Trailer Bunk Settings~Is this right???

[keninaz]

I bought a packaged boat, trailer and motor from Cabela's a couple of weeks ago. While mounting a transducer I was looking at how the boat sits on the trailer and thought it was not right. Shouldn't the boat be sitting on the flat portion of the hull? The pix shows it as delivered.

 

[smokeonthewater]

you are correct.... that trailer was not fitted to the boat correctly... take it back

 

[keninaz]

I thought so.
I will just have to do it myself as Cabela's is some 100 miles away from me. Just **** poor customer service.

 

[gm280]

Yes the bunks/runners really should be flat against the hull. So that really isn't that difficult to do and you can easily do it without taking it back. Heck if that is all that you find incorrect, I'd think you did good. When you buy a boat, YOU really need to learn how to work on them because owning one will make you do thing you never did before. That is all part of ownership... Happy boating :thumb:

 

[Blind Date]

I'm always amazed at how many issues I've come across with dealers that can't do something as simple as properly setting up a trailer. That is really **** poor to say the least. I'd send them pictures and charge them for your time or try to get something out of them. There isn't one good reason for delivering a brand new boat(especially considering what they cost these days)to a customer like that.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Give them a call... Explain that you bought a boat and the trailer wasn't set up for the trailer... Get them to give you an idea of what their service department would charge to adjust it.... Then finish the call with "Ok that's what I'll charge you then"

 

[gm280]

ken, you can do what you want. I'm just a little easier going then some others on here and would simply adjust the bunks/runners myself and boat on. I use to get ill about things like that. Then I had a revelation when really serious things happen in your life and things like this just aren't worth raising my blood pressure about these days, so I brush such things off. But it is your decision...

 

[airshot]

I would send them a pic and explain them the distance you must drive to correct their mistake and what are they willing to do about it!! Then I would adjust it myself to be sure it is correct but I would not let it go. If you get no satisfaction I would keep climbing the ladder until you do. cabelas has a reputation at stake and lets see if they are willing to make it worth your while. My guess is you will get a nice gift card from them speaking from experience...

 

[UncleWillie]

ken, you can do what you want. I'm just a little easier going then some others on here and would simply adjust the bunks/runners myself and boat on. I use to get ill about things like that. Then I had a revelation when really serious things happen in your life and things like this just aren't worth raising my blood pressure about these days, so I brush such things off. But it is your decision...

You have the Serenity to accept the things you cannot change,
The courage to change the things you can, And the wisdom to know the difference. :joyous:

 

[Maclin]

Triple check the livewell plumbing if applicable, daughter's father-in-law almost sank first time out, all new rig from there.

 

[keninaz]

I did send Cabela's Corporate a pix of the bunk.i posted here. I got a message back from corporate that the GM of the store would contact me. Not yet anyway.
Again, not worth driving two round trips to Phoenix to get this fixed but it should not have been delivered this way. I want both corporate and the local store to know that they got caught and perhaps the employee that set the trailer up for the boat admonished.
I am nearly 70 with a bad back I have already had surgery on and I don't like the idea of having to do this type of work myself on a simple boat and trailer that the dealer should have taken care of in the first place.
Bottom line is if you are looking at a boat at any dealer for that matter really look close at it before you take it home.

 

[keninaz]

I called Cabela's and sent them pix of the boat and pix also of the side bumper/guides that they installed.
After looking at the boat and the brackets that mounted the side bumpers I bought and Cabela's installed I am certain they made a mistake as the guy mounted the support brackets so the arms were on top of the frame of the trailer leaving only 1" of clearance to the bottom ribs on the boat. I actually think he moved the bunks to compensate and raise the boat some to get the boat off those support bracket mounts. If you rotate the mounting bracket by 90? you an then put the mounting bar on the bottom of the frame leaving lots of room to the trailer frame. Just a poorly trained employee in my opinion.
Anyway, they charged me $50 for prep and such and they are refunding that to me to make up for my work. Still cheaper than taking the boat back to the dealer as they are 100 miles away.

 

[lmuss53]

I'm convinced that making the sale is the ONLY important thing to anyone at a boat dealership. You will be the most important thing in their life right up to the second you write a check. From that point on they don't even remember your name. The sane thing goes for car dealerships. I have bought 3 new boats in the last 20 years, but I'm fairly certain I will buy slightly used and work on them myself from this point on.

 

[keninaz]

You could be right, I never thought about it.
I did move the support guides on the side so that the upright is now under the frame and moved the bunks to where they should have been. By the way, the guy at the dealership did move them because I could see the chalk marks from the factory where they had been bolted down when the trailer was made for Lowe. All that effort just because they had no common sense when they put the guide supports on the trailer.
They did refund my rigging charge of $50 but I would have still preferred they had done the work. My older back does not like doing this type of think anymore.

 

[lmuss53]

Well sir, you've got your trailer the way it needs to be and you got $50 back for your trouble. I'd call it square and get to the business of enjoying that new Lowe.

What did you get? I love my Sea Nymph 17 with the 70 HP motor, I think it is the perfect inland water fishing boat, plus it's big enough to sneak up to Erie for Perch on a perfect weather day.