Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
 
Old 05 August 2011, 15:36   #1
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Perth
Boat name: Iolaire Mara
Make: Honda
Length: 4m +
Engine: Outboard petrol
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 9
Hull split

We have a honwave t40i & were out today in good conditions when the boat suddenly filled with water. We use a garmin so know the depth was 60ft. We managed to get ashore to discover the hull had split about 1m from the bow from side to middle seam. We know we did nor hit anything & there is no other sign if damage. The boat has approx 50hrs use. Does anyone have any ideas or experience of similar.
__________________
Lkreth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05 August 2011, 16:54   #2
Member
 
Peter_C's Avatar
 
Country: USA
Town: NorCal
Boat name: SHARKY
Make: AB
Length: 4m +
Engine: Honda BF75 & BF5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,895
Do you have a photo?

Is it a seam that split or the fabric across the bottom?
__________________
Peter_C is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05 August 2011, 23:16   #3
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Perth
Boat name: Iolaire Mara
Make: Honda
Length: 4m +
Engine: Outboard petrol
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 9
I don't seem to be able to attach a photo from my phone but it isn't a seam it is straight across the material.
__________________
Lkreth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06 August 2011, 08:39   #4
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Cambridgeshire
Boat name: Nimrod II
Make: Aerotec 380
Length: 3m +
Engine: Yam 15 Tohatsu 9.8
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,272
If it's not a seam you'd have thought some small nick might have started this fault??

Is it an alloy floor model? Were you at speed and what was it like when it happened?

I've always warned the family the unexpected could happen with the structure of an inflatable, particularly in previous years with our 35yr old Mk.1 Zodiac.
__________________
Fenlander is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06 August 2011, 09:32   #5
RIBnet admin team
 
Poly's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: imposter
Make: FunYak
Length: 3m +
Engine: Tohatsu 30HP
MMSI: 235089819
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,622
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lkreth View Post
I don't seem to be able to attach a photo from my phone but it isn't a seam it is straight across the material.
Are you using the "native" browser or the rib.net app? And which phone (iPhone / Android etc).
__________________
Poly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06 August 2011, 19:41   #6
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Perth
Boat name: Iolaire Mara
Make: Honda
Length: 4m +
Engine: Outboard petrol
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 9
It has an aluminium floor & the split is just below where the floor meets the wooden bow floorplate. We had the local honwave dealer look at it & he could see no sign of damage. He did say that there may have been a small nick in the hull that just gave under the pressure of the water. We were doing about 12 knots at the timehe sea state was fair. He did however say that we would probably find it very difficult to make a warranty claim as honda are very difficult to deal with. I was trying to upload a photo from my iphone.
__________________
Lkreth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06 August 2011, 20:20   #7
RIBnet admin team
 
Poly's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: imposter
Make: FunYak
Length: 3m +
Engine: Tohatsu 30HP
MMSI: 235089819
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,622
[QUOTE=Lkreth;414146 He did however say that we would probably find it very difficult to make a warranty claim as honda are very difficult to deal with. I was trying to upload a photo from my iphone.[/QUOTE]

Well I wouldn't put too much emphasis on what he says (assuming he sold you the boat). Your "contract" is with him not Honda. If there was genuinely a fault with the boat then he is liable for fixing/replacing it. Honda will have similar liabilities to him and it is his problem if Honda are then difficult to deal with (afterall he chose to be a Honda dealer).

You really need to post some pictures so perhaps those with relevant expertise might comment on whether it looks likely to be the result of manufacturing/material defect or wear/tear and or accidental damage.

Did the dealer present a path to get it fixed even if he wasn't willing to ask Honda to pay?
__________________
Poly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06 August 2011, 22:47   #8
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Perth
Boat name: Iolaire Mara
Make: Honda
Length: 4m +
Engine: Outboard petrol
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 9
We didnt buy it from him. This happened on holiday. We phoned the dealer we bought it from who told us we would need to contact Honda who told us to take it to our nearest dealer! I will try to get photos up tomorrow. The problem is how do we prove it to be a fault.
__________________
Lkreth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 August 2011, 08:21   #9
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Cambridgeshire
Boat name: Nimrod II
Make: Aerotec 380
Length: 3m +
Engine: Yam 15 Tohatsu 9.8
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,272
You've mentioned 50hrs use but not the age of the boat. Is it still under warranty or are you hoping for some goodwill?
__________________
Fenlander is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 August 2011, 08:26   #10
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: dawlish
Make: avon searider/bom380
Length: 4m +
Engine: merc 50 2 stroke
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 323
pictures say a1000 words , its worth trying to get some uploaded as a better judgement can be made
__________________
Dino89 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 August 2011, 13:38   #11
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Perth
Boat name: Iolaire Mara
Make: Honda
Length: 4m +
Engine: Outboard petrol
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 9
I have hopefully attached some photos now. the boat is only 14 months old so still within warranty but how could we prove it to be a material failure.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	020.jpg
Views:	260
Size:	46.7 KB
ID:	61450   Click image for larger version

Name:	021.jpg
Views:	231
Size:	53.8 KB
ID:	61451   Click image for larger version

Name:	022.jpg
Views:	235
Size:	37.8 KB
ID:	61452  
__________________
Lkreth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 August 2011, 13:47   #12
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: dawlish
Make: avon searider/bom380
Length: 4m +
Engine: merc 50 2 stroke
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 323
in my opinion that shouldnt happen ,i would be back to the shop insisting they repair it ,cant see how they can say thats not a fault although they will probably try ! i would say its up to them to prove its not a fault in the fabric!
that would be my first port of call then if they refuse i would get in touch with CAB or if you have legal cover on your house insurance use that ,
hopefully they will repair it, i would think they would want to send it back to manufacturs to deterime the problem if they are sensible ,and take it from there ,but you only deal with the shop as thats who your contracts with ,so dont be fobbed off to the manufacturers thats there problem!
__________________
Dino89 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 August 2011, 13:48   #13
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Cambridgeshire
Boat name: Nimrod II
Make: Aerotec 380
Length: 3m +
Engine: Yam 15 Tohatsu 9.8
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,272
The best approach is to assert it must be material failure and get them to prove otherwise.

Having said that if the trailer in those images is your regular one it doesn't seem to support the boat properly and could have stressed the material either over time or at launch before the incident.
__________________
Fenlander is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 August 2011, 17:44   #14
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Perth
Boat name: Iolaire Mara
Make: Honda
Length: 4m +
Engine: Outboard petrol
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 9
Will try contacting the dealer tomorrow. I don't know that I would ne happy with a repair as that would surely affect the resale value. Also I dint think I would feel confident going out in it again, that was one of the scariest things I've ever been through. It filled so quickly & sat so low in the water that we really thought it was sinking at first!
The trailer is an Indespension so wouldn't have thought it wasn't properly supported.
__________________
Lkreth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 August 2011, 17:59   #15
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Cambridgeshire
Boat name: Nimrod II
Make: Aerotec 380
Length: 3m +
Engine: Yam 15 Tohatsu 9.8
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,272
I hate to say this but if you're saying that is the boat's normal trailer no it's not properly supported. To me that doesn't look like an Indespension trailer for an inflatable... it looks like a rigid dinghy version. The ones for inflatables have the bunks right out almost over the mudguards so the tubes are directly supported... also they don't tend to have central rollers... should be pads.

You can see your bunks support the boat under the floor, possibly the weakest part for a point load. Your tubes have no support apart from where they flop onto the mudguards... and the mudguard stays are not designed to support this weight. They can and do break then in seconds the tyre will rip through a tube.

Sorry to be so negative.
__________________
Fenlander is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 August 2011, 18:22   #16
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Perth
Boat name: Iolaire Mara
Make: Honda
Length: 4m +
Engine: Outboard petrol
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 9
That is a bit alarming as we bought it from a chandlery at South Queensferry as they recommended it for our sib!!
__________________
Lkreth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 August 2011, 18:42   #17
RIBnet admin team
 
Poly's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: imposter
Make: FunYak
Length: 3m +
Engine: Tohatsu 30HP
MMSI: 235089819
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,622
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lkreth View Post
It filled so quickly & sat so low in the water that we really thought it was sinking at first!
glad you managed to make it safely ashore. In reality, as you have discovered even with the hull completely flooded the boat will stay afloat, but of course its a slow wet trip to get back ashore.

Quote:
The trailer is an Indespension so wouldn't have thought it wasn't properly supported.
I wouldn't assume just because it is a big manufacturer that the trailer is ideal or set up correctly for your boat. However if Bosun's Locker sold you the boat and trailer as a package then if the trailer is not fit for purpose then this is their fault and they need to put it right.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lkreth View Post
That is a bit alarming as we bought it from a chandlery at South Queensferry as they recommended it for our sib!!
Unfortunately it is a common problem that dealers sell whatever trailer makes their package the right price not the best trailer for the boat. It also seems that many boat dealers are pretty clueless (or lazy) at correctly setting up the trailer/supports for the particular craft.

Is the boat insured against accidental damage? If so I'd be contacting my insurer immediately and letting them take it up. If the conclusion from Honda/Dealer/Independent inspection is that you have hit something and torn it, or scraped it on the trailer etc then you will already have the ball rolling. If it turns out to be material failure then the insurer will add some weight (e.g. loss adjuster report) to getting it resolved.
__________________
Poly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 August 2011, 18:45   #18
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Cambridgeshire
Boat name: Nimrod II
Make: Aerotec 380
Length: 3m +
Engine: Yam 15 Tohatsu 9.8
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,272
Here is an eaxmple of the Indespension Merit range for smaller boats. This looks quite like yours with the bunks well in from the mudguards and central rollers and it states for hard hulled boats...

New Trailers

This is the one for inflatables and you can see how it is designed for proper support...

New Trailers

If you travel it with an outboard on and the transom is unsupported (can't quite see that from your images) it will be even worse.
__________________
Fenlander is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 August 2011, 19:47   #19
Member
 
Jorgos's Avatar
 
Country: Greece
Town: Pireus
Boat name: Joanna
Make: marin stiletto 737
Length: 7m +
Engine: Evinrude ETEC 250
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 157
RIBase
To me also it looks that is not a real material failure .
Poor inflating / floor assembly could give that result.

I hope they will manage to help you
__________________
Jorgos is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 August 2011, 19:56   #20
Member
 
m chappelow's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: yorkshire
Boat name: little vicky
Make: avon ex RNLI
Length: 3m +
Engine: tohatsu
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,310
Any chance it may have ever been full or had a load of rain water or recovered full of water on that trailer at sometime ,
looks like was said by fenlander that the trailer is more for a hard hull r.i.b than a s.i.b .
__________________
m chappelow is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT. The time now is 19:31.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.