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Old 01-19-2003, 07:19 AM
  #1    
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Location: james city county,va,usa
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Default Trophy versus Striper

Any input would be appreciated,I am going to buy one of the two today at the Boatshow in Richmond.
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Old 01-19-2003, 07:28 AM
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Default Trophy versus Striper

What size, what power? We have a 96 25 trophy and an 03 17' seahunt.The trophy has taken one hell of a beating here off S.C. where we sometimes have to run a little farther just to hit deep water. Nothing has broke yet, not even the merc on the back. Not exactly favored on this board, but I worked in a drystorage that was also a bayliner dealer and saw first hand how the boats held up. After seeing for my self how the high dollar boats were falling apart just like the cheaper ones it became aparant to me to just buy what makes you happy. Do the research and find out what specs and features are important to your purchase.

high life
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Old 01-19-2003, 07:48 AM
  #3    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

Trophy boats are a decent low end boat. I am very familier with the product, after selling them for 6 years. It is a fair entry level boat for the tidewater area. I used to work for your local dealer, and you should do more than consider the price as a buying factor.Do your self a favor,and consider the service issues involved, especially with this dealer.When i left the Dealer in Oct. he did not even have a certified tech working for him. It used to be called Casey Marine, and the C. S. I.'s (Customer Satisfaction Inquiries) were absolutely horrible. So please keep that foremost in your buying decision, Afterall you buy that Trophy, you will be stuck with his service, other Trophy dealers more than likely will not be willing to help you for service. Seaswirl is a much better quality boat, and cost a little more but you can make up the difference with the tax write off, all there boats qualify,the Trophy 2002 doesn't.
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Old 01-19-2003, 08:46 AM
  #4    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

if you can,hold out for the beach show or the feb. show.better variety,and by then they will be motivated to sell.heard the new trophy dealer is not much better than the old one as well.

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Old 01-19-2003, 09:03 AM
  #5    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

"Tax write off"? What "tax write off" are you talking about?
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Old 01-19-2003, 09:16 AM
  #6    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

Wonder what brand of boat he sells now???

So Casey had low CSI while he worked there (won't go there) what about today? New owner?
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Old 01-19-2003, 05:50 PM
  #7    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

Ironically I was trying to decide between a 2103 trphy and a seaswirl 2101 cc. My problem stems from selling a 25 carolina classic (great boat) and looking at the quality issues of all the boats in the 21' cass.

I looked at alot of boats and tried to find that happy medium of quality and price. Then the hard job began, picking dealers that seemed to have a little honesty plus a shop. All I can say is its easier to pick the boat.

I ended up with a Sea Swirl Striper 2101 cc with a yamaha motor. The fact that Trophy forces a Merc on you killed the deal. I really liked the 2103.

Now I will be picking up the boat on saturday. Good luck to you as I know how hard it is to decide, with any budget.
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Old 01-19-2003, 09:27 PM
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Default Trophy versus Striper

The Richmond dealer ,same person still owns it.Same policies he always had.Nothing changed ,except the name. the last customer i was working with was at my desk and another customer came in which I had been working with, well right in front of the other customer the owner cooked a lie with another sales associate to tell my customer. Needless to say they did not sell either boat and Nautical Marine sold two. I just started laughing and told the customer at my desk to have a nice day. The bad part is one of the customer brother-in-law was working as a mechanic in the back,(un-certified I might add)
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Old 01-20-2003, 07:29 AM
  #9    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

While I know nothing of your local dealers, I have a Trophy 2359, my brother has a 2002, and a friend of mine also has a 2002. They are not low end boats. I hate ignorant statements like that. All boats are overpriced in my opinion, and the variances in pirce do not directly correlate into differences in quality.
There are more Mercury engines out there than any other brand, so I don't fall for any sort of brand loyalty. Any boat stands a chance of breaking down, so no matter where I am I want to know that there are plenty of mechanics who are trained on them and parts are available.
If you believe the hype, then it's a miracle that my now 3 year old Trophy with a Merc I/O hasn't eitehr fallen apart in the bay of the outdrive dissolved in the saltwater. Trohpies come with a ten year hull warranty - compare this to other production boats. US Marine is one of the largest boatbuilders (Sea Ray, Balyliner, Trophy, etc.) so they can benefit from economies of scale. That means that for the exact same resin from the same manufacturer (Cook composites I think) US Marine can buy that resin by the truckload for a less less per gallon than a small boatbuilder making only a few hulls at a time.
There are some people that would only buy Fords and never buy a Chevy. I've had both and can't honestly say that one company is better across the board. Do your homework and look at all of the facts. As soon as I hear someone say something like "All Bayliners are junk." I ask them what they are basing it on, and very seldom is it based on fact, or even firsthand knowledge.
There are a lot of people on this board who have a wealth of knowledge, but like any place you have to spearate the wheat from the chaff and separate opinion from facts. Good luck!!
Oh- as far as the tax thing goes. If you have a boat with a freshwater system, a plumbed in head, a place to sleep, and rudimentary cooking facilites, it qualifies as a second home, so in that regard, you can write off your interest just like you could for a vacation home (assuming you don't alread have a vacation home). This only helps you if you itemize your taxes, as opposed to taking the standard deduction. The tax law regarding which boats qualify is somewhat vague, and I've asked more than one CPA and they didn't agree.
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Old 01-29-2003, 04:07 PM
  #10    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

Seaswirl is the better boat by far. I own a 2000 2101 that I love. The ride is dry and handles rough water well. This is my second Seaswirl as I owned a 2150 for 4 years before this one. In between I had a 27 Doral (family boat) for a couple of years. While the Seaswirl is not a Parker, you get a lot for the money. My 2150 looked as good after 4 years as it did when it was new. In fact when I sold it I got $1,000 less than I payed for it. Rember a Trophy is a Bayliner no matter how you slice it. Take a look at the horro stories on the web about Bayliners.

Ted
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Old 01-29-2003, 05:37 PM
  #11    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

go with the seaswirl my friend has the 2600 with the desiel i/o this is a nice boat he just sold a 1974 24 ft wellcraft airslot although the seaswirl doesnt ride as nice as the airslot it has a farther range in fact i dont think anything rides like a airslot best rideinf boat i have ever been on that goes for cats and downeasters has anyone ever riden in an airslot
????
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Old 01-29-2003, 05:56 PM
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Default Trophy versus Striper

I use to have an airslot 24. I have to agree that it had a great ride. The training wheels on that thing worked well. That boat loved the rough stuff.
Great hull!!
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Old 01-29-2003, 06:17 PM
  #13    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

If you are looking at a 21 foot class boat, you would be hard pressed to beat the Trophy 2103. Merc smerk, Yamaha smamaha, They're all good engines. The Mercury Saltwater EFI is a workhorse and arguably one the best values on the market. I worried about being "forced to go with Mercury" My worries were unfounded anf I acually like my Merc better than my Yamahas.
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Old 01-29-2003, 07:54 PM
  #14    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

My $.02. Go with the Striper. I have a '98 w/a 19'. One tough boat and has been trouble free. I have had this boat in 7' ocean swells and 3-5' chop. Mine is up for sale as I have bought a Grady Sailfish (used,couldn't have afforded new as I would have gone with the new 28' Striper)
As far as Trophy, it is my understanding that they have worked hard to get out from under a tarnished reputation. I have ridden on several Trophy's (19'-23' w/a's). Came close to paying good money-for a ride back to the docks! Think resale value!-Tim
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Old 01-29-2003, 08:05 PM
  #15    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

The engine gets you back, not the boat. Don't confuse Mercury with Force. Mercury has walked away from Force. In terms of new boats/engines, this argument is irrelavent
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Old 01-29-2003, 08:44 PM
  #16    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

Well, I think that you'd have a hard time not getting by with a tax break on any WA class boat. You can bolt a silly water pump and alcohol stove on the bulkhead if it has a toilet and bingo, it meets the letter of the law. I'll be claiming my Trophy 2002.

I'll plead ignorance on the SeaSwirl. My Trophy's been a grand boat. Love it to death. It's no bay boat either. 35miles + out in 7-8' seas. It's up to how you drive. Yes, it's a real work out to be out in that big of water but it's no problem at all. Buy a Trophy and have a ton of money for the other stuff that you have to have. Well, if you have the money, upgrade. No matter what, buy your aquafreedom, there's NOTHING like being out on the water.

2002 Trophy, 2002 GMC Sierra 4x4 Crewcab 4X4
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Old 02-09-2003, 07:02 AM
  #17    
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Default Trophy versus Striper

Posted by Mrs. Kim Genrich on April 23, 19102 at 14:50:06:

This is an account of our experience with our brand new Bayliner boat.

In August 2001 we purchased a new Bayliner Trophy model 2002 from
Olympic Boat Centers in Oyster Point, South San Francisco. (They have
since closed this store and relocated to San Jose California)

With the options we selected the purchase price was a little over
$36,000.

We took delivery of our boat at the Oyster Point dealership and after
loading up our fishing gear, motored the short distance from Oyster
Point to the bait dock in San Francisco. After purchasing a few
anchovies we headed out under the Golden Gate Bridge with the intention
of fishing the Duxbury area just north of the SF entrance.

Just after entering the area known as the Potato Patch, we noticed the
boat responding very sluggishly and the bow starting to dive into the
small swells instead of riding over them like when we started out.

I opened the hatch in the motorwell (where the bilge pump is) and noted
the bilge was wet, but didn't have enough water to trigger the bilge
pump. I then opened the door to the v-berth, and just about lost it.
The cuddy was filled with water to just below the door. The bunks were
under water and all our gear was floating around. Our two dogs were
soaking wet and standing up on the bunks as water sloshed around their
feet. The porta-potty had also torn loose and come apart and was
banging around in the berth, it's contents now spilled into the berth.

My husband leaned over and took a peek into the berth and immediately
kicked a bucket my way and yelled "Start bailing!" as he turned the
boat around.

Heading back into the bay with a following sea, thrusts from the engine
drove the bow underwater. Once David had got our speed adjusted to ride
along with the swells (with the bow just inches from the water) I
stopped bailing to use the radio to inform the Coast Guard of our
situation. David could not take his hands from the helm and throttle
because we were in serious danger of broaching. When I keyed the
microphone, the VHF went dead. The circuit breaker had not tripped, but
we discovered later that the radio had been installed by the
manufacturer or dealer (not sure who did the install) with a 1/4amp
fuse which immediately blew when we tried to transmit. David instructed
me to ready the flare pistol.

I opened the storage compartment next to the seat on the port side and
found our emergency kit floating around. Fortunately it had not floated
into an inaccessible part of the bilge underneath the deck.

As we passed back underneath the Golden Gate and found smoother waters,
I looped the pistol and bandoleer from the overhead box and resumed
bailing.

Once in the bay, we were able to make a slow but steady way back to our
marina at Ballena Isle. I continued to bail water from the berth. At
some point, we noted the bilge pump starting to cycle. Opening the
access hatch over the fuel tank sending unit revealed water up to the
level of the deck. Water was reaching the rear compartment (and bilge
pump) by spilling through a small hole in the top of the rear bulkhead
where the fuel sender wire goes through.

When we reached the marina we tossed the holding tank pumpout hose into
the berth and drained it down to the level of the floor. We noted that
our spare life jacket had auto-inflated at some point as it floated
around in the berth. We removed the table mount from the center of the
berth to gain access to the bilge underneath the floor and used that
opening to suck the area below the berth deck dry. We also discovered a
small rectangular opening in the floor beneath where the potty had been
and used that access as well. For the next five hours, water continued
to leak into the berth as we pumped it out. We informed the marina
manager of our situation and they immediately brought down 115 volt
emergency pumps and installed them in the berth. With these pumps in
place, we called Olympic Boat Centers and explained our situation. We
were informed by Mike (I believe he is the store manager) that the boat
contained enough flotation foam that even if the last compartment of
the boat were to flood, the boat would not go entirely under water and
encouraged us to not worry about it and continue to enjoy the boat.

At this point, I have to stop and state that we believe that ANY
mariner who discovers 75% of his boat flooded and his bow under water
will be doing and thinking many things, but "enjoying" and "not
worrying" will be the furthest thing from his mind. I'll admit that as
I was bailing water, I silently prayed that I would be rendered
unconscious from hypothermia before experiencing the unpleasantness of
drowning, and that my husband wouldn't waste undue energy trying to
save my old carcase. This "Even if you are 100% flooded, don't worry,
be happy" mantra was repeated to us over and over again by both the
dealer and manufacturer over the next few months.

After several hours of literally begging the dealer over the phone to
assist us, he (Mike) located an off-duty salesman who lived in the area
to meet us in the marina. This person (can't recall name) met us in the
marina and assured us that the only problem was a "minor" leak in the
through hull fitting and insisted that we motor the nine miles across
the bay from Ballena Isle to the dealer at Oyster Point.

Again, I must stop to give credit to the folks at Ballena Isle marina.
When faced with the specter of a boat loaded with fuel and oil sinking
in their marina, they took immediate action to assist us. Their
engineer stayed with our boat and maintained the pumps while the marina
manager kept the office open well beyond their normal hours to allow us
to use the office phone to plead with the dealer for assistance.
Considering the situation, we would not be able to blame them if they
had chosen to tow our sorry excuse for a boat out of the marina to
protect the other boats.

After about five hours of pumping, the water stopped rising in the
berth and at the dealers insistence we left the marina (now night time)
and navigated by compass back to the dealer. (They wouldn't wait for us
to arrive and were closed when we got there.)

The following week, we were informed that our boat was "repaired" and
ready to go. We were told that the bait tank had been installed with
out any sealer and that it had been plumbed wrong. The moment we turned
on the bait tank, we were un-knowingly pumping hundreds of gallons an
hour into the bilge.

When we arrived to pick up the boat, we noted that the berth was STILL
full of water and pointed it out. The dealer attached a forklift to the
front of the boat trailer and lifted it to about the 11 o'clock
position to drain the water. After noticing that they had buried the
outboard into the asphalt, they lowered the boat, raised the engine,
and again raised the boat to about the 11 o'clock postion. A very small
trickle of water began to emerge from the garboard drain. When asked
why the water was not pouring out, the dealer explained that "because
of the way the boat is built, the water has to work its way around many
obstacles" and that "it is normal for it to take several hours for
water to flow from one end of the boat to the other". After about an
hour and a half of "draining" they proclaimed the boat "fixed" and put
it back into the water.

Again, (yes, stupid we know) we purchased bait and headed for the
Duxbury. Our adventure this time is much the same as the first
time except that this time the radio failed because the antenna cable
had been simply pushed (unstripped) into the connector and screwed onto
the back of the radio. While we could hear powerfull transmissions
close by, our transmissions could not be heard.

After our second "adventure" in our boat, we again returned it to the
dealer where it was discovered that the limber holes between
compartments had been fiberglassed shut when the stringer assembly was
installed in the boat. The bait tank system also still leaked and was
"repaired". The manufacturer instructed the dealer to fix the limber
holes by hammering a long 1/2 inch threaded rod through the boats
centerline from the garboard drain all the way into the berth.

Being a little gun-shy now, we launched our boat from the Encinal boat
ramp about 1/2 mile from the Ballena Isle marina. We stayed in the bay
and started a slow circuit around Angel Island while watching the sonar
for fish and structure. About half way through Raccoon straights, we
noticed the boat listing to starboard and moved all our weight and
ourselves to port. The boat continued to list and as we rounded Angel
Island, the boat AGAIN started sinking bow first. Yup, the berth was
filled with water as well as the center (fuel tank) compartment. The
bilge pump compartment was almost dry.

We headed back to the boat ramp but now the wind and chop had kicked up
considerably. As David navigated and I bailed, we both heard and FELT
several LOUD popping and cracking sounds comming from underneath the
deck. We discovered (much) later that the fuel tank had torn loose and
was banging around below the deck as the almost submerged boat banged
in the waves.

We did manage to reach the boat ramp but discovered that our V8 powered
van was not strong enough to pull the boat from the water. We waited
about one and a half hours (blocking the ramp) while enough water
slowly trickled out to lighten the boat enough for us to top the ramp.
When we got on level ground, we noted that all four tires on the
trailer were almost flat and splayed out at a wild angle. Our surveyor
estimates that at this time, we had about 12,000 pounds of water in the
boat(The boat is rated for 1500 pounds load). Although we blocked the
ramp for a considerable time, other boaters waiting to use the ramp
were understanding and patiently waited while our boat slowly drained.

We managed to get the boat unhitched and abandoned it at the ramp and
went to West Marine and purchased a 12 volt emergency pump. We returned
to the boat and spent the rest of the day pumping water out of the boat
as it slowly leaked into the berth from other inaccessible parts of the
boat.

Two weeks later, we put the boat back into the water and measured a
four inch starboard list still remaining in the boat. Standing on the
port side causes no appreciable list, standing on the starboard side
causes an additional 7 inches of list. The stringers and flotation
chambers on the starboard side are full of water...

We again contacted the dealer. The service manager at Olympic Boat
Centers (Geraldo) informed us that he had never seen such a defective
boat and had recommended that the boat be replaced. The dealer informed
us that they had no idea at this point how to deal with our boat and
had contacted the manufacturer for advice. Several months passed and we
were informed by the dealer that the manufacturer (U.S. Marine) has
refused to answer calls and emails regarding our boat.

I ended up calling the manufacturers service department in Washington
state and spoke with a man named Ross Robinson. Mr. Robinson informed
me that it was their policy to NEVER replace a boat and that repairs
would be made. I was asked to take the boat to the San Jose dealer and
that a factory engineer would inspect and repair the boat. I explained
that after removing the boat from the water the last time, the trailer
bunks were bent and no longer sat square on the hull and was uneasy
moving the boat. Mr. Robinson agreed that their engineer would meet us
at our home and inspect the boat here. I proceded to give Mr. Robinson
detailed instructions to our home.

On the appointed day, Mr. Robinson called and demanded to know why we
hadn't delivered our boat to the San Jose dealer. I reminded him of our
arrangements and he told me (quite angrily) "You can believe whatever
you want, but we never had that conversation." Our attempts to contact
Mr. Robinsons superiors were completely ignored.

We hired Randal Sharpe (http://www.sharpesurveying.com) to examine our
boat. Mr. Sharpes, moisture meter was pegged over a large area of the
starboard side. (a copy of Mr. Sharpes survey is available on request)

Further experiments showed that the hatch in the motor well leaks into
the bilge almost as fast as water could be pumped into the motor well.
The motor well hatch in this boat is almost always submerged when
drifting in a seaway. It was also discovered that the bait tank drain
(also often submerged when underway) leaked terribly and had no way to
close it off. It was also discovered that the low point in the bilge is
in the forward berth where there is no bilge pump. The highest point in
the bilge is exactly where the bilge pump is installed. It was found
that to get even a small amount of water to flow from the berth to the
rear compartment where the bilge pump is, three full grown adults
(about 600 pounds) had to sit on the transom. It is clear that any
water entering the boat finds it's way into the berth and raises the
stern (and bilge pump) even higher and causes the boat to sink bow
first with the last part to submerge being the bilge pump.

We finally retained the services of a law firm (Brodsky, Baskin and
Miller) to represent us. With a lawfirm involved, we finally were able
to get a response from Bayliners legal department. We were again
informed that an engineer would be dispatched to investigate and repair
our boat. We again retained Mr. Sharpe to be present and document this
investigation.

On the appointed day, a Mr. Charlie Life arrived at our home and
immediately launched into a very long explanation of why we shouldn't
be concerned with our boats list or sinkings and offered a plethora of
explanations and excuses designed to make us feel that we are in error
of expecting that a boat should keep water on the outside.

When asked to explain the list, Mr. Life first told us that this is
"designed in to offset the weight of a trolling motor that is expected
to be mounted on the port side of the transom." (our surveyor has
calculated that almost 300 pounds of water remain trapped on the
starboard side, that's one hell of a big trolling motor). When we then
demanded that a trolling motor be installed on the port side, Mr. Life
changed his story to the possibility that water has become trapped but
now after nine months has leaked out and the boat may be level without
the motor. (Bayliner has actually agreed to install, and has delivered,
an additional motor to offset the trapped water)

We were informed by Mr. Life that "every boat lists a few inches
and that nobody notices it until something goes wrong."

After about an hour and a half of this endless stream of excuses, I
asked when he (Mr. Life) was going to get to work. Mr. Life asked me
what I meant. I replied, "well, you know... taking measurements,
performing tests, examining the boat...". Mr. Life replied that he
didn't need to do any of that since he could "tell that there was
nothing wrong with the boat just by standing in the driveway and
looking at the side of the hull."

David, I and Mr. Sharpe finally coaxed Mr. Life up onto the boat where
he refused to perform any of the tests or measurements that Mr. Sharpe
or us suggested or requested. He continued to talk for an additional
two hours about why none of this was a problem. He finally agreed to
write down a few things that we had previously discovered and agreed to
fix them such as the leaking motor well hatch. Mr. life also stated
that he was here to make us "happy". We told him that replacing the
boat would make us happy. He stated he was not allowed to discuss that.
A copy of Mr. Sharpes report of this "examination" by Mr. Life/Bayliner
is available on request.

After Mr. Life left, more prodding from our attorneys was necessary to
get a responce from the manufacturer. They agreed to a list of repairs
and specified they would use a Mr. Erb to perform the repairs. Some
research of the local dealers and boating community revealed that no
one had ever heard of a Mr. Erb. We insisted that repairs be done by a
reputable boat yard and we specified that Svendsen's Boat Yard
(probably the best and most well known boat yard in the Bay Area) do
the work.

Svendsens has informed us that many more months will be required to
perform necessary repairs on our boat and to fully investigate and
analyse the damage.

After all is said and done, (if anything gets done) our boat will be
over a year old before we get to use it. It will also no longer be a
"NEW" boat, it will be a
three-times-sunk-year-old-cut-apart-and-glued-back-together piece of
junk.

All in all, our experience with Bayliner and Olympic Boat Centers has
been frustrating, life threatening, expensive and almost unbearably
distressing to us.

Thank you for reading about our unfortunate experience.

Mr. and Mrs. David Genrich
kgb6019@attbi.com



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Subject:

Comments:
: This is an account of our experience with our brand new Bayliner boat.

: In August 2001 we purchased a new Bayliner Trophy model 2002 from
: Olympic Boat Centers in Oyster Point, South San Francisco. (They have
: since closed this store and relocated to San Jose California)

: With the options we selected the purchase price was a little over
: $36,000.

: We took delivery of our boat at the Oyster Point dealership and after
: loading up our fishing gear, motored the short distance from Oyster
: Point to the bait dock in San Francisco. After purchasing a few
: anchovies we headed out under the Golden Gate Bridge with the intention
: of fishing the Duxbury area just north of the SF entrance.

: Just after entering the area known as the Potato Patch, we noticed the
: boat responding very sluggishly and the bow starting to dive into the
: small swells instead of riding over them like when we started out.

: I opened the hatch in the motorwell (where the bilge pump is) and noted
: the bilge was wet, but didn't have enough water to trigger the bilge
: pump. I then opened the door to the v-berth, and just about lost it.
: The cuddy was filled with water to just below the door. The bunks were
: under water and all our gear was floating around. Our two dogs were
: soaking wet and standing up on the bunks as water sloshed around their
: feet. The porta-potty had also torn loose and come apart and was
: banging around in the berth, it's contents now spilled into the berth.

: My husband leaned over and took a peek into the berth and immediately
: kicked a bucket my way and yelled "Start bailing!" as he turned the
: boat around.

: Heading back into the bay with a following sea, thrusts from the engine
: drove the bow underwater. Once David had got our speed adjusted to ride
: along with the swells (with the bow just inches from the water) I
: stopped bailing to use the radio to inform the Coast Guard of our
: situation. David could not take his hands from the helm and throttle
: because we were in serious danger of broaching. When I keyed the
: microphone, the VHF went dead. The circuit breaker had not tripped, but
: we discovered later that the radio had been installed by the
: manufacturer or dealer (not sure who did the install) with a 1/4amp
: fuse which immediately blew when we tried to transmit. David instructed
: me to ready the flare pistol.

: I opened the storage compartment next to the seat on the port side and
: found our emergency kit floating around. Fortunately it had not floated
: into an inaccessible part of the bilge underneath the deck.

: As we passed back underneath the Golden Gate and found smoother waters,
: I looped the pistol and bandoleer from the overhead box and resumed
: bailing.

: Once in the bay, we were able to make a slow but steady way back to our
: marina at Ballena Isle. I continued to bail water from the berth. At
: some point, we noted the bilge pump starting to cycle. Opening the
: access hatch over the fuel tank sending unit revealed water up to the
: level of the deck. Water was reaching the rear compartment (and bilge
: pump) by spilling through a small hole in the top of the rear bulkhead
: where the fuel sender wire goes through.

: When we reached the marina we tossed the holding tank pumpout hose into
: the berth and drained it down to the level of the floor. We noted that
: our spare life jacket had auto-inflated at some point as it floated
: around in the berth. We removed the table mount from the center of the
: berth to gain access to the bilge underneath the floor and used that
: opening to suck the area below the berth deck dry. We also discovered a
: small rectangular opening in the floor beneath where the potty had been
: and used that access as well. For the next five hours, water continued
: to leak into the berth as we pumped it out. We informed the marina
: manager of our situation and they immediately brought down 115 volt
: emergency pumps and installed them in the berth. With these pumps in
: place, we called Olympic Boat Centers and explained our situation. We
: were informed by Mike (I believe he is the store manager) that the boat
: contained enough flotation foam that even if the last compartment of
: the boat were to flood, the boat would not go entirely under water and
: encouraged us to not worry about it and continue to enjoy the boat.

: At this point, I have to stop and state that we believe that ANY
: mariner who discovers 75% of his boat flooded and his bow under water
: will be doing and thinking many things, but "enjoying" and "not
: worrying" will be the furthest thing from his mind. I'll admit that as
: I was bailing water, I silently prayed that I would be rendered
: unconscious from hypothermia before experiencing the unpleasantness of
: drowning, and that my husband wouldn't waste undue energy trying to
: save my old carcase. This "Even if you are 100% flooded, don't worry,
: be happy" mantra was repeated to us over and over again by both the
: dealer and manufacturer over the next few months.

: After several hours of literally begging the dealer over the phone to
: assist us, he (Mike) located an off-duty salesman who lived in the area
: to meet us in the marina. This person (can't recall name) met us in the
: marina and assured us that the only problem was a "minor" leak in the
: through hull fitting and insisted that we motor the nine miles across
: the bay from Ballena Isle to the dealer at Oyster Point.

: Again, I must stop to give credit to the folks at Ballena Isle marina.
: When faced with the specter of a boat loaded with fuel and oil sinking
: in their marina, they took immediate action to assist us. Their
: engineer stayed with our boat and maintained the pumps while the marina
: manager kept the office open well beyond their normal hours to allow us
: to use the office phone to plead with the dealer for assistance.
: Considering the situation, we would not be able to blame them if they
: had chosen to tow our sorry excuse for a boat out of the marina to
: protect the other boats.

: After about five hours of pumping, the water stopped rising in the
: berth and at the dealers insistence we left the marina (now night time)
: and navigated by compass back to the dealer. (They wouldn't wait for us
: to arrive and were closed when we got there.)

: The following week, we were informed that our boat was "repaired" and
: ready to go. We were told that the bait tank had been installed with
: out any sealer and that it had been plumbed wrong. The moment we turned
: on the bait tank, we were un-knowingly pumping hundreds of gallons an
: hour into the bilge.

: When we arrived to pick up the boat, we noted that the berth was STILL
: full of water and pointed it out. The dealer attached a forklift to the
: front of the boat trailer and lifted it to about the 11 o'clock
: position to drain the water. After noticing that they had buried the
: outboard into the asphalt, they lowered the boat, raised the engine,
: and again raised the boat to about the 11 o'clock postion. A very small
: trickle of water began to emerge from the garboard drain. When asked
: why the water was not pouring out, the dealer explained that "because
: of the way the boat is built, the water has to work its way around many
: obstacles" and that "it is normal for it to take several hours for
: water to flow from one end of the boat to the other". After about an
: hour and a half of "draining" they proclaimed the boat "fixed" and put
: it back into the water.

: Again, (yes, stupid we know) we purchased bait and headed for the
: Duxbury. Our adventure this time is much the same as the first
: time except that this time the radio failed because the antenna cable
: had been simply pushed (unstripped) into the connector and screwed onto
: the back of the radio. While we could hear powerfull transmissions
: close by, our transmissions could not be heard.

: After our second "adventure" in our boat, we again returned it to the
: dealer where it was discovered that the limber holes between
: compartments had been fiberglassed shut when the stringer assembly was
: installed in the boat. The bait tank system also still leaked and was
: "repaired". The manufacturer instructed the dealer to fix the limber
: holes by hammering a long 1/2 inch threaded rod through the boats
: centerline from the garboard drain all the way into the berth.

: Being a little gun-shy now, we launched our boat from the Encinal boat
: ramp about 1/2 mile from the Ballena Isle marina. We stayed in the bay
: and started a slow circuit around Angel Island while watching the sonar
: for fish and structure. About half way through Raccoon straights, we
: noticed the boat listing to starboard and moved all our weight and
: ourselves to port. The boat continued to list and as we rounded Angel
: Island, the boat AGAIN started sinking bow first. Yup, the berth was
: filled with water as well as the center (fuel tank) compartment. The
: bilge pump compartment was almost dry.

: We headed back to the boat ramp but now the wind and chop had kicked up
: considerably. As David navigated and I bailed, we both heard and FELT
: several LOUD popping and cracking sounds comming from underneath the
: deck. We discovered (much) later that the fuel tank had torn loose and
: was banging around below the deck as the almost submerged boat banged
: in the waves.

: We did manage to reach the boat ramp but discovered that our V8 powered
: van was not strong enough to pull the boat from the water. We waited
: about one and a half hours (blocking the ramp) while enough water
: slowly trickled out to lighten the boat enough for us to top the ramp.
: When we got on level ground, we noted that all four tires on the
: trailer were almost flat and splayed out at a wild angle. Our surveyor
: estimates that at this time, we had about 12,000 pounds of water in the
: boat(The boat is rated for 1500 pounds load). Although we blocked the
: ramp for a considerable time, other boaters waiting to use the ramp
: were understanding and patiently waited while our boat slowly drained.

: We managed to get the boat unhitched and abandoned it at the ramp and
: went to West Marine and purchased a 12 volt emergency pump. We returned
: to the boat and spent the rest of the day pumping water out of the boat
: as it slowly leaked into the berth from other inaccessible parts of the
: boat.

: Two weeks later, we put the boat back into the water and measured a
: four inch starboard list still remaining in the boat. Standing on the
: port side causes no appreciable list, standing on the starboard side
: causes an additional 7 inches of list. The stringers and flotation
: chambers on the starboard side are full of water...

: We again contacted the dealer. The service manager at Olympic Boat
: Centers (Geraldo) informed us that he had never seen such a defective
: boat and had recommended that the boat be replaced. The dealer informed
: us that they had no idea at this point how to deal with our boat and
: had contacted the manufacturer for advice. Several months passed and we
: were informed by the dealer that the manufacturer (U.S. Marine) has
: refused to answer calls and emails regarding our boat.

: I ended up calling the manufacturers service department in Washington
: state and spoke with a man named Ross Robinson. Mr. Robinson informed
: me that it was their policy to NEVER replace a boat and that repairs
: would be made. I was asked to take the boat to the San Jose dealer and
: that a factory engineer would inspect and repair the boat. I explained
: that after removing the boat from the water the last time, the trailer
: bunks were bent and no longer sat square on the hull and was uneasy
: moving the boat. Mr. Robinson agreed that their engineer would meet us
: at our home and inspect the boat here. I proceded to give Mr. Robinson
: detailed instructions to our home.

: On the appointed day, Mr. Robinson called and demanded to know why we
: hadn't delivered our boat to the San Jose dealer. I reminded him of our
: arrangements and he told me (quite angrily) "You can believe whatever
: you want, but we never had that conversation." Our attempts to contact
: Mr. Robinsons superiors were completely ignored.

: We hired Randal Sharpe (http://www.sharpesurveying.com) to examine our
: boat. Mr. Sharpes, moisture meter was pegged over a large area of the
: starboard side. (a copy of Mr. Sharpes survey is available on request)

: Further experiments showed that the hatch in the motor well leaks into
: the bilge almost as fast as water could be pumped into the motor well.
: The motor well hatch in this boat is almost always submerged when
: drifting in a seaway. It was also discovered that the bait tank drain
: (also often submerged when underway) leaked terribly and had no way to
: close it off. It was also discovered that the low point in the bilge is
: in the forward berth where there is no bilge pump. The highest point in
: the bilge is exactly where the bilge pump is installed. It was found
: that to get even a small amount of water to flow from the berth to the
: rear compartment where the bilge pump is, three full grown adults
: (about 600 pounds) had to sit on the transom. It is clear that any
: water entering the boat finds it's way into the berth and raises the
: stern (and bilge pump) even higher and causes the boat to sink bow
: first with the last part to submerge being the bilge pump.

: We finally retained the services of a law firm (Brodsky, Baskin and
: Miller) to represent us. With a lawfirm involved, we finally were able
: to get a response from Bayliners legal department. We were again
: informed that an engineer would be dispatched to investigate and repair
: our boat. We again retained Mr. Sharpe to be present and document this
: investigation.

: On the appointed day, a Mr. Charlie Life arrived at our home and
: immediately launched into a very long explanation of why we shouldn't
: be concerned with our boats list or sinkings and offered a plethora of
: explanations and excuses designed to make us feel that we are in error
: of expecting that a boat should keep water on the outside.

: When asked to explain the list, Mr. Life first told us that this is
: "designed in to offset the weight of a trolling motor that is expected
: to be mounted on the port side of the transom." (our surveyor has
: calculated that almost 300 pounds of water remain trapped on the
: starboard side, that's one hell of a big trolling motor). When we then
: demanded that a trolling motor be installed on the port side, Mr. Life
: changed his story to the possibility that water has become trapped but
: now after nine months has leaked out and the boat may be level without
: the motor. (Bayliner has actually agreed to install, and has delivered,
: an additional motor to offset the trapped water)

: We were informed by Mr. Life that "every boat lists a few inches
: and that nobody notices it until something goes wrong."

: After about an hour and a half of this endless stream of excuses, I
: asked when he (Mr. Life) was going to get to work. Mr. Life asked me
: what I meant. I replied, "well, you know... taking measurements,
: performing tests, examining the boat...". Mr. Life replied that he
: didn't need to do any of that since he could "tell that there was
: nothing wrong with the boat just by standing in the driveway and
: looking at the side of the hull."

: David, I and Mr. Sharpe finally coaxed Mr. Life up onto the boat where
: he refused to perform any of the tests or measurements that Mr. Sharpe
: or us suggested or requested. He continued to talk for an additional
: two hours about why none of this was a problem. He finally agreed to
: write down a few things that we had previously discovered and agreed to
: fix them such as the leaking motor well hatch. Mr. life also stated
: that he was here to make us "happy". We told him that replacing the
: boat would make us happy. He stated he was not allowed to discuss that.
: A copy of Mr. Sharpes report of this "examination" by Mr. Life/Bayliner
: is available on request.

: After Mr. Life left, more prodding from our attorneys was necessary to
: get a responce from the manufacturer. They agreed to a list of repairs
: and specified they would use a Mr. Erb to perform the repairs. Some
: research of the local dealers and boating community revealed that no
: one had ever heard of a Mr. Erb. We insisted that repairs be done by a
: reputable boat yard and we specified that Svendsen's Boat Yard
: (probably the best and most well known boat yard in the Bay Area) do
: the work.

: Svendsens has informed us that many more months will be required to
: perform necessary repairs on our boat and to fully investigate and
: analyse the damage.

: After all is said and done, (if anything gets done) our boat will be
: over a year old before we get to use it. It will also no longer be a
: "NEW" boat, it will be a
: three-times-sunk-year-old-cut-apart-and-glued-back-together piece of
: junk.

: All in all, our experience with Bayliner and Olympic Boat Centers has
: been frustrating, life threatening, expensive and almost unbearably
: distressing to us.

: Thank you for reading about our unfortunate experience.

: Mr. and Mrs. David Genrich
: kgb6019@attbi.com



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tsmietana is offline  
Old 02-09-2003, 02:58 PM
  #18    
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Fairhaven,Mass.
Posts: 72
Default Trophy versus Striper

I had a seaswirl 1851 cc and up graded to the 2101 D/C with a Yamaha 150HPDI and can not say enought about it. I fish and boat in the Buzzards Bay area and find the large hull and high gunals to be well suited for the bay. I bought the boats at Don's Marine in Tiverton R.I. and have been treated to great service and good advice from Don and his staff. I find it just as important to find a great dealer to go with a great boat. The Yamaha 150HPDI pushes this rig to 41mph with good gas milage and low oil consumption.If you want a great boat with lots of fishing and family room look hard at the seaswirl 2101D/C and then go find a good dealer to go with it.
GBOUTDOORS is offline  
Old 02-10-2003, 10:49 PM
  #19    
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location:
Posts: 247
Default Trophy versus Striper

tsmietana,
I can't believe someone has posted this old Genrich story again. If you read the story you soon realize these people are lucky they survived their own stupidity. For example:

1. Bought a boat without a sea trial
2. Never noticed the boat was handling differently even though it had taken on "12,000 pounds of water!" By the way that's 1,500 gallons = lie
3. Upon finally noticing the boat was taking on water they did not take the obvious precaution of turning off the baitwell pump and closing the seacock. = dumb
4. Pumped out the water and then set out, at night without finding out why it was taking on water and correcting the problem first = stupid
5. Stated they watched as the dealer lifted the boat with a fork lift to the 11 oclock position while it was on it's trailer THAT'S NOT POSSABLE SO IT'S A LIE!!

I could go on and on but what's the point these people let a leaking baitwell hose sink their new boat and they posted the story of their stupidity on the internet...and added a few outright lies to make it sound even worse.

If they flooded this 20ft Trophy with 12,000 pounds (that's 8 TIMES the boat's rated capacity) of water like they claim and it got them back across the San Fransisco bay that Trophy is one tough hull!

[This message was edited by gb2052 on 02-11-03 at 12:57 AM.]
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