Among the things we enjoy most about our careers are the relationships we’ve built with performance-boat industry insiders who trust us with the ability to share information in a timely, professional manner. Burn a source or release information too early and you lose the source. It can take a lifetime to build trust, and only a moment to destroy it. Often some, if not most, of the information is first disclosed off the record or in an “embargo” format meaning it can’t be released until an established time.

There’s no doubt the team at DCB Performance Boats will miss founder Dave Hemmingson (far right), but the company is in good hands with an extremely bright future ahead. Photo courtesy DCB

Other times we receive information that is questionable in terms of news value or timeliness. Such was the case three weeks ago when we were informed that Dave Hemmingson, the founder of DCB Performance Boats in El Cajon, Calif., had resigned from the company. Told in confidentiality, we had to respect the fact that neither the former owner nor the current principals of DCB—and we talked with both at length—were ready to announce the parting.

So we had a headline, “Hemmingson Departs DCB.” But we didn’t have a story to go with it. We still don’t. Given all of the articles we’ve written during the last few years as well as our insight on the company’s stability based on personnel and sales, we realize the future of DCB is solid. And that’s with or without Hemmingson.

After Hemmingson’s departure from DCB became the subject of a thread on RiverDavesPlace.com, we reached out again to those involved for information. But with nothing on the record provided, we still had—and have—no story. And despite that we read and see this happen everywhere, we refuse to create a story from a headline. Once there is some detail to report beyond Hemmingson’s departure, we will be all over it.

For now, all we can do is ask and/or field questions—questions like what’s Dave going to do next or will his departure have a negative impact on DCB? Obviously only time will tell, but we believe DCB won’t miss a beat. Thanks to the information we’ve known and eventually shared with the public (read Inside SOTW Mag: DCB’s A-Team), the business appears to be in good hands and the growth of its model lineup and brand awareness isn’t slowing down.

So until Hemmingson has some news to report—we don’t envision him riding off into the sunset anytime soon but you never know—there is no story. There’s just a headline.

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