In a press release sent out today from Iconic Marine Group—the parent company of the Baja Marine, Donzi Marine and Fountain Powerboats brands—the Washington, N.C.-based company announced that it was moving forward with plans to establish a performance group.
According to the release, the group will be tasked with enhancing the performance characteristics of existing models and developing new performance-oriented models. IMG is assembling a group of talented and experienced boat builders, tooling specialists, lamination professionals and high-performance riggers to reestablish the footprint that these brands once had in the marine marketplace.
The first models to be reintroduced for the 2019 model year are the Fountain 42 Lightning and Fountain 47 Lightning. A Fountain Performance 42 center console will be entering the development cycle and will be introduced during the 2019 model year as well. Additionally, IMG Performance will be introducing into production a 32-foot twin-outboard performance catamaran (read the story) and has plans to develop larger models with outboard power.
Within the Baja brand, the 36 Outlaw is going to be reintroduced in January of 2018, and Donzi is returning to the sport boat market with the introduction of a completely new generation of the popular 38 ZRC with outboard power.
IMG Performance also is in the process of building a Fountain 40 - Race that is being rigged with twin Sterling Performance engines capable of 1,900 horsepower (read the story). An American Power Boat Association-sanctioned kilo run is being scheduled for February at the IMG facility in Washington.
“There is no better way to launch a performance group than to bring home a world record in the Pamlico River,” stated COO Joe Curran in the release. “We realize the performance market is not the size it once was, but these brands have the ability in the beginning stages to bring enough business to the table to warrant the investment and propel further development. Distribution is going to be conducted initially by Big Thunder Marine of Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks going into the 2019 model year. As demand is realized and further product development is warranted, we will consider expansion of the IMG performance dealer network.”
For the coming year, Big Thunder Marine is going to handle distribution of the Baja, Donzi and Fountain brands.
The aforementioned new models are in addition to the restyled Fountain Bluewater Series of center consoles—the 34 CC, the 38 CC and the 38 CC LS that are currently in production—and the soon-to-be-introduced 39 NX and 42 NX center consoles.
“The aggressive path we have taken in rebuilding this company and these brands reflects the commitment of our ownership and management team to the success of the brands and our growing dealer network,” Curran stated......click here to read full story.