Vortex to "pause" production

[Chatt_Jetsetter]

Micah from the Chaparral Vortex Boat Owners Group on FB announced yesterday that he had solid information that Chaparral was "pausing" production on the Vortex line for 2022. 2021 boats will still be manufactured and sent out. That's the only concrete news. The speculation is that Chap has had a record sales year and is behind in the production of their other boats and is focusing on those for the time being.

Material shortages, engine shortages, and labor shortages are all a contributing factor I'm sure. That's all the info I've heard. My guess is that Vortex won't be back, which is a shame considering that they are quality built boats.

 

[Cliff2]

i work at a chap dealer, getting anything from them is near impossible right now.
we were only allowed to order 6 boats at all this year. the 3 we got were delayed, delayed, and delayed some more while waiting on parts. the final delay was windshields, i had heard chap had 200+ boats at the factory complete except for the glass.
the other 3, we are being asked to arrange shipping ourselves. probably wont see these 2021's until 2022. or until after the boating season has ended.

the vortex is a pretty cool boat line. my only complaint is that chaparall and BRP don't do a very good job of providing a complete parts catalog for these.
the absolute worst is where the motors and the boat meet. good luck getting either company to admit who makes the engine bay harness for a twin engine vortex.

note to the owners out there, don't hook up your batteries backwards.
he also fried the e-reverse (iST or iNR, iBR on a sea doo). thats back order, and i wasnt able to tell it was damaged until after i had the new harness installed and could power up the boat.

 

[Julian]

i work at a chap dealer, getting anything from them is near impossible right now.
we were only allowed to order 6 boats at all this year. the 3 we got were delayed, delayed, and delayed some more while waiting on parts. the final delay was windshields, i had heard chap had 200+ boats at the factory complete except for the glass.
the other 3, we are being asked to arrange shipping ourselves. probably wont see these 2021's until 2022. or until after the boating season has ended.

the vortex is a pretty cool boat line. my only complaint is that chaparall and BRP don't do a very good job of providing a complete parts catalog for these.
the absolute worst is where the motors and the boat meet. good luck getting either company to admit who makes the engine bay harness for a twin engine vortex.

note to the owners out there, don't hook up your batteries backwards.
he also fried the e-reverse (iST or iNR, iBR on a sea doo). thats back order, and i wasnt able to tell it was damaged until after i had the new harness installed and could power up the boat.

Can you confirm that you won't get any 2022 Vortex boats? Wasn't clear if you were talking 2021 or 2022....

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

I'm sorry, are the pausing production or pausing new orders? It sound like they are not taking any new orders as they are focused on fulfilling orders they already have?

So are they committed to fulfill all outstanding orders? If so, good for them.

Man, it has to suck to have 200+ boats at the factory awaiting glass!

Jim

 

[Chatt_Jetsetter]

I'm sorry, are the pausing production or pausing new orders? It sound like they are not taking any new orders as they are focused on fulfilling orders they already have?

So are they committed to fulfill all outstanding orders? If so, good for them.

Man, it has to suck to have 200+ boats at the factory awaiting glass!

Jim

Information I heard from the Vortex forums is that they will not be producing a 2022 Vortex. I'm really not sure about any outstanding orders for 2021, although as far as I can tell Vortex is still making boats.

 

[Enduro900]

Information I heard from the Vortex forums is that they will not be producing a 2022 Vortex. I'm really not sure about any outstanding orders for 2021, although as far as I can tell Vortex is still making boats.

I’m going to the big fall boat show this weekend here in MI. According to the vortex website they will be there. I picked up a used 2012 Seadoo challenger 210SE/430hp two weeks ago just to make sure i have a boat for next season, but a Vortex 243 VR/VRX with 500/600 and the pump-out head is what i eventually want.

So ill report if they are building going forward and what/if any the boat show discounts look like…

 

[Shawn Weatherly]

I have heard it was due to BRP not having enough engines and engine parts. Like anything else going on right now, things are scarce

 

[Chatt_Jetsetter]

I have heard it was due to BRP not having enough engines and engine parts. Like anything else going on right now, things are scarce

That's what you would think, yet Seadoo just launched a line of pontoons that are BRP powered so that doesn't really add up.

 

[Enduro900]

That's what you would think, yet Seadoo just launched a line of pontoons that are BRP powered so that doesn't really add up.

Yes but it would make sense if they decided to use the limited engines they can build, for their own new switch instead of selling to vortex & scarab.

They could use the “covid/supply chains issue” instead of breaking the supply agreement outright (assuming they have one).

I am planning to go to the show here tomorrow and see if I can get some Clarity from Vortex as I was planning to order a 243 this offseason or next.

 

[Shawn Weatherly]

Yes but it would make sense if they decided to use the limited engines they can build, for their own new switch instead of selling to vortex & scarab.

They could use the covid/supply chains instead of breaking the supply agreement outright (assuming they have one).

I am planning to go to the show here tomorrow and see if I can get some Clarity from Vortex as I was planning to order a 243 this offseason or next.

Let us know if you find anything out. Thanks

 

[Chatt_Jetsetter]

Yes but it would make sense if they decided to use the limited engines they can build, for their own new switch instead of selling to vortex & scarab.

They could use the “covid/supply chains issue” instead of breaking the supply agreement outright (assuming they have one).

I am planning to go to the show here tomorrow and see if I can get some Clarity from Vortex as I was planning to order a 243 this offseason or next.

Sounds good. We have a 203 and absolutely love it; we'd love to upgrade as well to a larger model.

 

[Enduro900]

Let us know if you find anything out. Thanks

So I went to the boat show today…..no Vortex boats….no vortex reps, vortex was not even on the list of participants….

Then went to the Vortex website….yep, still says under “upcoming events” that they will be here this weeekend.

Pretty disappointing, and alarming they could be that unorganized…..did everyone there get laid off or fired?

What REALLY surprised me was No BRP product…..no Seadoo Switch

 

[ChrisM]

I get nothing when I click "See the Full Calendar"

 

[Enduro900]

I get nothing when I click "See the Full Calendar"

Right from the homepage:

 

[HangOutdoors]

Maybe they will be there tomorrow and Sunday. I will be there tomorrow. Some exhibitors only do the high traffic weekends. Will let you know.

 

[Enduro900]

Maybe they will be there tomorrow and Sunday. I will be there tomorrow. Some exhibitors only do the high traffic weekends. Will let you know.

If so can you get some specifics?

Was there any type of “boat show discount” )vortex has MAP pricing, but wanted to see if there is anything they do at the shows…

Of course confirm whether or not there will be 2022 production…..it is a little weird there hasn’t been an update for any 2022 models yet…

Thx Hang….

 

[ChrisM]

Right from the homepage:


View attachment 163667

Click the "See The Full Calendar"
This is what I get....
Playing with filters, and regions produces nothing as well.

 

[Enduro900]

Click the "See The Full Calendar"
This is what I get....
Playing with filters, and regions produces nothing as well.


View attachment 163671

Do you not see the same info on the home screen that I see?

Don’t do anything but scroll down on the homepage, and again this is what i see:

 

[ChrisM]

Yes, of course I do, I never mentioned that I didn't.

Do you not see the same missing calendar that I don't see?

The upcoming events should also be part of the calendar, where ever that is, if it's any hint of their show presence. Although their site has always been lacking updated information on various pages throughout recent years, IE: broken links, pages with no info, wrong info. I can't imagine that the 3 "Upcoming Events" represents the entire show schedule for the 2022 season.

 

[Enduro900]

Yes, of course I do, I never mentioned that I didn't.

Do you not see the same missing calendar that I don't see?

The upcoming events should also be part of the calendar, where ever that is, if it's any hint of their show presence. Although their site has always been lacking updated information on various pages throughout recent years, IE: broken links, pages with no info, wrong info. I can't imagine that the 3 "Upcoming Events" represents the entire show schedule for the 2022 season.

I didnt bother to look at the whole calendar….the only event we have here until January is going on right now (Thur-Sun) and it showed on the homepage so I didn’t need to click anywhere else. I drove over an hour each way just so I could talk with them and maybe put a deposit on a 243 (yeah waste of my time last night).

IF they are dropping the line this explains maybe why they dropped out, and could explain why no one bothered to update the website…..IF they still plan on producing then there isnt any reasonable excuse, and does give me pause to spend $80k on one of their products…