The boats involved are GTX and XP models manufactured during the mid-1990s. The mounts secure engines to the hull, dampen engine vibration and help maintain proper alignment of the drive shaft. When they fail, the drive shaft seal disengages, allowing the boats' engine compartments to flood with water, which in turn results in persistent engine and electrical problems, as well as corrosion damages related to exposure to water.

A single, somewhat puzzling report involving a 1995 Sea-Doo personal watercraft sent to BoatUS earlier this year was the first hint of the problem.

The July 1998 "S.O.S." column in BoatUS Magazine included a letter from "D.F." - David Fine - of Sterling, VA, describing how the engine mounts on his 1995 Sea-Doo GTX broke loose, damaging the drive system, causing the boat to flood with sea water and ultimately resulting in numerous engine breakdowns as a result of water damage.

"One month after the manufacturer's warranty expired, the engine and drive shaft broke loose due to defective motor mounts, creating holes in the hull and flooding the engine compartment," Fine wrote.

In addition to the mounts, Fine said the venturi O-rings failed on more than one occasion, allowing water to fill the boat each time. This was not an isolated incident, according to his dealer's mechanic.

Because the mounts failed just one month after Bombardier's one-year warranty expired, Fine bore the cost of repairing the boat and engine. The manufacturer did supply a set of replacement mounts which Fine paid to install. The BoatUS Consumer Protection Bureau's database contains no information about engine mount failures involving any makes of personal watercraft other than Sea-Doos.

After publishing Fine’s report, the BoatUS Consumer Protection Bureau received written reports describing similar mount problems involving seven other Sea-Doo GTXs, model years 1993 through 1996, and two Sea-Doo XPs, model years 1993 and 1997. The Bureau also received several phone calls from other Sea-Doo owners who did not follow up with written documentation of engine mount problems.

In all cases, owners confirmed Fine's experience in that the motor mounts on their boats failed just outside the manufacturer's one-year warranty. In most cases they received no assistance with repair costs. Fine’s set of replacement mounts was the exception, not the rule.

• For example, James Burritt of Virginia Beach, VA, said, "In August 1994 the motor mounts failed on my 1993 Sea-Doo GTX, causing the shaft seal to fail and the craft to flood. I wrote to Bombardier and got a reply, but they told me essentially that the craft was out of warranty (by a month) and the problem was mine."
  
  "Fortunately, my mounts broke as I started the machine and I was able to reach shore," said Burritt, adding, "I frequently go a mile or so off the beach in the lower Chesapeake Bay and it could have been a bad situation."
  
• William Mahoney of Ocean City, NJ, wrote, "After reading the article I was both relieved and angry. Relieved because I thought I had done something wrong in handling our 1994 GTX 650 Sea-Doo. The motor mounts needed to be replaced after only 20 hours, yes, only 20 hours of use. My wife and I are in our mid-50s and don't get to use it much."
  
  He added he was also angry because, according to his dealer, "The glue that was used to hold the rubber to the metal breaks down. I had to pay $395 to correct the problem. This is wrong."



• Capt. Dan Greenaway of Englewood, FL, had a similar experience. "One week after the factory warranty ran out the ski sank. We returned it to the dealer and they were not willing to cover the damages. They repaired the mounts and also replaced the battery, at quite a substantial cost. I told the dealer this would be the last Sea-Doo product that I would ever purchase."



• Writes Kenneth Baxendell of St. Petersburg, FL, "In May 1993, my brother-in-law and I bought two Sea-Doo XP models and within a year we had to replace the engine mounts on both units. We also had a corrosion problem with the steering/exhaust output nozzle and a broken seat structure."
  
  "We've repaired and sold the units and probably would never buy again," Baxendell concludes.



• And, from a Sea-Doo owner who e-mailed BoatUS, "We are living the same nightmare with our 1996 Sea-Doo. Two times the motor mounts have been defective, causing great water damage. The problems have been endless due to the original problem."

Despite several attempts in writing and by phone by the Consumer Protection Bureau, Bombardier did not respond to inquiries from BoatUS as to the cause of the mount failures and if they might be prevented through maintenance strategies.

The company did contact David Fine directly to deny his claim, with the explanation that assistance was not provided because the warranty had expired. Nevertheless, Bombardier told Fine, "Be assured (our decision) was within a context of fairness, because our first objective is always to retain the loyalty of our customer."

Judging by the reactions of the Sea-Doo owners who contacted BoatUS saying, "never buy again," "class action lawsuit," and "the lemon yellow color of this thing is most appropriate," Bombardier may have a difficult time reaching this objective.

With little cooperation from the manufacturer and inability to take on the cost of filing a lawsuit, the boat owners described in this story were forced to pay for repairs, often selling their boats in the process.

At a recent meeting to discuss Florida's proposed boat "lemon" law, marine industry representatives maintained that complaints like the ones described in this story are often the result of unrealistic expectations on the part of owners. Problems with boats simply do not warrant consumer protection laws, they claimed.

Other Sea-Doo owners who have had engine mount problems should report their experiences to the Consumer Protection Bureau, 880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304, or e-mail cajootian@boatus.com. Include model and Hull Identification Number with all reports.

(c) Copyright BoatUS Magazine, November 1998