Ranger Warranty-Looking for your experience with it

[duecefive25]

Hi All,

I have a 2018 Aluminum RT Ranger 198P. I am in the Madison WI area. Boat took on water this summer, took it home and filled the bottom with water and found a pretty significant crack in the hull where it is welded.

Dealer here sent to a master welder, said he would not touch it with a 10 ft pole.

Dropping it off tomorrow (10/26/22) where they are going to strip it and send it down south to get looked at, fixed and or replaced.

1. Think it will be a new boat or a fix?
2. What is your guess on how long it will take for me to get my boat back? And why?

[z7extreme]

fix on your dime.. looks like you hit something.. in the pic anyway.

[duecefive25]

Dang! Think so? I can tell you all day I did not knock into anything, understandably by the pic, you will tell me different. Like any bass get together out here, we often beach our boats on sand (which could definitely contain a rock) and cause some scratching, especially on a black aluminum boat.

I know the big scratch next to it, but should the weld really break right there? You can even see the weld is different right there....

What is odd, is that this pic was sent to Ranger, and they were the one's who requested to have it sent in from the Dealer... Fingers crossed and Thank you for your thoughts, I always appreciate the honest feedback

[H2Power]

I sent a fiberglass boat back to Ranger around 2008-2009. Boat had a damaged transom, not a manufacturing defect. It took a while, months. Had to wait for truck dropping boats at dealer to take it back, then wait for truck coming back to dealer. Ranger repaired the boat with no charge for the repair or transport. When it came to buy another boat in 2014, it was a Ranger again. That was my experience then, not sure what they are doing now.

[ericm]

That's one bad weld! I'm an S.E. and I would reject that weld all day long on a structural steel project. That weld failed in what's known as the "heat affected zone". At this point, to achieve a robust repair they're going to need to instal a backer-bar on the inside from above, and that has it's own issues unless a very experienced welder does the work. I'd be pushing for a new hull.

[duecefive25]

Thank you for sharing your experience! My goal is April 1.... Wonder if I got a shot...

[duecefive25]

That's one bad weld! I'm an S.E. and I would reject that weld all day long on a structural steel project. That weld failed in what's known as the "heat affected zone". At this point, to achieve a robust repair they're going to need to instal a backer-bar on the inside from above, and that has it's own issues unless a very experienced welder does the work. I'd be pushing for a new hull.

My buddy who is a welder said the exact same thing... And when the dealer sent it to their "master welder" he said the same exact thing and would not touch it. I wonder how I "push" for a new hull??? Do I fight that fight through the dealership? It sounds like they have a person there that pretty much deals with warranty issues all the time, seemed rather reluctant to give me any contact at the Ranger "plant". My deal is this... I have 2 kids under 6, I can always play the safety card, as it is a legit play.

[jimsch]

Send Ranger any statements you can get from the dealer and any weld shops that will document it for you.
Have been in welding, fabrication and design for 40 plus years. my opinion is the same. Poor weld job.

[duecefive25]

Send Ranger any statements you can get from the dealer and any weld shops that will document it for you.
Have been in welding, fabrication and design for 40 plus years. my opinion is the same. Poor weld job.

thank you sir!