woodguru Loc: El Dorado Ca

I agree with you, which is why I posted the name, let them stand behind the products they sell...and media feedback can be one of the most critical things to their success

woodguru Loc: El Dorado Ca

After giving pressure a shot I will go to a jack plate as a plan B, I've found ones for around $500 give or take that would work, and like one that only hangs out from the transom a few inches rather than the 10 or so some so.

I've still got some moves, Lowe has never had to deal with someone who had a multi million dollar company with 150 distributors, I'm carefully opening genie bottles, because once some of these genies are uncorked there isn't any putting them back in the bottle...such as filing a coast guard product safety complaint...the onus then being on Lowe to prove that this model does not in fact present a safety problem.

woodguru Loc: El Dorado Ca

I may have a great case but that is still a tough road...the dealer sales contract has a mediation clause that has to be met first...they are asking me to jump through hoops right now such as taking videos of the problems. Rather than that I will simply file a Coast Guard safety complaint and let Lowe prove to them that the boat is not unsafe.

Still above water Loc: San Francisco ca

I wish u luck my friend. Don’t give up the fight. You have a very good argument. When I bought my Wahoo boat years ago it did not come with a motor. I purchased the the motor from a different dealer(wanted a Yamaha) when the dealer attempted to mount the motor they found a void in the transom and refused to mount the motor. wahoo boats would not address the issue. The dealer that I purchased the motor from suggested that I contact the the coast guard safety division. I did that. Once the coast guard became involved Wahoo boats jumped though hoops to address and fix the problem. They even compensated me with a free mooring cover and a bamini top. No boat manufacturer ever wants a complaint where the coast guard becomes involved. If u need more info as to how I handled my issue feel free to PM me.

HHenry Loc: Pt Loma CA

Good Eve-
As a small business guy 30+ years, and having to negotiate/navigate as the Sampson with many Goliath's, this is how I would handle this:
Respectfully suggest the Following:
As it turns out the motor's shaft is a wee bit short to power the boat properly and safely: there appears to be two options to solve this problem-Install a Jack/adaptor plate/modify transom to lower motor a minimum of 3 inches, or modify/replace the Motor with an equal or better replacement, that achieves same...As is, the Boat is unsafe to operate, (inoperable), This is Win-Win.....or we choose scorched earth...which by definition is Lose-Lose....
Some Thoughts - Good Luck
HHenry

HHenry Loc: Pt Loma CA

To clarify my previous post, the dealer should gladly furnish and install the Jack Plate, and you can write a glowing review on how well they solved their customer's problem...
As Teddy said "walk softly, but carry a big stick"...best to resolve amicably and settle with a jack plate, than to spend time money and energy to be "right", the Big Stick is better revealed than used:)
H

woodguru Loc: El Dorado Ca

I suggested a jack plate to the warranty department...he adamantly said NO, that boat is not designed for a jack plate.

It still remains that they can put a longer 25 inch shaft XSPro on it for no cost if not making money, the price they would get for the old motor with 15 hours on it is at least $9000, I offered an extra $2000 to make the switch to the upgraded XSPro (that only costs a few hundred more), and it remains that Mercury would give them an extra special lower price to help out. Lowe would kick in the cost of the labor to do the swap. The new motor literally costs them less than they can get for the old one because of everyone doing their part to make a good resolve happen.

If they will all pull their heads out of their butts and stop thinking about it like someone is eating the cost of a motor it could be simply fixed and made right as the customer (me) wants.

If Lowe is running close to the belt because of hard manufacturing times and increased competition, it flat is not worth it to them to put their business at risk over an issue that can be fixed for a couple of thousand dollars. The loss of one single boat sale costs them more than that, and how about if it's dozens and results in the loss of any dealers? I've owned and run a bird food manufacturing business with 150 distributors in the US and more in other countries, bad social media that affects sales can and will literally kill a business.

I told the guy at Lowe that messing with this was gonna hurt far worse than even footing the bill for a whole engine...which actually would have little to no cost.

woodguru Loc: El Dorado Ca

And how about if I file an unsafe situation report with the Coast Guard on this model, Lowe and other manufacturers have had to do recalls on less than this. That costs serious money, and once that genie is out of the bottle there is no putting it back.

Grampa Frank Loc: Gold Country, Georgetown, California

Hey Wood Guru,
Somewhere in this chain you mentioned that someone from the dealer side, said that this Lowe boat was not engineered for a jack plate. If that is true, then don't go down the jack plate rabbit hole. If you do, and anything goes wrong, you just bit the whole banana, and you own it all. Not just damage to the craft, but think about how bad it would be if it sunk. You may have endangered lives, and the environment, and the cost will be yours alone. They owe you the proper motor. Take pictures, keep notes with names and dates of conversations, and contact the Coast Guard. They will probably offer some guidance. Nothing wrong with sending the dealer a copy of this blog. Nothing wrong with posting a few recurring ads in Rancho's free newspaper, like our Gold Panner. It sure would be interesting to know how many 1775s they have in stock right now with short shafts. I looked at their website, and they have the boats in stock. Good luck Guru. Please keep us informed. Grampa Frank, Georgetown

woodguru Loc: El Dorado Ca

You live in Georgetown huh? I helped build my grandparents a house there in the 70's, my cousin still lives there. My mother owned the second oldest house up there off 193 across from the Arabian Horse Ranch.

Yeah, I'm with you on the jack plate with them saying no jack plate and voiding any and all warranties.

This rodeo has a few rides left...I play a rather ruthless game of hardball. I tried to tell them the kind of experience I have and that this isn't my first or most difficult rodeo

smitty Loc: maine

this is interesting. feel bad 4 u gu. i'm following this like a soap. keep at em. my money is on u gettin this fixed; 2 many reputable names gettin thrown roun here 2 risk reputation damage/lost sales. hang tuff bud

woodguru Loc: El Dorado Ca

I may be standing corrected on this in a weird way...having seen the difference the lower mounting position made, and trying different mercury props, it seemed like props had been ruled out...now I'm virtually sure they have not.

I found another site about boats and boating with a lot of guys out of Florida that has guys describing the same exact thing that have come to the conclusion that the Mercury aluminum props are junk, and they can create the exact same kind of torque steer and "blowout" in even mild turns...and that a quality stainless steel prop, even the mercury completely eliminates it.

This gives me new hope guys, I have a new Solas 3 blade 19p I will try next time I go out, and after I decide whether I want to go with a 17p or 19p I'll order a stainless. If that can improve performance as dramatically as guys are saying it will I will be very very happy with this boat.

woodguru Loc: El Dorado Ca

And I'm just going to say I will be owing the dealer and Lowe an apology.

In Lowe's defense, they mount and rig the engine to the boat, but they send it without a propeller, that's the dealer's call.

In the dealer's defense, it would seem that they couldn't go wrong with a Mercury prop huh?

FishermanLeeSonoma

Wishing you the best! If a propeller fixes this, that would be great!!! I am surprised that dealership hasn't been able to fix the problem.

NoCal Steve Loc: Dunnigan, CA

This is not an "I told you so", it's for optimism about changing the prop. If you remember all the way back to the first time you brought this up, I told you my Stratos had the same problems... that went away when I changed my prop. Fingers crossed dude!