Xpress hull warranting is crap!!

Huntindave wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>TheFamousGrouse wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Huntindave wrote:</div>
When the hull is off the trailer. Check both visually and by feel if visibility is limited. I’ll also inspect the trailer bunks themselves. Again, how do you check to see if there is any wear or damage occurring?

I’m interested to know how you visually inspect the part of the hull rests on the bunks when the boat is off the trailer and presumably the hull is in the water?

Grouse

I personally have visually looked at the hull while under water. I have also personally used a cradle along with a hydraulic jack to raise the hull to inspect these areas. Someone mentioned using a camera while the hull is in the water.
I don’t inspect every time I launch. I do inspect usually once if not twice a year. How often do you inspect your entire hull, how often do you inspect the entire roof of your house? If you are unable to do this yourself do you pay someone to do these inspections? Or do you wait until water is coming thru the hull of your boat or thru the roof of your house?
I’m interested to know how you determine that no damage is occurring to these areas, if you never check them.

If nothing else good comes from this thread, at least people may be more aware that “out of sight–out of mind” is not always the best policy.

Huntindave wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>TheFamousGrouse wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Huntindave wrote:</div>
When the hull is off the trailer. Check both visually and by feel if visibility is limited. I’ll also inspect the trailer bunks themselves. Again, how do you check to see if there is any wear or damage occurring?

I’m interested to know how you visually inspect the part of the hull rests on the bunks when the boat is off the trailer and presumably the hull is in the water?

Grouse

I personally have visually looked at the hull while under water. I have also personally used a cradle along with a hydraulic jack to raise the hull to inspect these areas. Someone mentioned using a camera while the hull is in the water.
I don’t inspect every time I launch. I do inspect usually once if not twice a year. How often do you inspect your entire hull, how often do you inspect the entire roof of your house? If you are unable to do this yourself do you pay someone to do these inspections? Or do you wait until water is coming thru the hull of your boat or thru the roof of your house?
I’m interested to know how you determine that no damage is occurring to these areas, if you never check them.

If nothing else good comes from this thread, at least people may be more aware that “out of sight–out of mind” is not always the best policy.

Thank you for that post you made me feel better about not knowing how to check my hull! The water down here in Louisiana is not clear so there’s no way for me to look at the parts of the hull that are on the bunks without finding someone with a fork lift! Thank you again and God Bless! I want to see how that said person checks those spots

Or, all trailers should have skid pads on the bunks. My trailer had composite bunks and have never seen carpet.

Jason, could this be a potential insurance claim?

There are a couple of products that you could try if you want to fix this yourself.

Alumiweld from Harbor freight or muggy weld super alloy 5 aluminum welding rod. Both can work. They take a bit of practice to get it right. There are 101 youtube videos of each that will give you a headstart. The biggest problems are that if you do this it will discolor any paint near the repaired areas, and an aluminum boat is a giant heat sink, so it will take a lot of patience and a good torch to get an area hot enough for the surface to bond with the rod.

But if you do it, this will fill any holes and if done well can leave the surface as good as new.

I have never inspected the hull where my bunks reside. I also don’t fish in saltwater. I inspect the bunks themselves to make sure carpet is not full of sand and debris and are still in good shape. I check the bottom of the hull but I can quarantine the amount of people that get there boats lifted off a trailer and inspect where the bunk is at is less than 1 percent.
Sorry Jason don’t know how to fix your issue as that looks pretty bad and I have never seen that before on any boat.

Matt Moen wrote:

I’d try calling your insurance company.

Wow, what an ordeal. I feel for you. Best of luck, sincerely.

Insurance company said that it is covered under xpress’s lifetime hull warranty! So I’m screwed!

Huntindave wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>TheFamousGrouse wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Huntindave wrote:</div>
When the hull is off the trailer. Check both visually and by feel if visibility is limited. I’ll also inspect the trailer bunks themselves. Again, how do you check to see if there is any wear or damage occurring?

I’m interested to know how you visually inspect the part of the hull rests on the bunks when the boat is off the trailer and presumably the hull is in the water?

Grouse

I personally have visually looked at the hull while under water. I have also personally used a cradle along with a hydraulic jack to raise the hull to inspect these areas. Someone mentioned using a camera while the hull is in the water.
I don’t inspect every time I launch. I do inspect usually once if not twice a year. How often do you inspect your entire hull, how often do you inspect the entire roof of your house? If you are unable to do this yourself do you pay someone to do these inspections? Or do you wait until water is coming thru the hull of your boat or thru the roof of your house?
I’m interested to know how you determine that no damage is occurring to these areas, if you never check them.

If nothing else good comes from this thread, at least people may be more aware that “out of sight–out of mind” is not always the best policy.

In all seriousness, could you tell us more about the cradle+jack arrangement? I have wanted to take a look at the area under my bunks for some time, but can’t figure out a good way to do it. Swimming under the boat isn’t something I’m going to do, and I’m not sure how good of a look I’d get doing that regardless.

John23, all the pictures that I have seen involve cutting a large V notch in a big block of wood to “cradle” the V of the hull. This method can actually be used to successfully pull a trailer out from under a boat. I imagine wedge blocks can then be set on the bunks to keep the boat from falling?

Jason Noel wrote:

Insurance company said that it is covered under xpress’s lifetime hull warranty! So I’m screwed!

Time to lawyer-up.

HRG

ok $1200 later I have the bad spots wielded but now I need to repaint it. I would like to try an expoxy type of paint, wetlander, gatorglide, and fascoeepoxies. are the 3 that I can find does anyone have experiences with any of these or is there more? how do you like it and the pros and cons of it Please and thank you.

whats the link to that forum?