58 replies to this topic

[stoaway]

Hello. We have a 2004 Speedster 200. We just recently noticed that the gelcoat is cracking pretty much all over the bottom of the hull. Now there is an area where the gellcoat has chunks missing which is about 1 foot in length. I noticed that there were postings in the forum a couple of years ago of people with similar problems. Does anyone know what BRP has done to resolve these types of issues? I contacted a local dealer in my area and they told me that SeaDoo does not cover cosmetic problems. However, I don't think this is cosmetic, I think there is a defect in the hull. Please let me know. Thanks.

[Kevin Leclair]

I am sorry to hear about all the problems you have been having, have you tried calling anyone at the main office? Call the main office and ask for Remy, should only be one in the office since it isn't a very common name. Explain to Remy the problems you have been having and he should be able to help. The number is: (877) 882 - 2900. That is the main Bombardier office in Canada. Let me know if I can do anything else to help.

[rickster]

I am sorry to hear about all the problems you have been having, have you tried calling anyone at the main office?  Call the main office and ask for Remy, should only be one in the office since it isn't a very common name. Explain to Remy the problems you have been having and he should be able to help.  The number is:  (877) 882 - 2900.  That is the main Bombardier office in Canada.  Let me know if I can do anything else to help.

I have had to have my hull repaired at my cost one time, and now I have the problem again.

Had a couple of hair lines on the lower side part, where the V starts, and wanted them repaired. When my mechanic started grinding, he called me with the good news that the outside fiberglass after the gelcoat was weak and corroded, so he had to cut it and replace it.

Couple of months passed, and the same thing again. I though it was my use of the boat, since I use it for surfing and on tough seas, so did not even think about a warranty / defect call to Sea Doo. Also, there are arguments that trim tabs place more pressure than acceptable on the hull. However, I discovered a real hull defect and I'm thinking of my options now.

Here's how gelcoat and fiberglass works. The hull is like a big surfboard. If you've seen a surfboard, you'll notice fiberglass on the out side and foam on the inside. Now on boats the construction is the same, the inner coat foam, outer coat, and gel coat. This needs to always be bonded. If water gets in the bondage, it will deteriorate the foam, causing the layers to flex at different intervals. The result, you find cracked gelcoat. Generally, a couple of hairlines that are pretty much of the same length and form is a symptom of this problem.

What was going on with my boat? It was taking on water from the inside layer! As incredible as it may sound! I found out by luck. Sanding down the gel coal it started raining. All of the sudden, water was coming from the inside trough the gelcoat to the outside. I inspected the inside layer, and found a small hole more or less below the drivers helm. Small enough to go unoticed, good enough to cause problems. I kept on grinding down from the outside and found a 5 inch separation between the poutside layer and the foam. The foam was corroded. Imagine, three years of washing down the deck and water accumulating between the layers!

What to do now?

I'll need to cut the inside layer, take off all the corroded foam, and get to the outside layer from the inside. Repair the outside layer, new foam, new inside layer. After this, I'm sure I'll have no more problems. I'm estimating a $1,500 - $2,000 bill for the job.

Here's some pics...

[rickster]

Trying to get the pics in...

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[rickster]

Later..

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[rickster]

The problem:

Notice the corrosion on the inside layer...

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[rickster]

The grin (from outside). Notice the separration between outside layer and foam...

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[rickster]

Final...another look at the culprit (inside layer corroded):

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[Kevin Leclair]

stoaway what's the latest?

[stoaway]

stoaway what's the latest?

Hi Kevin. Well here is the latest. We took the boat to our local retailer about a week ago and he was very suprised to see the defects in the hull. He took pictures and was going to contact Sea Doo directly and call us the following day. It has been 1 week and we have yet to hear back from him. My husband applied a plaster/epoxy type of product over the part that had the missing gel coat and since, until now, the boat was water tight, we went out on the bay yesterday. Well the situation turned from bad to way worse. About 15 minutes after we left the marina we noticed that the boat was slowing down and the engines were not running right. We stopped and when we opened the hatch to check the engines the entire engine compartment was full of water, the engines were completely covered. When we opened the storage compartment in the center of the boat that as well was full to the top with water. We were fortunate enough that the engines never completely shut down and we were able to make it the first island in sight. We called a tow boat company who in turn also contacted the Coast Guard in the event that the boat went down prior to us being able to make it to land. Just about the only positive thing I have to say about Sea Doo is that the engines kept running, stuggling, but they kept running even though they were completely submerged under water. Tow Boat US was able to pump out all the water and they applied the same exact plaster/epoxy over the crack that we had applied to be able to tow us back to the marina. When we pulled the boat out onto the trailer we noticed that now the hull was completely crack with a large hole which is where the water was coming in through on the stringer. Not only that now we also noticed that the very bottom of the hull is very fraile and soft to the touch as if it is rotted. This was a very scary trip as we had children on the boat. I have been trying this morning to contact Remy at the number you gave me but I am not sure what time zone they are in. We are at our wits end with this boat and now we just do not trust the Sea Doo hulls at all.

[Kevin Leclair]

Wow, what a day!! Well I am glad to hear that you guys and the boat made it back safely. That number is in Canada so I am unsure of the exact timezone, if you have still have problems getting in touch with him today, then feel free to PM me your name and a contact number, I will try to contact Remy myself to see if I can get him to contact you directly. Also do you have any type of case # with SeaDoo, this will help him track down your case and identify the issues at hand?

[stoaway]

Wow, what a day!! Well I am glad to hear that you guys and the boat made it back safely. That number is in Canada so I am unsure of the exact timezone, if you have still have problems getting in touch with him today, then feel free to PM me your name and a contact number, I will try to contact Remy myself to see if I can get him to contact you directly. Also do you have any type of case # with SeaDoo, this will help him track down your case and identify the issues at hand?

Hi Kevin:

Thanks for trying to help us out on this. We spoke to customer service in Canada this morning and they told us to take the boat to our local retailer so they can take pictures and email it to them directly which we did. We dropped off the boat this morning. Well when we got on the boat this morning to take out all of our personal belongings we found a bigger problem. When we lifted the rubber mating/lining on the floor inside the center compartment on the floor the side wall on the right of the boat is literally coming apart. The layers of fiberglass are separating about 4-5 feet in length from front to back. The left side of the boat is fine it is just the right side. It is clearly a defect in the manufacturing of the hull. The local retailer was stunned to see the way the fiberglass was coming apart. He told me he had never seen anything like it. They contacted customer service as well and we are pretty much on standby until Canada responds. I tried to contact Remy but they would not put him on the phone and just put a customer service rep on. My only concern at this point is that it is clear that there is a manufacturer defect on this particular hull and I don't want to this situation to drag on for months when the problem is clearly evident that the boat needs to be replaced. I have heard from several people that this may take several months to clear out and I don't feel that is fair to us as we are paying for this boat monthly and I don't have it to use it. I am also concerned that if in the event they do give me a new boat, will I have the same problem with the new one or was mine an isolated incident which I understand can be possible. If there is anything you can do to help us I would really appreciate it. Please email me directly so I can send you the file # and my phone #. Thanks again with much appreciation.
Mayra

[Kevin Leclair]

Wow, I am sorry to hear about your continuing problems. Please send me an email with your file # and phone #, my email is the contact link at the bottom of the website. I will do my best to help you get your issues resolved, hopefully I will have better luck getting in touch with Remy.

[Kevin Leclair]

Mayra,

Did you get a call yesterday from the corporate office?

[stoaway]

Mayra,

Did you get a call yesterday from the corporate office?

Hi Kevin:

No, I have not heard from them as of yet. The only phone call I received from them was on Tuesday to let me know they did receive the email with the pictures. Have you had any luck?

Mayra

[Kevin Leclair]

Just tried again, I got Remy's voicemail again....

[Kevin Leclair]

Mayra,

What is the latest? I have tried numerous times to get Remy on the phone and I have left a message for him to call me back, but I still have not been able to speak to him. He seems to be more busy these days because I use to be able to get him on the phone to help me out with this kind of issues...

[stoaway]

Mayra,

What is the latest? I have tried numerous times to get Remy on the phone and I have left a message for him to call me back, but I still have not been able to speak to him. He seems to be more busy these days because I use to be able to get him on the phone to help me out with this kind of issues...

Hi Kevin,

We have also had a hard time reaching BRP. We just spoke to a lady named Lynn in Canada who is the person handling our case. She is apparantly a manager or supervisor. However she said she is trying to locate the pictures that the retailer had emailed to them last week. I know they received the pictures because we had received a phone call from them last week confirming they had received them. I am still trying to get the retailer to email me the pictures in which their delay in something so simple does not surprise me. Do you know Lynn? Please let me know if you make any progress.

Thanks again,
Mayra

[Kevin Leclair]

I don't know Lynn, but what you could do is refer them to the website...they should be aware of it. Point them in the direction of this post and have them look at the pictures here.

[fialoe]

Wow guys, that sounds like a disaster from start to finish. I am very suprised that a large organisation like BRP can allow such a poor customer service continue by losing emails, photos etc. I am delighted this topic has been posted and like many others will was patiently to see if BRP value their customers. This website is the most dedicated forum for their jet boats so if they do not rectify the problem I would have no doubt they could hurt alot of their loyal fans. However, again such a large organisation should easily fix this problem and I am sure that is exactly what will happen.
Keep us informed.
Fialoe
PS: Remy, surely you are not that busy that you can't return a several phone calls from the one person. Get the thumb out and help your worried customers and have the courtesy to answer a call from Kevin who is so loyal to your brand.