Unforgivably Poor Workmanship on my 38 EC
01-09-2017 | 10:17 PM
#31
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,357
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
Time to blow a lotta steam off...
....I bought a 2008 38 EC brand new from Shogren Fountain with a trailer.
Within a couple of months Reggie declared "bankruptcy" and my 6 year Hull warranty ceased to exist...
I took meticulous care of it, knowing I had no support from Fountain... Always on a trailer or hoist, and always inside, heated, storage in the Winter.
2 years ago, a tech thought he heard water dripping behind an engine, so we had it inspected, mechanically and structurally.
Here's what was found:
80% of the transom was completely rotted out, and about 3 feet of the rear stringers were mush!
How does this happen on a boat that only gets wet when it is running??
Really poor workmanship and assembly!!
1. There was no gelcoat or sealant where the thru-hull exhaust was cut out in the transom.
2. Worse yet, there is a collecting area for rain water, sea water, and bilge pump water that leads to the side drains. This area had zero water proofing in it... just white paint.
So everytime it rained, or the bilge pump ran, water seeped into the hull, which lead down to the transom, which butted up to the stringers (That had no waterproofing layer between
the transom and stringers) which soaked the stringers too.
Even though Fountain had gone through a couple of bankruptcies by this point, I called Customer Service for help... What a joke! I was told that the new owners had bought the assets,
but would not be liable for any past problems.. I asked them to at least donate marine-grade plywood to help defer my repair costs... NOPE, that would make them appear guilty of something.
In conclusion, The repair bill was nearly $30,000. I sold the boat as soon as it was seaworthy...
...More seaworthy now, than when Fountain built it.
I also learned from a number of High Performance salesmen, that Fountains are renowned for leaky hulls and wet stringers, and they are leery when they come up for trade.
Get your hulls checked ASAP, my outdrives were hanging on by the hydraulic steering rams!
Needless to say, I won't ever be buying my 4th Fountain.
....I bought a 2008 38 EC brand new from Shogren Fountain with a trailer.
Within a couple of months Reggie declared "bankruptcy" and my 6 year Hull warranty ceased to exist...
I took meticulous care of it, knowing I had no support from Fountain... Always on a trailer or hoist, and always inside, heated, storage in the Winter.
2 years ago, a tech thought he heard water dripping behind an engine, so we had it inspected, mechanically and structurally.
Here's what was found:
80% of the transom was completely rotted out, and about 3 feet of the rear stringers were mush!
How does this happen on a boat that only gets wet when it is running??
Really poor workmanship and assembly!!
1. There was no gelcoat or sealant where the thru-hull exhaust was cut out in the transom.
2. Worse yet, there is a collecting area for rain water, sea water, and bilge pump water that leads to the side drains. This area had zero water proofing in it... just white paint.
So everytime it rained, or the bilge pump ran, water seeped into the hull, which lead down to the transom, which butted up to the stringers (That had no waterproofing layer between
the transom and stringers) which soaked the stringers too.
Even though Fountain had gone through a couple of bankruptcies by this point, I called Customer Service for help... What a joke! I was told that the new owners had bought the assets,
but would not be liable for any past problems.. I asked them to at least donate marine-grade plywood to help defer my repair costs... NOPE, that would make them appear guilty of something.
In conclusion, The repair bill was nearly $30,000. I sold the boat as soon as it was seaworthy...
...More seaworthy now, than when Fountain built it.
I also learned from a number of High Performance salesmen, that Fountains are renowned for leaky hulls and wet stringers, and they are leery when they come up for trade.
Get your hulls checked ASAP, my outdrives were hanging on by the hydraulic steering rams!
Needless to say, I won't ever be buying my 4th Fountain.
Do You have any idea how much work it is to build a boat?
How hard it is to get workers to work for you?
Especially when you are in high demand you get really swamped. Every one is burned out.
All the workers are doing all they can and are working so many hours so WE can have a cool fast Fountain powerboat. somebody missed caulking your exhaust. oh well. You gotta check that sh!t
01-10-2017 | 04:37 AM
#32
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,309
Likes: 1,815
From: Merritt Island, FL
01-10-2017 | 06:51 AM
#33
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,461
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, OH
I don't see how you can justify sub-par workmanship on a boat that cost what, $300-400-500K when it was new?
For comparison-sake, say a new car/truck has a leaky window that trashed the interior or electronics and required replacement, this would be unacceptable by most of the people on this site.
There is no excuse for a boat 8 years old needing $30,000 worth of work due to lazy construction and quality control processes, regardless of the manufacturer. The damage didn't happen all of a sudden, obviously it started from the first time the boat was rolled out of the factory, put in the water, and caught in that first rain-storm. From the sound of it, about ten minutes and $5.00 worth of materials would have prevented the majority of the long-term damage on this boat if only one guy, who's job it was to do these tasks in the first place, would have given a half-a-phuck.
,
For comparison-sake, say a new car/truck has a leaky window that trashed the interior or electronics and required replacement, this would be unacceptable by most of the people on this site.
There is no excuse for a boat 8 years old needing $30,000 worth of work due to lazy construction and quality control processes, regardless of the manufacturer. The damage didn't happen all of a sudden, obviously it started from the first time the boat was rolled out of the factory, put in the water, and caught in that first rain-storm. From the sound of it, about ten minutes and $5.00 worth of materials would have prevented the majority of the long-term damage on this boat if only one guy, who's job it was to do these tasks in the first place, would have given a half-a-phuck.
,
Were all of your fountains like this?
Do You have any idea how much work it is to build a boat?
How hard it is to get workers to work for you?
Especially when you are in high demand you get really swamped. Every one is burned out.
All the workers are doing all they can and are working so many hours so WE can have a cool fast Fountain powerboat. somebody missed caulking your exhaust. oh well. You gotta check that sh!t
Do You have any idea how much work it is to build a boat?
How hard it is to get workers to work for you?
Especially when you are in high demand you get really swamped. Every one is burned out.
All the workers are doing all they can and are working so many hours so WE can have a cool fast Fountain powerboat. somebody missed caulking your exhaust. oh well. You gotta check that sh!t
01-10-2017 | 07:46 AM
#34
Registered
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,785
Likes: 650
From: Lakewood, NY, USA
Were all of your fountains like this?
Do You have any idea how much work it is to build a boat?
How hard it is to get workers to work for you?
Especially when you are in high demand you get really swamped. Every one is burned out.
All the workers are doing all they can and are working so many hours so WE can have a cool fast Fountain powerboat. somebody missed caulking your exhaust. oh well. You gotta check that sh!t
Do You have any idea how much work it is to build a boat?
How hard it is to get workers to work for you?
Especially when you are in high demand you get really swamped. Every one is burned out.
All the workers are doing all they can and are working so many hours so WE can have a cool fast Fountain powerboat. somebody missed caulking your exhaust. oh well. You gotta check that sh!t
Padraig
01-10-2017 | 07:59 AM
#35
VIP Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,992
Likes: 48
From: Cleveland Ohio
Every boat was new at one time and assembly choices were made. So there really is no excuse for the transom issue. Maybe a bean counter decision, maybe just cutting corners on the floor to get it done. I agree that with $5 worth of materials and PROPER exhausts exits there would be many less issues. This ranks up there with Formula on the deck and engine bay liner bonding issues.
01-10-2017 | 08:48 AM
#36
Registered
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,042
Likes: 712
From: Toledo Oh
Were all of your fountains like this?
Do You have any idea how much work it is to build a boat?
How hard it is to get workers to work for you?
Especially when you are in high demand you get really swamped. Every one is burned out.
All the workers are doing all they can and are working so many hours so WE can have a cool fast Fountain powerboat. somebody missed caulking your exhaust. oh well. You gotta check that sh!t
Do You have any idea how much work it is to build a boat?
How hard it is to get workers to work for you?
Especially when you are in high demand you get really swamped. Every one is burned out.
All the workers are doing all they can and are working so many hours so WE can have a cool fast Fountain powerboat. somebody missed caulking your exhaust. oh well. You gotta check that sh!t
01-10-2017 | 09:23 AM
#37
Gold Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,643
Likes: 18
From: cleveland ohio
My job is mentally and physically challenging.
I think I'm just going to start cutting corners and generally start doing a $hitty job.
When anyone asks why, I'll just point out that it's REALLY hard and I need
A hug.
I think I'm just going to start cutting corners and generally start doing a $hitty job.
When anyone asks why, I'll just point out that it's REALLY hard and I need
A hug.
01-10-2017 | 12:02 PM
#38
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,357
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
If people were perfect, they would not have to depend on azzhats like you to put food on the table. Everyone makes mistakes . I don't care how much money you spent . If you have a high perf boat with the exhaust close to the water. You should research it. Unless you are just plain a driver only. Ha ha. Then you need a sea ray. Ha ha. There was no intetion act of wrong doing on this guys boat. Do you think fountain wanted it to happen? Take your hate and shove it. Go and ***** somewhere else . This is a happy place and once again . Hate hate hate. I just look at the plus side. That being. Only a few of them had this trouble . My 2000 is still perfect and solid . And if i happen to be only one of the few with a good boat . Well maybe thats cause im just positive. I been ****ed over before. I bicchhed before. But only when i delt with the worker myself at the time . I'm not attacking the brand . Just the worker . But how can i when no bodies perfect. (Unless you had a face to face whith the person that made the mistake. And they just pksin don't give a sh!t. )You are just guessing who screwed up and thats up to you . But we all like our fountains. And I'm sure the are Sorry that something like this happened. So everone check your exhaust pipes. Thats all you needed to say " everone check your exhaust pipes " Fack all of your guys hate
Last edited by mcprodesign; 01-10-2017 at 12:06 PM.
01-10-2017 | 12:29 PM
#39
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 24,204
Likes: 1,592
From: Worldwide
I'm not sure how "hate" came into this. The OP is a 3 time owner of Fountains. I don't think you could have qualified him as a hater.
Several boat brands went to hell over the years due to the labor and financial crises over the past 10 years or so; not to ownership that also destroyed some companies.
Several boat brands went to hell over the years due to the labor and financial crises over the past 10 years or so; not to ownership that also destroyed some companies.
01-10-2017 | 12:44 PM
#40
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,042
Likes: 712
From: Toledo Oh
So my job s helping people meet death... If I screw up, does that mean they live??? If yo really want to discuss boats with rot, we could talk about wellcraft. Trucks rust boats rot, it happens... Some just have better preventative measures than others
