C&C warranty issues

[hardalee22]

Sometimes having a 30 year old boat doesn't sound like such a bad idea. In all seriousness, I hope this works out for you. I'm guessing that many surveyors would have missed this problem as it is not common to come across problems like the ones you have described. Good luck.

[PorFin]

Originally Posted by KeelHaulin

It depends on how the warranty is worded; it could only cover failure of material defects or failures due to incorrect assembly (like a bolt that was not properly torqued; etc).

My common sense voice is telling me that an improperly positioned mast and/or deck would fall into the "incorrect assembly" category (and hey, if you're gonna screw up, why not do it in a major way?)

[KeelHaulin]

What I meant was that a FAILURE of a component due to it being incorrectly assembled could be covered. This was just a hypothetical to point out how elusive warranty literature can be from covering you when you find a problem. The actual wording of his contract will tell if the boat is covered for these problems under the warranty or not.

The issue with warranties is usually not what is covered; it's what is not covered. In many instances there are so many loopholes; the warranty document is better suited for toilet tissue than as a binding document for repair coverage. The coverage that Novis is providing seems very minimal; I would like to see what other companies are offering on boats that are priced at several hundred thousand.

While I pointed out that this problem should have been caught and fixed during a pre-commisioning survey or sea-trial; I also want to say that the owner is not without recourse and that the warranty is only one avenue to pursue getting this boat fixed or replaced.

I don't think a good surveyor who has experience surveying new boats would miss this problem. One look at the chainplate mounts with a good eye for any problems would have discovered an asymmetric assembly. That should clearly point to more serious problems with the construction. In addition; surveyors carry insurance that will cover them in the event that they missed a problem with a hull that resulted in the loss, injury, or depreciation in value due to the discovery of a glaring defect. While I don't feel that the surveyor should be held liable for every small thing; I do think it is his/her responsibility to find obvious construction problems such as this one.

Is the mast deck-stepped? If it's offset from where the compression post is located inside; the argument could be made that the boat is not structurally sound and could cause an injury or death if the rig comes down. I would find the best marine surveyor you can find in your area and explain the problem you are having so he can prepare a survey that points out what is wrong and suggests what should be done to repair it. Then send this with a letter from an attorney to Novis (with the suggestion that you may forward it to the Cosumer Product Safety Commission; and USCG).

In addition it's possible that the lein holder carries insurance for problems like this; or they might choose to write off the boat if you stopped paying the loan (I know this is a last resort). It seems that it would be in a mortgage company's best interest to pay for the repair than to write off the hull value.

You could pursue a lawsuit; but depending on what the lawer costs would be and the chances for winning a settlement, it might make more economic sense to walk away from the investment.

[Rustyf]

I looked at the warranty link provided by SD. The warranty is only transferrable if the bought is sold to the second purchaser and the sale is through a Tartan dealer.

[danielgoldberg]

Well this is the sort of thing that really ruins your day. Sorry to hear about your problem User. It's hard to know from what you've posted, and I certainly am not the most technically qualified person to opine (not that it ever stops me), but if the mast partners and mast step were installed in the wrong place (i.e., off centered), I don't see a builder (particularly this one) undertaking that fix. You are talking about cutting a new hole in the deck for the mast, then closing up the old in a cosmetically acceptable way. That may require new routing of running rigging and wiring. Then, you need to move the mast step. I can't imagine that gets done without having to re-do the interior furniture and cabin floorboards. You also might need to replace/move the chainplates, which again has cosmetic issues, not just structural (and ofttimes it's the cosmetic issues that make repairs very difficult).

I won't get into the details, but I have a little professional experience with the Tartan/C&C situation at this point, and its problems do not appear to be isolated.

[Cruisingdad]

Originally Posted by KeelHaulin

IMHO if it were a company such as Catalina we would not even be aware that it happened; because they would have quietly taken the boat back and replaced it already. This is a situation where you find out what your warranty paperwork is "worth".

Agreed - totally. I have seen Catalina in particular eat things they should never have had to eat. Frank Butler used to (not sure if he still does now) call the owners directly on warranty claims. Now THAT is a company that stands behind their products and takes their reputation seriously. That is one of the reasons I have purchased 4 of their boats: top notch support.

Brian

[davidpm]

From this website
C&C Yachts Home - Construction
is the following paragraph.
"Our hull-to-deck joint is a 35-year time-tested structure consisting of all inward flange in the hull incorporating a 6061, T6 hardened aluminum backing bar. The resulting joint is bonded with 3M's sturdy 5200 adhesive sealant. This C&C construction technique provides our owners the most secure hull-to-deck joint in the industry and also COur hull-to-deck joint is a 35-year time-tested structure consisting of all inward flange in the hull incorporating a 6061, T6 hardened aluminum backing bar. The resulting joint is bonded with 3M's sturdy 5200 adhesive sealant. This C&C construction technique provides our owners the most secure hull-to-deck joint in the industry and also allows serviceability from outside the boat.

I thought I understood it until the part "and also allows serviceability from outside the boat."
What do they mean by that?

[sailingdog]

How can you service something that is bonded with 5200???

[davidpm]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

How can you service something that is bonded with 5200???

How is an inward facing flange serviceable from the outside of the boat?

[sailingdog]

With a jackhammer...

Originally Posted by davidpm

How is an inward facing flange serviceable from the outside of the boat?