(By the way also been to a few bars with that guy as well )Well I'm sorry to hear that you came away with that impression. I would like to say a couple things though, I wasn't always "RiverDave owner of RDP." I used to just go to the boat shows to browse and bug the shit out of all the mfg's and vendors etc.. I know who's legit about things and who the pole smokers are that have changed their tune as this place grew into what it is. I have a long memory with shit like that.
I've never bought a boat from Gene, and I'm proud to call the guy a friend. We have had good times at boat shows, mexican restaurants in San Diego, and bars in Havasu. I think the guy is a riot, and I look forward to hanging out with him in either a professional capacity, or a friend capacity at the next earliest opportunity. The only thing he's ever did to piss me off was not invite me on his freakin boat when he moved slips from Monte Rey to San Diego..
(By the way I didn't assist in any of the write ups of any of the tests. We did it third party to keep bias opinions out of it...)
That all said, it doesn't matter to me which one ya bought. I think Thane is by far and away the funniest guy in the boat industry, and they build a hell of a product as well. Can't go wrong with either.
I sat with Gene about 6 months ago, could be longer, at his shop. He spent all the time with me I could have ever wanted. Great guy, funny, never felt like he was anything but a life long boat lover.
I spent some time with Thane and John at the end of summer working on a purchase. I backed out due to some college costs for my son. The 1st thing Thane said was 'schools first'. That goes a long long ways with me. I saw Thane and John at the show, they said hello by name over the crowd, told me don't buy show tickets the next day that they would cover my entire family.
They are like family even though I never purchased, actually backed out! I would consider both these guys friends now, buy them a beer around town kinda guys. That never ever happens anymore. Ive never met Randy, but Id like to think he lurks on here and is appreciative of how his biz is being handled.
I just had a question for Thane on a boat this morning, he replied right away and I think its his day off! Nordic is the type of place I want to work, maybe I should get out of socal
Steve, he is actually in Long Beach moving into the Fred Hall show. No rest for the wicked!
The first time I personally met Thane [beside,s all of the phone conversation,s ] was meeting up with him in Colorado springs last august to get my boat ,great guy the transaction went quick also ended up putting him in the hospital there for a couple day,s . Oh and John is a good guy also !!
No doubt , from the 900 mile trip he had his knee was ballooned up like crazy with the gout so he stopped in to get checked out and they kept him there .:yikes
