# Trouble with my Weldbilt



## mbweimar

Well folks, my 1752 Weldbilt will be down for a while. During some routine maintenance I found a few cracks. Dug a little deeper, and found THIS! I'm debating whether or not to remove the floor and check for more damage. What say you?


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## Johnny

From personal experience, I suggest putting the plug in
and putting a LOT of water in it to get an idea of what is going on.

Phase two: would be pulling up the floor if it is not a monumental task.


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## hipster dufus

what yr is it? where did u buy it? what gage is it? i have a 1648 mv 2012, 100 gage. pushing it with a 30 hp tohatsu. u got me scared now. i have the aluminum floor and my pedastal seat base in the rear looks like it needs a weld job. i appreciate ur respones. thanks and good luck.


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## Skiffing

It's breaking apart - seriously. Whether it leaks now or not makes no difference. It's compromised.

That none of the welds broke and all separated from substrate indicates a poor welding job @ manufacturer.

Contact them:

https://www.weldbilt.net/

Warranty or not I'd push them hard.


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## KMixson

Skiffing said:


> It's breaking apart - seriously. Whether it leaks now or not makes no difference. It's compromised.
> 
> That none of the welds broke and all separated from substrate indicates a poor welding job @ manufacturer.
> 
> Contact them:
> 
> https://www.weldbilt.net/
> 
> Warranty or not I'd push them hard.




I agree. It looks like the weld job compromised the aluminum surrounding the weld. The side braces look as if the weld dug too deep into the hull thinning the metal around the edge of the weld. The floor welds look as is there was not enough bead on the center part of the weld to hold the pieces together since it split the weld right at the seam. It appears that the weld was too thin across the seam. If you have not run into anything real hard with your boat it should not be doing this. If you have hit something hard the shock can cause this type of damage but if the welds were structurally sound I would tend to believe the boat would bend before the welds broke. Again, I would contact Weldbilt to get their take on it.


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## mbweimar

Thanks guys. I'm gonna start pulling up the floor tonight to inspect the braces underneath. The problem is, the center console will have to come up along with all the wiring.

Hipster, this is a 2013 1752V. It's got a 40 ETEC, but the hull is rated for 90. I changed the bunks out to 2x6 mounted vertically. This raised the boat enough to allow me to trailer it with the engine trimmed down.


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## riverrat717

mbweimar said:


> Thanks guys. I'm gonna start pulling up the floor tonight to inspect the braces underneath. The problem is, the center console will have to come up along with all the wiring.
> 
> Hipster, this is a 2013 1752V. It's got a 40 ETEC, but the hull is rated for 90. I changed the bunks out to 2x6 mounted vertically. This raised the boat enough to allow me to trailer it with the engine trimmed down.




Which area of the hull it this taking place at? Welds on the ribs appear to be mig beads, hot and fast. Take it to a good tig welder. And I'd definitely inform Weldbilt of the issue.


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## mbweimar

The area in which this has happened is right where the V tapers out into the flat bottom. This part takes the grunt of any sort of chop while on plane. 

This just in:
I worked for the last couple hours removing the console and drilling out the rivets in the back half of the floor. I lifted the floor up to take a quick pic and found the ribs towards the back are also broken. Here's a pic. It's not very clear, as I was holding the floor up with one hand while holding the phone steady with the other. It's hard to tell that the welds are broken, so I'll get a better pic tomorrow.


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## mbweimar

I spoke with Andy at Backwoods Landing today. I was told that even though the hull warranty has expired, the factory can do the repair for a small price. The dealer can send the hull to the factory for free.The problem is, I'm 800 miles away from the nearest dealer. So at this point it's probably going to be cheaper to find someone local to fix. I don't know what that's going to cost yet, but it looks like it will all come out of pocket.


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## tomme boy

Hate to say it, but, this happens to A LOT of Weldbilts.


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## Kismet

Talk to the dealer about picking up the cost and getting it shipped directly from you to Weldbilt.

They don't want the kind of liability this situation could present to them. That's a 2-year old boat!!!

I'm currently fixing up a 59-year-old boat. I have no weld issues. 

They need to get on that. Be persistent and calm, but resolute.

Best wishes.




_(Edit: I looked up the Weldbilt site and found what appears to be the closest dealer to you. I could not find a site for the manufacturer. I sent them a link to this thread so they'd have some idea of the catastrophic failure of the boat. Don't know that it will encourage them to address the issues, but a quick and professional response may save them some potential customers. A shame, really, for they are nice looking boats.)_


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## kayakn

I recently came across a problem with my weldbilt 1752 flat bottom that I purchased new last year! Where the bottom rib welds to the side of the live well, the weld ripped a 3" long hole in the live well just from the boat flexing. Also, on the same rib, the weld is ripping the aluminum on the bottom of the boat causing water to leak in. .080 gauge boat


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## richg99

Guess I won't be buying a Weldbilt....at least, not until I hear that they stand behind their products... and for more than just a year or two.

Hardly anyone buying aluminum welded fishing boats should expect those kind of issues unless the boats were MUCH older, and subject to some severe handling.

Guess my 1996 Lowe is looking better and better.

richg99


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## tomme boy

ALL welded boats are going to crack. It is just not weldbilts. Weldbilts use a thinner alum to keep the price down. That is one of the worst things you can do for a welded boat. 

Alweld learned about how the transom cracks like the picture years ago. They now take the brace right up over the top of the transom. That one broke because it was a little undercut. 

Why do you think airplanes and jets are riveted?


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## mbweimar

This just in:

I finished removing the floor to find more damage. Pretty much every weld I could see with the floor removed was broken. Not cracked. Completely broken. Pretty much the only thing holding my boat together is the weld that goes down the middle chine. Two of the braces were also cracked, so I don't know if that's fixable or not.

I also filled her up with water to find the leak and found a crack a couple inches long. Right on the middle chine at the bottom of the "V." At this point I dont know if the boat is salvageable. I can't see what's under the front deck without cutting it out, and I can't see what's behind the side panels without cutting them out. I'm open to any and all advice.

















On a lighter note, I took the kayak out yesterday to fish the mullet run. Left the boat ramp with a few dozen live mullet, and ran into several big schools of jack. I was using fairly heavy tackle as I was anticipating some tarpon action. The catch of the day goes to this bruiser I found cruising in the middle of the St. Lucie river. Pound for pound these are easily the hardest fighting inshore species.


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## richg99

Sheesh... With all of those problems, I'd imagine the customer service people at Weldbilt would want to talk to you directly....and replace the hull. 

Obviously, unless you are running rocky rivers daily, you couldn't have caused all of those problems.

If they blow you off, on a 2013 hull....the world would like to know that, too,

richg99


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## mbweimar

I'll get on the phone with the Weldbilt factory tomorrow morning. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can work something out with them. I would even pay for a new hull with significant discounts, even though I don't feel like I should.


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## hipster dufus

i was leary of the 80 gage hull so i ordered the 100 gage. now i will b going thru it at the end of the season. maybe if u hit a big rock insurance would cover it. keep us posted on weldbilts replies .good luck.


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## xXOnyxXx

wow i came so close to buying a new weldbilt this year, at this point i'm glad i bought a lowe. man much luck with this issue .... i'm in total awe on this, WOW


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## Jim

Like pretty much everything there will be an occasional lemon/dud. The true measure will be the outcome/resolution. Before we judge lets see how this turns out. I can guarantee many many many happy weldbilt owners. 

Jim

P.S. I still feel bad for you mbweimar.


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## lovedr79

man that is not good. i would not be happy right now. i hope they take care of you. keep us posted. i always thought weldbilts were supposed to be great boats.


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## riverbud55

Well can tell ya if it were me i would see a lawyer if the factory wont fix it for free,,, can tell ya the world would know about it if it were mine, I would be threatening to post adds on craigslist in boats for sale showing the boat asking for a buyer for a worthless piece of poo boat that's 3 years old and a warning of future buyers, post in every city with in 100 miles of all their dealers,,,, and by the way not ''all welded boat will crack'' have 30 year old Gregor not a crack to be found on it, ,,,,, thanks for posting,


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## riverrat717

Any good news from the factory? Or should I invest in a tig machine?


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## mbweimar

Sorry fellas, I've been really busy this week. Monday I called around to some different Weldbilt dealers to try to get as much info as I could. There aren't many out there, but the closest, Day's Marine in Florala is unreachable. I called multiple times, left a voicemail and never got a call back. The next dealer I called was Reynold's Marine in Harriman, TN. I tried to tell the guy about my problems, and all he wanted to do was sell me bigger boat, then when I asked about warranty work he told me I needed to get it fixed locally, and basically hung up on me. Next was Art's Marine in Little Rock, AR. They were a little more helpful, in giving me the direct number to the factory, but offered little more. 

Upon speaking with the factory, Johnny told me that Weldbilt will fix the boat for free, if I bring it to them. I explained that it's not pratical to do so, given the the fact that I live so far from them. He then suggested I bring the boat to Backwoods Landing, which is the dealer in Mooresville, AL where I purchased the boat. He said they would take the boat to the factory for me. When I asked if there was any possibility to have the repairs done locally, I was shot down. I also asked if there was anything they could do to get me into a new hull, even a thicker hull with some sort of discount. He reply was, "Take it up with your dealer."

So...here I am back where I started. I called Backwoods again, and spoke with Andy. And let me just say first, that Andy has been VERY helpful. He helped me diagnose possible causes for the problems I've had, and answered any and all questions. Backwoods has been by far the easiest to deal with. The ONLY problem I have with them, and this is the same with ALL dealers, they all demand to see the boat. It's like their hands are tied until they see the boat themselves. 

As of today my options remain the same.
1: Have it fixed locally, at my expense, and spend who knows how much to make it right.
2: Drive it 800 miles one way to the dealer to have it sent to the factory. Then wait who knows how long....weeks or months. Then drive 800 miles again to pick it up (3200 miles in total.)

Advice and suggestons welcome.


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## riverrat717

It's you to you....if it were me, I'd try to find a dead head big rig or another truck for hire to haul it there. Or get it fixed locally. Got any friends with a tig setup? Easier to control heat and warpage with a tig torch. Good time to replace the bottom with 1/4, but pricy. Keep us posted


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## Wyatt

Hate to hear about the bad luck bud. Hope you find a conclusion to this issue soon.


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## mbweimar

Wyatt, I'm down in south Florida. The dealer I bought the boat from is 800 miles away in north Alabama. The FACTORY is up in Arkansas somewhere. They want me to drive it 800 miles, one way to the dealer, so the dealer can bring it the rest of the way to the factory. That's the only comprimise I've gotten from Weldbilt.


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## lovedr79

mbweimar said:


> Wyatt, I'm down in south Florida. The dealer I bought the boat from is 800 miles away in north Alabama. The FACTORY is up in Arkansas somewhere. They want me to drive it 800 miles, one way to the dealer, so the dealer can bring it the rest of the way to the factory. That's the only comprimise I've gotten from Weldbilt.


WHAT!?!?!?! they dont have a dealer in FLa?


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## mbweimar

There are only a handfull of dealers scattered throughout the country. The more I look into it, the more I realize that Weldbilt is nowhere close to being on the same level as the larger manufacturers. They don't even have a dedicated customer service department. Yes, its nice of them to offer to fix it for free, and I'm sure people come from all over Arkansas to have them fix their boats. But if I were running that place, I would bend over backwards for the guy that drove across two states to buy a boat. It just makes sense. 

I visited their Facebook page today and noticed the public is allowed to post on it. I have half a mind to post all my pics on there, and let everyone know how well built their product is, and how they treat their customers.


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## richg99

Well, the good thing is, when some future potential buyer scans the internet, he/she may well find this discussion, and it may change their mind as to the "quality" of your present boat. 

I presume you've called and checked on what it would cost to have a truck take the hull back to the manufacturer directly??? That might be less than you making two round trips.

I recently thought I had to drive about 800 miles one way to get some license issues straightened out. I figured 1600 miles round trip; two motels; gas; and wear and tear on this old body. Ouch. It was going to be a bear to do it, and to think that you'd have to do it twice just to get back a repaired boat....makes me sick.

I can't believe that you would ever have any confidence in that boat after getting it back.

When you add up whatever it will cost to take all of your gear off (motor-steering-trolling-motor- whatever isn't specific to the hull itself) and the gas, motels AND then pay to have all of the gear put BACK onto the "repaired " hull
....I'd have to think it is time to scrap the Weldbilt....and buy another hull.

Expensive but the company isn't trying to help very much.

This site puts the value at a bit over $3,000 to replace what you have.
https://www.reynoldsracingmarine.com/newweldbilt.htm

Obviously, you wouldn't buy another Weldbilt.
Might be a good time to find a bare hull, as I suspect the 2016 models have recently come out.

Sorry for your situation. I've only bought used boats recently. This thread makes me sad for the new boat buyer.

richg99


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## Steve A W

Aren't there any "lemon laws" for boats?

Steve A W


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## xXOnyxXx

thats not a lemon .. thats a dude that cannot weld,


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## richg99

Maybe.....

https://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/how-to-use-the-federal-lemon-law-to-get-rid-of-lemon-boat


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## redrum

I'm currently looking for a new hull this fall to put all my stuff on. I was looking at weldbilt and specifically backwoods landing because I'm in north Ga. I can promise these is NO way I'll bother looking at them anymore.

On a side note I'd be willing to help you get your boat over to backwoods if you can get it up to Atlanta.

I guess it's good they will fix it but man that is some BS welding.


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## tomme boy

Talk to your insurance company. Tell them you hit something. Get it fixed and get rid of it. It will do the same thing again. If you want it fixed right, rivet it. Aluminum becomes very weak once it has been welded. It will just keep cracking no matter what you do to it. Welded boats were originally made as a cost cutting feature. It takes less than half the time to make a welded boat than a riveted one.


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## Kismet

tomme boy said:


> Talk to your insurance company. Tell them you hit something. Get it fixed and get rid of it. It will do the same thing again. If you want it fixed right, rivet it. Aluminum becomes very weak once it has been welded. It will just keep cracking no matter what you do to it. Welded boats were originally made as a cost cutting feature. It takes less than half the time to make a welded boat than a riveted one.




Dunno about this. If a person mis-represents the cause of the damage, it is fraud, and potentially criminal prosecution can result. I would never consider such and would not recommend it.

I'd keep on Weldbilt to figure out how to get the boat back up to them on THEIR dime. They have a vested interest in satisfying their customers. 

In this small part of the internet alone, three or four folks have posted they are no longer considering investing in a new Weldbilt. How many more made the same decision and didn't bother to post.

Best wishes.


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## richg99

Thanks, Kismet

richg99


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## mbweimar

Went by Bass Pro today and looked at a Grizzly 1648. Compared to my Weldbilt it's a world of difference. .100 hull, and believe it or not, the floor is actually wider than the floor in my Weldbilt. They want a little over $3K for just the hull, which would be nice, knowing I had a 5 year warranty on the hull, and tons of locations for service. I'm seriously considering ditching the Weldbilt hull, and swapping everything over to the Grizzly.


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## richg99

Good for you. Aluminum has some scrap value.

Hope it all works out for you. richg99


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## tomme boy

Don't do it!

Look up a Seaark


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## mbweimar

Took the boat to a local shop the other day. The owner wouldn't touch it because he had a lot of work already. He estimated $500-800 to repair it. I think the best thing to do is get it fixed and sell it. Anyone interested? Lol


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## bassboy1

Yours isn't the first I've seen with every single rib popped like that. I used to like them - the design, on paper, is superior to many others. 

For example, the lateral stiffeners welded (well, not anymore) across the floor are flat on top, whereas many companies use a 1.5" tall hat section that follows the deadrise of the hull. Not only does this give a flat deck, it also make the middle of the stiffener twice as tall as the ends, putting more strength where the greater stress is. Also, the additional lengthwise strakes formed into the hull increase rigidity, without a huge weight gain. Some great design features. But then, the boats just fall apart due to poor welding (and I think they keep making their lateral ribs thinner), and with more of their recent hulls, I'm seeing things that were improperly cut, and then hammered into place. I did a deck extension on one, and found the back of the bow deck was C shaped, when looking down from the top....

The two places I see damage on yours are the disconnected lower floor ribs, and the transom knee brace. 

The lower ribs simply need to be rewelded. The splitting of the weld shows how poor the weld was - aluminum welds tend to fail in the heat affected zone immediately on either side of the weld - not the weld itself. The fact that the weld itself let go suggests that the cross section of the weld wasn't even as thick as the base material, when they should have been roughly equal. 

I'm going to outline a plan of correctly repairing it. If you are going to spend 500-800 to get it rewelded to sell it, you may also want to consider spending slightly more to make it right enough to keep it. Depends on if the decision is entirely dollars and cents, or if there is also some 'new boat itch' to contend with as well. 

My initial thought is to simply get these properly rewelded. This is not a TIG job - you'll end up with quite a bit of distortion - it's really a task for pulsed MIG. I'd advise not leaving it with someone who plans to TIG weld that.

However, the more I look at your pictures, the more I'm concerned that the fitment is too far off to work with. I'm somewhat surprised that the ribs lifted up from the hull sheets as much as they did. With the weight of the boat on the trailer bunks, I'd really expect to see the gap closed up, so this suggests a good bit of internal tension that is pulling the sections apart. Not entirely surprising - lots of boats have such, but I think in this case it comes from the ribs not being correctly fitted.

Also, it's hard to see from the photos, but it looks like the rib flanges weren't sitting flat on the hull sheet - they were pulled down to meet the sheet to weld initially, is that right? If so, my suggestion would be to simply cut the bottom flange off the existing floor ribs, so you are left with the vertical leg of the rib. Then, shear some strips of .100 sheet to fit the vee of the boat on one side, straight on the other. You'll stand these up against the ribs. These will weld or rivet (ideally both) to the side of the rib, then MIG weld to the hull skin of the boat. 

The transom knee brace doesn't scare me - that's an easy fix. Oddly, it's actually the opposite of my Weldbilt theory - that's decent welding, but bad design. That's not write home to mama TIG welding there, but it's certainly passable for a boat manufacturer. Basically, all the transom strength comes from the wood core, but the knee brace (and it's reasonably beefy - not in thickness, but is a rigid shape) is welded to the thin skin, and is pulling on that. They tried to remedy that with the two 1/4" bolts, however out on the unsupported flange, they don't do much good - the knee brace is only rigid in the middle. Also, following that logic, the downhand MIG weld down each side of the brace doesn't do a lot of good - it's pretty much relying on that 2.5" of TIG weld at the top. 

Simple fix there is to remove the engine, and shear a strip of sheet or plate that goes down the top of the knee brace a little bit (few inches, then wraps over the top of the transom and welds there. Basically, instead of knee brace pulling just on a flat piece of sheet, you want it also pulling on the top, where it has two bends to make it a little more rigid, and where you can increase the weld area. 

You haven't mentioned this yet, but if you can access the bottom of the transom wood, see if there is a big gap between it and the outer skin. On some of those boats, the wood transom core is not attached to the bottom of the transom at all. The force of the motor pulls out on the top of the transom, and pushes in on the bottom. With the wood not attached, it starts pulling forward, flexing the back transom sheet, instead of transferring the force to the bottom of the hull, as it should. A row of 6 bolts/nuts and fender washers across the bottom of the transom wood, pulling it back tight against the aluminum skin solves this issue. 

I'll be glad to elaborate on some repair suggestions if you go that route. 

Last time I did a repair on a less than one year old Weldbilt, the bill was in the $400 plus range (granted, we did a redesign, so he'd never have a problem again, instead of just welding the broken stuff back together), and Weldbilt offered to pick up $50 of that.


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## mbweimar

Thanks bassboy! I might end up taking the boat to you to have it fixed. I'm driving to Tennessee for thanksgiving, so I'll be going right through Atlanta. Are you up to the challenge?


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## Buckshot Bill

MB, jmho, but at this point I think I'd give bassboy a call and seriously consider having him make your repairs. I don't know him at all, but it sure sounds like he knows how to make this right and if you keep after Weldbuilt, hopefully they'll be willing to defray some-or all of the expense- in the interest of good customer relations.
Good luck, Bill


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## xXOnyxXx

man bro that weldbilt is 2 years old .. get a lawyer and make them replace the hull .... i mean its like being robbed when you get done this way, if nothing else to just make the point that they can't screw people over.


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## mbweimar

I don't think I have a legal leg to stand on though. There is only a one year warranty on the hull, which I didn't find out about until after this all happened.


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## surfman

Only a 1 year warrantee, that is not good either. that thing is unusable. I’d be darned if I would pay to repair that kind of failure. I don't think that reflects very well of Weldcraft at all if they aren't willing to make that right. Surely it can't be all that much trouble for them to take it back and re-weld it. That is ridiculous.


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## Jim

I think they are willing to fix it, if the boat is taken to them correct?


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## mbweimar

Correct. They'll fix it if I get it to them. The nearest dealer is 800 miles away.


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## wmk0002

So if you were a reasonable distance from Backwoods Landing would you be happy with their handling of the situation? I ask because I am only 30 minutes from them and drive by every day to/from work and have been considering buying a boat from them in the spring. This thread is definitely not painting a good picture for Weldbilts weld quality nor short warranty, however, if the dealership will stand behind the boat longer I would still consider them.


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## mbweimar

I would say Backwoods has been the most helpful. Although I think Weldbilt has their hands tied, so they're limited on what they can do.


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## mbweimar

I found a guy locally who will do the work finally. Right now my plans are to contact Weldbilt again via Facebook. I feel that whoever is in control of their page will be more likely to work with me in the interest of good customer service. My options are to privately message them, and explain the issue, or totally blast them by posting pics and a description of the problem directly to their page. I'm thinking I'll go with the first option, but I'm not sure how to word my message.


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## Stubborn Dutchman

You are to be commended for your restraint. I hope that Weldbilt steps up and takes proper care of you. I doubt I could remain as calm as you seem to have been able to. Good luck!

Don


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## richg99

You catch more flies with honey...etc. etc.

I'd go the first route.


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## Jim

richg99 said:


> You catch more flies with honey...etc. etc.
> 
> I'd go the first route.



I agree 100%

No one is disagreeing that the welding was not stellar on this boat. Weldbuilt did step up and agree to fix the problems as I understand it. The issue it seems is getting the boat from point A to point B and back to point A. Who should incur the costs? I'm not weighing in on that one.  

At a minimum, 40,000 people(up to over 100k UNIQUE visitors) come to this website every month to browse. That is all I am saying.


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## KMixson

Jim said:


> At a minimum, 40,000 people(up to over 100k UNIQUE visitors) come to this website every month to browse. That is all I am saying.



I come to this site quite a bit. As it is now I would never buy a Weldbilt or recommend one to anyone after seeing what is happening.


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## mbweimar

Update:

Friday I'm driving up to Mooresville to the dealer which I bought the boat from. Engine has been removed, and all rigging stripped. The dealer says it will be fixed RIGHT, but its up to the factory to decide whether or not they will charge me. 

When I get the boat back, I'm planning on doing a complete makeover. I'll be replacing the flemsy diamond plate floor with a thicker .125 floor. The entire boat will be repainted. The factory Weldbilt paint sucks. I'm also thinking of getting rid of the G3 outfitter console, and going with a small fiberglass console. The G3 console is just too wide for my floor plan.

Anyway, I'll start a new thread when I get to that point. And once it's all done, the boat will be up for sale.


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## CMOS

Just my opinion - when the Factory is finished I would spend extra effort and time to flame the Internet (Facebook, Boat Forums, etc.) with a ton of pics and full explanations as to what a crappy boat they built, and their refusal (in my mind their solution is a refusal) to make it right. I'm serious.

A little crack here and there I could understand but that boat was about to literally fall apart right under your feet.

Good luck my friend, and God Bless you for your patience. You have far more than I . . .

CMOS


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## KMixson

mbweimar said:


> When I get the boat back, I'm planning on doing a complete makeover. I'll be replacing the flemsy diamond plate floor with a thicker .125 floor. The entire boat will be repainted. The factory Weldbilt paint sucks. I'm also thinking of getting rid of the G3 outfitter console, and going with a small fiberglass console. The G3 console is just too wide for my floor plan.
> 
> Anyway, I'll start a new thread when I get to that point. And once it's all done, the boat will be up for sale.



If you are planning on selling it, I would not spend too much time or money on it myself unless you think you could recoup the cost of "upgrading" it in your sell. You don't want to spend a thousand and only reap five hundred.


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## Kismet

CMOS said:


> Just my opinion - when the Factory is finished I would spend extra effort and time to flame the Internet (Facebook, Boat Forums, etc.) with a ton of pics and full explanations as to what a crappy boat they built, and their refusal (in my mind their solution is a refusal) to make it right. I'm serious.
> 
> A little crack here and there I could understand but that boat was about to literally fall apart right under your feet.
> 
> Good luck my friend, and God Bless you for your patience. You have far more than I . . .
> 
> CMOS




Dunno, everyone gets to do what they wish, but if the boat company does repair it, beyond warranty, then I'd think they did what they could, within strict company guidelines.

Bad-mouthing them after they did the repair hurts the next guy with a problem.

This thread is fairly clear about the welding issues, and will come up on a web search.

My two cents. :?


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## mbweimar

When I talked to the dealer this week, I double checked with them on cost. They said that they only charge for repairs under certain circumstances. Like if the boat came to them fully rigged, and they had to tear it down to repair it. Another example he used was if the boat was blatantly misused, which mine sort of has been. It's been in intracoastal water only, and the only rough water its seen is from boat traffic. Nothing an aluminum boat couldn't handle.

But I do plan on fixing it up before it sells. I believe fresh paint will improve resale value, especially since I have bare aluminum showing on the bow where I had some fab work done. I also have a brand new Bluetooth stereo to put in, which was replaced by West Marine under the product replacement plan I purchased. So overall, I won't be putting a lot of money into it. But I already have something close to $16K into it. If I can get $10K I'd be happy.


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## CMOS

Best of luck to you. Hopefully you will come out on the positive side of this.

CMOS


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## Inkman

This boat is only 2 years old wtf, I agree there are limits to where waranty goes, but every blind horse can see that this is a monday morning product.

Pushing them a little with a boat comunity following and passing by this thread daily...waiting for the outcome is serious business...who wants a weldbilt iff the quality and customer service is shitty...its going viral weldbilt!!!...ur done [-X 

They need to take good care of you otherwise you could make a documentay about your boat and expirience with them. opcorn: 

We all gonna share it every week on social media to support you 

I will look out for the outcome.

Best of luck mate.


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## riverrat717

I sure hope this problem is only with the .08 gauge boats and not the .1 gauge. I'll be keeping a close eye on mine. [-o< 

I also agree with everyone else saying to bash them up and down, all over the internet if they do you wrong. And start on their Facebook page!


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## wmk0002

Good luck!

I was actually planning on stopping by Backwoods Landing today after work to check out what all they have in stock. If you see a guy in an orange Auburn shirt it just may be me.


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## onthewater102

Playing devil's advocate on Weldbilt's behalf for a moment (I do not own a Weldbilt or have anything to do with them), as a businessman I cannot deny the poor craftsmanship that lead to the issue, but I could not take responsibility for the quality of the repair if it wasn't handled by one of my people - unfortunately that means making arrangements to get it to either my production facility or a dealer that I have a relationship with where I can trust and or warranty their work.

That being said I think they should have had you send pictures of the outside of the boat to show it wasn't damaged from an impact and then made arrangements with you to cover the shipping somehow. But they clearly don't care that this type of post is up on a public forum discussing their product and their support.

As far as the thin material being the cause of that issue I don't buy that excuse for a second. I purchased a 1985 Tracker III which has welded sections of the hull along with welds on the transom but is made of an extremely thin gauge aluminum compared to today's standards and the only cracking in the welds is a crack through the center of the weld on one of the braces for the transom. By the age of this boat alone if it wore like yours every seam should be cracked wide open.


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## mbweimar

I dropped the boat off on the 20th at Backwoods. I arrived an hour after they closed and made arrangements with them for someone to meet me. Well, I get there and no one is here. Had to leave the boat on the trailer outside the gate overnight. I called the next day to confirm they had the boat, and again told them about the issues, and to call me if they had any questions. I'm hoping no news means good news, bug its hard to tell. I just want my boat back!


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## richg99

You have the patience of a saint. That's a good thing, right now, I think. richg99


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## onthewater102

Definitely, keep playing the part of the understanding customer who really just wants to get his boat fixed and working again because you loved it so much before this all went wrong...otherwise you're just the pissed off half-dead road kill that's just fun to poke with a stick.


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## mbweimar

Yeah, if I get my boat back and its not completely fixed, this thread will be posted on Weldbilt's Facebook page. I will not tolerate being treated this. I'll be as nice as possible, and give them ample time to make things right. But if I'm not satisfied in the end, I will have to resort to making this issue known on social media.


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## Inkman

Any news?


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## mbweimar

I haven't heard back from the dealer at all since I dropped off the boat. I even had to call them the day after to verify they had my boat. I'll wait until after new years to call them to check on it. That way they're no excuses.


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## richg99

While I agree with your frustration...and you have far more patience with this issue than most of us would have had....expecting that anything will get done for the next week is probably not realistic. 

I dropped my boat at my trusted mechanic a few days ago. if I hear anything at all before the middle of the week after New Year's, I'd be surprised. Even then, I won't expect that they accomplished anything, but rather that they might have questions about parts to be ordered.

richg99


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## mbweimar

Update: I spoke with Jeremy at Backwoods last week and he said the boat has been delivered to the factory in Arkansas, and to check back in a couple weeks. I need to get a hold of the factory to make sure they know what to fix. There's a tiny crack on the bottom that lets water in, and I doubt they'll know its there unless they fill the boat with water. The only problem is I can't find a number to the factory...


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## Fishfreek

This what comes up when I searched MANTA for Weldbilt 11802 Jody Drive
Benton, AR 72019 
Phone: (501) 794-0648


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## mbweimar

Just contacted the factory this morning. They estimate the boat will be returned back to Backwoods the week of Feb 8th. 

I asked specifically about my transom brace, and the problems with it cracking. He had two solutuons: add more transom bracing, which would keep me from having my fuel tank in the bilge, or adding a transom saver, which is also not an option because of a clearance light mounted on my trailer. I also brought up the crack on the bottom of the boat. The guy on the phone had plenty of info on why cracks form there, but when I asked again if it would be fixed, he told me he when they were finished I shouldn't have any problems with it. 

These people genuinely don't care. To me it doesn't seem like they even have a customer service department. Whoever happens to be closer to the phone when it rings is who you get to talk to. Unbelievable...


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## KRS62

My bet (hope) is that you get it back and there will be no charge. Good luck with it. If I was in charge there, you would be getting a new hull. 

That said, I can see their perspective (the business side of it.) Just like anything else, I am sure there are tons of people out there that mistreat their boat and blame it on the boat. (I beat the hell out of my dad's bass boat when I was a teenager.) Certainly not the case here. Like someone else said, it is just not Weldbilt. I have 2 different boats in my back yard with cracked welds. (Albeit, not ALL welds cracked....)

Good luck!

KRS


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## onthewater102

Assuming you don't sell it the moment it comes back I'd be looking to remove that light from the trailer and get a transom saver on there. I always use one b/c that's a hell of a lot of torque exerted on the transom having an outboard bouncing around as you go down the road. Even if you add bracing I'd still find a way to fit the transom saver.


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## xXOnyxXx

bro the bouncing motor issue is a thing of the past .. a transom saver is a great idea, but if your transom is so weak that it CRACKS under the stress of hauling it down the road, what do they think it will do to it running in water with waves ... man O man am i glad i passed on the weldbilt ... they are flipping unreal. ..... well good luck with all the drama


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## onthewater102

he must live in an area with much better roads than CT...around here it's no doubt the worst punishment the transom takes is while trailering the boat.


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## Fishfreek

There's NO way I would pull a boat out of my yard without a transom saver on it. Roads around the house are great but that's not where I fish. The crappiest roads seem to lead to the best fishing.


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## turbotodd

Have been to the factory, have seen how they work. I'm not surprised.

At one time I think they were building another brand out of the same plant. 

Those boats are cheaper then anyone else's for many reasons, starting with mass productions. Hurry up, get it sent out the door so we can build 18 more today. They build a "run" of the same model, hundreds of them before switching to another size or model. This speeds up the manufacturing process by the process of repetition, but also opens up the possibility of missing a defect in the "hurry up" mode. Speaking from experience on that!

IIRC a lot of weldbilts are "commercial" rated boats. That doesn't mean that they're designed for commercial use. That only means that they're RATED (by using the USCG's regulations) for commercial. The only reason they do this is because the commercial rating allows the builder to cut a few corners, which saves the end user some money. One example, no flotation.

Yes I looked at them when I was boat shopping. Their 1548 was about $1700 at the time. The ribs were about 5" tall. I wanted a floor. So that put the floor 5" or so above the bottom of the boat, which then loses boat space, moves the CG upward a little, which will affect stability a little bit. Also, some of the boats I had looked at (on the dealer lot) were obviously thrown together budget minded boats. That is what turned me away. Waco is the same way. But they are cheap. Kind of like buying chinese vs American. One is cheap the other not so much. I ended up buying a War Eagle but I swayed that diretion from the very beginning since those are what I was already familiar with. Took about 2 months for them to build my boat but I'm absolutely tickled with it. 548LDV plane jane no frills but a floor and low deck. Boat by itself was $3900 not counting the trailer. But there has not been a single problem with it in almost 4 years I've had it. I'm so used to having to work on a boat before or after a trip that it's odd to me NOT to have to do anything but hook on and go. Still getting used to that.

That said, I sure hope they take good care of you. The people that run the factory out there are pretty good folks. I just feel like they're showing the signs of growing pains, in other words, higher demand than they can turn out.


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## mbweimar

If anyone is interested, I'll be selling the boat when I get it put back together. It WILL be fixed right before I sell it. Gonna repaint it, rewire it, and possibly put a new floor in it.


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## hipster dufus

hows the battle going?


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## mbweimar

Still haven't heard anything. I would think the dealer would know in advance when they get a truck, and say "hey we got a feller 800 miles away who needs to come get a boat from us, maybe we should let him know." But I guess that's not how these people work.


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## mbweimar

Update:
Got a call from the dealer yesterday. The boat is back in Alabama and sitting on her trailer. Andy from Backwoods told me the damage was so extensive they had to charge me $200. Not a big deal. He assured me that the braces had been fixed correctly and even strengthened in some places. When asked if the transom was fixed, he said he didn't even look at that. He told me they may have forgotten about it but he would go look at it today...what a joke.


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## Wyatt

So extensive they had to charge you?? I'm sorry but if the damage was that bad from their negligence at the time of manufacturing, they should have shipped you a new hull. I'm definitely marking this manufacturer off my list of potential boats from here on out.


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## lovedr79

that is ridiculous! it was their negligence in the first place. you were the unlucky one that bought their problem unknowingly


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## wmk0002

That sucks. I think it is finally time to post all of your problems with pictures on their Facebook site or somewhere more public. People need to see this. It has already swayed me from purchasing one and I live very close to the Backwoods Landing dealer.


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## sunshine

Unbelievable.

You are more patient and kinder hearted than I am.

Count me as another lifelong Anti-Weldbilt consumer, they'll never get a dollar of my money.


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## Kismet

Now...

keep in mind that somewhere earlier in this thread, Mbweimar admitted the boat was rode hard, so some of the deconstruction may not be entirely manufacturer-induced.  If he's ok with that, there's a reason.

But it sure has been a journey. My hat goes off to you, I usually reach a point where my patience is eroded and a more primal condition surfaces.

Hang in.

:?


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## sunshine

Speaking for myself, it's not so much the issues at hand as it is the manner in which the company conducted themselves through the process. Issues arise in manufacturing, bad employees, bad materials, failing equipment, the list goes on forever, but to see such catastrophic failure to be handled in such a lackluster manner and then to have the audacity to charge on top of it is telling to me.


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## gpavlick

Hello, I am new to TinBoats and have been reading your thread from the start. I must say you have the patience of a saint because I myself would have gone off the deep end with Weldbuilt. I have been watching and hoping they Weldbuilt would side with the customer and use all of their creative customer service shills and make good for the sake of their reputation. I would have either fixed the problems without hesitation and sent boat back to you at your location without any charge or replaced the hull altogether and by doing so creating a great a much needed fix to the poor treatment and lost time you have endured. I have been shopping around for the last year and now have taken Weldbuilt off my looky list. I hope all works out for you and they would not be getting my business as well as any one else who has been reading this post. again good luck. Greg


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## richg99

What I doubt that some manufacturers have yet to understand is.....statements (good or bad) on the internet stay, for years and years and forever. 

I have many times looked up some name of an item on the 'net. The search engines find threads, like this one, going back to 2008 and beyond. I read every one of them before I spend my hard-earned money on a new widget.

This manufacturer will have his actions read and reread by future potential purchasers.

Enough said......

richg99


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## onthewater102

Surprises me that with this site being so well known for aluminum boats on the consumer side why manufacturers aren't signing up with profiles & wading into some of these discussions. Not just Weldbilt (their apathy for their customers is pretty well documented at this point - no surprise they don't make any effort to contact anyone) but G3, Lowe, Alumacraft...why don't we hear from their people from time to time just in the general course of discussions?

Obviously they can't enter into modification conversations without a legal team reviewing everything they say to make sure they're not exposing themselves to any liability, but there are plenty of technical discussions where they could just put there marketing schpele of how they do things & what gauges & grades of aluminum they use etc...

Start talking about boat covers and you'll start getting posts from different manufacturers who, at least on the surface, know how to reach and interact with their customers.


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## riverrat717

Kismet said:


> Now...
> 
> keep in mind that somewhere earlier in this thread, Mbweimar admitted the boat was rode hard, so some of the deconstruction may not be entirely manufacturer-induced.  If he's ok with that, there's a reason.
> 
> :?



Hoping it has to do with this, and the fact of a .1 gauge hull sheet welded to .08 gauge ribs.


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## Ictalurus

onthewater102 said:


> Surprises me that with this site being so well known for aluminum boats on the consumer side why manufacturers aren't signing up with profiles & wading into some of these discussions.



They probably are, just undercover! Are your really from CT :LOL2: 

But how is this different than anything else? There must be lots of forums w/ people talking about issues with their fords or chevys, don't think they're getting handed replacements.


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## mbweimar

Kimset, you're right. The boat has been subjected to large wake from boat traffic on intracoastal waters. That's not to say I hit wake head on at full speed. I operate my boat responsibly, and do not consider the areas of operation unfit for a jon boat. It seems Weldbilt does, and maybe that's why I had to drive 800 miles to buy one. However, the intracoastal water, and lakes where my boat is used is no different from the Tennessee River, or any other major river or lake where these boats are used every day. 

If memory serves correctly, the hull is actually .080, and has one transom brace. When I called Backwoods to spec out my boat, I told them it would be used to coastal flats fishing. I told them about the 40 HP ETEC I had. Why wasn't I told I would need two braces to support this engine? The boat is rated for 90 HP, why isn't it build to handle that? 

I just spoke with Andy again at backwoods, and he still hasn't checked to see if they fixed my transom brace. I don't even think they fixed the broken weld on the bottom of the hull either, due to the lack of concern from the folks I talked to at the factory. I guess we'll see when I go pick up the boat. Would I be wrong for refusing to pay if the boat wasn't fixed properly? I mean that's no different from taking your car to the shop to be worked on and it not being fixed when you get it back, right?


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## wmk0002

Ictalurus said:


> onthewater102 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Surprises me that with this site being so well known for aluminum boats on the consumer side why manufacturers aren't signing up with profiles & wading into some of these discussions.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They probably are, just undercover! Are your really from CT :LOL2:
> 
> But how is this different than anything else? There must be lots of forums w/ people talking about issues with their fords or chevys, don't think they're getting handed replacements.
Click to expand...


That is true, however, in the grand scheme of things boats are still more of a niche market.


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## riverrat717

mbweimar said:


> Kimset, you're right. The boat has been subjected to large wake from boat traffic on intracoastal waters. That's not to say I hit wake head on at full speed. I operate my boat responsibly, and do not consider the areas of operation unfit for a jon boat. It seems Weldbilt does, and maybe that's why I had to drive 800 miles to buy one. However, the intracoastal water, and lakes where my boat is used is no different from the Tennessee River, or any other major river or lake where these boats are used every day.
> 
> If memory serves correctly, the hull is actually .080, and has one transom brace. When I called Backwoods to spec out my boat, I told them it would be used to coastal flats fishing. I told them about the 40 HP ETEC I had. Why wasn't I told I would need two braces to support this engine? The boat is rated for 90 HP, why isn't it build to handle that?
> 
> I just spoke with Andy again at backwoods, and he still hasn't checked to see if they fixed my transom brace. I don't even think they fixed the broken weld on the bottom of the hull either, due to the lack of concern from the folks I talked to at the factory. I guess we'll see when I go pick up the boat. Would I be wrong for refusing to pay if the boat wasn't fixed properly? I mean that's no different from taking your car to the shop to be worked on and it not being fixed when you get it back, right?




Did you custom order your hull? Weldbilt specs list your hull as .08 & .1 gauge construction. I, personally would not pay unless you have no choice, to take delivery of your "repaired" hull. I would then take pics of "repaired" hull, and contact a marine fab shop (such as Bassboy1) to fix it right. Take pics of hull done correctly and contact Weldbilt to pick up the bill. If they refuse, threaten to post this whole thread, all your pics of damage, how much it cost to fix it right, and the fact that they were unwilling to compensate you, on their facebook page.


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## onthewater102

It's easier to just take them to small claims court...their lawyer costs alone make it cost prohibitive & they'll settle with you ahead of time.


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## mbweimar

I'm getting closer to making the 800 mile trip up to Backwoods to pick up my boat. The suspense is killing me! I want to find out if everything was fixed! 

Anyway, I was just looking through my build thread, and forgot all about the trouble I had with my factory console. For $150 (I think) Weldbilt sold me a console that didn't last but a few months. I had cracks on all four corners of the console at the base, and ended having to buy a G3 console to replace it. Should have run away while I had a chance! Here's the post about my console. I wanted to post it so that all my problems can be seen in one thread. That way if/when this thread makes it to social media, people will know what to expect when they consider buying Weldbilt 


mbweimar said:


> OK fellas, here's a better pic of the nav lights. These things are BRIGHT AS HELL! Didn't realize they were 2nm lights, but oh well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While I was wiring the console I noticed some stress cracks in the corners on the bottom...perfect timing! All that work for nothing. I'll be replacing this cheap-o console with one that is custom made to my liking.


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## uncndl1

mbweimar, Thanks for posting all this information and pictures (103 posts and going strong). 
We are all hoping all goes well when you pick up your boat!


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## Fishfreek

I have followed this thread so closely that I almost want to be there when you pick up the boat. Just like as a fly on the wall kinda thing. I wish you the best when you do get it.


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## richg99

Me, too.

richg99


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## xXOnyxXx

a few of my river buddys are weldbilt guys ... they where pushing hard for me to buy one .. i opted for the lowe, they have a great reputation ... at this point after the way weldbilt took care of OP i wouldn't pull one home if it was free. they have no morals and should be bankrupt, OP took a screwing HARD on this deal.
just my .02


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## mbweimar

Alright folks, Monday at 0800 I'll be at the Weldbilt dealer to pick up my boat. Then I have an 800 mile drive home with it. I'm trying to rehears everything I'm going to say if this thing isn't fixed right. I know one thing, I absolutely will NOT give them a second chance to fix it. And if it's not fixed to my satisfaction, and they make me pay the $200, I have half a mind to leave the boat with them and take my trailer home. I'm a patient person, and have given both the dealer and factory ample time to fix it. In the mean time, I'm hanging out with my parents in good ole Rocky Top Tennessee!


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## Steve A W

Good Luck.
I hope things work out for You. You've been more than patient.

Steve A W


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## richg99

Rocky Top.... Right down the road from my Summer place near Crossville. Good luck.
richg99


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## hipster dufus

well we are all waiting on outcome


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## mbweimar

OK, first of all, sorry to make y'all wait so long to see the outcome. I've been super busy at work this week. 

So I woke up at 5am to be at the dealer at 8 when they opened. Got there and had a look at the boat. Immediately I noticed they had not just repaired the broken welds, but actually strengthened the braces. The transom brace was also fixed, but not strengthened. They even touched up all the paint for me, however I'm still planning on repainting it gray. 

When it came time for payment, I tried to haggle with them a little, but it was not negotiable. I wasn't as reluctant to pay after seeing the work done, and done right. When it was all said and done I think it was still cheaper to go this route, rather than having someone down here weld on it. Here's some pics of the work. 

Side note, I did find one weld that wasn't fixed, but I didn't find it until after the fact.

































Here's a couple shots of the paint touched up. Looks like they sprayed right over the dirt.









And the one broken weld they missed.


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## riverrat717

Are you still planning on selling it?


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## mbweimar

I am, but it'll be a while. Gotta repaint her, and find a replacement.


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## gpavlick

Well it look's like they welded all the cracked weld's and yes it look's like they did strengthen these area's.
I have been watching this post since the very beginning :shock: this will help me decide if I do in fact go with Weldbilt. They sure gave you the run around and you do have the patience of a saint. :roll: What gets me is the fact that they still charged you. [-X Are you happy with the work they have done ?. As for me, if I do look at any Weldbilt products it would definitely be a bare bones model where as I can see all welds and decide from there, good to see something good has happened =D> 

Regards; greg


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## mbweimar

Someone else here had pics of their 1860 Welbilt. It's had the same bracing from the factory. I'm not sure why they wouldn't add it to every boat...I would even pay a little extra knowing it was braced in key locations.


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## riverrat717

It's an 1870 all .1 gauge.
I didn't know it had bracing till I got it home and lifted the floor. In my personal research of the Weldbilt brand, I've read that some of their boats are built differently based on the dealer their going to. Backwoods being their largest, highest volume dealer, may end up with the short end of the stick as far as build quality, on their in stock units.


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## boatman2

Well they did beef it up, but some of the welds looks like the guy is learning how to weld. They should not have charged you for that job.
sorry.


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## mbweimar

Riverrat, believe it or not, Backwoods (being the large dealer it is,) actually distributes boats to some of the smaller details. I'm not sure how it works out. Maybe weldbilt only delivers so far.


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## riverrat717

Probably. I know the dealer I got mine from drives down from PA to pick them up, Weldbilt and SeaArk. It was something I saw in my research of the brand, from the crap slinging interwebs, so who knows if there's any truth behind it.


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## Downunder

Definitely a Weldbilt, lots and lots of c**p sorry very poor welding. Rough as guts! They did not even clean the welds after they were done. Very poor workmanship. I think you need to get rid of this hull as soon as possible. The way they have now welded this hull it has introduced a lot more stress into the skin of the hull and it will just end up developing a lot of cracks again. I would never have bought this type of hull in the first place. But I guess it comes down to price and what we can afford at the time.


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## KMixson

Downunder said:


> Definitely a Weldbilt, lots and lots of c**p sorry very poor welding. Rough as guts! They did not even clean the welds after they were done. Very poor workmanship.



You got that right. I would be ashamed to send out a product I welded looking like that. I would have protested this welding job. I am not a professional welder but I can do better than that. It looks to be a lot of splatter on that job. There seems to be too much heat on some of them also. I know some welders that can make it look like a machine welded the seam. They have to because their welds are x-rayed to make sure the weld is right.


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## onthewater102

Safe to say Weldbilt did not earn any new customers through this. I deleted any bookmarks I had for them as a possible future build platform.


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## mbweimar

Thought I'd throw this out there. Here's. Comparison between Weldbilt's welds (bottom) and a kid I know in Port St. Lucie who does a lot of welding. Day and night difference. The weld on top was one that Weldbilt overlooked, so I had him fix it.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls

The difference is like night and day.


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## surfman

Dang I have never welded before and I bet I could do better than that. :shock:


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## KRS62

I would email it in to them and ask if they can identify which one was done at their factory. (I think they will know which one since you are sending it to them!) Anyway, I can't imagine that they are okay with that quality and understand that it is going out the door like that. 

KRS


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## mbweimar

I wrote a review on Google this morning. I wrote one on Facebook too, but it mysteriously disappeared.


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## turbotodd

mbweimar said:


> Thought I'd throw this out there. Here's. Comparison between Weldbilt's welds (bottom) and a kid I know in Port St. Lucie who does a lot of welding. Day and night difference. The weld on top was one that Weldbilt overlooked, so I had him fix it.




The bottom picture appears to be a spool gun MIG weld. The top appears to be a tigged bead. HUGE difference. But there is also a difference in pricepoint as a spoolgun and mig machine can create three times as many welds in the same amount of time it takes to make one with a tig machine. Time=money in production, unfortunately. There are boat manufacturers out there that take more pride in their work and it shows in the welds. And the price. Weldbilt was one of the brands I looked at closely when I was shopping, and I spotted the corner cutting real quick. First clue was the "commercial" rating, meaning zero floatation, meaning cheaper cost to the end user. That also shows other things such as an attempt to get as many boats into and out of the factory as possible. But that is one reason they're popular, because they're "cheap" and plentiful.

Sucks to see problems with them, well with any boat for that matter.


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## Wyatt

Just as Todd stated, huge difference between MIG and TIG welding! Kinda ironic being that they have "weld" in their brand name lol


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## jimboat

WAs the original deck carpeted floor wood ? and was it attached other than deck options? thankyou


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## gunz

Sorry to hear about this, Unfortunately you are not the first to find out about inferior manufacturing of these guys. A friend of mine in Alabama had to beach his boat to save it from sinking due to broken welds. Only been in the rivers down there but still broke up. 

Hope you take legal action against them. As for the boat, I am not sure if I would run it, or scrap it . Make a mobile display for weldbuilt and drag it around to boat shows.


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## skipper123

WOW am I glad I returned to Tin boats before buying a new alu boat. I have been looking at the weldbuilt crawdad for a year and saving my nickels for the last three months to buy a brand new one. One things for sure NO FREEKING WAY will I buy a weldbuilt or drive very far to buy one. Both is a nightmare. Never thought much about long distance buying until reading this. I have to find a good 1648 close to Augusta GA


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## mbweimar

I'd go to Bass Pro.


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## elrodphil

Man! I wish I would have read this post before I bought my boat. So far my boat has done great...I had a Key West 1720 with a Yamaha 115 that was a lemon like that...awful experience! I am so sorry that happened to you...At the slightest problem I'm going to be on the road to Backwoods Landing...I only have a merc 25 on mine but man I don't want issues...


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