I have been unsuccessful in getting a copy of a VectorWorks Marine warranty on a Blade.
Working on the assumption that such a thing existed, I expect that Falcon Marine is using a copy/paste version of the VM warranty.
The only reference to warranty that I was able to find on the Falcon Website was regarding if you got a dark colored boat. "Black or near black colors will not be warranted."
Did any Falcon owners get anything other than a handshake when they bought their boat?
Are these boats even covered under any sort of warranty?
I would even be interested in what AHPC and Stealth are offering for warranties on their boats.
If you call Matt you can get a definitive answer to your warranty question...the time you are spending beating around the bush is way more valuable than a $5 dollar phone call...My sister lives in your city and I talked to her on my cell ( I live 90 miles south of Matt) for 60 minutes for $26 bucks...how long would it take for Matt to give you a yes or no answer if the boat is under any kind of warranty?
Since no one else seems to have experienced anything like your problem with the Blade, it makes me wonder if any moisture got in the laminate at the cracking area and froze in your -30 degree winter weather...no boat would hold up to that...
Re: New Boat Warranty
[Re: Seeker]
#238042 09/21/1112:32 PM09/21/1112:32 PM
A quick check shows that Hobie's and AHPC warranty is just 2 years...NACRA doesn't say on their web site...so to expect Matt or Vector Works to warranty a 5 year old boat would seem two and one half times beyond what other manufacturers are willing to stand behind their products.
Re: New Boat Warranty
[Re: Seeker]
#238091 09/21/1102:41 PM09/21/1102:41 PM
I have to discount the freezing thing as this is way up on hull sides where there should be no water penetration issues. I would also suggest that I am not alone in my struggles with a 2006 model boat.
I personally did not expect any actual warranty benefits as evidenced by my initiating repairs before attempting to begin a discussion on the risks of building to minimum weight. That discussion went off-topic in two different directions so I brought one of the conversations to this thread. Many others brought up the warranty question, including the concept of a "introduction series warranty issue ".
Now if this hypothetically was a car forum and I wanted to compare new car warranties would I be shunned? Would people suggest I call the president of Ford? Would you be satisfied with an out of warranty 5 year old car that suffered rust penetrations so severe that the car becomes unusable?
I have noticed that there is a certain elephant who isn't in the room. Phones, emails and IM's do work both ways.
During the partial warranty period, extending for 5 years, VMI will cover the hulls only on a graduated basis. A deductible of 20% of the hulls value will be applied per year to the warranty settlement.
This boat was built by Vectorworks, no? Have you bothered to call them about any issues you may have? I know Matt and he usually does not say much unless you ask a specific question, but he has always been willing to try and help me out.
I would say that if you feel the need to whine on a public forum, then you should not be surprised to only get help from the other forum junkies.
Re: New Boat Warranty
[Re: mini]
#238131 09/22/1109:41 AM09/22/1109:41 AM
I don't understand what would be so embarrassing for him. He seems to have the leading warranty in the industry.
I have come to realize that one needs to consider the warranty along with other attributes when boat shopping.
I thought Karl would be able to tell us about the AHPC one.
One last thing, I haven't hidden behind the internet here. My Sail Number is on here along with other details in my profile. If there was anything any business man felt he couldn't discuss in public, he knows how to contact me in private.
You see, that is what I don't understand. I am fixing THE problem, although with some input from a website.
The other problem I have is that I have been forced to contemplate buying another boat and asking myself, from what manufacturer?
So I asked, is paying for minimum weight worth it? And then I asked, how do the warranties compare?
Never did I ask "Is this covered?" All though many others did.
What did I find out? That everyone seems a bit touchy.
I am a bit touchy too. I bought a brand new Ranger for considerably less than I paid for a brand new Blade. And yet I anticipate it to last much longer than five years of year around use.
Nacra warranty is 2 years on everything. That is the legal requirement in the EU so I suspect other builders are the same. Nacra warranty used to be 5 years on a pro rated basis.