. 

Do you think it was a possible goal of his- a personal goal- to restore this company he gave his life to and to maybe, just maybe possibly even bring Ranger as a company to the point where they could own themselves again? Wouldn't this be the icing on his cake and 45 plus years at Ranger to be the man who saved the company? It would be a legacy completed! And now it is not possible any longer.

This type of thing was possible when you are owned by a bunch of investors who simply want profit and nothing else and have no real control over making boats or ulterior motives to corner markets, etc.

But when a man like Johnny Morris steps in with his Bass Pro Shops, and his Tracker Boats in the mix, and he has the cash to buy your company out from under you like he did, if any of us were in Randy Hopper's shoes wouldn't it now seem like it was no longer possible to save the company to stand on its own?

In my opinion it is very possible that when Bass Pro purchased Fishing Holdings who owned Ranger that this ended any hopes a man like Randy Hopper might of had to recover his company and be the man who put that company back on its feet and on its own. His is now a legacy stolen from him. Maybe even a dream that died when Bass Pro bought it all.

Johnny Morris and his Bass Pro Shops may have ended Randy's ambitions to recover and restore Ranger Boats for himself and his legacy, for his employees, and for Forrest Wood. Its over for him. Time to move on.

This is just a theory of mine... but if I were in those shoes I have to wonder if I would have been thinking along these same lines... oh well. Just a thought anyways...

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And think about Mendel Hughes for a second. This man was Vice President of Finance for Ranger. Just WHO do you think was giving it his all to turn around Ranger financially from bankruptcy?

If finance was your specialty and you made it your mission to try and save Ranger with a possible idea of buying back and owning Ranger now solvent and standing on its own again, would that not be a success for your specialty knowledge and efforts?

But when a company like Bass Pro steps in and buys it out from under you and sends in an acquisition team laying down the law, isn't it clear when a financial officer like Mendel Hughes immediately resigns indicates his services are no longer needed. His specialty finance knowledge is no longer running the show?

His resignation based on his position and what Ranger was going through tells me Bass Pro and their experts took it over.

What happened to Ranger is like Walt Disney buying Wet N' Wild. Bass Pro is huge compared to Ranger. Johnny Morris and Bass Pro are not going to invest in a company and then let local leadership run it in the ground. Bass Pro is going to take a leadership role over all they own and it is clear these men and their personal and professional mission at Ranger ended in that meeting with Bass Pro acquisition team. Simple as that as I see it.

And I would bet you Bass Pro had these executives sign non-disclosure agreements that prevents them from speaking about this in public. Bass Pro and their lawyers would want to keep the inner secrets of this deal secret and out of the public eye.

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K_Mac reply : 

This thread keeps coming back! Floridafishinfool I can't help respecting your compassion for the men who resigned their positions. For the employees of Ranger the success of the company is what's important. For the executives who left, that is simply the way business works. These men had  great careers with Ranger. Now they can find something else to do. 

It will be interesting to see what happens with Ranger. I wish Morris and Ranger well.

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tomustang reply : 

Funny to think the execs that were there before the bankruptcy were able to turn profit. They went under, a firm purchased them and they cut the fat. 

 

Fish Holdings and Platinum Equity fixed rangers problem incorporating other brands and business models. Johnny Morris just bought the refined product. I don't feel bad because some ranger big wigs quit.

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Redlinerobert reply : 

I just want to order a new Z522.  Somebody halp!

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Al Wolbach reply : 

I worked a BPS and I don't want to come across as a disgruntled employee, because I'm not, I enjoyed working there for a few years. The pay sucked but the discount was good. The BPS business plan, from an employee perspective, is raise prices/lower wages/cut hours. They have no concern/compassion for any employee. They fire managers faster than they can be trained so they call Kmart and hire another, as well as Sam's Club or Walmart. The employee turn over, after the first year or two of operation, is absolutely staggering. When I shop at the store where I worked I recognize no one and I've only been gone a couple of years, literally no one.

If Johnny Morris treats the Ranger employees the same way as he treats the BPS employees, you do not want to buy a Ranger boat two years from now.  The employees that are currently building the boats will be gone and a recent high school grad will be laying the keel of their new boats, and for minimum wage. I'm not an economics major, but apparently the easiest way to reduce overhead, therefore increase profit, is reduce wages/cut hours or eliminate higher paid employees. In some way, reduce payroll.

I hope Johnny Morris's management team does not manage their production plants the way they do retail sales stores. If they do Ranger is in trouble approximately two years down the road. JMHO.

 

 

 

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AQUA VELVA reply : 

All of this mental anguish is a moot point. The companies will always do what what they feel is in their best interests and the rest of us will live with the results. Life goes on ,guys. As for the big shots that resigned, don't shed too many tears. I'm sure their golden parachutes made for a cushy landing.

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scrutch reply : 

I was recently at Johnny Morris' Dogwood Canyon Resort in Missouri.  While there I asked (purely out of curiosity) if the employees had ever met Johnny and what they thought of him.  Without exception everyone gave similar answers.  They all LOVED him and spoke very highly of him.  They all said that he comes across as just a regular joe, They said that Johnny was very easy to talk to and nobody had a negative word to say about him.  I was doing my best to "read" into the responses to see if they were giving me canned, politically correct answers.  I never detected anything of the sort.

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