Who to contact? / What to do?

[Michael Ludwikowski]

I was out on Sunday morning for about an hour and a half when my auto lifejacket went off. I noticed about an inch of water on the floor of my brand new Nitro 911.



When I turned on the bilge the water was just trickling out, but the battery compartment was full of water almost to the top of the oil tank.



When I finally made it back to the ramp and got it back on the trailer, I pulled the plug some water came out but then stopped.



So I got it home, pulled out the batteries and took out the battery platform to get to the lower bilge. When I pulled the platform off, I found a lot of junk left in there by the factory when they rigged the livewells. There was about 6 sheets of sandpaper (clogging the bilge pump), fiberglass chunks of various sizes (clogging the plug hole), including the knockouts they cut for the livewell drains and some screws and other garbage.



I cleaned all that crud out and emptied out the bilge. I took the garden hose and flushed out the bilge again and drained it out, let everything dry and then put everything back in.



I was out on Sunday evening and ran into no problems. It just bothers me that they would let a boat go out in that condition. I am not sure who to call. I called my dealer and they were very apologetic and were going to let the factory know, but that is all they could do.



Anyone have any suggestions?



Lud

 

[Greg Meyer]

An apology from the dealer is probably all you will get... But,

 

[Jim Jackson]

Go to the Tracker/Nitro web site. There is a "contact" option that will let you send an e-mail to the factory and alert them to the problem. That will at least give them the opportunity to address their quality issue. They can't fix the problems that we don't tell them about. We all expect some problems with new boats, but a problem like this is sure avoidable and a big dissapointment to a new owner...

 

[Mark Hofman]

You outta see the mayonaise jar full of the stuff I retrieved out of my bildge! Rivets, shavings,....it was utterly amazing how much manufacturing material was left the bottom of the boat.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

I still don't understand and Tracker couldn't explain why I was upset I found the same thing..about a cupful of shavings and junk...think that'll burn up a pump?

TEE

 

[Texas Transplant]

Lud,



Did you happen to keep any of the stuff, and/or take any pictures?



Tex

 

[Tony Payne]

I had the same issue with my 901 last year... the dealer cleaned it all out for me after my second complaint about it.



They also had to replace the livewell and bilge pumps (under warrenty) becuase of it.



...

 

[Michael Ludwikowski]

Hey guys:



I still have the sandpaper pieces, but not the fiberglass shavings. Swept those up and threw them away.



Have my hull ID. Am going to call Tracker and make them aware of the situation.



Had the boat out last night and all of the pumps (both bilge and livewells) seem to be working OK.



Lud

 

[Bryan McDonough]

I am just curious why you would have so much water in a new boat. I too have a 911 that has washers, screws and other garbage in the hull. The shavings are acceptable beacause i feel it is next too impossible to clean it all up after cutting and rigging the boat. But your problem does seem a little excessive.

 

[Michael Snow]

My 911 is a 1999.... I'm STILL digging stuff out of the bilge. The previous owner made a joke about it when I talked to him... he did say other brands didn't seem to be much better about it. You'd think after 3 years, the thing would be cleaned out...

 

[Gerry Gerry]

I have a 2001, 929, and I still get stuff from the bilge area. Depends on how much water washes to the front of the subfloor. My boat always gets water in it, the bilge is always wet when on the water. But I know your frustration, I got wires, wire ties, nuts, screws, bolt, plastic handle cover from pliers, and bunches of fiberglass pieces floating to the lower bilge. Q&A at the factory must be on permanent lunch break.