I have a little problem?!?

[Dave Hirshberg]

Go ahead and start your legwork now because its going to take a long time. Manufacturers love to drag their feet.
Call your insurance company and let them know about the problem then back it up in certified letter. You may be able to use their legal dept to help you fight this battle, especially if they know you are coming after them with a claim if unsatisfied by the manufacturer. You shoud follow their instructions , but I imagine they will advise you to
Have a lawyer inform the manufacturer of your problem and let them know that you aren't going away without satisfaction.
If they know your serious right away they may tackle the problem more quickly. Those are not mere stress cracks in the pictures, those are failures of materials (laminate, coring ect.)
A letter from a lawyer may be a couple hundred bucks but that will seem like pennies if you try and battle this thing over the phone with people you don't know for a few months.
Dig up a copy of the hull warranty for the Lawyer and keep notes on everything.

[ocuyler]

Excellent advice! I would be sooooo pissed!

[Captn C]

I went by Bass Pro Shop yesterday after going by to talk to my insurance agent. My insurance guy said he would call them if I need someone else to lean on them, he said that was about they could do.

At BPS; they went in and took more pictures and the guy who is handling it said he now feel the crack is where the bulk head broke off and he feels the area above the crack is really the fuel tank. It didn't look like that to me but it sounds better than "just a crack". He also pointed out that SeaCraft has built up the transom on the new boat they have in their showroom. They have mounted a 4" angle of alumunim across the top of the transom that the top engine bolts go though, plus they have installed a "knee" from the stringer to the top of the transom. So it give me the impression they have had issues in this area, but he said if they have they have kept it very quite. He also said these additions were from an engineer who was at Boston Whaler that now is with SeaCraft. The boat on their showroom floor was built in Florida. He also said the NC plant is not putting out any products yet. That surprised me, I thought they were?!?

The estimate he received from his fiberglass guy to repair the transom alone is $14,000. Thats without finding the cause of the crack in the bulk head or the reason the PVC show'd up in the bilge. He also explained the process we will have to go though.....From him the imformation will go to Tracker Warranty, after they decide it's more than they want to repair they send all the information to SeaCraft. When they decide what they are going to do, they will report to Tracker who will tell BPS.

The guy at BPS told me that if the hull goes to SeaCraft he was 99% sure I'd never see that hull again and sending it to them is what he is pushing for.

Right now it's in Tracker hands...the guy at Tracker who is looking at it, is their big cheese and BPS said that was very good because it would move faster if he is handling it. BPS also said Tracker is real slow right now so it shouldn't sit around long at Tracker.

I also mentioned to BPS that I had a number of sponser lined up for Texas Kingfish Asso. and Southern Kingfish Asso. tournamnets (seeing if I could get them to hurry every chance they got) and he said it would be a done/finished deal in time for them.

So it's looking pretty good right now...

[ScottM]

$14K to repair just the transom!! [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] Someone is trying to line their pockets. Keep us updated.

[Captn C]

I guess I should have used the words "replace transom".

[Scott]

Wow ....what can you say

Like Scott said that does seem like an incredibly steep estimate for "repairing" the transom....sounds more like a replacement [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img] edit : missed your comment above !!!

Hope things work out for you and that you get a new hull with the improved transom ..... If that repair is deemed as faulty workmanship and or poor design(which it sounds like it is based on what you mention above) I don't know how they CAN'T replace the hull !!!

[GetReel]

I've been following this and heres my two cents: Document everything and confirm everything in writing. If you don't get satisfactory results immediatly, get tough. Your pictures indicate faulty workmanship and defective materials. I'd insist on new boat or take the money and hire a first class shop to fix it right, unless that will void the warranty, which leads me back to insist on a new boat or cash back...good luck and give'em hell.

[Ed]

I see this stuff all the time on newer Makos...which are made in the same factory by the same people.

Document everything and keep in constant contact with the dealer and the Seacraft rep. Also, you should hire a lawyer...someone with marine experience.

With that said, I don't think $14,000 is unreasonably high to fix the exterior cracks and the major interior crack. A lot more work than most of you think.....plus, the boat absolutely has to look as good as new, or the manufacturer won't pay the repair guy.

If I were a betting man, I would think you will probably get a new hull. If you dont, get the existing one fixed and then you may want to think about selling it.

Ed

[Captn C]

I'm not sure I want the liability of selling something that I don't feel is safe.

I posted about my boat on The Hull Truth and got referred back to this site, this thread. So it doesn't look like they have had this problem before.

Not sure if that is good or bad??????

[Captn C]

I sent Tracker and SeaCraft registered mail this morning. In it I sent a summary of what I feel is wrong and a detailed time line of events leading up to taking it to BPS on 1-17-04. After I got back I received a call from Bass Pro Shop, they said Tracker was waiting on a estimate from a company in Arkansas to re-do the transom. I ask him about the other issues and he said they were going to take them into consideration on the estimate as well. I hope the registered mail gets there before they make their call.

I'm not too big on it being repaired because I alomst would bet money there are other problems other than just the loose transom.

Any one know of a fiberglass company in Arkansas