SERIOUS CORROSION BEFORE WARRANTEE WORE OUT!

[david orr ludlow]

Hi. This is David Ludlow the original poster last September of SERIOUS CORROSION BEFORE WARRANTEE WORE OUT!

I found that the problem was as simple as not removing the screens on the scuppers. (Thanks to Brian B and others of you.) But the corrosion damage compounded so that the engine water level alarm was disabled, causing serious engine damage from corrosion as well.

Ralf Henkle has assured me that the one year warrantee would be honored until this issue is settled. I am writing to find out how many others have had a similar problem because Ranger still not replied to that request.

In one week, I will have payed $18,000 to Alan Harbor Marine in Harwich, MA (Cape Cod) for damages from corrosion due to not removing the scupper screens. I will be requesting that Ranger reimburse me for all of that under the original one year warrantee. Up until now it has been their position that any boat owner should know enough to religiously clean those screens without it's being brought to their attention as a serious potential corrosion threat. My first and previous cursing boat was a Seaward 27 R/K in which I slept in the bilge. Any water accumulation got my feet wet when I got up, so I falsely assumed I would know if their was water buildup in the bilge of my new boat.

Were any of you notified that this might be a problem when you bought your Ranger Tug? How many of you had to learn to remove your scupper screens the hard way like me?

In their R-27 Owners Manual, which I was told is the same as that for my 25-SC, this is only mentioned on p.37: "Example of a spring pre-launch checklist" Cleaning: "Remove debris from scuppers and scupper drains." Once a year only?
Nor was I alerted to this issue during the sales run-thru.

I will also be requesting that Ranger post in the Manual a warning about this and require all their sales people to include it in their pre-sales briefing checklist.

I expect that I will only win this warrantee claim if many of you also express here that you agree that this issue needs to be addressed for future Ranger Tug owners.

Thanks,
David Ludlow, and "This Is It!" Eastham, MA

 

[knotflying]

I think you have an uphill battle here. After I owned my boat for a week I realized on my own that the screens needed to be removed. As a responsible owner of a boat you need to regularly check your bilge and bilge pump operation. Corrosion doesn't happen overnight. Why didn't you initially see water accumulating in the bilge when you regularly check oil level and antifreeze levels. Didn't you check the functionality of your bilge sensors, which includes the sensor for the high water alarm?
I agree that the design is somewhat lacking, but regardless of the mediocre design, standard regular periodic inspections of systems should have avoided your corrosion issue.

There have been cases of catastrophic flooding of the bilge that resulted in the entire bilge compartment flooding and water infiltrating the engine. This was a result of a extremely heavy downpour and then the failure of the bilge pumps.
I know in one case where the insurance company took the position that the owner was irresponsible for not properly maintaining the boat.

I empathize with you situation, but it seems like a lack of regular diligence of systems is the major contributor to your corrosion.

 

[BB marine]

I agree there is a issue with design and it sounds like it has been an issue for a while. Many boat owners that participate in this Forum are educated by issues like this and take action. If the screens are a problem I would think that Ranger/Cutwater looks at it and redesign or change drainage system and send a service bulletin out and explain revisions. If a self balling cockpit is designed,that is what it is supposed to do, self bail and protect the vessels components below the deck. While this is great in theory it really has to many variables, Drains scupper plug ( hoses, screens) hoses crack ,hose clamps loose , drains capacity to water entering the cockpit, deck seals worn or removed, does the boat sit level in the water? As a boat owner we have responsibilities. Preventative maintenance, Weekly, monthly, yearly ! A lot of the Preventative is common from one boat to the other, some is not. For me my normal maintenance has not changed with my Cutwater but I have learned a great deal of things to look for, inspect, maintain and change thru this forum. In particular this issue, my weekly maintenance, open each cockpit hatch clean drain tracts and screens ( I haven't removed them ) , while engine hatch is open all engine fluid levels are checked and a quick visual check of the engine, strainer, hoses, and last I use my hand pump to pump out and dry the bilge under the engine. (Its a boat water is going to get in and it does) ( I can't image how much water gets in with Tugs and Cuts that do not have an enclosure for their cockpit) I also lift the stern seat and check to see if there is any water sitting on each side of the tunnel and that drains are open. 20 minutes to half hour a week and engine and bilge are clean. Use this resource (TugNuts) I'm not sure I would have this check if I had not read some of the issues,
Volvo belt tensioner corrosion
motor mount corrosion
cockpit drains plugging
hull drains plugging
thruster corrosion
Thank you to all that post their problems and thank you to all that post solutions.
Brian Brown
26 Cutwater
PORT-A-GEE

 

[Ralf H]

Hi David,

I will reach out to you shortly after I get a chance to review your situation to make sure we have all of the facts. We are very busy at the moment, but I will reach out to you as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience in the meantime.

Ralf

 

[Toot541]

WE have 2011 R29 which is new to us. The scuppers are not draining properly, I tried to flush the line but there appears to be a fine mesh screen at the end of the discharge. How do you remove these screens. The boat is in the water and we get really heavy rains here in Florida. Thanks

 

[Chimo]

During the two days of getting to know my new R 25 it was mentioned that the cockpit drains could get plugged with debris and that some owners had chosen to remove the screens. I thought about the configuration of the scuppers and decided to leave the screens in place, preferring to make checking them a regular maintenance item as I have done on every other boat with a self bailing cockpit that I have owned. I came to the tug from a C-Dory 23 Venture which obviously didn't have self bailing cockpit but relied on the bilge pumps. I got used to checking the screen in front of the bilge pump pickup when I do my once over of hoses, clamps, battery connections etc. at least every week. Since I leave the boat in the water all the time I also try to make a note to close the seacock to the strainer after each use and put a sticky note over the ignition switch to remind me that it must be opened before I start the engine. I confess I am not perfect in that routine!