Rough Water Marine<br /> Hydra Sport Corporation Representative<br /> Johnson and Evinrude Representative<br /><br />Subj: HYDRA SPORT 230 SEA HORSE<br /><br />This response is related to another disappointing encounter with Genmar, the Hydrasports representative, and Rough Water Marine. Due to the numerous fiberglass problems and mechanical problems that I have encountered with the Sea horse 230 the Hydrasport Rep. and Roughwater Rep were to meet with me Sunday the 24th of November, at the Rough Water Marine to discuss the numerous problems I have had with this water craft and what alternative lye ahead. Hydrasport Rep. was to go through the boat and give an over view of the situation. Rough Water Marine reassured me that when he and Hydrasport Rep. were going to evaluate my Hydrasport that he would call either using my telephone number or my Cell number that I had given him on Wednesday the 20th of November. As usual Ben Spafford didnt call and I didnt speak with Hydrasport Rep.. I have been given enough excuses as why the Gel coat continues to blister, fiberglass having air voids, lower units blowing out, and why Hydrasport Representatives are unable to use a telephone. This whole situation is unbelievable. On Wednesday the 20th of November, I had met with Roughwater Marine to discuss the Hydrasport's Rep. visit in regards to my 230 and he had mention that with all the problems that we both have encountered with my boat that Hydrasports would probably replace the hull and that Rough Water would be reimbursed for the labor to remove and replace all my equipment on the other haul. I have had the boat in the fiberglass shop three times and soon to be the fourth. It has been in the shop three times to replace the lower unit and once for the VRU. Now it is in the shop for Blisters in the Gel coat again in both of the aft storage lockers and to remount the large aluminum bracket that holds the engine due excessive cavitation, another factory problem. The end is never near since I have purchased this vessel and enough is enough. The following is an account of the problems that I have experienced since inception. <br />1. I had purchased the Hydra Sport 230 Sea Horse W/A on the 27th of April 2001. On 12 May 2001, after returning from a fishing trip, I had noticed a crack in the fiberglass inside the cabin on the starboard side approximately six inches long, also there were blisters in the fiberglass around the live well. I had only owned the boat for 14 days. The boat also had numerous Gel coat cracks with in the cabin at the time of purchase, but was not a major concern at this time, due to the reassurance that these would be taken care of by Rough Water. On 15 May 2001, I contacted Ben Spafford and informed him of the fiberglass damage with in the cabin. He was very cooperative and said to bring the boat in and we will take some pictures of the damage, so that the Hydra Sport representative could authorize the repair. The boat was dropped off at Rough Water Marine on the 14th of May and returned on the 25th of May. The quality of the repair was excellent, but the communication between the Hydra Sport Representative, Rough Water Marine, the fiberglass repair facility, and I was less than excellent. Total time of the repair was 12 days. During these twelve days I was promised the boat on two different occasions and was not contacted a single time to inform me of the delays. I had to contact the dealer to keep informed of the status of the repair. Once the repairs were completed, I went and picked up the boat only to find fiberglass dust through out the cabin. Once again, I contacted the dealer and was told to bring the boat back to the dealer, so the boat could be cleaned properly the second time.<br />I was contacted around 4 P.M. the 25th of May to pick up the boat for the second time on the same day. Once I returned home I had noticed the Bikini Top was not secured properly from the dealer and that it had traveled from the bow to the stern. The aluminum poles were bent and one of the fixtures that secures the top was broken. On 22 April 02, I returned the boat again to Rough Water Marine for eight blisters of the Gel coat under the front cushion on the bow. This is now the fourth problem that I have had concerning fiberglass repairs. A six inch crack has develop in the interior of the cabin. This one is located on the first step as you enter the cabin on the port side. In all this is the second structural failure with in the cabin of the boat. Now that the cabin area has been repaired twice the gel coat with in the cabin is three different colors. The fifth fiberglass problem is the blisters in the two storage areas next to the live well in the rear of the boat. <br /><br />2. I had also been waiting from the 27th of April to the 25th of May for the door to the cabin to be replaced due to the locking mechanism and shock failure. The cabin door was replaced on the 25th of May. Before leaving the dealership I had tried to open the new cabin door. The upper door was in a bind from the installation and the top Plexiglas door broke the very first time it was opened. The technicians answer to the problem was that he had noticed it was binding. After swapping parts from the old door to the new door the repair appears to be complete. I am completely satisfied with the second repair, but there was no silicone sealant used around the frame of the door. <br /><br />3. 26 May 2001 at 0900, I had to contact Rough Water Marine to inform them that the oil injection system indicator and audible alarm continued to illuminate and sound. Fifteen minutes later a representative from Rough Water arrived to diagnose the indications. He had removed the oil injection hose and added enough oil to the fuel tank, so we could continue our fishing trip. He said the oil injection pump had failed. <br /><br />4. 26 May 2001 at 1200, I am approximately 38 miles south of Pascagoula, MS. in the Gulf of Mexico when a strange noise begins back at the motor. My initial thoughts were the engine had a rod knocking or the lower unit had something wrong due to sound it was making. The sound was not apparent at 2500 Rpms, so this was the speed we returned at. The boat was able to make 7 miles per hour. Five hours later we had finally arrived at the boat dock. Once I had returned home the flushing apparatus was installed on the motor, so I could further investigate the noise. The engine sounded fine, so I had removed the fill screw on the lower unit to find a large amount of metal on the magnetic bolt. The indications were the same on the lower magnetic bolt and the fluid would not even drain due to the amount of metal in the lower unit. The paint on the bolts that hold the lower unit of the Johnson 225 had appeared to of been removed once before. Prior to the purchase of this boat I had asked RoughWater Marine about the lower unit and he had told me that they had experienced a problem with motor during testing and that they had completed the repairs and all was good. I do not want the lower unit repaired. I want the lower unit replaced, because it had been repaired before and had only lasted for 12 hours. At this rate I would have a lower unit replaced every third outing and I absolutely have no confidence in the mechanic who had rebuilt it before. One question you have to ask yourself is why a brand new lower unit with zero hours would ever have to be repaired by the dealer instead of being replaced by the manufacturer. Lower Unit Failure. The lower unit was replaced with a new lower unit, but now the new lower unit was a counter rotating lower unit. I was not told at the time of purchase that the motor was one of a pair of 225s and the clock wise rotation engine had been sold, so Rough Water marine removed the original lower unit and replaced it with one that rotated clock wise. In order to cover the warranty Rough Water Marine had to replace the lower unit with the one that match the serial number of the engine I had on my boat. Now, I have a counter rotating engine that doesnt belong on a single engine vessel. Second lower unit failed on 20 April 02. So, at this present time I am on my third lower unit. The service was great, but these failures are not excusable and bring about a major concern with reliability of this engine. The installation of the motor bracket from factory is to high causing the engine to cavitate and shut down to a lower RPM, as described by the dealership. <br /><br />5. After having trim tabs installed the power trim to the Johnson 225 continues to decrease and has to have the trim readjusted every five minutes. This has since been repaired, but the installation of these tab caused Gel coat chips due to poor installation.<br /><br />6. Since I have purchased this boat I have experienced the following problems:<br /> a. Cracked Gel Coat<br /> b. 6 inch crack in the fiberglass on the starboard side of the cabin (AIR VOID)<br /> c. 6 inch crack in the fiberglass on the first step entering the cabin (Lack of support between hull and cabin)<br /> d. Bikini Top problems<br /> e. Screens cracked in the cabin<br /> f. Cabin door component failure and misalignment <br /> g. Oil injection pump failure<br /> h. Lower unit failure Twice (1) Clockwise rotation and (1) Counter rotation<br /> i. Power Trim continues to decrease (repaired)<br /> j. Blisters in the fiberglass on four different locations (Bow, Live Well, Both aft storage Lockers)<br /> k. Engine problem that has not been able to be diagnosed (Engine Bracket improperly mount)<br /> l. Faulty sink pump (Repaired)<br /> m. Short in the wiring between navigation lights and console switch (Repaired)<br /><br />7. Now the gelcoat on the starboard side of the boat is two different colors and after investigating the discoloration I found the true problem. The factory misdrilled two holes, repaired the area and sold the boat as new. Unfortunate for the boat owner, because after all these problems Genmar is only willing to do A PARTIAL REPAIR OF THE AREA. tHAT WILL ALWAYS BE DISCOLORED. <br /><br />8. I had purchased the Hydra Sport boat for several reasons. The reliability of the Johnson engine and the excellent construction of Hydra Sport boat, but at this time I am wonder what I had truly purchased. The reputation and reliability that no longer exists or is this just a fluke. All I can say, is at this time I have spent 30,000 dollars on a boat and have added another 2,000 worth of accessories that has been at the Dealer longer than I have owned the boat. The reasons stem from the manufacturer, to the dealer and to the technician. I cannot tolerate these failures any more and excuses I continue to receive. Continuing to repair this thing is no longer the cure . I have spent the majority of my warranty period at the dealer and that is unsatisfactory.<br /><br />CAUTION TO ALL LOOKING AT A HYDRASPORT 
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