Plz tell me this is suppose to be there.

[buckbuck]

I am not going to sell my 2008!

 

[anmut]

Dealer prep $1K, that would have been found if they did their job, they did not go over the boat, its their job to inspect everything before handing over to customer. Boat with a hole, OK to sell - CHECK!

Good call, I’d be demanding a refund on that service

 

[tyler1408]

So update. Dealer has offered to tear up my check if I want to go that route. I've been assured by multiple people that this will be repaired in less than 3 days if I want to keep the boat. It will be guaranteed. It is going in as a non sold boat repair. (Manufacturer defect). They are sending someone up to pick up the boat and return it to me. They say it's an easy fix only in the gel coat and not the hull. This repair will be documented and have a paper trail incase any issues from it come up in the future. (My thoughts) First off I'm frustrated. Spent $40k plus on brand new boat and this happens. I was literally downstairs getting my cobra steering and guide poles to put on when dad found this. 2nd if I return this I won't have a boat till next summer, I've already been waiting 6 months. What are your guys thoughts? Thanks in advance

 

[tyler1408]

Also what do you do when you boat has a hole in it and you can't go to the lake? Sit in the driveway and drink a few beers with the family.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Easy. Have them fix it and move on and start boating. You will probably gouge your boat or mess something up as we all do sooner rather than later. Almost all of our boats need something or other from the dealership. A lot of people out there would take it in a heart beat with the fix. Heck if I put a hole in my boat there I would just patch in and gel coat it myself and move on. I have drilled no less than 18 holes in my boat below the water to install tabs, thru hull wiring, transducer, etc. No big deal.

Have the come get it and fix it and return it. No big deal. Your boat will be fine.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Also what do you do when you boat has a hole in it and you can't go to the lake? Sit in the driveway and drink a few beers with the family.

Do the repair yourself or slap 4200 Fast Cure on it and deal with it later, or Water Weld. I carry both in my tool kit in my boat just in case as well as a 10" x 10" of Flex Seal in case I hit something or in an emergency.

Some people have hit coral or clam beds and tore off a good part of their underside and just patched and kept on till they could fix it themselves or take it to a shop.

 

[tyler1408]

Do the repair yourself or slap 4200 Fast Cure on it and deal with it later, or Water Weld. I carry both in my tool kit in my boat just in case as well as a 10" x 10" of Flex Seal in case I hit something or in an emergency.

Some people have hit coral or clam beds and tore off a good part of their underside and just patched and kept on till they could fix it themselves or take it to a shop.

This was a sarcastic post to a bad situation. I could fix this myself yes, but this will be fixed by Yamaha and documented or I won't have a boat. I'm very aware that if I return it, it would be fixed and sold to the next person on the wait list the next day. But this is a manufacturer defect on a boat that has never seen water on my behalf or even been turned over. It has .1 hours on it.

 

[KnucklDragr]

This was a sarcastic post to a bad situation. I could fix this myself yes, but this will be fixed by Yamaha and documented or I won't have a boat. I'm very aware that if I return it, it would be fixed and sold to the next person on the wait list the next day. But this is a manufacturer defect on a boat that has never seen water on my behalf or even been turned over. It has .1 hours on it.

Have them fix the boat and ask for a free extended warranty. My brand new boat was delivered with a bad engine that blew the top end the first day on the boat ramp. Ask for some compensation. Start with extended warranty, 10 hour service for free, and a free cover and see what they come back with. I got everything I asked for. Good luck!

 

[motomandan]

I would be concerned with the Inspection and Dealer Prep of the boat. It should have been found during the Factory Inspection as well as the Dealer inspection.

 

[ChrisM]

So update. Dealer has offered to tear up my check if I want to go that route. I've been assured by multiple people that this will be repaired in less than 3 days if I want to keep the boat. It will be guaranteed. It is going in as a non sold boat repair. (Manufacturer defect). They are sending someone up to pick up the boat and return it to me. They say it's an easy fix only in the gel coat and not the hull. This repair will be documented and have a paper trail incase any issues from it come up in the future. (My thoughts) First off I'm frustrated. Spent $40k plus on brand new boat and this happens. I was literally downstairs getting my cobra steering and guide poles to put on when dad found this. 2nd if I return this I won't have a boat till next summer, I've already been waiting 6 months. What are your guys thoughts? Thanks in advance

Sounds like the dealer has offered more to you than any other dealer spoken of here given the current retail climate, and appears you are already on the right track to have it fixed properly. Patience usually pays off.
I'd suggest that you scope out the entire boat for any other defects, like loose hardware, seats, panels, fit and finish issues as so many others have discovered on their new boats. That way you can make mention of anything found to the dealer while they have back.

 

[motomandan]

So update. Dealer has offered to tear up my check if I want to go that route. I've been assured by multiple people that this will be repaired in less than 3 days if I want to keep the boat. It will be guaranteed. It is going in as a non sold boat repair. (Manufacturer defect). They are sending someone up to pick up the boat and return it to me. They say it's an easy fix only in the gel coat and not the hull. This repair will be documented and have a paper trail incase any issues from it come up in the future. (My thoughts) First off I'm frustrated. Spent $40k plus on brand new boat and this happens. I was literally downstairs getting my cobra steering and guide poles to put on when dad found this. 2nd if I return this I won't have a boat till next summer, I've already been waiting 6 months. What are your guys thoughts? Thanks in advance

Well if you can see through it the hole is through the fiberglass as well. The gelcoat is only a non structural coating. The fiberglass is the structure. This will need to be ground out from both sides. Laminated with fiberglass, then apply gelcoat. otherwise it is a band aid repair. I would ask to have the repair approved by a Marine Surveyor. There should be some compensation of some sort. I was in the Marine Repair Business and a boatbuilder for over 1/2 of my working life.

 

[anmut]

So update. Dealer has offered to tear up my check if I want to go that route. I've been assured by multiple people that this will be repaired in less than 3 days if I want to keep the boat. It will be guaranteed. It is going in as a non sold boat repair. (Manufacturer defect). They are sending someone up to pick up the boat and return it to me. They say it's an easy fix only in the gel coat and not the hull. This repair will be documented and have a paper trail incase any issues from it come up in the future. (My thoughts) First off I'm frustrated. Spent $40k plus on brand new boat and this happens. I was literally downstairs getting my cobra steering and guide poles to put on when dad found this. 2nd if I return this I won't have a boat till next summer, I've already been waiting 6 months. What are your guys thoughts? Thanks in advance

Repair the boat. Get a discount for your troubles. Talk to the dealer owner, not salesman.

 

[zipper]

Do the repair yourself or slap 4200 Fast Cure on it and deal with it later, or Water Weld. I carry both in my tool kit in my boat just in case as well as a 10" x 10" of Flex Seal in case I hit something or in an emergency.

Some people have hit coral or clam beds and tore off a good part of their underside and just patched and kept on till they could fix it themselves or take it to a shop.

If it is getting fixed, do not contaminate the area with any sealant, It will be a bigger job to remove all of it to get a good bond with the FRP and gelcoat. Yamaha should be offering all kinds of freebees to you on this one, I can't believe their lack of QC, getting this low as to let a boat leave the factory with a hole in the bottom.

Check the anchor locker drain. Make sure the plastic fitting goes thru both layers and it is sealed. Many are not sealed and the fitting is too short and owners hunt for the source of water in the bilge.

Edit: West Systems epoxy will seal the hole and raw FRP, as a temporary fix, without causing contamination issues.

 

[OperationROL]

I would see if they will let you take it somewhere and work with the repair shop to pay directly. That way you can manage the time off the water better. If you find a shop locally for the repair, they could also tell you what you can do temporarily as a fix if they can't get you in right away.

 

[mraz72]

So what's the decision? You have a few people in the bow, might be time to get a 21 foot

 

[anmut]

If it is getting fixed, do not contaminate the area with any sealant, It will be a bigger job to remove all of it to get a good bond with the FRP and gelcoat. Yamaha should be offering all kinds of freebees to you on this one, I can't believe their lack of QC, getting this low as to let a boat leave the factory with a hole in the bottom.

Check the anchor locker drain. Make sure the plastic fitting goes thru both layers and it is sealed. Many are not sealed and the fitting is too short and owners hunt for the source of water in the bilge.

Edit: West Systems epoxy will seal the hole and raw FRP, as a temporary fix, without causing contamination issues.

I was told by my fiberglass repair shop (also builds Recon fishing boats by hand) that if you can't get fiberglass properly repaired, just seal with packing tape. That way the repair shop doesn't have to grind out all the resin.

 

[MidnightRider]

So update. Dealer has offered to tear up my check if I want to go that route. I've been assured by multiple people that this will be repaired in less than 3 days if I want to keep the boat. It will be guaranteed. It is going in as a non sold boat repair. (Manufacturer defect). They are sending someone up to pick up the boat and return it to me. They say it's an easy fix only in the gel coat and not the hull. This repair will be documented and have a paper trail incase any issues from it come up in the future. (My thoughts) First off I'm frustrated. Spent $40k plus on brand new boat and this happens. I was literally downstairs getting my cobra steering and guide poles to put on when dad found this. 2nd if I return this I won't have a boat till next summer, I've already been waiting 6 months. What are your guys thoughts? Thanks in advance

There is no way that is "only in the gel coat"! You can see foam coming out of it if I'm seeing the picture right. You can even see fiberglass layers in the hole can't you? That is a through hole or at least into the fiberglass. A good shop could easily fix this good as new if done right but the fact that the dealership is already lying to you about what the repair entails makes my insides churn. Given them telling you that this is a gel coat only fix I'd be very skeptical and would get more information exactly how this will be fixed. I'd want to have direct communication with the shop that is doing the repair to make sure it is done right. Unfortunately you have very little leverage in the current climate of boat sales, you have to do what they say or rip up the check and they will easily have another buyer in queue after they fix it. Good luck but stay vigilant on this to make sure it gets done right!

 

[anmut]

There is no way that is "only in the gel coat"! You can see foam coming out of it if I'm seeing the picture right. You can even see fiberglass layers in the hole can't you? That is a through hole or at least into the fiberglass. A good shop could easily fix this good as new if done right but the fact that the dealership is already lying to you about what the repair entails makes my insides churn. Given them telling you that this is a gel coat only fix I'd be very skeptical and would get more information exactly how this will be fixed. I'd want to have direct communication with the shop that is doing the repair to make sure it is done right. Unfortunately you have very little leverage in the current climate of boat sales, you have to do what they say or rip up the check and they will easily have another buyer in queue after they fix it. Good luck but stay vigilant on this to make sure it gets done right!

I would agree with this - in fact if that were my boat, I would be inclined to take it back to the dealership then, with the dealer watching, stick a long pin up through the "gelcoat" hole and see how far it goes. I'm guessing that you could punch all the way through to the inside once you're past the foam.

 

[Beachbummer]

Joking aside, the hole appears to be very very small, perhaps 1/2inch diameter or less. Hard to tell from the pictures, but looks like a fraction of the width of the lines of the letter A in the Yamaha side lettering.
Asking from ignorance, is a fiberglass backed repair necessary? I know folks here fill larger holes left behind by the carpet snaps with 5200 and call it good, but those holes are also not below the waterline, and I recognize this is a "OMG how the heck does it happen to a new boat?", but in terms of what is required to make a solid, everlasting repair, is backing this with fiberglass really a necessity? I ask because I don't know but if the hole is small enough in that situation I might be persuaded that Gel coat alone would do the trick, if the info came from someone who's interest was aligned with mine. (Not the dealer)

 

[mrcleanr6]

You have to remember this is a dealer/salesman telling you its a gel inly repair to make you feel easier about the whole thing. Dealers and sales guys dont know the first thing about fiberglass. Most service techs and managers dont know the first thing about glass repair. Almost all dealerships have outside contractors come in to do all their glass work. Dont go by what they are telling you. A fiberglass repair guy will fix that correctly using glass first.