Another Broken Superboat
 

Well folks, I don't know after a fun weekend of boating I was looking over the boat,And found a cracked transom . It is about 6" long and it runs down from the top of my transom down the inside of the well. ( its a outboard) It is where the well and the transom meet. It shouldn't be to difficult to fix. Some fiberglass and a good brace with a gusset should do the job. I guess those two motors are to strong for the Boat ( HA HA). I'll post some pics soon and I'll show the repair job. BE SAFE OUT THERE!!!!!!! :( :( :( :( :(

That sucks! I hope you get it fixed soon. What year is your hull?

I HOPE YOU INSTALL SOME TIE BARS.I HAD A 24 SOME YEARS BACK WITH AN 18 INCH BRACKET AND TWIN 225S. THE SECRET IS TO NOT MAKE THEM TO TIGHT OR YOU WILL HOOK THE BOTTOM.BUT JUST TIGHT ENOUGH SO THE BARS TAKE THE HIT NOT THE TRANSOM.I BET ITS FUN TO DRIVE. GOOD LUCK THE ZUPERBOAT

Sorry to here that yours cracked too Gassticks.

Big gussets and lots of glass is how mine got fixed.
Don't skimp on the glass and if your not good with glass, let someone else fix her.

I put mine right back to the test with back to back hard pounding weekends. No more visible cracks. I'm glad I let the experts do the job. If I had tried, she would have broken again.

Good Luck! Let us know how she comes out.

Egg shell construction
 

Pat,

Who did your glass work? I have encountered a number of chips below the water line on the front and back right side. Are these boats made of egg shells? I need to have a pro fill these chips.

I'm suprised to hear of all these problems. I have heard people brag about the legendary strength of Superboat hulls. I have almost 500 hours on mine and just minor issues. I have one minor stress crack that may of been the result of hitting a dock or something. My only complaint about my hull is the way that the engine hatch is attached and supported. I think this area could be improved.

Dave M.

Dave,
My hull is a 1994.
Z.Zuperboat I'm not to sure about the tie bar thing , because water always sits in the well when i'm just sitting. I thought about it, but the ties will have to go through the well to tie into the stringers. How would I keep the water out? If I glass around the ties will it crack around them from the pounding? The Chesapeke gets real rough some times. I was thinking about glassing the crack and building a brace to fasten along the side of the well. I would back the brace with 2 pieces of 3/4 inch marine plywood glassed togeather and then glassed to the side of the well on the inside. then through bolted with a backing plate. Any other Ideas would be a great help!!!!!

Hi JMK,
Bruce at Castle Marina fixed my boat. He is real good at structural stuff, I'm not sure about gel-coat.
If I was you, I would just keep running the hell out of it until ice forms on the river. Then bring it back to JC to fix. You have a five or six year warranty on that baby.
Dave,
I have heard only great thing about Super boats. That is why I bought one.
When Bruce fixed the stringer in my boat, he found a void in the plywood. Told me it would not have broken otherwise. The two shelves did not have enough glass at the seam with the sides that's why it broke there. Maybe John's boys were having a bad day when they built my boat. The rest of the boat looks to be sound at this point.
I will say that I am going to put a big beefy race mount for the engine in this off season. JC says it doesn't need it, but it's getting it anyway. I don't want any more broken stringers.
Guys, I hope we are just having a little bad luck. Personally, I have broken stringers in 4 out of my last 5 boats, the one I didn't break was a 1978 28' Cigarette that weighed in at like 9000lbs. We run our boats hard and **** breaks. I'm not so sure about JMK's problem though.

I too have what appear to be minor cracks in my 01 24ft. in the corner areas where the transom and well meet. JC said they all get cracks in the jellcoat in that area? While pokeing around there I also happened to notice that the top of the transom (in the well area which on my boat is caped with a powdercoated piece of aluminum) the aluminum cap was missing a screw. I removed the aluminum cap to find that there was just raw wood. You would think that this part of the transom would be completely incapsulated in glass and jellcoat especially since it's often under water. Doesnt make much sense. I've immediately caulked it and replaced the cap. I should ask JC if this is the norm...

OH-Zone.
Mine too was like yours.Exposed wood . As I repair the crack I'm glassing the top of the transom.

What did you use OH-ZONE? Regular caulk ? I'm going down to check mine now. If you and Gassticks were the same, chances are my 2000 has exposed wood too. Thanks for the heads up.

I did use regular silicone, it was all I had at the house. I would recomend boatlife though a much better product for that application.

Shawn,

Was down in MIami this weekend and stopped by Pantera. I have seen your posts lately on Pantera board and remembered meeting you out in the Sound a few years ago in my 24 the week you got yours. How's it been going?

Randy Taylor

Hey Randy, Long time no see, Everything is cool here , how bout you? . I guess we sort have the same game plan going. I need to get into something a little bigger. I want to be able to go whenever and wherever. I got engaged last week and my wife to be wants a bigger cabin so I convinced her to step up in the performance class, so I have to strike before she comes down of that "diamond high". I'd like to talk to you offline to see how your trip to the shop went. i.e. Power packages etc. How was sunny Fla? Feel free to PM me anytime.
- Sean

P.S. If your wondering why its raining thats because I'm on friggin vacation this week !

Anyone know if either one of crossed flags decals that appear on your site are available they are nice. I've got a 78 24' i/o.
Thanks
[email protected]

Andrew at Computer Signs in Old Saybrook, CT made mine. He likely still has it on file.

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

This title seems to fit. Custom brackets being powdercoated. Tie bars go on Wednesday before my next outing that nite, before the transom cracks in half. O/B'ers BEWARE! F****N transom has no god damn knees like it should. :hothead: :hothead: :hothead:

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

What does JC have to say?
You have a 5 year hull warranty right?

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

I thought it was 7 yr.?? not that it would matter. That sux..

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

Hey Guys,
At this point it's only cosmetic. I just regret I didn't have the tie bars installed yet. But I fabbed everything as fast as I could. The best part is that JC swears his boats don't need them. I and others say he is wrong. 5 year Warranty. Good Luck getting any warranty work done. SB is a ghost town.

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

Holy crap, your boats only a couple months old right? Cosmetic or not that aint cool. Your close by so you can take it to JC to get the warrenty work. What about out of town buyers. I'd be livid if I had to pull a damn near new boat back to the factory for something like that.

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

What do you mean? "Ghost Town"
I thought they have a kinds of orders? :(

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

Cain
I agree with you 100%. I'm still waiting on the f.glass storage panel(under bunk cushions) I never got. & the new Venture trailer came with two cracked & split bunks that JC & Venture are aware of, told me they were being shipped, & after repeated ?'s to JC, I still never got the replacements after 6 weeks of a 52K boat sitting on them. I'm buying my own p/t lumber. The setback puts a lot of extra stress on the transom. JC's answer to others I have talked to about stress cracks is "what do you want me to do about it". But, when I put tie bars in my 21, he said why'd you do that, these boats don't need them? I am P.O'd and don't give an F anymore. I totally did the right thing with SB, 2 new boats, recommended quality product to many as my reason for even dealing with him , and I get jerked off in the end. His main man quit. Othewise, everythings just great. :)

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

TIE BARS INSTALLED. Trying out the 27 TROPHY tonite. Hope this set up will be the best run yet.

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

That should hold!! tripps

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

How did that new prop work out Superbash?
I had my 4 blade on for a few runs now back to the 3 blade.
1-2 mph faster with the 3 blade, I guess thats why it's on there. :rolleyes:
Can't get 70, with the 4 blade but it is much better overall.

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

PAT
Didn't get to try out the 27 that nite. Gonna give it another shot ASAP while I still have the motor at 2 1/2" below instead of the lower 3 1/4" where I get best lift. To make you feel real good, your old style hull is the hot setup. Stepp hull just won't fly without a ton of trim. I'm slowly solving the mystery. :hothead:

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

Superbash,
I am wondering if that notched transom is making a difference???
I road in JMK's 2002 and his boat carries about the same as mine...

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

I had my 3 blade out for a ride yesterday. I try it every now and then for kicks. I hit 74 with just me and full gas on flat water. The boat just feels too loose with the 3 blade. I can trim the 3 blade MUCH higher than the 4. It kicks a big rooster tail!

Superbash, maybe the OB version is different. With my 4 blade my boat does not really require a lot of trim. Maybe the weight in the back raises the bow and the 4 blade provides stern lift. Together the ride is good without much trim. Just a thought. Try a 4 blade and a few fat chicks in the back! :D

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

DAVE
I have a strict "No FAT chicks in SUPERBOAT" policy. :D I believe everyone about running loose with the 3 Bladers. Ny Trophy Plus is a 4 blade (O'B equivalent to Bravo). I can fly the boat in flat water only with a lot of + trim. I really suffer using the tabs cause it tends to drop the bow and kills my running angle. In head on or following 3ft.rolling chop, no problems. She will take on all full speed, no fear. Dave, does your step go straight in flat water or do you have to keep correcting??? I hope it's air in my hydraulic steering and not the step thing.
PAT
Seen a notched non-step O/B. Don't believe they are having the bowlift problem cause they are'nt really "speed guys" and have there motors low(4" below bottom) so I can really only compare to Oh-zOnE :et: chronic bow lifting problems, 4" setback and from what FASTXXX :( has told me, both Stepp O/Bers. I think more setback like the 18" Stain. Marine would benefit more. I think this would get the boat to fly better. It can't hurt and I think I'm gonna go with one. Like I said in other threads, they got a non-step non-notch I/O hull with a big setback running 72 with same motor as me. Like I said, it's the Flat Water that does it.

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

I noticed I have to correct my steering much more with the 3 blade. With the four blade I can take my hands off the wheel going 60 and the boat goes straight.

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

My boat tracks pretty straight with either prop if I don't trim to high. I can trim farther with the 4 blade without getting loose. I gotta keep the 3 blade on until I run my buddy's Velocity then the 4 blade goes back on.
The fastest water for me is about a 1' chop. With a small chop, I can trim farther than on glass without porpussing sp... If the water get bigger than 2', I use my tabs so she flys flat and that kills some speed. We tend to have chop and not rollers in the sound but when we get to the ocean, the fun starts... :D

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

Hynautic Hydraulic steering. I have 1 1/2" play in my steering wheel :mad: . Is this normal :rolleyes: ? If not, I think this is my wandering problem :eek: . Anyone :chick: :bunny: :chimp: ? Superboat Guru Pat :cool: ? How do you tighten it up? I bled the air out :( .

Re: Another Broken Superboat
 

I would not think there should be any play with a full hydraulic system.
Sorry Bash, I'm not familiar with the Hynautic system. :(
The helm provides all the power right? Is there a way to bleed both at the helm and at the pistons? Got to still have air in it somewhere, oil is not compressible...
I put a new power steering pump in mine today. I have never realy had to bleed the thing though. Seems to bleed its self and I just refill the res...