Willie boats

[White Willie]

It seems that South River Marine has opened a store on Mcloughlin blvd behind Hollywood video. For those of us who have to go to corvalis if we need service on our Wille boats this is a very welcome addition to our area. Hyde,Maria,Weldcraft,Wille,Yamaha parts ,sales,service. 503-785-1426

[jet]

For all the other brands a Portland dealer is a good thing. For Weldcraft,75 miles south worked well. When you own a Weldcfaft you rarely need service work. Maybe it is for all those Willie Boats???

Just poking fun at all the Willie Boat owners who say what they say about their boats, you know what they say...

My buddy catches more fish in my Weldcraft than in his Willie...lol

Jet~~~ proud owner of a Weldcraft

[This message has been edited by jet (edited 12-15-2000).]

[This message has been edited by jet (edited 12-15-2000).]

[White Willie]

Christmas is coming maybe santa will bring you a Willie.

[RW]

Hey WW; Not to be greedy, but do you think Santa would bring me one too. I already have one, but could use an extra to leave up in Alaska instead of towing it back and forth every year. RW

<friends don't let friends row Koffler's>
http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[smilesforu]

If santa has a used one I would make sure to love it just like a new one. Santa are you listening http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

Tight Lines


------------------
Marty M
Steelheader.net (http://www.steelheader.net/)

[Hottamale1]

That's right Boys....

John Kunzman's South River Marine finally entered the Portland Market just last month and I understand they have one of the Best Motor Mechanics in the Area that really knows how to work on the Newer, "HIGH TECH...Energy efficient" motors. (I suppose if these motors are SO good and energy efficient....why would we need a mechanic at all???)

Anyways, Hes right behind Hollywood Video, Off McLoughlin Blvd.

[Phish_on]

"Hi, Honey! I'm home! I got an extra Willie but I left it in Alaska."

[StreamSide]

Hey Jet!

Now let's get this story straight! I catch more fish in MY Willie~P and YOUR Weldcraft then you catch in your Weldcraft! http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif Just ask your kid! Ya remember! daddy why do you always clean john's fish and never catch your own. HA! http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by StreamSide (edited 12-15-2000).]

[chromer]

RW:

You will regret those words one day!

Friends teach friends how to row Willies.

[Spooled]

I recently purchased a new Willie 16 ft Guide Model drift boat from Dave Traaen at South River Marine.

Upon getting it home I decided to have a customer of mine apply some paint to it. As we were deciding on design, color etc. he noticed that during manufacturing the boat, an indent was created when the side tray and fly stripping deck were welded in. If paint were applied, it would have been far more noticable. Most people would have just said it's no big deal and continued on. I admit, I'm pickier than most people.

I decided to call Dave and see what if anything could be done, before we proceeded. Dave said he would contact Willie and get back to me. He also said, I purchased a new boat and had a right to be picky. I thought Willie would say it is within manufacturing tolerances and that would be that. WRONG! Instead Willie says they are building me a NEW BOAT! I pick it up tomorrow at the new Portland South River Marine store.

If this is the way they are going to treat customers around here, I feel sorry for their competitors! THANK YOU Dave Traeen, Willie Boats and South River Marine, you have a customer for life. Good luck in your new location. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Troy

[RW]

Errrrr chromer, I really meant to say;

<friends don't let friends row a clackacraft>

[This message has been edited by RW (edited 12-15-2000).]

[smilesforu]

My uncle had some of his paint peel. Willie said bring it down and we will fix it up. And they did...no charge. Good service out of Willie Boats...think they will tell santa http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

Tight Lines

------------------
Marty M
Steelheader.net (http://www.steelheader.net/)

[Nanook]

THATS why we own them, huh White Willie!!
The ole' one arm man helped me big time
when Nixon's bit the big one and my
brand new boat was not rigged or delivered
yet. Good news about a SR river shop being
closer than Corvalis. Got the flyer the
other day. Weldcraft? Is that built
in Scappose? LOL http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

******

[WildHawg]

I guess we all change...but my first experience with Willy left me cursing him for the last 15 years. About 1985, I bought my first aluminum driftboat (always had wood growing up on the Mckenzie). I asked him to set the boat up for me completely--including oars. Well, I trusted him and took delivery of my boat one spring afternoon. Had a guide trip the next day on the S. Santiam. When I got home that night, I noticed my trailer boat snubber had come off and scarred my new boat in a most heinous fashion. No big deal! It's only cosmetic, & Willy will take care of it. Soooo....the next morning I go to the ramp to meet my clients at 5am. I look for the plug--where's the plug? Where's the stinkin' plug? Bad deal, but I can handle it. I found an old plug that was missing it's brass insides in my truck, stuck a stick into it and made it fit. Whew! So I stick the boat in, park the truck, come to the boat and attempt to stick the oars into the locks and CRAP!!!! They are 9.5 foot raft oars, and don't even fit in the locks. Well, I was a little embarrased. So I went searching in Sweet Home for someone with a pipe to bend out the oarlocks so I could fish these people. Found one and got back about 7am. These people were not amused at my predicament. Needless to say, it was one of the most embarassing situation of my guiding career (right up ther with forgetting my tackle box one time). I get home that afternoon and call Willie. No problem he says, just bring it back to Medford, leave it for a week and I'll make it right he says. I reminded him that it is a seven hour round trip on a good day from Vida to Medford and this was something of a hardship. He offered no concessions, not even gas money. Sooo, I took it back to him and told him I wanted my $ back--I'll find another boat I told him. No deal, he would fix it, but that was all. Well, 15 years later, I'm still mad. There is nothing special about a Wille boat. Fishrite built me a new boat and I had no problems (Jamie Dorsey is the antithesis of Willie, really a great guy). They track like a dream and I have been very pleased with my relationship with them. In fairness, the new (2 year old or less) Alumaweld driftboats track extremely well too. I don't know what they changed but they seem to respond better than the older ones. So--Fishrite or Alumawelds are my boat of choice. As I stated above, people change, but I still haven't gotten an apology from the one armed bandit, and I still hold a grudge. Take it for what it's worth--not much.

[tadpolly]

Sounds like everyone has an opinion on everything.I have a drifter from Willie and it does everything I would ask a driftboat to do.The newer boats track a little better bet not enough to sell this one and buy a new one.As far as Jamie Dorsey being the best thing since sliced bread ...well listen up.A local shop,at one time,carried Fish Rites.They dropped them because they didn't sell.Now,just a couple months ago another business started selling Fish Rite boats.Seems Jamie told the folks running the new biz that the old place sold 30-40 units a MONTH.Ha.These folks don't sell 30 boats per month total.Let alone sleds and driftboats.So new guy plops down a lotta bank for some Fish Rite product.Probably even told his bank how rich he is gonna be since he is about to sell 30 tubs for 18k average each in the next 30 days.Now this dude aint the sharpest tack in the box, cause he never asked the marine dealer who dropped Fish Rite as to why.He didn't carry the Motion Marine line either(if you aint seen it yet a tiller sport-jet with 240hp at the pump!Powerhead is outside the boat where a motor belongs!)Anyhow dude is now losing his shorts on a full out lie from our friend Jamie.Now some of this is second hand but dude in new biz aint argued it yet.I'm also not saying who has the best customer service.I have no experience with that.Now what kind of person lies to sell product not concerned with the impact it may have on peoples lives.New biz guy is probably living a personal dream by entering the boating business.If this is true then I feel sorry for him.Maybe the dream was so close he got excited and didn't do his homework.But honest business is best.After all we are in the age of the net and word travels fast...

[chromer]

OK, OK, I've been silent long enough, now it's time for my 2 cents.

I bought a Willie before Willies were cool. Just after Willie got back in the business. I absolutely loved my boat, a 16 X 52. Willie didn't build a 54 back then, he thought 52 was the perfect bottom width. Of course he moved up to 54 to keep up with the competition, but I agree with him, the 16 X 52 is the best rowing boat I've ever had the pleasure to pull the sticks on, and I have rowed most of the major brands and a few knock-offs.

Last year I decided it was time for a new boat. My Willie wasn't abused, still caught fish, but it's luster was definitely gone. So I called Willie. He said "no problem just talk with so and so and he'll get you fixed up." Well I talked with so and so and he was nice enough, but I wanted a couple of custom things done to the boat. The answer was basically "no way, we have a basic design and that's the way they come."

So I called Joe Koffler. This is the Burger King of drift boat builders - you get it "your" way. He made the changes and others, no questions, and no extra $. I got everything I wanted on the boat, a custom welded aluminum trailer and it cost me less than $300 more than the standard Willie, and was done 2 weeks before the quoted completion date!

Service - I made a major mistake on the river with the new boat when it was less than 3 months old. I had my head up my butt and hung an oar and just about ripped the side off the boat (with composite oars and stainless steel oar locks there isn't much give). I called Joe and told him what I'd done he said "get it in here so we can get you back on the water." I took it in on a Monday and picked it up the 4 days later on Friday, and the repairs included repainting the damaged areas! I dare you to tell me which side was buggered. The cost - $0.

Rows like a dream, outstanding quality, built your way, fanatastic service, competitive prices, stand behind their product 100% - KOFFLER is the way to go.

By the way - I also had a Predator. Nice boat, but it did have some serious problems. I won't bore you with the details here.

[RW]

Hi Guys; Boats are like spouses, there are so many to choose from, but only certain ones that meet our individual needs. Even when they meet our needs, we still may be comparing them to the "other one" in our minds.

I row a Willie, and one of my buddies rows a Koffler. To each their own. It does just come down to "service needs met", and "do they have the all the equipment to keep me happy"??

Lets just go out and fish and have a good time. How does Wed on the Wilson sound? RW