New Boat Horror Story

[bryanredfish]

Thought you guys might be interested in this. Bought my first bay-type boat a few months back. Within 2 weeks, the gel coat began to blister. "No big deal" says the dealer. "Bring it in, and we'll have the manufacturer repair it." Boat was taken, and returned within 3 days. A month later, more blisters in new areas. Dealer still says that it's not a big deal, and happens from time to time due to poor hose maintenance (something to do with the catalyst hose?). Another month later, blisters all over the boat. I inform the dealer that I'm about to begin lemon-law proceedings. The boat is again returned to the manufactuer who, after sensing my litigous potential and disatisfaction, are giving me a new boat! In the meantime, I can keep the old one to use. They'll switch out the motors and re-install all after-market equipment, which consists of a GPS and Fish-Finder. All in all, these boats (which will go unnamed) have a fabulous reputation, so I'm glad they are willing to stand by their product. My advice? Stay in contact with the dealer/service area. If it doesn't work, go straight to the manufacturer (which is what I did). Fortunately, they have taken wonderful care of me, and I'm glad to be getting a new boat!

 

[Beachbabe]

Re: New Boat Horror Story

Bryan, not to make light of your new purchase experience, but I have a doosey.<br /><br />In January we bought a Wellcraft 210 Sportfisher with a 150 Johnson. We lauched it and the buzzer went off within about 10 minutes. It was starved for fuel. We of course took it back to the dealer about 85 miles away. Since then, we have spent nearly every weekend picking it up or dropping it off. It now has more road hours on it than water hours. They cannot seem to resolve the problem. <br /><br />Yesterday afternoon, I went and picked it up for the 8th time and now they've drilled a hole in the back bulkhead for another seperate fuel line. All the lines and hoses have been replaced, with the exception of trash in the tank everything has been done. They took out the anti-siphon valve, the RACOR filter and eliminated the 4' or 6' line that goes into the tank by placing a fixed straight line into the tank. As far as having trash in the tank, their solution is to cut the hull and see. Over my dead body and maybe theirs.<br /><br />I don't have much faith that this weeks fixes will solve the problem and am totally bummed out about it. You see, Texas' lemon laws don't include boats. I did contact Wellcraft to see if this problem existed in any other 210's. They called the dealer and this is what prompted this last "fix". So far, we've made 3 payments on a brand new boat that has been *******ized and still don't know if it'll run. The winds have been pushing 30 all week and we can't lauch it until they die down a little. <br /><br />So, if ya'll have any appropriate boat prayers, please say a few for the 'Babe.

 

[Beernutz]

Re: New Boat Horror Story

Beachbabe, this has to be the same post of 4/22/02, of Beachbum on the "engines" board. Don't let them remove the tank on your new boat! It can be flushed and pumped out while in the boat. As far as inspection, I like Clanton's suggestion of the "bore scope". The fuel gauge hole should be about 2" in diameter, so they oughta be able to get a pretty good look inside. Did they check all the other things suggested? In any event, if the tank pickup tube is clogging, no amount of jury-rigging will solve the problem. The tank has to be flushed.

 

[Beachbabe]

Re: New Boat Horror Story

Beernutz, you are correct. Beachbum is my better half. I didn't know he had been posting over here. <br /><br />Thanks for the info, but they did drain and flush the tank this last time. They changed out the size of the lines also to smaller ones. Not sure this was a such a good idea. IMHO and non-mechanical opinion, won't the smaller lines create more pressure and therefore not set off the sensor? And, on the other hand, not give the engine enough fuel to run at top speed?

 

[Beernutz]

Re: New Boat Horror Story

Anything's possible, but you shouldn't be sucking enough fuel thru the lines for a slightly smaller line to make that much difference. They should be using the correct size line, though.<br /><br />I have a friend in Santa Barbara who had a similar (identical?) problem with a Pro Line and 200 Johnson. The dealer removed the screen from the tank pickup tube and installed twin Racors to remove all the crud. Solved his problem. If there's a screen in the pickup, it doesn't take much to clog it up.<br /><br />With all these radical "solutions", have you considered another dealer?

 

[Beernutz]

Re: New Boat Horror Story

Sorry, Bryan. Looks like we may have changed the subject of your original post.

 

[martyscher]

Re: New Boat Horror Story

bryanredfish<br /><br />Why not mention the manufacturer's name?<br /><br />With the nature of fiberglass mfg., the problem you had experienced could have been easily placed into the "s*** happens" catagegory and probably most every other hull they have built did not experience this problem.<br /><br />The fact that the dealer/manufacturer continued to repair and then eventually replaced your hull, shows a reasonable level of customer service and support.<br /><br />If your boat is a Bayliner, then all the better to quash the b'liner bashers <br /><br />Marty

 

[bryanredfish]

Re: New Boat Horror Story

Marty:<br /><br />The boat is from a local manufacturer in Louisiana, of quite good reputation, and I believe this certainly fell in the s*** happens category. And I do feel lucky that they will take care of the situation (I'll let you know when I get the new boat in a few weeks). No, it's not a Bayliner, and from what I've been reading on the posts, I'm VERY GLAD!