Here's a question I haven't heard on this forum or the other one, in almost 9 years

[OCMD]

What do you all think? I'm basically done for the year with my boat. An unfortunate but annual situation. I won't winterize yet, as there is always that possibility I may get a day in September or October to head out during the week. But here is the situation. My boat is a 2008, but was purchased new, in March of 2011. It is under warranty until March 15, 2015. So I still have about 7 months of warranty remaining, yet I won't be using the boat much, if at all until next summer. So what the heck do I check out on this boat (or have my dealer check out) when I have the boat winterized in the next 8 weeks or so? Because when it comes out of hibernation next May, it will no longer be under warranty. Of course, in my experience warranties aren't worth the paper they are written on. I have had too many cases of suing warrantors because of "breach of warranty." In any event, it is going to suck watching the next 7 months drag by with minimal boat use, and then watch the warranty expire on March 15, 2015. Sure, I understand these boats are pretty bulletproof. I've only had the pole light replaced under warranty. The previous owner had some radio issues fixed under warranty. Now, the POS stock radio plays FM while in the AUX mode, and the speaker wiring is failing, but my guess is that isn't covered anyway. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[Ronnie]

I would take a look at what is covered in the warranty document and inspect those things. If any covered items are broken / malfunctioning make a claim. If you have a yamaha yes warranty your stereo system is probably covered. I have a third party warranty (from my previous owner) so only the engines and pumps are covered. Like you I don't put a lot of value in extended warranties and would not have paid the thousands my previous owner did but found it was worth the $40 transfer fee when the oil coolers started to leak (2010 1.8 liter engines). Sorry to hear your boating season is almost over it always seems to go so fast even here on the west coast but I usually don't stop until at least October 1st. If the drought allows me to boat longer all though in the cold, i probably will.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Get an inspection mirror and look all over your motors for oil drips. Not common to find but those motors are the top dollar items in the boat -- check them over. It really sounds like your boat is not in need of any repairs other than a few accessory item blunders which should be covered under the warranty. But, what can of worms are you opening when you let the dealer onto your boat?

 

[Glassman]

I'm not sure why you are concerned. Check your boat out, if you don't find anything (probably won't with exception to the things you already know about)

If you have problems definitely address them now, if you don't have major issues just do a nice job of putting 'er to bed for winter.
I'm not a big fan of dealerships performing sub-par work on my stuff so I personally wouldn't go looking for reasons to take it there.

My boat was at the dealer I purchased it from for just a couple of days after they picked it up for me. Since then it has never been to any dealership for any work. I'd like to keep it that way.

 

[OCMD]

Thanks for the replies. As the prior owner never gave me the actual written warranty papers, does anyone know where I can access this paperwork short of calling the PITA Yamaha corporation to request a copy? I'd like to read up on the radio coverage.
As far as the dealer, this dealer is unlike any traditional "stealership" many are used to dealing with. This used to be a very small, family run PWC sales/service joint. They worked on my LS for years. About two-three years ago this shop owner acquired a Yamaha dealer license and the inventory from a local low life owned POS marina, and all they sell is about 15 Yamaha boats a year, as well as ton of Kawasaki and Yamaha PWCs. You don't find places like this anymore. It is owned by the son; his mom is "customer service" and his dad does the minor maintenance work. He has one certified Yamaha mechanic on sight who knows his "s*it." Stuff gets in and out of there. It's not anything at all like one of those car stealerships where you bring in something for a recall and they tell you you need front brakes, ball joints and an air cabin filter like happened to me a few months ago when I had the $4500 battery replaced under recall/warranty on my inherited Honda Civic Hybrid. (I'd never buy one of these but as a gift? Hell yes I'll drive that 50 mpg car!) I had just done the front brakes 4000 miles prior, and replaced the cabin filter last winter. Total thieves preying on the uneducated and trusting souls. Anyway, I digress. I really do not have a problem having these guys climb all over my boat. Everyone should be as lucky as I am to have this type of specialized Yamaha boat repair shop and dealership ten minutes away from where you live. As @mark_m will testify, this dealership is unlike any you have ever heard of. The owner who is a Yamaha mechanic, and 4 employees. Mom, Dad, DJ and DJ's assistant, Matt.
http://baysidejetdrive.calls.net/

Thanks for the tips, guys.

 

[captainhook]

Everyone says there is little maintenance on these boats and even less winterization. As you're aware this obviously will be the first year I will have to winterize my boat but I am intending on using antifreeze wherever I can. Last week when I was replacing my scupper valve, I noticed there was a bunch of water in the waterbox after I took the hose off. I'm not sure how it stayed in there because I flush and run them every time after I bring it home and was surprised to see it. Some insurance policies cover freeze damage but mine doesn't and even if it did, I am not going to risk it so I will make sure I get the water out of there completely when I put it away sometime in October. I am also going to put some antifreeze in the freshwater wash down tank in the back as well.

My suggestion to you in how to survive the long winter (especially if it was anything like last year's!!!) is this sounds like a perfect opportunity/excuse to upgrade your sound system. In 7 months you have plenty of time to beef it up nicely.

 

[mark_m]

@OCMD i can testify! Eric took great care of me, I was floored by the customer service at bayside. Eric took me and the boys out on abt least a 1.25 hour sea trial, had me flush the motors myself, loaded the trailer up .. The one with new bearings and brakes for the long drive back to OH. After I came home they followed thru some more on the customer service looking up the engine numbers required for OH title. I would be so lucky to have bayside as a dealer. It is less common than it should be to find a business where the whole staff has their heart and minds in the right place and 'in to' doing it right.

Am curious- any recommendations from them as to what could be adressed?

 

[sysinu]

I'm going to have my local dealer winterize my boat when they shrink wrap it (they are pretty economical w/ shrink wrapping and it's worth not dealing with the snow). I might ask them to use antifreeze even though every time I talk to them they say it's not needed.

When I was down there last to check on the status of my impellers, the lady before me was talking about freeze damage to her boat... I should have asked her for specifics, but my wife was rushing me to get out the door.

 

[Scottintexas]

when kxcam22 can survive in Kamloops Canada with just blowing out the motors, I'll follow that lead. Your waterboxes are cylindrical so if any water is in there it would expand without breaking anything, now if you've got water sitting in a shower hose or other place it can't expand that's something to deal with.

 

[RumDiet]

I was recently told that the YES Warranty does not cover stereo equipment (my aft remote control took a dive). Does anyone have a copy of the warranty - I wasn't provided with one.

 

[txav8r]

Tom, @OCMD , if you didn't get the warranty paperwork, I am guessing you didn't pay the transfer fee. If you didn't, you may not have a warranty. I would call Yamaha or a dealer and have them look up your vin and see who's name is on it. I don't know what the policy is on transfer at a late date.

Do the annual maintenance either now or the spring. Blow out the engines, add marine grade Stabil and ring free and run them to circulate. Your done!

 

[Ronnie]

Get a hold of the warranty docs ASAP. Again my extended warranty is through a third party (Western, which I was told by local stealership is a well known extended warranty provider). I only used it once so far but the first thing they did was verify that I applied to transfer the warranty and paid the transfer fee within the appropriate time frame (I think it is 60 days after I took possession of the boat). According to the Western rep I spoke with used boat owners are often caught of guard by this requirement, don't take action to transfer the warranty and consequently do not have the coverage they thought they had.

Another thing to think about is the amount of the deductible. If they replace then stereo system than the cost is worth the benefit but the same may not be true if they only need to replace a stereo remote or speaker.

 

[Boat Crazy]

I was recently told that the YES Warranty does not cover stereo equipment (my aft remote control took a dive). Does anyone have a copy of the warranty - I wasn't provided with one.

X2 on the stereo warranty.

 

[OCMD]

When I brought it in first time last year, the dealer looked it up and said "Yep, covered until March 2015." Earlier this summer they replaced the horn and pole light and I didn't pay a dime. No deductible. So as far as I'm concerned, I'm good. (and if not, I always have an ace in the hole as they will be estopped from denying any claim for "not transferring," because they already performed work for me under the warranty.) Mel, ring free last trip out? I use ethanol free in this boat, but when I get near the end of the season, I start to Stabil the gas, and continue until the boat is put into hibernation. Ring Free last trip out? Can I get this product at an auto parts store? Thanks.

 

[txav8r]

Yamaha ring free at a yamHa dealer. No need for ring free plus.

 

[txav8r]

I run it all the time but that may be overkill. I would fog several times a year too, especially since you occasionally see salt. The fog isn't just for storage anymore.

 

[Geiger41]

I think the real question is why is your boating season done...Its only mid August. weather is ok to ride up until at least October??

 

[txav8r]

ocmd is an NFL referee...he gets very busy this time of year.

 

[biglar155]

Everyone says there is little maintenance on these boats and even less winterization. As you're aware this obviously will be the first year I will have to winterize my boat but I am intending on using antifreeze wherever I can. Last week when I was replacing my scupper valve, I noticed there was a bunch of water in the waterbox after I took the hose off. I'm not sure how it stayed in there because I flush and run them every time after I bring it home and was surprised to see it. Some insurance policies cover freeze damage but mine doesn't and even if it did, I am not going to risk it so I will make sure I get the water out of there completely when I put it away sometime in October. I am also going to put some antifreeze in the freshwater wash down tank in the back as well.

My suggestion to you in how to survive the long winter (especially if it was anything like last year's!!!) is this sounds like a perfect opportunity/excuse to upgrade your sound system. In 7 months you have plenty of time to beef it up nicely.

I live in Southeastern Wisconsin and store my boat indoors in a non-heated storage unit. We had a couple weeks of 40-degree below zero weather last winter. I do not use anti-freeze and I had no issues with my motors this spring. Granted, I'm not a cold weather / late season boater, so my boat was winterized in late September / early October and had time for the internal passages to "drip dry."

My feeling is that all you're really doing when you use anti-freeze is pumping your money into your flush-port, through your engine, and out into your driveway.

But that's just me. If anti-freeze makes you sleep better over the long, cold winter (can you believe we're even DISCUSSING this already?) then put it in there - it won't hurt. Might even kill those zebra muscles... oops - wrong thread!

 

[Geiger41]

ocmd is an NFL referee...he gets very busy this time of year.

Ohhhhhhh forgot that !!! Hope he has fun refin D-JAX dwn there in Washington lol