Gladstron hull trouble

wynndog · 08-04-2014, 05:44 PM

Hi'
I just bought my first boat from Melvin Village Marina. They were great, BUT the 2001 Gladstron 17' 135 merc i/o, has hull cracks & bubbles I could peel off. This dealer, and the Gladstron dealer Macallum , said the boat won't take on water and it will be ok. Now, after(maybe mistake) buying it; different web sites say the VEC COATING IS TROUBLE,and Gladstron was sold and there is no limited warranty for me. Do I just wait for it to sink and call the insurance co. or can anyone help?? Gillan said they could fix it for $2000. Not what I want to hear.

ishoot308 · 08-05-2014, 02:27 PM

If I were you I would take that boat back to where you bought it and get your money back. Can't believe Melvin Village Marina would not tell you about such an issue before selling it to you.

Good Luck!

Dan

dave603 · 08-05-2014, 02:50 PM

I agree with that, too bad there's no lemon law on boats.
Sort of surprised Melvin is not helping you here.
Was that a consignment boat, and sold as is?

Just Sold · 08-05-2014, 03:22 PM

Was this a brokerage boat or one of Melvin Village's used boats they own? If it was a brokerage boat there are no warranties and you are on your own. Most dealers do make sure a brokerage boat is in working order but it may have issues that the owner does not want to repair and you will have to take care of them on your own.

Bandrews7 · 08-05-2014, 06:27 PM

A little late for this advise but I also learned the hard way. Always get a marine survey before purchasing a boat. It is worth the investment. Melvin is a great dealer so i am surprised they did not catch that unless it was a broker boat. If it was, even more reason for the survey. Good luck with your issue. It does not sound like an easy road to travel.

wynndog · 08-06-2014, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ishoot308

If I were you I would take that boat back to where you bought it and get your money back. Can't believe Melvin Village Marina would not tell you about such an issue before selling it to you.

Good Luck!

Dan

They told me (after I saw it ) it is only cosmetic you don't have to worry about it. I knew I was getting a 30 day warranty, but now I looked back and see it is only a mechanical one.The boat interior, trailer, & covers are great and now that I think about it they kept throwing in ,new anchor,6 life vests Bizer, FF map,winterize,spring tune up, & winter storage. I thought it was being a good dealership. I worked for good car dealers that did this. But, now looking back, maybe it was just to sell the boat. It was not consignment. I'm 65 & never boat a boat before, so never heard of a company to" check it out".This sounds like buying a house, because you don't do this with cars.
Thanks, Wynn

wynndog · 08-06-2014, 07:15 PM

I saw the bubbles and pointed them out, they just told me it is only cosmetic, not to worry. I never bought a boat before,at 65, and the other I was looking at was a 1998 Larson at Parker & they WOULDN'T LET ME HAVE A RIDE OR DRIVE IT!

Ken · 08-06-2014, 07:45 PM

Melvin Village has a good reputation. Take it back and talk to them. Their reputation is on the line.

RLW · 08-06-2014, 07:52 PM

Ken, I was just browsing through the forum and noticed that you are fairly new to posting on the forum after joining back in July 2004. We are glad that you have come aboard and joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.

Thanks for joining in and putting in your 2¢’s and you are right, they are good people.

Blue Thunder · 08-06-2014, 07:56 PM

You bought a 13 year old boat that has some cracks and bubbles in the gel coat. This is a very common issue in many brands of boats and for the most part is, in fact, cosmetic. MVM is a top notch boat dealership and in my experience with them, always put the customer first.

Rich · 08-07-2014, 07:52 AM

You may want to get a reputable fiberglass guy to look at the boat and give you an official opinion. Ron's Fiberglass USA is very good. Or have someone else with a moisture meter give you an opinion as to how cosmetic the issue is.

Your first concern should be "Is the boat safe?"!

If any underlying structural parts are at risk, soggy or rotted, then you are at risk.

If the fiberglass itself only has bubbles, then that can be mostly cosmetic.

I previously owned a 1995 boat that had cosmetic fiberglass bubbles, but the boat was safe.

gf2020 · 08-07-2014, 02:28 PM

"Glastron" - no d

You bought the boat knowing that it had cracks and hull blisters?

There would be no warranty remaining on a 14 year old boat anyways, so I'm not sure what you would expect MacCallum's to do.

For what it's worth, Glastron had just started using VEC technology in 2001 so it is possible that your boat is just plain old fiberglass.

As others have mentioned, any reputable fiberglass guy could take care of the problems for you.

Bandrews7 · 08-07-2014, 02:35 PM

Melvin value adds all of the items you mentioned. I do not think that was a throw in to sell you. When I purchased there, they also included all those items.

LIforrelaxin · 08-07-2014, 02:45 PM

I would have to see the boat first hand to understand what you are trying to describe... It could be many different things....

1. It could be just a cosmetic issue....
2. It could also be blistering.... Blistering is bad news and will only get worse.... The best fix for blistering is to have the the boat treated with a epoxy barrier coating like Interlux Interprotect.... while this is expensive it will fix the problem...when done right....

08-04-2014, 05:44 PM	#1
wynndog Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Alton Posts: 98 Thanks: 170 Thanked 10 Times in 7 Posts	Gladstron hull trouble Hi' I just bought my first boat from Melvin Village Marina. They were great, BUT the 2001 Gladstron 17' 135 merc i/o, has hull cracks & bubbles I could peel off. This dealer, and the Gladstron dealer Macallum , said the boat won't take on water and it will be ok. Now, after(maybe mistake) buying it; different web sites say the VEC COATING IS TROUBLE,and Gladstron was sold and there is no limited warranty for me. Do I just wait for it to sink and call the insurance co. or can anyone help?? Gillan said they could fix it for $2000. Not what I want to hear.

08-05-2014, 02:27 PM	#2
ishoot308 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gilford, NH / Welch Island Posts: 6,232 Thanks: 2,384 Thanked 5,277 Times in 2,051 Posts	They Were Great???? If I were you I would take that boat back to where you bought it and get your money back. Can't believe Melvin Village Marina would not tell you about such an issue before selling it to you. Good Luck! Dan __________________ It's Always Sunny On Welch Island!!

08-05-2014, 03:22 PM	#4
Just Sold Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Suncook, NH, but at The Lake at Heart Posts: 2,615 Thanks: 1,083 Thanked 434 Times in 210 Posts	Was this a brokerage boat or one of Melvin Village's used boats they own? If it was a brokerage boat there are no warranties and you are on your own. Most dealers do make sure a brokerage boat is in working order but it may have issues that the owner does not want to repair and you will have to take care of them on your own. __________________ Just Sold At the lake the stress of daily life just melts away. Pro Re Nata Last edited by Just Sold; 08-05-2014 at 05:54 PM.

08-05-2014, 06:27 PM	#5
Bandrews7 Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Holden, ma Posts: 45 Thanks: 44 Thanked 8 Times in 5 Posts	A little late for this advise but I also learned the hard way. Always get a marine survey before purchasing a boat. It is worth the investment. Melvin is a great dealer so i am surprised they did not catch that unless it was a broker boat. If it was, even more reason for the survey. Good luck with your issue. It does not sound like an easy road to travel. __________________ "Isabethan"

08-06-2014, 07:45 PM	#8
Ken Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hazlet, NJ and Cow island Posts: 21 Thanks: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	hull trouble Melvin Village has a good reputation. Take it back and talk to them. Their reputation is on the line.

08-05-2014, 02:50 PM	#3
dave603 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Nashua/Winnisquam Posts: 282 Thanks: 106 Thanked 96 Times in 49 Posts	I agree with that, too bad there's no lemon law on boats. Sort of surprised Melvin is not helping you here. Was that a consignment boat, and sold as is?

08-06-2014, 07:15 PM	#7
wynndog Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Alton Posts: 98 Thanks: 170 Thanked 10 Times in 7 Posts	I saw the bubbles and pointed them out, they just told me it is only cosmetic, not to worry. I never bought a boat before,at 65, and the other I was looking at was a 1998 Larson at Parker & they WOULDN'T LET ME HAVE A RIDE OR DRIVE IT!

08-06-2014, 07:52 PM	#9
RLW Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alton Bay on the mountain by a lake Posts: 2,023 Thanks: 563 Thanked 444 Times in 311 Posts	*Ken,* I was just browsing through the forum and noticed that you are fairly new to *posting* on the forum after joining back in July 2004. We are glad that you have come aboard and joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends. Thanks for joining in and putting in your 2¢’s and you are right, they are good people. __________________ There is nothing better than living on Alton Mountain & our grand kids visits.

08-06-2014, 07:56 PM	#10
Blue Thunder Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Eastern MA & Frye Island/Sebago Lake, Maine Posts: 951 Thanks: 252 Thanked 351 Times in 158 Posts	You bought a 13 year old boat that has some cracks and bubbles in the gel coat. This is a very common issue in many brands of boats and for the most part is, in fact, cosmetic. MVM is a top notch boat dealership and in my experience with them, always put the customer first. __________________ " Live for today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come"

The Following User Says Thank You to Blue Thunder For This Useful Post:
wynndog (08-06-2014)

08-07-2014, 07:52 AM	#11
Rich Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Derry / Gilford Posts: 1,244 Thanks: 72 Thanked 344 Times in 234 Posts	You may want to get a reputable fiberglass guy to look at the boat and give you an official opinion. Ron's Fiberglass USA is very good. Or have someone else with a moisture meter give you an opinion as to how cosmetic the issue is. Your first concern should be "Is the boat safe?"! If any underlying structural parts are at risk, soggy or rotted, then you are at risk. If the fiberglass itself only has bubbles, then that can be mostly cosmetic. I previously owned a 1995 boat that had cosmetic fiberglass bubbles, but the boat was safe. __________________ Don't listen to me, obviously I don't understand what I'm talking about! Let's help each other save time and money: WinniGas.com

08-07-2014, 02:28 PM	#12
gf2020 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: North of Boston Posts: 203 Thanks: 11 Thanked 35 Times in 28 Posts	"Glastron" - no d You bought the boat knowing that it had cracks and hull blisters? There would be no warranty remaining on a 14 year old boat anyways, so I'm not sure what you would expect MacCallum's to do. For what it's worth, Glastron had just started using VEC technology in 2001 so it is possible that your boat is just plain old fiberglass. As others have mentioned, any reputable fiberglass guy could take care of the problems for you.

08-07-2014, 02:35 PM	#13
Bandrews7 Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Holden, ma Posts: 45 Thanks: 44 Thanked 8 Times in 5 Posts	Melvin value adds all of the items you mentioned. I do not think that was a throw in to sell you. When I purchased there, they also included all those items. __________________ "Isabethan"

The Following User Says Thank You to Bandrews7 For This Useful Post:
wynndog (08-07-2014)

08-07-2014, 02:45 PM	#14
LIforrelaxin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas, Lake Ray Hubbard and NH, Long Island Winnipesaukee Posts: 2,870 Thanks: 1,037 Thanked 892 Times in 524 Posts	I would have to see the boat first hand to understand what you are trying to describe... It could be many different things.... 1. It could be just a cosmetic issue.... 2. It could also be blistering.... Blistering is bad news and will only get worse.... The best fix for blistering is to have the the boat treated with a epoxy barrier coating like Interlux Interprotect.... while this is expensive it will fix the problem...when done right.... __________________ Life is about how much time you can spend relaxing... I do it on an island that isn't really an island.....