Think you've got problems? Here's a sampling of boater complaints recently received by the BoatUS Consumer Protection Bureau. 
When I took
delivery of my 2001 Pro-Line 27 Express, I noticed it was extremely
bow-heavy. It would dip into waves instead of rising over them,
allowing 30 to 40 gallons of water to come over the bow and flood
the fishing deck. Pro-Line and the dealer made some tests and said
that the only solution was to add 400 lbs. of ballast in the stern.
I rejected this and want a replacement boat instead. My brother-in-law
is an attorney and I may go to court. After additional negotiations with Pro-Line Boats, we understand that you accepted their offer of an upgrade to a 30-foot model for which you agreed to pay an additional $24,000. You report that the new boat performs perfectly.
In January
2002, we had engine trouble on our 2000 Legacy 23 CC. We contacted
the dealer we had bought the boat from, Dania Boat Yard in Dania,
FL. We told them that we had an extended service contract and in
our original contract, there is a notation that states, “customer
will have an extended policy that he can take to any marina.”
They refused to honor this agreement and insisted we bring it to
them. When we brought them our lower unit, they told us that they
needed proof that we’d paid our bill in full. We had to order
special checks from the bank and fax them to Dania but they said
they couldn’t read the faxes. At the end of April, Dania contacted
us and said that we did not have an extended contract. They proceeded
to tell us that they had written the extended service contract on
our finance papers because our credit rating score wasn’t
high enough to finance the amount of the boat. They told us that
in order to do the deal, they had to do it this way. I feel that
they have not been honest on the financing papers. Any assistance
you can provide us would be greatly appreciated. In April, you contacted the BoatUS Consumer Protection Bureau regarding this matter. We wrote to Dania Boat Yard, yet while we were waiting for a reply, you received a copy of an Interstate extended service contract from your bank. When you called Interstate, they told you that they didn’t have any record of the contract nor of you. To top it all off, Dania replied that you “never paid $1800 for a warranty contract.” Since then the BoatUS Consumer Protection Bureau and you have written letters to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Better Business Bureau, and Broward County Consumer Affairs department. The latter has begun an investigation into Dania Boat Yard because of the many complaints they have received against the dealer. Last we heard, the case was being referred to their legal department.
I am having
trouble with the twin MerCruiser 7.4L Horizons on my 1999 Sea Ray.
I have 146 hours on them. The port Velvet Drive transmission has
overheated since the day I bought the boat. MerCruiser has installed
new sensors, larger transmission coolers and is now replacing the
whole transmission. I have five fellow boaters at my marina who
have all had the same trouble with the same engine and transmission
– sounds like a common problem to me! Do you have any information
about other BoatUS members who have had similar troubles with
Velvet Drive transmissions? BoatUS has received
10 reports involving 1998-99 Series 5000 Velvet Drive Transmissions.
On twin engine applications, the port transmission is usually the
one that fails. The problems mostly involve overheating, yet some
include fluid leaks and gears slipping. In one case, the owner has
had at least eight transmission replacements in his boat over the
past two years.
BoatU.S.
Consumer Protection Bureau |
| Home : Online Store : Boat Lettering : Boat Buyer Services : Insurance : Towing Services : Marine Centers |
|
©2010, Boat Owners Association of The United States. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy |
