MacGregorSailors.com

While holding onto the boat from the dinghy, trying to fix an anchor line, I noticed an area on my new where the gelgoat on the edge of the boat just above the black rubber rub strip looks like it has been patched or repaired. Its about eight inches long. To my eye it looks like perhaps the boat got hit or scraped with something. Just above it there are a few tiny stress cracks in the white gelcoat. The repair is not that noticable unless you were looking right at it from a couple of feet away. It then becomes appearent that the gelcoat is slightly offcolor. I missed it when the boat was on the trailor because it is hard to see from that angle. From on deck it is hard to see as well.
Could this be a repair from the factory, or could either the shipper or dealer have repaired the boat after some minor mishap?
No evidence of damage inside. Looks more like a gouge or a deep scrape that needed patching. This is a brand new boat just made in january of this year.
Do I mention this to the dealer or it it just something you get with these boats?
If its from the factory, do I have any recourse?
If the shipper damaged the boat in transit maybe the dealer would like to know about it?
If the dealer damaged the boat, then shouldent he at least have mentioned it, or fix it so its completely invisible?


Ixniegh

Start with your dealer ...
Hey...Ixneigh how about filling in your profile so we know what general area your in ??

It seems the more I complained to my dealer, the more stuff I got.
For example, my brand new boat came to me with duct tape on the cockpit speakers, so the covers wouldn't come off while trailering. I whined and bitched and 4 brand new speakers were sent in the mail.

New means new, not damaged, not poorly repaired. Do mention the damaged area to your dealer, he should repair it for free. Sounds like your M26 took a minor bump, these things do happen. Check the rub rail for minor scuffing etc. indicating that it was bumped. The stress cracks (crazing) hopefully just in the gelcoat. As for what is under the off color gelcoat,it may be the really noticeable crazing or cracks. It's a quick hide made by someone who has handeled the M26. Check under the rub rail for crazing. If repaired properly, you should not notice it on a new boat. I would think that if the bump took place at the plant, they would have used Mac. white gelcoat. From the Crystal Coast Newport, NC.

I think customers need to be a little bit flexible in these situations. Everybody expects a new boat to be in pristine condition when it is received, but you need to consider that it is manufactured in California and in many cases must travel thousands of miles to reach its destination. As they say, Stuff Happens. (Did I get that right?)

Having worked as a new car salesman for a couple of weeks, I can tell you that most of those shiny new cars in the showroom arrived with a few blemishes. However, car dealers are experts at hiding these faults.

As soon as you put your new boat in the water, you will begin adding scratches and dings to the boat. In my case, I launched for the first time and motored about 50 yards to the narrow breakwater where the motor died. The time it took for the crosswind to blow me against some rebar sticking out of the water was measured in seconds. The result was a 5-foot gouge in the blue hull. The cause was the new Captain (me) having his size 12 Sperry Gold Cups firmly planted on the primer bulb. At that precise moment, those few small shipping blemishes did not seem very important.

I bought my boat brand new in 2003, hull #72 and it was not pristine. In fact I noticed right away a couple of blemishes were apparent but I paid them no nevermind, I just wanted to get going to the launch ramp and have some fun, I had already waited too long. I figured they were either factory coverups or shipping scars and were not worth making a fuss over. You should see how many battle scars it has today, makes the first ones look pale in comparison. In hindsight maybe I should have said something and perhaps obtained a discount but it did not seem to matter at the time.

I bought my boat in December and I'm picking it up in 2 weeks!! After spending over 40 000$ I expect my boat to be mint !!

I would definitely have a talk with the dealer if the same situation happens to me !!

I would reset your expectations.

What Catigale said,

My brand new is sitting behind the house, and it has a leak in the cabin roof
Appears the rail that holds down the sliding hatch was not torqued down properly when it was
installed
The ceiling in the cabin has some scratches from who knmows what, but it was not during transport
for sure.
I was warned before buing thru this board, so I had rather low expectations, but my boat is
in better shape than anything second hand I could get for the same price
Not too bad after all!

Ixneigh,

I would discuss this issue with your dealer before you put your new boat in the water. Perhaps, you can be compensated for the damage, even though it seems to be minor.

Everyone expects a new boat to be pristine. But, even cars are not always delivered in pristine condition, (reference: J.D Powers). I think you should expect the boat to be free from cosmetic defects.

Disagree. A reasonable professional gelcoat repair of a transport or manufacturing defect is part of the business in boats - especially on the lower end of the price range like Macs.

We can't see the damage so we can't judge. It never hurts to talk to the dealer, just don't hold out much hope for compensation if the damage is really minor. The dealer will most likely give you a bottle of touchup and be done. If the damage is bad enough that it could hurt the dealers rep, then I would hope he would make it right.

EveryOne, thanks so much for the opinions so far.
I guess now is the time to detail my adventures.
Long)
I demoed this boat in miami, six weeks ago. I had looked at used s and decided that since you dont get much of a pricebreak by buying late model used, plus used engine, ect, plus less favourable finance rates on used, I would be buying new. This is the first time ive ever bought a new boat. Most of them were cheep or free basket cases, allthough one was a hull and deck.
The day of the demo was delightful, five to ten, sunny. The dealer had the boat rigged, and splashed her without so much as a how do you do. We let the tank fill, and motored away from the dock. She was a white boat, and I had wanted a blue one. I did not pay that much attention to the boat cometically, but she looked new. The dealer ran the boat onto a plane, and I agreed that that part was probably faster then Id ever want to be going. Next we put the main up and ghosted for a few minutes, while the dealer rigged the genny. All the rigging seemed to be in order. We sailed for several hours during which I decided the boat sailed well enough to be my next boat. Later, I sailed the boat through a very crowded anchorge with no problems. She tacked predictably, and felt good. Wonderful day, sun setting, pretty boats all around. So now comes the docking. Dealer says "I bet we could sail right up to the dock." The wind was light and he imagined us coasting up and laying the boat gently alongside the wooden pier nice as you please.
(You know whats coming next)
It was partially my fault. I saw right away that the "laying gently alongside" part was just not possible due to the wind blowing towards the dock. I did not do what I knew I should do, which was to jam the boat right up into the wind, and let the stern drift down to the dock while getting the main down fast! Instead I followed the dealers "theres the dock, over there!" prompting. The second I angled towards the dock, it put the boat on a beam reach, and of course, we cannot fully depower the main by letting it out because of the swept back spreaders. The boat lunges forward and we hit the dock broadside, and catch the rear stanchion, and my hand, on the edge. While this is happening, the dealer pulls up the board just in time to keep from whacking it on the boat ramp that is just in front of us.
My hand is scraped but not badly. The boat has a broken stanchion and mangled aft lifeline, but no other damage.
A bit embarrased, we talk price, ordering details, ect over dinner. So far so good. If I want the boat he will give me boatshow pricing on it. No i want a blue one, I say. Fine, he says. he can order one.
Cut to two weeks later. I have financing in place, and am ready to place an order.
My dealer says, "hey if you agree to take the white boat, Ill give you a really good price on it. I thought I had it sold, but they want a blue boat now, too."
The "really good price" essentially was not to charge me the shipping from CA.
The boat had every option I needed, and it was about this time that I decided to not do the small HP kicker idea.
The boat also had the factory rigged etech 60.
But she was white, not that beeeeeyootiful blue. But I said ok, anyway. After all, I had been there for the first launching, and even though we had a minor mishap, I felt ok about the boat. I asked the dealer to barrier coat and paint her, and do a few other things, and ordered a spare board while I was at it.
Delivery day, posponed one day by the dealer, arrives. On the water, its blowing like stink. No way launching at my nearby "ramp". It would be suicide. I meet the dealer at the local west marine parking lot to discuss other ramp options, and buy some safety equipment for our launch and orientation sail. While at the parking lot I do a quick walk around the boat, of course. I do not see the area that was the subject of this thread, because it is above my head on the upper side of the deck flange. I DO see that the engine fin, or skeg, had been bent slightly, and has a nick in it. The prop has a spot that looks like it was scraped on the tip of one blade but it is not bent. It appears to me someone moved the boat on the trailor with the motor down. Or maybe it got dinged pulling the boat out after the people after me sailed it.
I say, "hey I cant take the boat with a damaged engine. Thats crazy." Dealer says maybe the guy who paints his boats did it. Says we should find out how much it would cost to fix, but will not agree to a new lower unit case. That would cost thousands, probably. This is potentially a deal killer, but the boat is already in my name, ect ect. A real "Grrrrr" moment. I call my favorite outboard repair shop, who I probably cant name on here, but starts with "C" and ends with "son" and they tell us to bring the boat over. Ive been to these guys before, they have always been extra helpful. Guy comes out and says "oh yea, no prob. We can fix that." Today. And for a price the dealer will accept. I tell him to go ahead after getting assurance that the repair will be correct, and the motor will be fine. The guy also tells me the etecs are about the best thing going and it will be better for me then a fourstroke.
Several hours later. The motor looks like new. Bend and nick gone, painted. Prop looks like new, burrs and roughness gone, and painted. Prop shaft trued, as it was out a few thousanth of an inch, new shaft seals and a few pieces of advice about the care and feeding of the motor. All good. But now its really late. Too late to sail.
I sign the final paper work, and we agree to launch at a good ramp six six miles from where my mooring is. We leave the mast down. The trip is uneventful, but windy, 20-25 k. Wicked wet at speed, so we take it easy, esp after slamming down hard over a couple of three foot waves in the open bay. The motor runs great. I actually dont mind the weather as it gives me a chance to see how the boat does under power in it. I would not normally willingly go out in such weather. I make the decision to leave the board and rudders up. The boat does fine.
On picking up the mooring, after dark by now, and inspecting the bilge, I see it is full of water. The plug is not in the ballast tank vent. It must have popped out during those couple of big slams before I slowed down. After ferrying the dealer ashore, I spend four hours mopping all the sections of the bilge dry, even under the aft bunk area. I certainly make sure the plug fits as tight as i can make it.
The next day I step the mast with only a few minor screwups. The mast raiser works once I untangle all the lines and cables. So far i have only sailed the boat with a "practice sail" from a 26 classic, but I am going to rig the factory sails this week.
I am still moving gear from my 22.2 to the new boat, and trying to find places for everything. It was just a few days ago that I noticed the slight gelcoat crazing and off color patch near the rubrail.
I cant say weather or not it was like that when I first saw the boat, or if it happened sometime after.
So, that is my boat buying adventure. We are now getting to know one another, and I am taking my time and going slowly since she is much different then any other boat I have owned.

Ixniegh

Who would buy a NEW CAR with a scratch mark so obvious it becomes the 1st thing anyone see. Bayliner, Hunter, Cris Craft, Catalina, and most quality boat
manufactuers have hull and blister guarrenties If Rodger can not back the craftsmanship of his product then be honest and state this boat does not have a warrenty It is unfinished. The buyer will need to apply a barrier coat and anti fouling paint to the bottom. The black art deco faux windows will need some kind of UV coating in a month's time otherwise they will fade to gray. I just accept the fact that for the money this boat is a good start. The owner has to tweak this craft to get it to be what each of us want it to be.

Ixneigh,

I think I must reconsider my previous post, based upon a more complete understanding of the sale transaction.

"It was partially my fault."
"The boat lunges forward and hit the dock broadside...."
"..the dealer pulls up the board just in time to to keep from whacking it on the boat ramp that is just in front of us."
"My dealer says, "hey if you agree to take the white boat, Ill give you a really good price on it. I thought I had it sold, but they want a blue boat now, too."
"While at the parking lot I do a quick walk around the boat, of course. I do not see the area that was the subject of this
thread, because it is above my head on the upper side of the deck flange."
"I say, "hey I cant take the boat with a damaged engine. Thats crazy." Dealer says maybe the guy who paints his boats did it. Says we should find out how much it would cost to fix, but will not agree to a new lower unit case. That would cost thousands, probably. This is potentially a deal killer, but the boat is already in my name, ect ect."

I'm sure you get my drift.

Perhaps, you already got a very good deal.

Besides, Stephan, (Catigale), knows a lot more about these issues than I.

If your dealer will give you a little extra, I think you should consider yourself a bit lucky.

Also, I think now that minor, in-transit, cosmetic damage that can be corrected by touch-up paint, should be considered a very minor issue.


I hope you enjoy your new boat.