Millhouse2020

Just want to pose a question to the members regarding a repair/maintenance issue. You go to a local dealer and ask, I would like a steering friction kit installed on my tiller motor like the one you have on your shop floor over there, and they say sure, the parts are $267 plus taxes and 1.5 hours labour to install. You say, geese thats a few bucks but I really want the steering friction kit to help control the motor, OK go ahead. Dealer proceeds to install the kit. I pick up the boat, take it home and lo and behold, the kit is not what i asked for. Do some research and its the only model available for my motor. No one explained this before install but as long as it works I will make do. Turns out the kit that was installed rubs on the transom and scratches it. Furthermore, with the motor trimmed up, it does not allow me to turn right at all because the bar on the friction kit digs directly into the transom. Dealer says, they cant make it work, its my boats transom thats the problem. They say they will take it off and will refund me the cost of the parts but not the labour to install, total cost breaks down as follows; Parts $267.63 Labour @$95/hr 142.50 Sub-total 410.13 HST 13% 53.32 TOTAL $463.45 I feel they should refund the labour as well. They are the platinum certified dealer so I expected them to know how to install the kit. Further, I would have expected the technician to test the unit after installation, if he did, he would have seen it clearly scratched the transom and that it did not operate properly with the motor trimmed up. Im glad I didnt take the rig out on the water and find out the hard way I could not turn right while in shallow drive. This was my first dealer experience on my first rig I bought used last year. The engine is a 2006 60HP Evinrude E-Tec. I researched dealers before hand and the one I went to was the only Platinum certified dealer in my area, this is the highest rating BRP gives to its dealers. In my work as well as my experience with my own vehicles, contractors and other stuff, I dont typically pay for someone elses mistakes. Thoughts are welcome, including your experiences with BRP customer service related issues. Millhouse

I have to vote for the F150. I bought a new 2011 in January of this year and it has been great. Its a 5LV8 FX4 with a supercab and 6.6`foot box. It pulls my 18`Crestliner fine and has been better than expected on gas if driven sensibly. I love the fact that I can just toss my gear in the box and go. Its a fine looking machine as well. I had initially wanted a Toyota 4 runner but by comparison they are much much more money for the same or similar options. The F150 comes in a V6 Echo boost which is supposed to be a phenomenal new engine. I have been driving my truck all year, its got 14000 kms on it and hasnt required an oil change yet. Its got a smart system which monitors oil and other engine and vehicle systems and notifies you when you need to change oil or need other service. Have not been into the dealership since I bought it. Mind you, I expect to bring it in soon for an oil change since the oil life is around 9% now I think. I don`t think you will be disappointed, I havent been. The deals on pickups now just cant be beat and Ford is making a great product. My fiance and I tested all the major brands and were impressed with Ford the most, the Dodge Ram was a close second and we considered buying but the Ford was more affordable for us. Plus given that you are a big fella, the pickup will accomodate you comfortably and you can select a number of different configurations for the cabin and box. Plus tons of accessories if you like. We love the backup camera and sensors since its been an adjustment driving such a big vehicle and the camera is also great for trailering. Lets me hitch up all alone without any issues... Have fun with your purchase!

Thanks everybody for their input. This has been a learning experience for me to be sure and I won't make the same mistakes again... I finally spoke to the service manager yesterday. He feels he is not responsible for the cover, althought I disagree, he said he would address the issue of the friction kit. I told him I could take it in now if he insisted/preferred but since the boat is now winterised, I would prefer if I could take it back in April provided I could get something in writing confirming our understanding here. He said that would not be a problem. I'm still waiting for the written confirmation though. Why I disagree regarding the cover is, although they accoomodated me with leaving the rig on the property while the warranty was sorted out, I asked specifically if leaving it there would be an issue since I didn't want to get hit with storage fees etc. I said I would pay for the service work and friction kit and would come back later when the warranty was transferred. They said not to worry about it and since I planned to winterise and store it as soon as the work was done I left it there... The boat is a tiller unit so the cover sits relatively flat, hence the reason it collects water if left unattended. When I picked it up, I gave it a quick walk around but couldn't see the motor very well with how the cover was frozen into place. Next time I will check more thoroughly and maybe even have them do a walk around with me. (I have pictures of the damage, chunks of ice and the friction kit but they seem to be too big to upload or I would show you for comment). The quality of the work burned me as well since, if the technician who installed it tested it by just turning the tiller handle back and forth and trimming the motor up at all, you could clearly see it didn't work correctly. I'm an accountant and I can figure that out . I wanted to take it to a profosseional for service. I did my research on the BRP website for authorized dealers in my area and there were only 2 registered. This one and another who my fiance and I visited twice while we were looking to buy and could get no service, or bad service at best so I ruled them out. Plus the dealer I took it to was registered as a "Platinum Certified Dealer" which to my understanding was the highest level that BRP offered meaning its technicians were certified to work on BRP equipment. Obviously I've learned this means little... At this point I'm just waiting for the confirmation in writing that I can return next year and get this resolved once and for all. I don't like the kit they installed but if its my only option, I will keep it in the interest of safety if they can get it work properly where it doesn't scratch the transome and it operates with the motor trimmed up. I just wish this had been explained to me better when I was there ordering it. I just feel that for the price, it should be expected. I was even going to have them winterise the engine for me since they were accomodating me with waiting for the warranty, but they wanted $100 to change the gear oil and more money to run the winterisation procedure on the engine. This just seemed excessive to me so I opted to do it myself. The gear oil and kit cost $30 and the engine winterisation took literatlly less than 2 minutes, 15 seconds at 1/2 throttle, 15 seconds and idle, then another minute at 1/2 throttle and the engine fogs itself and shuts itself off. At least the E-Tec is easy to winterise... Thanks to all for your input. Good fishin & Happy Holidays! Millhouse

I have a rant regarding my local dealer and was looking for advice from anyone who may have been in a similar situation. Ok, so I bought my first boat this year, a used 2006 Crestliner with a 60 HP Evinrude E-Tec on it. I had planned to have it serviced at the end of the season because the mfg recommends it ever 300 hours or 3 seasons and the motor had been giving me a problem stalling. Long story short, I needed a new fuel injector which was covered under the extended warranty. In addition to the service, I asked for a steering friction kit to be installed on the motor. The rig sat on the dealers lot for about 4 weeks because before doing the warranty work, I had to arrange to have to warranty transferred to me from the previous owner. When I picked up my boat Wednesday of last week I noticed that the canvass boat cover was left full of snow and iceand also that the portion of the canvass to cover the engine was left lying onthe main canvass and had frozen into the ice. I was not able to remove itwhen I picked up the boat and I was not impressed with the condition it wasleft in, but I was in a hurry to return to work as I picked up the boat duringmy lunch hour. As such I did not raise this to the dealers attention at thattime. Last Friday night when I get to work winterizing the unit I see that the ice thatwas left to collect on the canvass had torn a 2” hole due to the weight. There was a very large amount of ice on the canvass, up to 7” thick or more inthe center of each piece. I was able to remove some after taking the unitindoors for a few hours and letting the ice melt however the rear portion wherethe engine cover has frozen into the ice will have to be left overnight to thawmore completely. The cover was in fine shape when I left the unit for service and repairs. Also, upon closer inspection ofthe steering friction unit, it doesn’t look like the units I saw on the enginesin the showroom, which is what I asked for. It looks to me like a barwith a wing-nut for which I paid $265 plus labour and taxes to install. The delaer never explained to me what I would be getting. I was led to believe Iwas purchasing a steering friction kit like the ones on your showroom engineswith an adjustable lever under the tiller handle. Also, the way it was installed, it scratches the transom when turning right and if the motor is trimmed up enough, it does not turn right at all as the bar digs directly into the transom. This is not what I expect from a platinum certified BRP dealer that charged me $670 for the service and friction kit install. They also billed the warranty company $780 for a new fuel injector for a motor with 226 hours on it. I have contacted the dealer daily since Friday and they do not get back to me. I sent them pics of the ice and damage as well. Has any anyone had an experience like this? How did you get it resolved? What recourse do you think I have here? Personally, I would like them to pay to fix my canvass and I would like the friction kit replaced or removed with one that works correctly and doesn't damage my boat. I would have preferred the model I saw in the showroom with an adjustable lever under the tiller, not what I got... I appreciate your feedback. I may be completely ignorant here since this is my first boat but I have never had service like this from any other vehicle repair shop or dealer. I have submitted a complaint to BRP as well today but no word back from them yet. Millhouse

I wish I had the same luck buying. I am looking for a dog and for the second time last night, someone changed thier mind on me and said they are keeping thier pooch instead of selling it... frustrating! I have not had any luck selling in the past. My tires for my old Corolla have sat since the spring and a collectible knife I was trying to sell only attracted crazy low ballers and con artists trying to scam money. *** Beware the frauds on Kijiji!!! Anyone offering to pay more than what you are asking for you to forward their friend money is a con. Don't try and cash any money orders or cheques, they will only bounce and you will be left holding the bag... ***

Nicely done. This is what we would like to do if I/we can find some pontoons to start with. The other materials would be a piece of cake. As mentioned the barge is simply another option I was looking into but had no plans from which to start. I know plate steel is expensive, probably $0.50/lb for the manufacturers cost at minimum. Then it would need to be cut, bent and welded to specs. Stainless steel or aluminum plate material would be much more cost, don't even know where to start there...

Very nice machine. If money were no object, we would get something like this. Unfortunately for us, we need to work on a budget.

Thanks for the input guys. The body of water in question is a lake, its not large, maybe 6miles long or so. Its narrow and runs east to west. Strangely enough, it can get VERY rough when the wind runs east west. We plan to transport ATV`s and gear. Typically, we are taking 5-6 ATV`s in to the hunting area. Plus our food and gear for the week for 10-12 hunters. We have been transporting them by boat for some time now but boats are cumbersome and not the safest. Plus it requires multiple trips back and forth. As such, we are looking into other options. We have considered the pontoon boat as well and we are looking at getting one or a pair of pontoons and building one. The barge is simply another option. With my freind in the steel industry, we can get material at cost. However, that being said, between material and labour costs, it may be too expensive an option for our club. We would likely build the unit and leave it at the camp versus truck it in and out, therefore, we don`t want to sink more $`s than necessary into it if we can. That being said, I understand it needs to meet a certain standard of safety and strength to make is useable. Hope this helps. I appreciate the input. I was interested to see if any members had done anything like this and if they had any details to offer. Millhouse2020

Hi everyone, I am interested in getting plans to build a steel barge. My hunt club would like to build a steel barge for transporting ATV's and gear to our camp. Any information anyone could share would be appreciated, especially if you have experience in doing so yourself. We are hoping this would be possible for a reasonable cost. I have a buddy who operates a steel company so I could arrange to have it made, I just don't have plans on how to do so in order to give him an idea of whats required. Thanks in advance! Cheers, Millhouse

Well so far, not good... I managed to find a letter directly from BRP confirming purchase of the extended warranty by the previous owner. Interestingly, the BRP dealer says the ext warranty is not even registered to the motor in the previous owners name. I contacted BRP and they referred me to the extended warranty provider, First Protection. They wanted me to fill out a transfer form and pay a $100US fee. So I called the local dealer to ask that they hold off on the repair until I can get the transfer settled to try and ensure it would be covered. They told me I should not pay a fee and that I should have the dealer that sold the motor and warranty in US do the transfer as it should cost me nothing and they screwed up the registration in the first place. So I called the dealer and they asked me to send the info in but the person responsible for working on them is not there today. I am on vacation as of tomorrow for a week so I cannot follow up any further until I get back. Furthermore, First Protection said the transfer must take place within 30 days of the purchase or they can void the warranty... This may cause me a problem since I purchased it in May from the previous owner. No real help thus far from anyone in the process. The BRP customer service rep was not quite rude, but certainly not very helpful. My opinion of BRP is fading by the minute here. I will keep you all posted on matters as they continue... Cheers, Millhouse

Thanks for the input gentlemen. I plan to begin follow up today. Since this was my first boat purchase, I did not know that purchase in the US was an issue. The previous owner gave me the warranty paperwork and I was satisfied with that. The reason I bought it used in this case was because it had 2 more years of coverage. I will be calling BRP customer service today as well as the warranty company. Apparantly, since this was one of the earlier E-Tec's, the extended warranty was not offered by BRP but rather a 3rd party company "Protective Administrative Services Inc." I believe. The local dealer here in Sudbury said at that time, BRP did not sell the extened warranties but they did later on. I will try and keep you all posted on how this goes. Welcome to boat ownership for me!!! Was not expecting this right out of the hop... Cheers, Millhouse

Hello, I am having a warranty issue with a motor I purchased used this year. Its a BRP Evinrude E-Tec 60 hp 2006. The previous owner gave me a copy of the extended warranty he purchased good to 2013. I brought the engine in for service because its a 6 yr old engine that is scheduled for service every 3 season. Plus it has been having problems stalling at idle. So the dealer told me they just hooked the motor up to the diagnostic machine and they are saying the computer is reading an injector problem with one of the cylinders. They also said the computer software has not been updated since 2008 so these two issues could be contributing to the problem. Next, I was told by the local dealer that the warranty is not covered. They said the engine was bought in the US by the previous owner and thus they cannot cover it here in Canada, furthermore, the extended warranty was not filled in correctly by the US dealer... Cost for the new injector is $450, plus labour. So with the service, injector and an additional friction kit I wanted installed, it will be about $1,050 plus taxes!!!! Ouch... I plan to fight BRP for the injector as the motor is under an extended warranty. Its one of the reaonsons I bought the boat, it was to be covered untill 2013. Does anyone have any advice from similar experiences? I would like to know how best to proceed with BRP and if I have any hope of getting any satisfaction. Interestingly, the diagnostic test said the motor has 226 hours of running time, pretty minimal considering its 6 years old now. Injectors should not be failing... Thanks all, Millhouse

When I started my muskie fishing, MH to heavy bass tackle will suffice to get you started. Good leaders and 30lb plus line are a must as well. Even with heavy bass tackle, you cannot throw the largest of muskie baits but you can get by tossing bucktails and trolling decent sized plugs and spinners. Plus of course you can use this tackle for bass, pike, lakers etc. No sense spending a small fortune on new gear for a short venture. I try to make sure a lot of my outdoor gear can do double duty if possible since they dont give it away... I agree that using light tackle is not recommended for several reasons, most important, stress to the fish due to a prolonged battle or possibly losing a fish with the lure still lodged. Damaging your takle is less of an issue to me versus hurting the fish. If you are serious about muskie fishing then getting more specific equipment is appropriate. It doesnt have to be the most expensive latest and greatest setup, but something designed to handle big fish adequately. As muskie fishing has got more popular, they make a lot more equipment now geared specifically to muskie fishing at various price points. Im sure you can get an entry level outfit from basspro for under $200. I am still using one dedicated muskie stick for practically ALL my muskie fishing, casting, trolling, bucktails, plugs etc and I has served me well. Havent lost or hurt a fish yet and have landed some trophies. Buy the best you can reasonably afford, take care of it and it will serve you well. Millhouse2020

This was in the Sudbury Star recently. Not encouraging. People need to speak up about this now before things get out of hand... http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3267621

Great report Lew! Hoping to get out myself as the water begins to cool...

I did test the motor before I bought, but only in the yard with a hose and muffs attached. It ran fine and started easily. I was not able to take it out on the water and I did not have a technician look at it. I travelled to Thunder Bay to view it since it was the only used model I was able to find for sale. I am comfortable doing simple stuff myself, oil, plugs, filter changes. Anything else I would probably be better off to have an expert do. Its a lot more advanced than the 1980 9.9 Johnson I used to run for years. I know the engine has a winterizing function. I have the instructions on how to run it and will do so at the end of the season and will make sure to have stabilizer in the fuel beforehand. I need to run out and get the carbon guard some time this week after work and will check the plugs to see if they need replacing. The engine is a 2006 and for all I know they are the original plugs... Millhouse

Thanks guys, I appreciate the tips! I am going to pick up some new plugs and the carbon guard this week for the local dealer. Does anyone have experience in getting ETec's or similar outboards serviced by a technician? In reviewing BRP's info, they recommend getting the motor serviced every 3 season essentially. I am just wondering what a service would involved for an outboard, what I should expect to pay, and ultimately is it worth it? I was going to look into it at the end of the season but figure I will ask here just the same to see what members experience is. Thanks again! Millhouse ps - I am enjoying the purchase overall and now with a comfortable rig to fish out of, my g/f actually asks to go fishing, can't ask for more...

What a hawg! Well done!

Hi Everyone, I have a question relating to outboards. I got my first rig this year, used, it has a 60hp Evinrude Etec tiller. Lately, the engine has been giving me problems stalling at idle, yesterday I took my g/f fishing on lake Huron for rainbows and it must have stalled a dozen times, not fun on big water. I thought the problem was old gas, the former owner sold me the boat with about 10 gallons of gas in it. I made sure to run it dry and fill it will high grade shell fuel, hoping it would clean out the system of any old fuel builed up etc. The problem has only got worse and Im not sure what to do at this point. I do a lot of trolling and need the engine to run reliably at idle. Im kinda stumped, short of taking it in for servicing I dont know what else to do. Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks in advance to everyone! Millhouse

I would go new my friend. For another $40, I think its worth the piece of mind of a new battery. I bought my first boat this year and had probs with the battery from the beginning. After getting stranded a couple times, I had it tested by a mechanic and it was garbage, it had a leaky cell and was bloated, likely from being frozen. I learned a lot from this process. Deep cycles have some routine maintenance you need to do to keep them functioning, do this and they will work well for a long time. I spent over $300 on new deep cycles for the main engine and trolling motor but the new ones function flawlessly, no more leaving me stranded or wondering if the motor will start. Plus they came with a 1 year warranty. I can charge them with my CanTire smart charger. I even bought a solar panel trickle charger on sale at Cantire for $9.00. This helps charge the batteries when they are not in use. Money well spent. My $0.02, buy new! Millhouse2020

Thanks River Rat, I heard the same but did not know where that was. I'm pretty sure it was not South Bay. My uncle has been fishing there the past few weekends and catching several rainbow per trip but all I know is he is flatline trolling. Its a big bay so I was hoping for more specifics on where to concentrate my efforts, types of lures to use, depths to troll etc etc. I have never actually fished rainbows before but would love to try my hand at it and hook my g/f into a few rainbows as well. I've got her hooked on smallmouths already this year, she outfishes me and is asking all the time when we are going next...

Hi Everyone, I have heard from a few friends that they have been catching Rainbows on Manatoulin Island by flatline trolling in south bay. I would love to take my g/f to Manatoulin to experience rainbow fishing. Does anyone have any advice on techniques and tactics as well as where to fish? Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to all! Cheers and good fishin, Millhouse

Thanks guys. Davey, where would I get my hands on this "seam sealer" stuff???

Hi everybody, Just looking for tips on how to repair tears and gouges in vinyl floors. I purchased my first rig in the spring, previously enjoyed, with some minor wear in the vinyl which I would like to repair. Any tips and advice on products and processes would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Millhouse "as an example the pic shows a small (dime sized) flap tear in the vinyl on the edge of the casting platform"

Thanks for the heads up landry. I will likely try just the same to say I did and hopefully catch one and get the bug out of my system. I dont see how given the size of the fish I saw, that they would not put up a fight and be a challenge to land...