Gel coat?

[Robbyw]

I have a 2021 AR250 with keel damage and insurance is balking at fixing it. One thing he said is that Yamaha does not use gel coat.
Am I crazy in thinking they do.

 

[NewGuy]

Umm - I don't think you're crazy. Not sure what it is if it's not gelcoat. It ain't aluminum or wood.

 

[jthackman]

maybe the ins co looked up yammie jet skis? i dunno, but isn't their nanoxcel hull more of a plastic?

 

[drewkaree]

"Send me your assessor then, since you're telling me that I can't tell what my boat is made from, because YOU have a book or computer screen you're looking at that's telling you otherwise. The implication can only be one of two things, that I'm either stupid, or a liar, so come show me which one it is. The only other options on the table are that you made a mistake when writing up my policy, and you're trying to get out of your obligations after the fact, or YOU don't know what you're talking about"

You're talking to a desk jockey who has no idea about your boat, and doesn't have a clue what to choose on the option list, from the script he's paid to go through prior to passing this on to someone higher up the chain of command.

I suggest asking for his next up, and keep asking for the next higher up, until you get someone who understands that your boat is made of fiberglass, and that you are eligible to file a claim against the policy you've been issued by them

 

[Robbyw]

Thanks yall. I knew I was right but wanted to confirm.

 

[NewGuy]

"Send me your assessor then, since you're telling me that I can't tell what my boat is made from, because YOU have a book or computer screen you're looking at that's telling you otherwise. The implication can only be one of two things, that I'm either stupid, or a liar, so come show me which one it is. The only other options on the table are that you made a mistake when writing up my policy, and you're trying to get out of your obligations after the fact, or YOU don't know what you're talking about"

You're talking to a desk jockey who has no idea about your boat, and doesn't have a clue what to choose on the option list, from the script he's paid to go through prior to passing this on to someone higher up the chain of command.

I suggest asking for his next up, and keep asking for the next higher up, until you get someone who understands that your boat is made of fiberglass, and that you are eligible to file a claim against the policy you've been issued by them

This!

 

[1WetBoat]

Also, as someone pointed out, the Yamaha wave runners use automotive paint, not Gelcoat, so there could be some confusion there.

 

[Robbyw]

Well they denied my claim could not be caused by a single incident. The couldn’t figure out what the “filler” was and it looked like someone tried to fix a while before. That filler is gel coat. They denied it was gel coat AFTER looking at it.
I have a call tomorrow with a supervisor.

 

[drewkaree]

Open the cleanout inspection hatch to show him the fiberglass from the inside, or any number of spots inside the storage compartment.

100% bullshit that "a single incident" couldn't cause that.

It certainly sounds like they're trying to make a case for denying your claim. If that ends up being what goes down, there ARE options, if you're reasonably handy, although I'm not the best to judge the damage and if it's too much to tackle for a novice.

@mrcleanr6 I think, has a good eye for this stuff, and there's a few others (maybe @Scottintexas ?) who might be able to help you as well.

I've seen WAY worse on these very forums, and I would pull up threads of similar damage to show the assessor, and have them explain why your relatively minor (in comparison to others) damage couldn't be a single incident.

If I were you, I also wouldn't hesitate to put them on blast, if for no reason other than to warn others about your experience with their claims problems, and how they treated you.

It sounds likely that they're going to do their best to deny, or drop you if they end up having to pay. I'd chalk that up to a win, since it's showing you how they are with something that's relatively minor, instead of you finding out when you're in a worse situation

 

[adrianp89]

What’s your deductible? This is probably a $500 fix. Also the single incident thing is crazy…. That makes no sense.

 

[scokill]

It does look like someone tried to "fix" it. To be fair it doesn't look like fresh damage, although it is damage nonetheless. There has either been an attempted fix, or there is a void between gelcoat and fiberglass.

 

[Robbyw]

What’s your deductible? This is probably a $500 fix. Also the single incident thing is crazy…. That makes no sense.

1000

was told $2500-3000

 

[rkluck]

The fiberglass looks OK. I had some light damage further up and repaired it myself. After that I put a keel guard on it. It was much cheaper than the deductible and I prefer to do it myself so I know what how it was done.

 

[David Martin]

When the factory sprays gel coat in the channel(the mold) they got it to thick ............then the fiberglass with resin is rolled with a tiny roller .....pressing the resin and glass into the gel coat.....all the air has to be rolled out, if air remains it causes pockets like the one you see in this photo, between the gel and the glass.

 

[JetBoatPenguin]

YouTube video explaining the Yamaha gelcoat process and automation. Maybe worth sharing with the insurer. Hope it helps.Link to Yamaha Jetboats Manufacturing Process

 

[JetBoatPenguin]

These are also the current job description postings for the Yamaha boat Gel Coat positions that are currently open...in case you need addition proof for your lobbying. Link to Yamaha Gelcoat position in US