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Fixing A scratch

Jack M

Jack M

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Went under the Bennie today . I was not happy . Lots of scuff marks and a scratch mark about 10 inches long and two nicks in the bow side .I would have to believe, from a fork lift .

I don't have a trailer .So I know I did not do it , but I am not happy . I think I can clean the scuff marks but the nicks and scratches ,bother me .

If I rented a trailer and took it back to the dealer ,I am sure I would hear " You did it "

Any suggestions ?

What is the best way to remove the scratches ?

Thanks
 
How about some pics?
 
Truthfully, if they are underneath, and you can't see them, I would try to forget about them. I found the same thing a couple weeks ago and decided not to dwell on it. I figured I could only see it when I went under the boat, so no one else will ever see them.
 
I agree with it being underneath ,and it will not be seen .

It just bothers me. I thought they would have taken more care .

I will clean up the scuffs though .

I am sure that the sharkhide got messed up too .
 
Aren't the fork lifts carpeted where it picks up your pontoon boat? Just wondering..........
 
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I thought they were . I have no other ideas how it may have gotten there .
 
Did your boat ever sit directly on gravel in a dealer's lot?
 
kaydano said:
Did your boat ever sit directly on gravel in a dealer's lot?
Click to expand...
Sand and grass , I have pic's .

The scratch is up high on the tube, less than 6 inches from the wave shield .
 
Wave shield... By underneath, I thought you meant on the bottom side of the toons. Are you talking about inside of the toons? In other words, if you're boat is in the water, you'd have to swim under your boat, between the toons, in order to see these scratches?
 
Maybe you ran over something .........?
 
Exac

kaydano said:
Wave shield... By underneath, I thought you meant on the bottom side of the toons. Are you talking about inside of the toons? In other words, if you're boat is in the water, you'd have to swim under your boat, between the toons, in order to see these scratches?
Click to expand...
Exactly , inside close to the top of the tube .I was going to take some pics today . Weather won't allow it to happen .Maybe Friday or Saturday .
 
BigKahuna said:
Maybe you ran over something .........?
Click to expand...
Possible ,but I don't think so it would of had to been sticking above the water at least 18 inches and then curl up to the upper portion of the tube .
 
It has to be a dealer issue . Fork lift off the delivery truck , fork lift to prep shop .

Fork lift to trailer to show room ,then to prop shop ,back on the trailer for prop testing at the lake .Back to the show room for my walk though ( on jack stands )

Back on the trailer for delivery .Too many moves .There is nothing I can do now .

Next one I will look underneath on my walk through

I will clean it the best I can ,Yes it is underneath ,but I know its there.

Next time out I will take some pics .

Thanks everyone for your input .
 
Why not take the pics rather than the whole boat to the dealer? While you are under there, try to measure the depth of the longer scratch. Might help determine how serious the damage is, after all the aluminum is not that thick.

Another thought occurred to me. The fork lifts I've seen used are padded on the rails, but not necessarily the tips - if that makes any sense. So, if you measure how far in the scratches are from the front of the pontoon, you should be able to make a case that they roughly line up with the length of the forks on the fork lift. Sounds like the forklift operator set it down, then tried to turn while backing away and lowering the forks at the same time.
 
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Part of the problem is ,I have no way to even get it back to the dealer ,without renting a trailer and asking someone with a truck to help .

The weather seems to be clearing up ,if so I will get some pics today .I will take them to the dealer also .

Update ,No pics today weather is not cooperating .
 
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If the scratch is that high up on the tube, i don't see how the forklift could have done it. Unless they picked it up coming in from the front and raising it up on the crossmembers?

Seems to me the center of gravity would not allow this unless they have really long forks?

But, i have not seen how your dealer does this :)
 
I have seen them use the fork lift ,not on mine ,but I have seen them use it .

Perhaps it did happen at the factory ?

I will take pics next time out .

Temperature is dropping . I may have to explain like George Costanza .
 
The fork lifts I have seen used on Pontoons are real monsters. The forks are easily 16+ feet long. I've seen them pick up Pontoons (loaded with people!) from shore and place them in the water and vice versa. Also seen them place pontoons in a rack that is three boats high. I cringe every time I see them haul people this way - can't help but think insurance claim in the making. Maybe I'll get some pics over the holiday weekend - they should be going nuts then.
 
Went back under today ,scratch is 8 inches long ,7 inches above the water line .

Not enough light to get a viewable pic . I'll try again when it is not cloudy .
 
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