Dave,...My current boat is a "35th Anniversary" 520....the same as anybody off the street could buy.....the only thing "custom" about it is the deck lid. My NEXT one will be the custom wrapped boat....and further more,...I made the exact same proposal to Nitro FIRST, due to my long time association with them (I have been known to be loyal to a fault)......they didn't feel there was any need to help me out or improve my status with them anymore than they were currently providing. I felt I was deserving of a better deal. They did not. I took my proposal to Ranger and they wholeheartedly agreed with ME....and offered me a vastly improved sponsorship package. I made the decision to go where the opportunity presented itself. Had I stayed with Nitro out of blind "loyalty", I would not have been in Arkansas at that FLW tournament when I met the people from Action-Performance.,...who inturn, IMMEDIATELY recognized the potential of the "Scales and Tales" characters as an avenue to promote sport fishing and also provide a wide variety of marketing and product ideas for world-wide distribution. ALL of my past ideas were provided to BPS/Tracker Marine FIRST. For what ever reasons, they declined to help me and/or failed to recognize the marketing opportunities,..so I took my ideas and motivations elsewhere. It was a business decision on my behalf, and a damn good one at that (if I do say so myself..LOL)!! I don't have any bitterness towards Nitro or any regrets about leaving....call it fate or call it luck,...but I was in the right place at the right time and there are a whole lot of people in my corner who are very happy with the way things are turning out....and most importantly of all...ME! If I could do it all over again,..I'd make the same decision again!! If I thought for a minute I'd be "a helluva lot happier and better off" in a Nitro...I'd still be in one,..ESPECIALLY if they felt they same way!! There will come a time when you will have to make the same kinds of decisions,...and you will rely on the input of a few close friends and years of experience in the industry, to make the right decision. Your decisions will be based on past history, accomplishments, goals, opportunity for growth and advancement and ultimately what it means to your personal "bottom line". Relying on all of that, and a LOT of faith and prayer...you WILL make the right decisions!! I'm thrilled with the way things are turning out for me,....and if there's ANYTHING I can do to help you reach your goals,...please don't hesitate to ask!! I'll do what I can,...hope to see you again the next time I'm in Chicago!! Keep smilin'....it's contagious!!
Regards,
Mac