Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Mariah sold their big boat molds to Challenger. They mfg'd the 302 under the model FPS 302. Has anyone ever seen one ?

re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

That's funny. I actually read something a couple weeks ago about that and was looking all over for pictures of one and never found anything. I hope someone speaks up and shares info if they see one or know of one.

re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

I have lots Of pics. I'll post a link to them

re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Challenger Powerboats

Challenger powerboats for sale by owner.

http://www.tgor.net/seetheboat.html

Taxonomy term | Boating Magazine

re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

I've seen a FPS302 or two for sale on the net. They're unbelievably expensive, and definitely not worth the price. I had seen one for $120k.

I've seen the FPS250 in person once, and was a bit disappointed.

What I was interested in though is, once I saw one of their FPS302 hulls with dual V8's. And in the photos of the auction from when challenger went out of business, you can clearly see some molds for the MCC cruisers in the background... Wonder where those molds (and the 302/252/250) molds went?

I have quite a few photos of Challenger's boats that were made using the Mariah molds. I'll see if I can try and upload them to the site over the next few days.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

In one of my links, there is an email address to the guy (Mark Overbye) that was left holding the (empty) money bag. He has the molds and is willing to sell REALLY cheap at this point.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Ha, if we only had a place to store them and the means to actually do something with them! :D

Wonder how cheap he'd go. Also wonder if he would have fiberglass dash molds and things like that...

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

email him. last time I did he was very quick to respond.

hes in the twin cities are somewhere (Minneapolis/st Paul)

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

here is some pics of a 2005 Challenger 302. By the looks of it, they didnt get all the molds, nor patterns to make a direct copy of the Z model. I was under the impression that Challenger only made them from 2007-2008

2005 Challenger Z302 photo, picture, image on Use.com

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Nope, This is a 2003 model. Z302 with Twins...

My guess is it was some sort of prototype, since it uses a lot of familiar parts... And it was even called the "Z Series"

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

I did an internet search for Challenger Z302 and actually found them from 2003 to 2006, then it jumps to FPS302 in 2007.

The early Challenger Z302 models were pale in comparison to the Mariah's. Their interiors were cheap and gaudy.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

2005 Challenger Z302

Used Challenger Offshore Inc Z 302 Power Cruiser (power) Boats For Sale

https://www.google.com/search?q=chal...w=1920&bih=938

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Here is one for sale in Illinois. (also started thread in "other for sale"

Bowrider Boat For sale: 2006 Challenger Offshore Inc 30 z at Grafon, IL

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

other then less hours and a few years newer, its got NOTHING on mine.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

I test drove the last 30 from challenger it was a 2007 year model but I think it was made in 2006. It was white and blue and was mid cabin. They also used it for the pics in their last produced catalog which was 2007. That boat did handle very well by them.

I kept one of their 28 DDC as I made sure it was built how I wanted it. It is so solid and does very well in the rough but very slow as its heavy 5850 completely dry weight.

Challenger with some of their builds did very well on build quality and some of their builds I would pass on as it was very sub par quality.

Nothing cheap nor cheap interiors of what I got from them. Look at the motor install not one wire nor cable showing very clean install. I have a ton of pics from what I bought and sold from them.

Yes some of their stuff was sub par and some of their stuff was really good. The boat below is 3 years old in the pics with about 60 hours on it. No issues with anything.

Look at the gel work down the sides of my white 28, not one ripple nor waves and if you where to hit a heavy rubber mallet or your hand anywhere on the hull, I beat you would break your hand or the mallet. No bull. This boat is rock solid and loves 2 to 3 ft waves.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

A couple more of what I had as Challenger boats with no cheap interiors there. I will post the Mariah's as Challengers. The black Challenger250 cuddy was a sub par build by them but the yellow 252 was their best build for all the 25 ft models and one of their top 5 best builds.

That yellow black 252 handled very well and was very solid. The black cuddy 250 was very average quality and was a pig. I'll post some more pics of the Mariah - Challengers but I will have dig them up.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

I would love to have that Red Pinnan boat they did. it's not on their website any longer, but it was beautiful.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

36 Pininfarina I had the chance to buy that boat from Mark O. as it went back to him after Challenger went bankrupt. I low low balled on the price and he passed on my offer. It sold a year or 2 ago to a buyer I think from Germany. I know the buyer was from overseas and Mark had to ship it.

Anyways the Italian company Pininfarina was the ones that designed that boat as I was in on the dealer meeting all about it. I think Challenger paid Pininfarina 25 or 50 K to design it and help with some of the materials.

When the guys from Pininfarina, the Italians came to the meetings they all drove up in very nice Ferrari's. Some were all yellow and some were all red.

They told us all about the boat and how it was going to be built, designed and so on. It did make one Miami boatshow but was never finished.

Mercruiser wanted their motors and drive packages back so they basically repoed them right when Challenger went under in July / Aug. of 2008.

Also the boat was all show and no go. The hull was a 2 piece joint together and most likely would never held up in the rough seas. It looked good but was a huge rush job to make the Miami boat show for Feb 2008.

They, Challenger even screwed the cabin door shut so no one at Miami cold open it up because it was unfinished and cobbed.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

I noticed in the 30 Challenger they have the same lights in the cuddy as the 302 mid cabin area. Anybody know where to get those lights?

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Check out our parts list here on the site. Hoosier Van & Truck in Elkhart IN was a large supplier to Mariah for their interior lighting. I don't believe they have a website anymore, but you can order any of their items by phone, and they also have an ebay store, I can't remember the exact name, but if you search for "oval courtesy lamp" on ebay, you'll find them. it's something with "HVT" in the name.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Thanks ShabahZ280 but Im looking for the lights on johnnymo's cuddy pics. They are on either side of the mirrors on those pics on the second page of the thread. Can anything else be put in their place?

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Probably a van conversion shop could help.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Speaking of Challengers I did see a 33' mid cabin (I think it was 33') at Franky n Louies at Lake of the Ozarks yesterday. I should've gotten pics... Had twin screws. Nice lookin boat!

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

I spoke to a guy a year ago that had a FPS 30 with twins. He's in the LOTO area. Bought it brand new.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

the 30 will be back most likely for 2014 or as late as 2015. Hopefully I will have some input on the build. I have always heard the 30 from day one was a great handling boat.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

The Mariah mold? I think that was the FPS30' I saw at the Ozarks that you speakith of... Different from the Mariah mold...

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

My understanding is that the hulls and mid cuddy are the same, only the top cap was changed. So ride quality should be virtually the same.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Someone bought the 30' molds ?

Z302 is one of the nicest riding MCOB boats there has ever been built. Ride quality wise. Sure there are hulls that are faster, others that are a bit more updated and fancy, but overall mine being 13 years old, still turns heads when you pull up to the dock and peps see us exit the open bow and reappear in the main cabin

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

For my first time out on the LOTO with the 302 on a holiday weekend I couldn't ask for a better performing, riding and looking boat! As I pulled in my cove Saturday I saw another 302 pulling skiers... LOL The boat still looks as good if not better than most boats out there IMO (excluding other Mariah's)...:wink_thumbup:

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

From what I can tell, johnnymo is speaking of the possible re-issue of the Challenger line. He used to sell them and he has some connection/communication with Mark Overbye, the current owner of Challenger's assets.

Let's try and keep things easy to understand, by referring to Challenger's speedboats as their correct model names (DDC/Duo Delta Conic 28 and 33 models). These aren't Mariah's old molds.

The Mariah molds are the "FPS" or "Family Performance Series". 245, 250, 252, and 302.

This should help eliminate any confusion.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

I'll put it this way they are not in Challenger hands (they went out of biz completely in 2008 ). A very well known quality boat builder for over 45 years should be getting that mold soon. Anyways this boat builder company does not own them either. That's all I can say at this time plus I do not want to jump any guns about this info. Look for the FPS 30 in the near future. And hopefully my name could be thrown in the mix again not 100 % in the works as of yet but smoldering. We all could say good luck since the new boat building and new boat sales are not breaking any records by no means.

I would buy a Mariah 30 cuddy in heartbeat if I could find one of those from 1999 to 2001 That hull handled very well and yes was not the fastest 30 on water but sure would work for me. The Challenger FPS 30 / 302 was the same bottom. I can not remember if Challenger tweak it or not for that model.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Mark O. brought back Gekko wakeboard & ski boats currently. Yes it is still internet known that he still owns all the Challenger molds in which some ( The FPS where the Mariah molds ). I know Mark and he is a good person plus he knows the boat manufacturering & boat business very well.

Mark started Moomba and Gekko and Sugar Sand boats sold those companies. I was also a dealer for Sugar Sand & Gekko until they went under in late 2008. Mark did not have anything to do with Challenger going out of business nor even owned those brands during that timeframe.

Anyways how do you know Mark O.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

What happened to the 275 mold?

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

His name is on the challenger website, when you click for more information about the molds. I spoke with him once or twice via email to try and figure out about some things about the FPS molds, and he was interested in trying to sell them. That's about the extent of how I know Mark O. :)

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Challenger had the Z 275 Mariah mold also. I want to say 2006 model year was the last 275 made by Challenger. I think it was stamped for model year 2006 made in 2005..

Also 1996 Challenger 33 DDC not Mariah related sorry.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

This is docked about 3 miles from me.....

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

That's one of Challenger's DDC speedboats, unfortunately not one of the FPS series (old Mariah molds). But still a pretty good looking boat!

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

that's a 31 I and I know the owner Jerry in Buffalo NY area. Challenger only made 3 of these.

Re: Challenger FPS: Has anyone ever seen one ???
 

Not an FPS but a good look at a Challenger....

http://mohave.craigslist.org/bod/4456186585.html

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