Started to put this in boating thread

[Ronnie Garrison]

I run a 2004 Skeeter ZX225 with a Yamaha 225 motor. Don't run it hard, seldom get over 5000 rpm unless it is at the start of a tournament, end of the day or a thunderstorm comes up. I have been pretty happy with the outfit, bought it in April 2004. Few problems until recently.

At the Georgia Top Six near the end of the second day we noticed the livewell pumps sounded funny. Both had limits. Checked and one was running, one was not. When I tried to punch the console switches nothing happened. Thought it might be some kind of frozen relay so disconnected the battery. Hooked back up nothing ran.

About an hour later everything started working. Got homn and checked, not working again. Took the boat to HD Marine in Atlanta where it came from - found out they lost their Skeeter dealership. They worked with it for about 90 minutes but, of course, it ran fine. They said they would try to find out from Skeeter what to do.

Tournament that weekend nothing worked. I killed 3 bass although I had put a pump in the livewell hooked directly to the battery.

Finally gave up on HD after a month and called another Skeeter dealer - Oconee Marine. Within an hour they called me back and said Skeeter said the console switches and the fuse box, the "brain" had to be replaced since they no longer supported the ones I had. Took them a week and my $720 but everything worked fine. Took the boat to Clarks Hill and fished some.

When I took the boat out and pulled the plug something didn't look right. Got down and saw a sickening sight. There was a split along the right side of the pad and across the back of the outer fiberglass. Looked like the outer hull was just hanging on one side and could see the flotation, I guess, or something soft, under it.

The pictures are not good but you can see how the outer fiberglass has split. Took it to a repair shop and got and estimate of $9000 to repair. He said he could see where I had hit some things.

Ever see anything like this? I kinda lost my liking of Skeeter. Not sure if it is their problem.

 

[blazer]

that looks bad.im sure your insurance will pay to have it fixed if the repair shop says you hit something.

 

[Oldman]

dont look like a hit to me.

 

[NRG]

Even if you did hit something , don't expect the insurance company to pay much .. If you were quoted 9k to fix .. you can expect them to pay about 2-4k tops , It could be you hit something, but from the pics Id have to agree with old_man101 looks more like a defective hull.. or boat has in the past jumped off the trailer and came slamming back down.. which I saw just recently on a 21ft sprint salt max center console.. I quoted 5400 to fix, the insurance co only offered 2k .

 

[20SS EXTREME]

DON'T MOST HULLS COME WITH A LIFETIME WARRANTY OR AT LEAST A LIMITED WARRANTY ?

 

[Shankopotamus]

Ronnie, That STINKS! Looking at the pics, I can't see any significant "impact" damage, especially since the hull is separating on what looks like the right side. I would expect to see some evidence of impact somewhere. I have to believe that Skeeter would take care of this under warranty, like 2OSS said, surely they have a limited or lifetime warranty on the hull.</p>

I would suspect you contact Skeeter, or have a delar do it, and they inspect the hull to determine whether it's impact damage or manufacturing defect. Ask a dealer- they should know the process, and good luck!</p>

 

[minner]

I agree with those above, it looks like it delaminated, not the result of an impact. If you would have hit something that would cause that much damage, there would most likely be evidence of stress/spider cracks around the transom bolts from where the motor took the hit too. Can you prove that you haven't had any lower unit work done lately?

 

[Fishin Fool]

I don't think you hit a thing. It looks to me like someone did do the job right in the first place. Definitely a warranty issue.

 

[NRG]

The Biggest issue with warranty , is if you are the second owner you generally dont get a life time, only a warranty period of 2-4 yrs.

And according to skeeters web site they only offer a 10yr warranty on the fiberglass structural Warranty.

For the duration of ownership of the first retail purchaser, the Skeeter boat will be warranted against any major structural defects in material or workmanship for the hull, stringers and transom. This structural warranty may be transferred during the 10 year warranty period to a second retail purchaser, according to the terms below. Structural Warranty to the second retail purchaser will expire 10 years from the first retail purchase date.

And must be transferred to the new owner by the orig owner.

Second purchaser for a $200 fee. The transfer must occur within ten (10) years of the original retail sell and the transfer fee must be paid within thirty (30) days of the purchase of the boat to transfer the warranty. Proof of purchase date is required. The warranty may only be transferred once.

Here is the full article link
http://www.skeeterboats.com/my_boat/ click on the warranty button

So unless he had the warranty transferred with in 30 days of the purchase from previous owner he may be outa luck, unless skeeter wants to play nice.

Good luck with it all .. and to all potential buyers of used boats .. always check with the manufacturer as to details and transferability of remaining warranty.

 

[Ronnie Garrison]

Lots of interesting ideas. My insurance company adjustor looked at the estimate and they are going to pay all but my deductible. I still plan on contacting Skeeter - it bothers me the way it looks.

The split runs almost 8 feet up from the transom toward the front of the boat, right along the edge of the pad, but it does not get into the stringers so it is not structural, according to the repair shop. I chose him by calling a Skeeter dealer and asking who they sent their new boats that came in with shipping damage to for repair - he is the one. I was told years ago that is the best way to find a repair shop that can make the boat look like it was never repaired. My first bass boat, in 1974, was hit from behind on the interstate the day after I bought it. You could never tell it had been damaged after I got it back.

On the third picture down you can see scratches running at an angle across the pad - that may be what the repair guy said he saw that looked like I hit something. Also, I had to replace my lower unit three years ago when I hit a rock pile - never saw any damage except the skeg, prop and propeller shaft but I worried about internal damage and my insurance company paid the full replacement cost. I don't think the boat itself hit the rocks.

I bought the boat from HD Marine new - kinda. It was one of the boats their employees get and use for a time, then sell at a discount. Kinda like a demo car, I think, but I never checked the details. I know they put the warranty in my name on motor and boat and all accessories like it was a new boat - nothign showed a previous owner. Not sure how all that works HD is no longer a Skeeter dealer.

 

[KeyWest]

Come-on now,,tell the truth. You couldnt resist jumping that ski ramp just once now could you..Just kidding, that definetly looks rough. Hopefully they get it as good as new.

 

[Gator]

I am glad to hear that your insurance will pay to fix this, It might help us to know who your insurance carrier is. Sounds like a good one. emoUSA

 

[NRG]

Yea .. sounds whole lot better than progressive

 

[hl&s]

Have you tried e-mailing pics to Skeeter and getting their opinion ? Or having the repair shop they recommend determine the cause and contacting Skeeter if it is a defect ? Whether it is considered structural or not, an 8 ft. long split sounds more like a problem during manufacturing.

Google it and see if there are others with the same problem.

Hope it works out for you.

 

[Ronnie Garrison]

I have Georgia Farm Bureau - got everything I own insured under a farm policy. My daddy had Farm Bureau and I got it when I turned 18 on my first car and kept adding things as I acquired them - for the past 40 years I have been happy with them. They are probably a little higher in some ways but I have never had a problem when I had a claim.

 

[wrechin2]

Sean,
What year is the boat they offered 2K on? If NADA says it is worth 2K I would not see them paying $5400. That may be why.

That looks like a hull issue. That is a HUGE split. When you got it it probably had never been registed so as far as that goes you should be the first owner.

 

[Fat Albert]

<font face="comic sans ms,sand" color="#ff0033" size="4">hey Ronnie, glad you got it covered.......I know that feeling.....FA</font>

 

[Ronnie Garrison]

Farm Bureau keeps the new price of the boat as its replacement cost - in the case of my Skeeter, $19,000. That way they can charge me more every year because the value doesn't go down, but it sure does pay off when there is a problem. The NADA value of the boat, motor and trailer now is about $20,000 so a repair of $9000 should just about total out the boat if they went by current value. They don't do that with cars, as far as I can tell.

One one boat I kept for 11 years I had them revalue it when it was 6 years old and charge me based on that price. Saved me a good bit by doing that, luckily I never had a problem with that one.

 

[jeepboy911]

mabey if you contact jc4thecross he is very good with fiberglass he could tell you something i woudnt trust anyone else

 

[on fish]

If that boat was a demo. You are the first owner in 99% of the time. And yeah I would contact Skeeter. That is manufacter defect to me. A split?