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 Post subject: Warranty usefulness....
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2011 8:59 am 
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Maybe this has been answered, but we'll see. So, here's the dilema....I live in a far remote area, where there are no kayak dealers of any value (just generic stuff). With the warranty issues on Hobie, do they pay for shipment? For instance, if I were to buy a PA or Revo, or whatever; and the hull was damaged, would I have to pay to ship it to a dealer and if so, would I be re-imbursed?

Another reason I ask this question is due to some of the modifications which people add that could inevitably void the warranty (PA sliding seat for instance). And as I remember the video on repairing a dented hull, I tend to wonder if the same process could not be used for other benefits...such as this whole scupper transducer idea. I mean in all aspects, all you're doing is making a dent :) Anyone think this is possible? to heat the area around a scupper hole, and press the transducer into the keel to make an indentation or molded scupper mount?

Anything you do to a kayak, or any item for that matter, could void the warranty. If you put a new intake system on a car, you void the warranty, etc. So, just wondering if anyone has tried it, or think it's possible? Especially if you reenforced the scupper on the inside afterwards....I know I saw one picture somewhere where the person mounted it through the scupper, but it wasn't embeded in the boat.


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PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2011 5:22 pm 
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Curt, it's my understanding that if you have a potential warranty issue, you should contact your purchasing dealer. He may ask you for pictures of the problem and will submit a warranty claim on your behalf. If approved for warranty replacement, the part may be sent out to you directly and you might be asked to show evidence of destruction of the bad part if appropriate. In any event, it is best handled with your dealer.

If you alter a part (for example, a scupper) and it subsequently fails, then it's your problem. But if you alter the scupper and you get a drivewell crack, unrelated to the scupper, then the drivewell crack would be handled as a warranty item (under the warranty terms). In other words, altering one part doesn't void the warranty on the rest of the boat.

Of course this opinion is based on what I've seen on the forums and nothing more. If you have further concerns, your dealer should be able to give you a more official answer. 8)


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PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 2:24 pm 
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Thanks for the reply RR. You did clearify one thing. I was thinking that altering one part, would void the warranty on the rest of the boat...i.e. if you modded the seat on a PA, and it cracked at the base, the entire warranty on the rest of the hull would be null & void. I suppose those are the risks you take though. The nearest time I'll be able to go to a kayak dealer is next year (when I take the kiddos to Disneyland), otherwise, I'm stuck doing my research and purchasing based off of that.

One question I did have, that maube you can answer being as I know you've done extensive testing, is how hard is it to repair the hull of the boat, whether you had a drivewell crack, scupper, etc? I mean, in my situation of location, some times its better to just fix the problem if it is minor, rather than wait for replacement. That is unless you can prove the defect (say a scupper crack for instance) and Hobie would send you a new hull without wanting the old one back :) Highly doubt that is the case though.

Thanks again.


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PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 7:00 pm 
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Roadrunner wrote:
Curt, it's my understanding that if you have a potential warranty issue, you should contact your purchasing dealer. He may ask you for pictures of the problem and will submit a warranty claim on your behalf. If approved for warranty replacement, the part may be sent out to you directly and you might be asked to show evidence of destruction of the bad part if appropriate. In any event, it is best handled with your dealer.

If you alter a part (for example, a scupper) and it subsequently fails, then it's your problem. But if you alter the scupper and you get a drivewell crack, unrelated to the scupper, then the drivewell crack would be handled as a warranty item (under the warranty terms). In other words, altering one part doesn't void the warranty on the rest of the boat.

Of course this opinion is based on what I've seen on the forums and nothing more. If you have further concerns, your dealer should be able to give you a more official answer. 8)




Thats the problem i have and i know some others have mentioned this. I like some others do not have a dealer anymore(they went out of buisness) and there is no dealer anywhere close to my location, so now what do you do if you have a claim? Dealer i bought from closed doors over a year ago


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PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 7:15 pm 
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Many dealers have been recommended by members of the forum here. There are additional dealers who have contributed on the forums. A lot of these dealers ship kayaks and parts.

You might pick one, call them and explain that your previous dealer is out of business, that you're looking for a new dealer and that they were recommended. If you have a warranty claim at that time, you might ask them if they would represent your claim to Hobie.

Most of them would like to earn your business. I don't think you'll have any trouble. 8)


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PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 9:25 am 
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CurtnAz wrote:
...how hard is it to repair the hull of the boat, whether you had a drivewell crack, scupper, etc? I mean, in my situation of location, some times its better to just fix the problem if it is minor, rather than wait for replacement. That is unless you can prove the defect (say a scupper crack for instance) and Hobie would send you a new hull without wanting the old one back :) Highly doubt that is the case though.
If Hobie is replacing a hull, they don't necessarily want the old carcass back. More likely they would ask you to cut out the serial # and send it in (if a warranty replacement has been approved). They may also ask for evidence that the old boat has been destroyed so somebody doesn't fish it out of the dumpster or recycling bin and try to re-use it. The dealers know how to handle these matters so that's why it's best to call them first, even though you may not be in the vicinity for awhile.

So the first thing to do still is take pictures and document the problem and notify the dealer. Then you could take any necessary measures to keep the boat safely floating and functional until a you can get it in the shop if necessary.

It's my philosophy that almost anything can be repaired. You have tools -- tape, specific epoxies mentioned here on the forum, plastic welding in some cases. If you get a specific problem, bring it out on the forum and someone has probably already done it. I've repaired drivewells and the older style cam columns; fusioning has a slick little scupper mod that can be installed as a prevention or repair; yakaholic posted a clever seat peg repair, etc. There are a lot of resources at your fingertips, even though you are out in the middle of the desert, so to speak. Things could be worse -- your boat could be in Europe! 8)


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PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 4:54 pm 
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Thanks for the info RR....Funny that you say out in the middle of the desert (not sure if that was a pun or not), because that is exactly where I am :D Just so happens, there's a large lake next to me, with several kayak renter's here, but everyone in this podunk town is geared towards tourism (renting cheap yaks) rather than the locals and trying to create something....so, no Hobie dealers, no OK dealers, nothing :D I can buy a used banged up, pos for like 75% of wholesale though :D


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PostPosted: Fri May 20, 2011 6:41 am 
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Location: The Netherlands
whats wrong with europe?


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PostPosted: Fri May 20, 2011 9:15 am 
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Absolutely nothing! We're just fortunate to have a more extensive dealer network in most areas of the U.S. in case the kayak needs something. 8)


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 24, 2011 6:40 am 
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Location: The Netherlands
haha yeah your right about that


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 1:07 pm 
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Location: Lafayette, La, USA
Regarding shipping a unit back to Hobie at their cost...

I may be missing something, but can't a theory like that be applied to just about anything? Buy a new motorcycle, find out your dealer closed, and now we ask the builder if they will pay the shipping costs back for warranty repairs?

Isn't buying an item our choice to use a strong dealer network, or not, and take our chances? Isn't it our choice to live remotely far away from a dealer, or not? Why would a manuf pay for shipping charges when we made the decision to live where we do?

Nothing personal, sarcastic, or hurtful to Curtn, or Hobie, or whoever. Just thought that was an interesting topic to bring up.
Also wouldn't that shipping statement be clearly made in their warranty papers?
Which of course I have not read mine - LOL ! :-))

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PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 3:19 pm 
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mnormand wrote:
Nothing personal, sarcastic, or hurtful to Curtn, or Hobie, or whoever. Just thought that was an interesting topic to bring up.
Also wouldn't that shipping statement be clearly made in their warranty papers?
Which of course I have not read mine - LOL ! :-))


None taken :) I don't know about other people though, but I wouldn't choose my residential location based off of whether there was a Hobie Dealer near by :) ~No sorry sir, I'm afraid I'll have to refuse this chance of a lifetime; until you get a Hobie Dealer in this town~ **lol**
Although I can say that it has crossed my mind when I think about moving, to find a dealer a little closer :) Closest one is 4 hours from me....problem is finding the time to take a visit :D


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