Reflections on the past 51 years

From the desk of Ron McGowan, Sr.

Many years ago, Pete Fuhrman the now retired Grady-White representative told me after we had been in business for many years “…..in order to have survived the numerous up and down cycles of the boating business, you must have made more good decisions than bad ones……”. I appreciated that encouragement from him and have often reflected on it during our 51 years in business. I realize, by God’s grace, we as a family business have been enabled to weather many storms of life and economic downturn over the years.

A few come to mind:

During the early years when the business was growing quickly we struggled to acquire additional properties and equipment to grow the business. We got it done with the acquisition of the adjoining marina, a large warehouse facility and adjacent storage lots in Wildwood.

We survived when Dr. Martin Luther King was murdered in Memphis. The major boat company we represented in those years was based in Memphis. We had numerous boats sold and on order. The company had to shut down for many weeks as the workers would not come to work during those turbulent times.

We survived the many trips back and forth to boat shows in Philadelphia, Cherry Hill and Atlantic City despite being locked in by labor disputes (union strikes), fighting numerous ice and snow storms and having the booth flooded out once in Philadelphia after a crane hit a water pipe in the ceiling above the Grady-White exhibit.

We survived the “odd-even” gas days during the Jimmy Carter presidential years—which included floor plan interest rates going up overnight, it seemed, from 6 percent to 20 percent plus.

We survived the first Gulf War, which coincided with the opening of a Philadelphia boat show. I remember that show being very upbeat during the first weekend. We were all watching on television as the missiles hit their mark on the enemy. After an American pilot from the Cherry Hill area was shot down and taken captive the show suffered as did the country.

We survived the bankruptcy of Evinrude and Johnson outboards in 2000.

We survived the terrible loss of life and property during the destruction of the World Trade Center. The American people continued purchasing boats and other hard goods. The economy survived.

We all survived the recessions of 1960 (duration 10 months), 1969 (11 months), 1973 (16 months), 1980 (6 months), 1981 (16 months), 1990 (8 months), 2001 (8 months), and 2007 (15 months and counting) source: National Bureau of Economic Report.

I personally believe the worst of the current recession is behind us. We are still selling boats & motors. Our customers are having us prep and launch their boats as usual. It’s time to have fun and go boating. We are selling boats with discounts never before seen. It’s an opportunity to upgrade before these great deals are gone. Lord willing we’re going to have another great year of fun and relaxation fishing, tubing, skiing and cruising. I can’t wait to get my grandchildren in the boat and go fishing. They can’t wait either. My grandson caught his first flounder last year. I’m not going to let any greedy Wall Street Execs or politicians keep me paralyzed by their bad decisions I’m going fishing. See you all out on the water again this year.