Waterdawg...open Bash Session!!!!
- Thread starter Waterdawg Kustomz
- Start date
I don't expect him to, as he started this thread and it was well over 24 hours before he even logged back in, and didn't bother to contact me until 24 hours after that.
We'll see, I'm wrong on a daily basis.
crammit442
makin' legs
- Location
- here
That about sums it up. Jeff's real talent is salesmanship. I've talked to Jeff a number of times and came away thinking he was cool and pretty smart. After seeing the stuff in person, my opinion changed. Not so good. Cheap is the primary thing WDK has on it's side. SOOOO MANY chances have been given to reinvent the image. What I don't get is the defenders.....
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Whats so hard to understand here,if you can't take the heat you get out of the kitchen.:chairshot:
crammit442
makin' legs
- Location
- here
Not the stuff I've seen. Granted, I've only seen one hull and a few hoods and nose pieces. The price point was the only notable feature.
Waterdawg Kustomz
RIP NATION
- Location
- Pac NW
I never really had a chance to post because the thread was locked only 17 hours after it was started. It was locked before 6am here on the west coast and I was busy Friday night. When I logged in lunchtime on Saturday, it was locked. I will answer some questions later on tonight when I get some more time. I am hustling to get a few 1200's together for shipment tomorrow. Thanks.
Jeff
Jeff
Big Kahuna
Administrator
- Location
- Tuscaloosa, AL
you know, there is an old saying ......... "There is no better time like the present........"
RoyalFlush@PCB
Shootin' The Crap
- Location
- PCB
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Is that tommorow as in Sunday or tomorrow as in three weeks from now?:noevil:
I was surprised to find the REV footholds I just got are not mirror images of each other, the left is about 1/4 inch deeper in the pocket next to the hull than the right, and the area above the toes is much narrower on the right hold than the left. Normal? Seems like they should be more even.
Big Kahuna
Administrator
- Location
- Tuscaloosa, AL
some MFG's do this to clear the exhaust tubes.
I understand they do not clear anyway.
Big Kahuna
Administrator
- Location
- Tuscaloosa, AL
that does not suprise me...........
I have my reasons and not a "purpose" sir "the only true SJ rider" which are none of your business. I reserve the right to stay on this thread, do you a have a problem with that?
Waterdawg Kustomz
RIP NATION
- Location
- Pac NW
First response.
Here are a few answers to some of the questions. First, building jet ski parts is more than my full time job it is my life. I work anywhere from 85-110 hours per week building these parts. The person that posted that it is just a side thing was ASSuming like always. That happens a lot. Where some people get their info, I don't know. I will agree 100% that there are some really valid points made about very slow shipping, I am not denying that and never have. You must understand that it takes a TON of time to think of, design, test, and build these products. I would like to compare the level of custom products that we make to other companies in the industry. I am not talking about bling things like exhaust outlets, scupper valves, bow nuts, etc. Meat and potatoes, those products. Custom hulls, not splashes of existing designs. Custom motors which include case mod design, custom sleeve designing and building, custom cylinder design and building, custom domes, custom heads, custom intakes, custom motor mount conversion, and more....I could go on and on. Doing this takes so much time and money that you could never comprehend unless you were to do it for yourself, trust me I didn't five years ago or I would have never started.
Now one of the biggest things that people associate Waterdawg Kustomz with is "inexpensive" parts that are junk. All I am trying to do is offer parts at an affordable price to people that otherwise would not have the oppurtunity to own any aftermarket parts. You would be suprised how many people in our industry have very little spare money and appreciate that option. I have sold somewhere around seventy five hoods this year at a price of $399, and about two thirds of the buyers expressed to me that they would NEVER had bought one unless it was for my "inexpensive" option. A lot of people talk bad about me selling for that price. I see it in a whole different perspective. If more people get excited about riding because they have aftermarket parts, that is a good thing. That will make the sport grow. There are so many people that get out because it is simply too expensive. How is that good? I will continue to offer certain products at a very fair price and nothing will change that.
Another thing that I would like to talk about is "growth" of my business. For those of you have owned your own business you realize how hard it is to grow, and grow fast. The biggest challenge about this is simply finding good employees. I am in a trade that is hard to find qualified people that are educated on how to build what we build. Everyone I hire has to be trained from the ground floor on how composites work, along with everything else. Look how many people think putting footholds in a ski to be hard. In our shop, that is one of the easiest and least complicated tasks to do, and I use it as beginner training. This year I have hired three more employees that have all been new to the trade. So growing pains are unavoidable. A hood and liner that seperates is going to happen now and then. A flaw in a hull might show up. It is part of the process. But in the end, it will allow me to learn about the small mistakes that are made and perfect them. I cannot personally build everything myself. What this does, is gives me the opportunity to get more product built and offer it for a far less price than anyone else. Things are getting better in the shop, and my guys are becoming an asset to me as they learn more. Problems are being dealt with and we are working them out, so be patient. I will also stand behind my products and replace them at no charge if the part is "junk".
Let's talk product that is on a higher level. We do build prepreg parts and they are getting better everyday. No one in the composites industry shares much information when it comes to pre preg construction. I had a few hulls that have had issues, and that is expected. That is how you learn what works and what doesn't. The people that purchased those hulls that had some issues are getting a new hull to replace it at no extra charge. The parts I am making now, are ten times fold what I was doing six months ago. I have learned a few really important things the hard way about pre preg, but it was worth it. Our latest hulls are weighing about sixty pounds and I could not be happier with how they turning out out. They will continue to get better with time.
A new pre preg Super Jet hood is on it's way very, very soon and will be priced where the "wetlaid" hoods of my competitors are currently. A comparison of the $900 hood kit needs to be done at Havasu where they can all be seen side be side to decide which is truly the best hood for the price. I am going to switch about 90% of all my parts to pre preg construction this winter because I have finally got set up in the shop for it. Pricing will be that of what the typical wet laid parts on the market now cost. I will still offer the "inexpensive" parts I mentioned earlier for those who are in that market.
I am getting tired of typing and am going to end this for now, but will continue later. Also, I would like to answer questions from people who have actually bought from me and used my products. Your opinions mean the most as you are what will make my products and services better. The people that have always posted against me that have never dealt with me, and say they never will should not even post, it is a waste if that is true. It would be based soley on your opinion, and you know what they say, "Opinions are like a$$holes, everybody has one."
Jeff
Here are a few answers to some of the questions. First, building jet ski parts is more than my full time job it is my life. I work anywhere from 85-110 hours per week building these parts. The person that posted that it is just a side thing was ASSuming like always. That happens a lot. Where some people get their info, I don't know. I will agree 100% that there are some really valid points made about very slow shipping, I am not denying that and never have. You must understand that it takes a TON of time to think of, design, test, and build these products. I would like to compare the level of custom products that we make to other companies in the industry. I am not talking about bling things like exhaust outlets, scupper valves, bow nuts, etc. Meat and potatoes, those products. Custom hulls, not splashes of existing designs. Custom motors which include case mod design, custom sleeve designing and building, custom cylinder design and building, custom domes, custom heads, custom intakes, custom motor mount conversion, and more....I could go on and on. Doing this takes so much time and money that you could never comprehend unless you were to do it for yourself, trust me I didn't five years ago or I would have never started.
Now one of the biggest things that people associate Waterdawg Kustomz with is "inexpensive" parts that are junk. All I am trying to do is offer parts at an affordable price to people that otherwise would not have the oppurtunity to own any aftermarket parts. You would be suprised how many people in our industry have very little spare money and appreciate that option. I have sold somewhere around seventy five hoods this year at a price of $399, and about two thirds of the buyers expressed to me that they would NEVER had bought one unless it was for my "inexpensive" option. A lot of people talk bad about me selling for that price. I see it in a whole different perspective. If more people get excited about riding because they have aftermarket parts, that is a good thing. That will make the sport grow. There are so many people that get out because it is simply too expensive. How is that good? I will continue to offer certain products at a very fair price and nothing will change that.
Another thing that I would like to talk about is "growth" of my business. For those of you have owned your own business you realize how hard it is to grow, and grow fast. The biggest challenge about this is simply finding good employees. I am in a trade that is hard to find qualified people that are educated on how to build what we build. Everyone I hire has to be trained from the ground floor on how composites work, along with everything else. Look how many people think putting footholds in a ski to be hard. In our shop, that is one of the easiest and least complicated tasks to do, and I use it as beginner training. This year I have hired three more employees that have all been new to the trade. So growing pains are unavoidable. A hood and liner that seperates is going to happen now and then. A flaw in a hull might show up. It is part of the process. But in the end, it will allow me to learn about the small mistakes that are made and perfect them. I cannot personally build everything myself. What this does, is gives me the opportunity to get more product built and offer it for a far less price than anyone else. Things are getting better in the shop, and my guys are becoming an asset to me as they learn more. Problems are being dealt with and we are working them out, so be patient. I will also stand behind my products and replace them at no charge if the part is "junk".
Let's talk product that is on a higher level. We do build prepreg parts and they are getting better everyday. No one in the composites industry shares much information when it comes to pre preg construction. I had a few hulls that have had issues, and that is expected. That is how you learn what works and what doesn't. The people that purchased those hulls that had some issues are getting a new hull to replace it at no extra charge. The parts I am making now, are ten times fold what I was doing six months ago. I have learned a few really important things the hard way about pre preg, but it was worth it. Our latest hulls are weighing about sixty pounds and I could not be happier with how they turning out out. They will continue to get better with time.
A new pre preg Super Jet hood is on it's way very, very soon and will be priced where the "wetlaid" hoods of my competitors are currently. A comparison of the $900 hood kit needs to be done at Havasu where they can all be seen side be side to decide which is truly the best hood for the price. I am going to switch about 90% of all my parts to pre preg construction this winter because I have finally got set up in the shop for it. Pricing will be that of what the typical wet laid parts on the market now cost. I will still offer the "inexpensive" parts I mentioned earlier for those who are in that market.
I am getting tired of typing and am going to end this for now, but will continue later. Also, I would like to answer questions from people who have actually bought from me and used my products. Your opinions mean the most as you are what will make my products and services better. The people that have always posted against me that have never dealt with me, and say they never will should not even post, it is a waste if that is true. It would be based soley on your opinion, and you know what they say, "Opinions are like a$$holes, everybody has one."
Jeff