Champion Boat History (revised)

remington

Senior Fisheman
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Location
Missouri
Boat
Champion 202
#1
Ok per a mods request I will try and recall what history I can remember from Champion. Some is first hand knowledge and others is hear say. I was very lucky and literally grew up with Champion. My father, grandfather (mothers father), 3 uncles, aunt and mother worked for Champion at one time or another until around 1985 (when my father was fired and we moved).


Champion Boats was founded by John Storie in 1975. It was located in Mt. Home Arkansas. He began making tri-hull boats in a small shop just outside of Mt Home on Hwy 5 North. Around 1976 he wanted a bigger/faster/better boat in a v-hull style so he sent my grandfather (a salesman) to a Skeeter dealer in Texas and had him buy a plain old gel coat Skeeter Wrangler. They brought it back, ripped it apart, splashed it adding some of this and that and Storie had himself a V-hull. Apparently it was changed so much that while it was related to Skeeter you could hardly tell in terms of performance and ride. They widened it, made the pad a V style rather than concave, pointed the rounded nose, moved the console from the middle to farther back in the boat, wedged the hull, added/subtracted some turn chines and lifting streaks and added the Champion arrow on the side. Storie wanted a rig that was fast, smooth ride and a DRY ride hense the Champion arrow and flaring of the upper hull (this kept you from getting sprayed) This was the beginning of the 86 inch beam Super V's most notably the 16'8. The 16'8 took off like wildfire and that rig sold very well for years. I was told that they wedged the rear of the hull to save weight but soon realized what it did in terms of performance and kept it. Think the 16'8 as the flagship for Champion. The 16'8's were 150 rated and just ran like hell fire. I was told this was around the time when Mercury went from inline 150s to V6 150's. This was back when 65-70 mph was just screaming. My father had a early 1976 16'8 (4th out of the mold) that was orange, Gramps had one that was banana yellow and black, Storie's was black and I think Bill Pace had a blue metal flake one. It was a real sight for a little fella to see all those boats banked at the Champion BBQs at Cranfield.


Champion grew and moved to the old building off of 210, where it stayed until it was moved to Tenn.


The next boat made was the 20'01 which was the first 20ft bass boat on the market. While and excellent boat it really didn't take off until the 200 and 225 came out to reach its full performance potential. It's still known as one of the smoothest 20 foot bass boats ever made.


Next was the 18'4 (175 rated) which sold very well when BASS put the 150 hp limit on tournys. Arguably the best performing hull Champion ever designed.


Then the 17'6 (150 rated). Great beginners rig. It was my first boat and still miss it sometimes. Would love to have it back with a 200 on it.


Around 1980 Storie wanted a smaller boat so they built the Mean 15. It was a 15 ft Super V. I believe rated for 115. Storie had a black one with a 150 on it. It had to have screamed. I remember having a ride or two in it.


A little later the 14ft Super V came out. Rated for a 75 (if I recall what pops told me). I asked my father why the hell Storie would wanna build a 14 fter. His reply "Because he's a moron." I thought that was funny. I've only seen a few of these used over the years and it just looked dinky. Pops said a dealer in Texas had one with a in line 150 on it! Wow!


Round that same time the tunnel hull came out (see Konna pics). It was 18ft and rated for a 175. Not many were made and I've been told anywhere from 5-20 left the plant. I'm excited to see how Konna's Champion Tunnel hull does once its done. I've seen since 3 since I left Mnt Home in 1985.


The 16'8 Swift ski boat came out round 80-81 ish. Still a few of them around. just a 16'8 with a solid top cap and rear bucket seating. Heck of a little speed boat.


The 16'8 Sprint ski boat. Same as the Swift except open seating up front and no top cap.


The Champion Python which was just a Super V without a top cap. Pops said it had the bare minimum. No Rod lockers, live well, no carpet.


In 1981 Champion burned (see previous post). Storie was ruined. He had no insurance and couldn't pay his debt. He needed a start up stash and no banks in the area would give him any $$. My father who was general manager at the time took Storie to see my grandfather (Dads father) who lived several states away and a business owner himself. Storie asked my grandfather for a loan. My grandfather met with his lawyers and was advised NOT to give Storie the loan as it was to risky and investment. But for the love of my father gramps instead loaned the money to my father who intern loaned the money to Storie for his debt. Storie got back on his feet again with this loan and got Champion back on track. I was told once he got back on his feet Storie promptly paid the loan back. In the mean time he had only a few workers. He wasn't able to pay my father for about a month with the promise that he would give Pops, Bill Pace (salesman) and Bruce Benton (mold maker) a % of Champion stock which all three did. Champion got back into building boats and Storie got back on his feet thanks to my grandfather. Without that loan Champion may never have been.


I'm not sure what year but belive aound 82 Storie sold Champion to Bill Pace and Matt Grabinski. This didnt last long and Champion went Bankrupt for the first time. Storie got Champion back and went on punching out 86 inch beam Champions until he sold Champ to Porthouse.


Around 1984 Storie tried producing a Off Shore sea rig. It was a disaster from the get go. It started as an I/O then an twin outboard and just went down hill from there. I believe only 2 were made. Why he did this just baffles me as Mnt. Home is about 16 hours from the nearest ocean.


In 1985 dad was fired from Champion and we moved shortly there after.