- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Messages
- 2,457
It has been brought to my attention that there is a splashed copy of the Lynx being sold as the original. The only authorized maker of the Lynx is Cajun Model Boat Works (me). I have the original molds, templates, and Jigs from Carl Van Houten who designed and originally manufactured the Lynx. Anything else of recent manufacture is a splashed copy. I continue to receive information about the forgery, and if I suspect a person was involved, I simply will not sell to them. I took on the task to make these hulls because I wanted to make them available again, not as a commercial business. This community is too small not to know what is going on out there. To the folks that are copying the Lynx and selling it as an original, I can't stop you from doing that. But I can make everyone aware. I share in the responsibility, as I have not made the original available in sufficient quantity to keep the forgery market at bay. But selling a splashed boat that is called a Lynx is morally wrong, if not illegal. But since you are already a cheat and have very few morals, I don't expect this note to bother you. I will just inform the folks out there that would buy a Lynx to be careful. There are very few if any virgin hulls available. The original hulls were vinyl ester. All new hulls are epoxy. My hulls have a S/N laminated into the hull floor under the fuel tank.
Since I undertook this venture almost 1 year ago, I have had several setbacks to bring this outstanding hull to market. No excuses, just information. My life took a dump which has prevented me from giving the project the time it required. I am now redoubling my efforts to get this project off the ground. I have over $8k invested in this venture, and am not about to give up. I'm not sure that I will ever break even. I have taken orders, but not asked for any funds until the customers hull is ready to ship. Those that I have talked to about motors or other swaps are on the order list with full credit for their deposit. In some cases I have paid for the swap at the customer's request or in response to an order cancellation.
I am fully aware that I am very far behind in what I had intended to do. But I have not given up. The basic material concept of the Lynx has changed from Vinyl ester laminate to epoxy. This was a far bigger challenge than I had anticipated. That change alone took over 4 months to work out the bugs before I was satisfied with the result. I have experimented with a Kevlar/CF hull as one of the long owed customer really wanted that, and I planned to accomodate him before going into general production. But the biggest issue was something in my personal life that I will not go into. Suffice to say it was far bigger than R/C boating, and had to be my number 1 priority. This issue was finally resolved in the last month, and I am once again able to put time towards this project.
The Lynx is now exclusively Epoxy glass/CF with a very few Kevlar/CF epoxy hulls made to special order. I thank everyone for their patience. If you have placed an order, I have it on a master list (along with your boats S/N), and you should be hearing from me before the end of the year. I again apologize for the delay, and will do my best to satify the demand out there. But I must warn you of an imposter that has popped up in the market. Please be careful, and don't be fooled.
UPDATE:
I am now prepared to identify the splasher. I have received independent verification of the relationship between Bob Cormier (Evolution Hobbies) and Craig Tokarski (Hi-Tech Marine Hobbies). Craig has splashed a Lynx and is making them with Bob selling them through his Evolution Hobbies, and perhaps other channels. Bob is not the innocent victim he purported himself to be in the radio box thread. He was marketing the hulls as a true Lynx and directed folks to Craig as the manufacturer. Both of those names should be familiar to folks familiar with another one of our other favorite folks on here. The 4 hulls already sold by Bob and the 'virgin' one he has for himself are all copies. They do not have the proper internal structure that makes the Lynx stable at high speeds. They are simply 2 shells that are glued together. Though I don't know the exact manufacturing method employed, I seriously doubt that the haves are jig bonded the way a Lynx is.
Please beware of both of these individuals, as I am hearing of deals gone bad and $$$ lost. Deal with them if you choose, I can't stop you or them. But be aware of the type of folks you are dealing with. When asking for support from me for your Lynx, I will ask for the serial number or photos if you are not on my order list. It is my choice who I do business with. If anyone has a question on how to identify a true Lynx PM me, and after I am satisfied that you are who you say you are, I'll tell you what to look for.
Enough said. And no Bob, I will not sell you a true Lynx.
Jon Thibodeau
Cajun Model Boat Works
Hixson, TN.
Since I undertook this venture almost 1 year ago, I have had several setbacks to bring this outstanding hull to market. No excuses, just information. My life took a dump which has prevented me from giving the project the time it required. I am now redoubling my efforts to get this project off the ground. I have over $8k invested in this venture, and am not about to give up. I'm not sure that I will ever break even. I have taken orders, but not asked for any funds until the customers hull is ready to ship. Those that I have talked to about motors or other swaps are on the order list with full credit for their deposit. In some cases I have paid for the swap at the customer's request or in response to an order cancellation.
I am fully aware that I am very far behind in what I had intended to do. But I have not given up. The basic material concept of the Lynx has changed from Vinyl ester laminate to epoxy. This was a far bigger challenge than I had anticipated. That change alone took over 4 months to work out the bugs before I was satisfied with the result. I have experimented with a Kevlar/CF hull as one of the long owed customer really wanted that, and I planned to accomodate him before going into general production. But the biggest issue was something in my personal life that I will not go into. Suffice to say it was far bigger than R/C boating, and had to be my number 1 priority. This issue was finally resolved in the last month, and I am once again able to put time towards this project.
The Lynx is now exclusively Epoxy glass/CF with a very few Kevlar/CF epoxy hulls made to special order. I thank everyone for their patience. If you have placed an order, I have it on a master list (along with your boats S/N), and you should be hearing from me before the end of the year. I again apologize for the delay, and will do my best to satify the demand out there. But I must warn you of an imposter that has popped up in the market. Please be careful, and don't be fooled.
UPDATE:
I am now prepared to identify the splasher. I have received independent verification of the relationship between Bob Cormier (Evolution Hobbies) and Craig Tokarski (Hi-Tech Marine Hobbies). Craig has splashed a Lynx and is making them with Bob selling them through his Evolution Hobbies, and perhaps other channels. Bob is not the innocent victim he purported himself to be in the radio box thread. He was marketing the hulls as a true Lynx and directed folks to Craig as the manufacturer. Both of those names should be familiar to folks familiar with another one of our other favorite folks on here. The 4 hulls already sold by Bob and the 'virgin' one he has for himself are all copies. They do not have the proper internal structure that makes the Lynx stable at high speeds. They are simply 2 shells that are glued together. Though I don't know the exact manufacturing method employed, I seriously doubt that the haves are jig bonded the way a Lynx is.
Please beware of both of these individuals, as I am hearing of deals gone bad and $$$ lost. Deal with them if you choose, I can't stop you or them. But be aware of the type of folks you are dealing with. When asking for support from me for your Lynx, I will ask for the serial number or photos if you are not on my order list. It is my choice who I do business with. If anyone has a question on how to identify a true Lynx PM me, and after I am satisfied that you are who you say you are, I'll tell you what to look for.
Enough said. And no Bob, I will not sell you a true Lynx.
Jon Thibodeau
Cajun Model Boat Works
Hixson, TN.
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