One of the problems with the time for boat repairs is that sometimes they have to be sent back to the factory. Local dealers just can't handle problems like a car dealer can.
I had fiberglass boats sent back to factory and aluminum as well. If a boat manufacturer replaces the hull, you have to get the order for your new hull entered into the system. It's like you just bought it. They don't put your new hull order in front of people that bought boats last week. You also have to get the boat back and forth to the factory. It just takes time. For instance, Ranger production on a new boat ordered last week is probably over 2 months.
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The bitterness of poor quality is remembered
long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten - Benjamin Franklin
2013 RANGER RT188 - YAMAHA F115 - ULTREX - LOWRANCE GRAPHS
LOCK-N-HAUL Transom Saver, ALL ABOARD Emergency Ladder
1996 RANGER CHEROKEE - 40 YAMAHA
right on dude...I wont ever own another glass boat myself..
2013 Pre-Johnny Ranger RT 178
115 PRO XS
Due to the increase of ammunition prices... There will be no warning shots
Honda certified Master technician 33 Years
One thing people don't realize is the quality of the aluminum being welded has A LOT to do with the quality of the weld. Not all 5052 aluminum is created equal. The shop I work at builds lifting devices for a prominent Midwestern company, NO Chinese steel is allowed. All steel must pass certification, some Chinese and other foreign steels do not. Same can be said for aluminum.
I think the alum boats have really come into their own last 10-15 years.
I looked and looked and looked for some sort of fair "per capita" information on how many boats have issues compared to those sold - some sort of percentage or detailed information and could not find anything.
Anything other than peoples opinions -
Alum guys saying alum boats are better and fiber guys saying fiber boats are better - that sort of thing. I never found anything I would say was "fair and balanced". I was curious if major hull issues with alum was as common as some of the articles I read made it seem that it was (reading stuff on the internet you would assume you don't even have a 50/50 chance with an alum hull)...I do not think they are. I came across stories of cracked hulls from ALL the alum boat manufacturers, but no more than those I came across of transoms tearing of Ranger fiber boats - strings failing in Nitro boats - that sort of thing.
I still have my Hydra Sport.
It needs a stringer replaced in it and that will get done after we move - but I am happy as a drunk monkey with my Polar Kraft. I have already launched into a few places we had always wanted to fish but could not get the fiber boat into. I can fish nearly all week on 12 gallons of gas ( I really like that!). It is SOOO much easier to tow. Yeah, she doesn't ride as well as the fiber boat in rough water...but how often am I actually in rough water?
Not all that often.
I read an article a couple years ago that said the cracking of the alums hulls was an industry wide problem because of bad alum stock in the system...and that many manufacturers had the issue mostly solved. I do not know how true it all was ---just came across the article when looking into hull issues when I first started considering an Alum.
That’s most likely a good point Delee.
I’ve posted before that I had a couple different riveted boats in the early 80’s. They both leaked. One had a 25hp, the other a 35hp, Lund and Fisher Marine. The rage was getting a “big” 18 foot glass boat back then and over powering it. I eventually got a 17’ glass boat with a 175. Of course I broke a stringer on it LOL. It had single cable steer, talk about Popeye arms! Back then all I did with my little tins when they got water in them was pull the plug when I was running to drain the water to suck it out. Imagine doing that today.
We’ve came a LONG way guys! I bought a new Ranger back in the 80’s that came from the factory with a broken through hull fitting. Today that would be all over BBC. Back then I took it to my local dealer who wouldn’t touch it because I didn’t buy it there. I called Ranger and they mailed me a new one and I installed it myself vs driving the boat 8 hours round trip to my selling dealer. The only guys that knew it were in my bass club. These days thousands know it in a day.
There is NOT, and never has been a perfect bass boat. FWIW that 16’ Ranger was 9,000 in the early 80’s. My RT188 is head and shoulders nicer and at 30K OTD with 7 years warranty has TONS more warranty than the one year that one came with. 9K in 85 is equal to 20K in 2017. I paid 300.00 in taxes back then vs 9% today. So, not really apples to apples there either.
I have noticed a trend of people having problems with boats and other items having a very low post count. I don't blame them for going to the media if that is what it takes and we all like to know about problems and poor customer service.
2018 Ranger RT198p
Charcoal Metallic
Etec 150HP G2 HO
24p Raker Stainless prop
82# MotorGuide Tour Pro TM
Fishes as good as anything out there, with the TM down...