I have a little problem?!?

[Briguy]

John R It would be great if you could stop by the dealer where the '25 is and get the low down! Maybe even the pix. Better yet, find out who the owner is and have Cap.C call him. Wonder if the owner hired an atty?

[Trayder]

The 25 that is here in Rhode Island was an insurance claim. The boat sank at the dock in a 50KT gale last November. They stripped it and are going to replace everything. Going to be repowered with twin Yamaha F150's, it should be quite the rig. I did look it over the best i could and found no major issues. There was however cracking at the transom but that is not out of the ordanary considering the boat slammed against a dock submerged during a storm..

Again the boat in RI does not have the same issues as Captn C's boat.

[Abe's Rocket]

So has a lawyer advised you not to talk about this situation until its resolved, or has nothing happened?

[Captn C]

A little of both. I really don't have any recourse until they don't fix everything or it breaks again. They told me two 1/2 weeks ago it would ready in two 1/2 weeks, but I was told yesterday they just sent gel-coat to them in Tennessee and that didn't have a completion date yet. They also said they just approved the estimate on the repairs, so I don't think they have started on it yet. I hope they have at least opened it up. I have requested Tracker send the repair shop a list I made of the crack issues for them to list the process in which they plan to resolve each one. They have rejected that request and had offered to send me a copy of the estimate. I requested it yesterday because he said they had it in hand, but they have yet to reply to that request.

I have told them if it returns with any unresolved issues that they shouldn't even bother to un-hook it from the delivery truck, because it is going back. They said everything we've talked about will be taken care of. They just are reluctant to prove it.

[steveV]

Wow! brings back old memories!
in 1989 I bought a 23' tracker seacraft,while I was rigging it out for tuna fishing putting pumps in the bilge and all kinds of other things I noticed that when I drilled a hole in the transom water came out.Not good for a boat that had never even been in the water .This was february so I contacted Tracker who told me to use the boat for the season and then send it to them. I did. Well ,as you know Tracker was going to stop building the Seacraft at this time so they told me they would fix the boat rather than replace it.but then they found stringer problems also and that changed everything.at this point they offered to buy the boat back and pay all my expenses,and labor costs.this worked out very well for me,I made out in the end.
As far as yours goes,why is Tracker getting involved is'nt Seacraft a company on their own now?
Whatever happens I wish you luck,hopefully my story will give you some peace of mind in the outcome.Be Persistant and do all correspondence by registered mail also keep copies of everything.
Good luck.Steve

[Mark]

I think the most telling statement that I have heard on this topic was made by the guy that is completely redoing my 1971 when he was describing the current crop of new SeaCrafts, some of which he has worked on: "in thiry years, nobody will go to the trouble to have these things rebuilt like they are willing to do with the Potter boats...they'll just drive them to the local landfill".

I don't say this to disparage the new boats, many of which I have had a great time on. Merely pointing out that the older hulls have a cache that the new ones can't seem to acquire.

-Oh, and to respond to the question by Tuneafish as to why Tracker is getting involved....they OWN SeaCraft these days along with all the glitter-paint boats you see at Bass Pro Shops. Johnny Morris owns quite a number of boat lines, and they are all under the Tracker Marine umbrella.

[Captn C]

I got a letter yesterday afternoon from Tracker....I have been asking them over and over "when does the warranty run out on my boat?".....Well I got an answer yesterday....

There is NO warranty after the boat is sold by the original owner!

Tracker nor Bass Pro Shop knew that!?!? Neither did I but they should have. They said they are going to repair the boat out of the kindness of there heart and becasue they want everyone to know how they stand behind there product...blab..bla. I do still have warranty coverage though my extended warranty, but I guess they forgot that when they sent the letter. PLUS the fact I paid BPS to check the boat over and they didn't act on the cracks before I bought the boat.

Any way they still have not told me when the boat will be ready. I'll be e-mailing them this morning.

[Ynot]

The problem with Sea Craft is Bass Pro Shops !I have been to the plant in Florida. Remember ....they build Mako and seacraft side by side.....the difference being Seacraft uses no wood and Mako does. I was told that they build 80% Mako's and 20% Seacraft. So lets say they need a Seacraft Hull...they pull 4 or 5 guys off the mako line to build a seacraft. In florida they had a big problem with the work force.....Non english speaking......and a big turn over of managers. Need I say more......Johnny Morris should sell off the Seacraft co build his Mako's and sell fishing Tackle. Johnny you bought the company because of the "NAME" Seacraft, trust me its far from it....

[Ed]

Captain C-

Keep on top of them and as soon as that boat is fixed, maybe you should think about quietly selling it. I know that is probably not what you want to hear, but it sounds like these problems may continue.

[Captn C]

Well we are getting closer to a resolution. I got an e-mail today that they will be putting the engines back on tomorrow. Then they are going to send it to a welding shop to have all of the welds on the T-Top re-done...surprised...I have never said anything about the T-Top other than I had to have it fixed.

There is a possibility I may get it back next week.