Viable Company??

[Sandtiger]

Hoping someone can help. I have a Tarpon 140 and I tried calling Wilderness Systems today to ask about accessory availability. I got a recording and an alternate number to call as the message was that this person (Customer Service) wasn't working there after the 19th (which month was not mentioned). I called the alternate number and got a recording saying they were restructuring or something and IF I wanted to leave a message I could, but it would be at least two weeks before someone contacted me.

Does anyone know the status of this company? I tried looking them up on the stock exchange under Wilderness Systems, but I think that this name is one they use for identification and the actual name of the company is unknown to me.

If anyone has any information I would appreciate anything you can provide. I hope my "Limited Lifetime Warranty" will be good for at least a few more years...........

Thanks

Oh yeah, they have no e-mail address or a "Contact Us" page on their web site.

[dballs]

American Capital (Nasdaq: ACAS) basically owns them now from what I can glean from the American Capital website. However the structure is that they set up a holding company called Confluence Holdings Corp which operates the two businesses separately: Wilderness Systems, Inc., the third largest U.S. manufacturer of kayaks, and Mad River Canoe, Inc., the second largest U.S. manufacturer of canoes.

I know they were having trouble a few years ago, many different articles dealt with their financial woes. Their former website had an employee who was very helpful in answering questions and then suddenly stopped only to come back later and apologize that he had been layed off.

When I discussed it on another board many people jumped up to defend them despite evidence that they were in trouble. I hope they are doing well. They may be restructuring as they continue to acquire other water sports businesses (Ex. Watermark Paddlesports Inc.) and you might be experiencing a changing of the guard so to speak.

Here are some links from the past:
http://extras.journalnow.com/bankruptcy/companies.html
This is from 3/1/01 Basically indicating they were laying off 55 people

here is one talking about hiring a new CFO

http://www.fendler.com/confluence/CFO_releasefinal.pdf#search='confluence%20waterspo rts'

here they add back 41 people
http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2003/06/16/daily50.html


Here they talk about the two different strategies and why the CEO exited
http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2002/05/13/story4.html?page=2

here is the current info:
http://www.americancapital.com/news/press_releases/pr/pr.cfm?p_pr=pr20050518.html
American Capital's total current investment in Confluence(Wilderness Systems parent company) is $61 million

The articles give you a general idea of what's been going on with the business over the past few years. Unfortunately during all this transition I have read that their customer service and quality control went down hill. Website complaints, molding problems (ex. scupper leaks, bubbles in plastic, etc...) Yet I still purchased two of their kayaks despite the problems.

I am sure someone else has "inside" info, but then again I know that in the past the other boards were very reluctant to discuss it. As I said before, I hope the company is doing well and I hope they can resolve any issue you may have.

I don't think you have anything to worry about as far as your warranty is concerned, however getting good support/service might be another issue if they are going through transition.

[dballs]

without wading through all that technical info above, this is probably why you are experiencing problems

http://www.courier-tribune.com/articles/2005/06/17/news/bn2.txt

Posted: 06/16/05 - 11:47:37 pm CDT

TRINITY - Confluence Holdings Corporation announced Thursday that it will close its Trinity plant and consolidate all of its operations - sales, marketing, finance and manufacturing - into a recently acquired Easley, S.C., facility.

So my earlier guess of transitional problems probably is close to the truth.

Read the rest of the article for all the details.

Hope all that stuff helped-
Darren

[Sandtiger]

Darren,

That is very helpful. Thanks for the reply.

[Cory ruthless Routh]

Darren et all, as a sponsored representative of Wilderness Systems, I shall give you an update. Confluence has bought out Watermark (perception, dagger, mainstream) Making them the largest kayak manufacturer in the US. They shut down trinity and moved to Easley SC, where they can produce more boats. They are still in transition, but should be settled by October.

Sandtiger, what is it that you are looking for?

[Sandtiger]

Cory,

I'm looking for two things now...........

1) Originally, a liner / pocket type thing like the one in the front 4" hatch (in front of the seat) only for the rear hatch.

and

2) [sad] It appears the hull on the new boat is warped on the port bow. I was washing it after use and noticed it. I took pictures and went bock to where I bought and they said they thought they could fix it. (I hope so). I called Wilderness about this problem to find out what they tought of the probability of a fis by the dealer and found their message about calling another number that had the message they would get back to me, but it would take at least two weeks. Left me feeling a little in the cold.......... The dealer I got it at is being very helpful (I think). I was beginning to wonder if Wilderness was going under and they didn't want to tell me......

Hopefully this will work out okay......

[Cory ruthless Routh]

I may have a catbag at WRO in our parts bin, i be there tomorrow and will check. Give me a call 757-403-0734.

You warp may be from carring it on a roof rack on a hot day, if you set it out in the sun it should pop back to its original shape.

[JDSeiders]

Cory ruthless Routh originally wrote:
You warp may be from carring it on a roofracy on a hot day, if you set it out in th sun it should pop back to its original shape.


No lie. Set it top down in the sun for a day or two and it will spring back to it's original shape. I had two huge dents from foam blocks, and now you'd never know it.

Cory, I'll call you about the 120 tomorrow (Wed).

[rick c.]

I tried to buy a catbag for that middle hatch at WRO and was told that Wilderness does not make one for that size hatch. If thats not true, do they carry them or can I order one? That hatch is pretty useless otherwise except to access the transducer.

[Cory ruthless Routh]

On the 140 and 120 both small hatches are the same size, I always put my bags in the rear hatch, because it keeps it out of any water thay may leak in.

[propgash]

Wow I guess this explains why my Tarpon 160i that was ordered a month and a half ago has not been delivered. Is this a great message board or what?