Originally Posted by Team Shogren

We are the dealer that sold boat to Chad. I would like to know if anyone has any information on his claim prior to Chad buying it that it was totaled at some point so we can help Chad. We repaired the boat after it was run on rocks in the fall (nothing major). We also changed the water pumps before we delivered boat and then a few weeks later it sunk. It was below freezing the day after we delivered boat. Attached are a few pics before we delivered it so these are current. The only difference is after making minor repairs to bottom of boat we bottom painted it.

If the boat was totaled which is being assumed some proof would be helpful so we could help get closure to this. I have posted pics of boat to help identify it. Fountain built a few 38EC's with 500EFI's and 525EFI's over the years while the majority came with 496HO's and even a few diesels.

What we know
1) Sold by Legendary in 2003 or 04.
2) Sold to broker in LOTO who then sold to a customer of ours with clean title in 2007. Apparently the LOTO broker bought from salvage then sold with clear title.
3) The boat was traded into us from customer in from OK with clean OK title in 2010.
4) SPM sold the boat to Chad and Chad had a problem with boat and then was told it had a salvage history which we cannot track

The insurance company has questions, one being why there was a brand new impeller in boat and a chewed up impeller that looks brand new inside? It is unclear why boat was driven so long while overheating and smells of burning rubber and smoke coming out of engine compartment reported by customer. The rubber between the tailpipes and the pipes off headers at the transom wall got so hot they melted and the water came in thru the transom.

If we did something wrong we will stand behind it but it is hard to understand how it got so hot that it melted these radial pieces of rubber and the headers got brown two weeks after we delivered the boat but yet there was a like new impeller in motor and fragments of an impeller that looked brand new in hose to pump. We are concerned that the day after we delivered boat it was below freezing and possible that motor was started with ice in hoses not allowing water flow.

Chad, we have offered to fix boat if it was our error and or take boat back on trade. We asked you to let us know where you stand with insurance company so that we can make decision on which way to go with this as there are details you are not posting nor do I feel relevance to post.

What would help more than anything is board members helping us track owner/owners other than the customer who traded boat into us so we can help Chad track to find out in fact, not speculation that it really was totaled. Usually a high profile boat with damage has alot of data and pics out there taken by individuals and or other. Until we know for a fact it was totaled and have proof I think we should be a bit open minded. We will be the first ones to support you if you can help find information for this claim and back track it to help you if necessary.

Any help finding out the history on this boat would be appreciated.

Thank you

Regards,

Scott Shogren

Originally Posted by dodgeman111

I bought my boat from a reputable dealer and later found out it was totaled when it was one year old. The dealer and I are unable to reach a settlement. Will my boat be worth much less now that I'll have to disclose it as salvaged if and when I sell it?

Originally Posted by Brad Zastrow

.... How on earth does the impeller look brand new after it overheated that badly?.....

Originally Posted by MizzouMatt

I respect the fact that you came out and stated that you were the one who sold him the boat before anyone else did. I think that is a good move, as powerful as a tool OSO is. Many lurkers, including me, watch how companies and people handle themselves in situations like this. I hope you guys get the issues resolved.

Originally Posted by Expensive Date

I'm a little confused,first off sorry about your boat but you did not mention that the boat sank (sort of while you owned it) also.So you are stating that its been down twice?
Honestly if I am understanding this correctly if it was or wasn't a salvage title when you bought it,well it is now.So whats the difference for resale value.Unless the previous damage caused the sinking which with the facts presented at this time seems unlikely.

Originally Posted by US1 Fountain

***Not suggesting this is the situation here at all, but just a 'theory' to explain the above question.**


New impellors installed after system was back flushed by an experienced person.

Inlet valves in closed position.

Owner forgets to open valves and runs motors long enough to smoke the new impellors, but then realizes the the new impellors are now toast. No damage other than needing another set of impellors.

Someone with lack of experience installs new impellors w/o removing all the peices from the damaged impellors

Opens valves, starts motors,

The old peices cause too much flow restriction causing the exhaust to get hot and melt the rubber, yet the presence of water is enough to keep the 2nd set of new impellors to stay intact looking new. Over temp alarms going off go unnoticed.

Boat sinks with both undamaged new impellors and the previously new damaged impellors in the housing outlet.