Robert Bland
Member
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2002
- Messages
- 11
- Reaction score
- 0
Well, I'm back again with bad results. Tracker's corporate heads have refused to consider my request for them to repair the salt-water corrosion attacking the transom of my Tournament V-18. Below is a letter that is in circulation informing the boating public as to Tracker Marine's policy on responding to manufacturing defects of their products. Tracker, I think will be surprised with the consumers ability to use the internet as a communication tool to inform the public of their refusal to back their products. I believe the below letter will be evidence enough to prove my accusations. Keep the below letter in mind as you will more than likely come across it again one way or another. Oh, I forgot to mention. I'm no longer interested in Tracker repairing the corrosion. I have done that myself with time, money and effort. Thanks again to the efforts of the people on this web site who tried to help me with this problem.
Bob Bland
Hull ID # BUJ20970B999
1999 Tournament V-18
Crescent City, Florida
I hope you will take a minute out of your busy day to read and digest the following account of how your corporate leaders are treating the people who spend their hard earned money on Tracker Marine products. This email is the outcome of countless discussions starting with my local dealer then working my way up to your corporate leaders. {Justin Maples}
My complaint was that salt-water corrosion was attacking the painted transom only where holes were drilled through the transom at the factory and the top edge of the transom just under the transom cap. These areas have edges of bare metal due to production design. Everybody's first thought was that it was caused stray current corrosion {electrolysis}. But since the zinc tabs on the motor show little, if any sign of being attacked by current and there is no sign whatsoever of electrolysis on the lower unit of the engine, this thought was proven to be incorrect. Next, they thought it could be caused by galvanic corrosion. But since transom drain holes that have a plastic fitting are corroding, the unlike metals theory can be ruled out.
So, from the explanation above, do we have a manufacture defect or do we have a case where the owner has caused the problem. I think I have a boat that is failing due to poor design or poor workmanship related to the painted hull. The sad part is that your corporate leaders won't admit to it in my case.
The above corrosion took place within the first year of owning my 1999 Tournament V-18. I should mention that the boat sat on the dealers lot for a year so it's actually not as old as the year indicates. The one important thing to keep in mind as you digest this account is that the boat was bought in the state of Florida, which is boarded by two bodies of saltwater. Keeping this in mind, why would Tracker Marine Customer Service send me an e-mail stating in all capital letters that since I used my boat in saltwater the repair would not be covered under warranty? This statement is even stranger since my local dealer tested my boat in saltwater during a warranty repair. I'm sure any potential tracker boat buyer will be interested in this saltwater policy. I take extreme pride in maintaining my boat and follow the Tracker Owner's "manual maintenance and care section" procedures to the tee. Example: washing down the boat thoroughly with soapy water after use in saltwater. This fact was shown to my local dealer as proof of my maintenance efforts that has resulted in a show room shape boat. On top of that, I live on a fresh water lake where the boat is used 99% of the time.
Well, thanks for your time. The above educational process is just the tip of the ice burg concerning my plans to make the boating public aware of Tracker Marine's saltwater warranty policies on their painted boats.
Bob Bland
Hull ID # BUJ20970B999
1999 Tournament V-18
Crescent City, Florida
I hope you will take a minute out of your busy day to read and digest the following account of how your corporate leaders are treating the people who spend their hard earned money on Tracker Marine products. This email is the outcome of countless discussions starting with my local dealer then working my way up to your corporate leaders. {Justin Maples}
My complaint was that salt-water corrosion was attacking the painted transom only where holes were drilled through the transom at the factory and the top edge of the transom just under the transom cap. These areas have edges of bare metal due to production design. Everybody's first thought was that it was caused stray current corrosion {electrolysis}. But since the zinc tabs on the motor show little, if any sign of being attacked by current and there is no sign whatsoever of electrolysis on the lower unit of the engine, this thought was proven to be incorrect. Next, they thought it could be caused by galvanic corrosion. But since transom drain holes that have a plastic fitting are corroding, the unlike metals theory can be ruled out.
So, from the explanation above, do we have a manufacture defect or do we have a case where the owner has caused the problem. I think I have a boat that is failing due to poor design or poor workmanship related to the painted hull. The sad part is that your corporate leaders won't admit to it in my case.
The above corrosion took place within the first year of owning my 1999 Tournament V-18. I should mention that the boat sat on the dealers lot for a year so it's actually not as old as the year indicates. The one important thing to keep in mind as you digest this account is that the boat was bought in the state of Florida, which is boarded by two bodies of saltwater. Keeping this in mind, why would Tracker Marine Customer Service send me an e-mail stating in all capital letters that since I used my boat in saltwater the repair would not be covered under warranty? This statement is even stranger since my local dealer tested my boat in saltwater during a warranty repair. I'm sure any potential tracker boat buyer will be interested in this saltwater policy. I take extreme pride in maintaining my boat and follow the Tracker Owner's "manual maintenance and care section" procedures to the tee. Example: washing down the boat thoroughly with soapy water after use in saltwater. This fact was shown to my local dealer as proof of my maintenance efforts that has resulted in a show room shape boat. On top of that, I live on a fresh water lake where the boat is used 99% of the time.
Well, thanks for your time. The above educational process is just the tip of the ice burg concerning my plans to make the boating public aware of Tracker Marine's saltwater warranty policies on their painted boats.
