Recall Notice on my 2003 N206

[gatorgates]

I just received an e-mail "Safety Notice" that says it is from Correct Craft. It advises me that the steering system on all 2003 CCs is defective and suggests that "In the interest of safety, Correct Craft urges you to not operate your boat until the defect is corrected." Assuming that this is legit, this is awful timing with the Memorial Day looming and the course finally in good shape. Does anybody know anything about this? Does anybody have any thoughts on just how dangerous this problem is? I sure would like to wait 'till next week to haul the boat in but I also don't want to kill somebody.

[SGY]

I'll call West Coast Correct Craft and get the skinny.

[Frost]

Yes, this is legit. You should contact your dealer.

[SGY]

I spoke to West Coast CC. They indicated that I shouldn't use the boat until this is fixed. The steering cable connection point that secures the cable as a tie down point--not to the rudder--but before the rudder as a fixed point, may fail. A failure would make it very difficult or impossible to steer the boat with the cable flopping about. The tech indicated that he does not know of any failures but....he couldn't recommend using the boat until it is fixed.

Gotta vent a little. I love my 206. Skis and drives awesome. But, there is no dealer here in Colorado. Thus when I call the designated service representative--S&W (Mastercraft dealer) I get the run around. They tell me they can't get me in until the middle of June--that they are going to service their MC people first. Don't blame them. This coupled with the fact that CC is not covering the flex issue relating to the walk through under their limited lifetime warranty for hull, deck and stringer, really has me peeved.

God forbid, but it makes me want to go look at a Malibu at Tommy's Slalom Shop. At least I can get service there. I know problems are to be expected but I spent alot of money on my boat and I hate not getting taken care of when I have a problem.

I'm going to drink a beer and cool off before I do anything rash like a trade in.

Over,

[SGY]

Recall

I spoke with California Correct Craft. The fix is easy and I can probably do the fix myself. You lift the floor out of the storage in the transom and you pull bolt off the backing plate attached to the clevis and put some locktight on there. Supposed to be quite easy.

I'll give it a try and report back.

Gatorgates, if you are having trouble with your windshield falling through, you should get that flex kit put in. I guess it makes a big difference. Hopefully your boat is still under the 5 year warranty or the one year transferable promo warranty.

Good luck.

[awake4air]

I have heard of a few people having a lot of flex in the walkthru. Flexing so much it smashes the windshield. Call me crazy, but the flex kit will not due. They did some modifications to a friends boat and not only did it take up a lot of storage space, but did not work. To paraphrase him, would you ever expect a car manufacturer to install a modification to a problematic car. NO, and there are lemon laws to protect the consumers. He was actually successful in getting CC to exchange his old boat for a new one. But he had to jump through a bunch of hoops and get that kit installed before they finally just switched it out.

The newer boats from 02' on up seem to be having this problem. In my opinion the higher deck is what is causing the problem. The 01' had a smaller and wider deck which helped to reinforce it much better. My 02' rattles all the time and the 01' that I am frequently in has no rattles and seems to handle much better in the chop.

[Edwin]

SGY - best of luck w/ the 206. Hope they get ya squared away...if they can't, you're welcome to join us over on the other side of the fence.
Edwin

[skinautique]

Guys,
I don't think your flex issues are coming from the way that the boat is designed. I think it has to do with the windshield alignments and adjustments themselves.

[SGY]

Thanks Edwin. I was having a bad day on Friday. The recall notice was just the topper. Sorry to vent so. To put things in perspective, this is the first problem with a Nautique in four years that has kept me off the water--so no knee jerk reactions on my part yet. I'm am, however, more demanding now than ever. My expectations go up withe the amount of money I spend. And, frankly, I expect more from CC.

I too hope they get me squared away. And CC better get a dealer out here. After all, CC has a dealer in Alaska--you'd think they can find one in the Denver area. I'm really starting to appreciate those that say having a good dealer is an important part of picking the right boat.

BTW, anyone have details on how to fix the recall item. The MC dealer out here can't get me in for a fix until the middle of June. That is not acceptable. (I don't blame CC for this delay. It probably would not be any different if there were a CC dealer in the Denver area. This is a busy time of year.)

Awake4air, I don't discount what you are saying--but just take a look at any GM website and you will find alot of unhappy people barking for new motors on their piston slapping trucks. GM is ignoring the problem if you believe what you read. (I've had several dealers tell me that my diesel sounding Gasser sounds normal. Bull!) And it is very unusual for a car manufacturer to give anyone a new car without resort to some sort of legal lemon law action first. The car manufacturers have a great deal more red tape you have to go through to get satisfaction--if any. I applaude CC or any boat manufacturer going to such lengths. And, I don't blame CC for trying to fix the problem first. That's just good business practice. I'm sure Malibu or Mastercraft would do the same.

Later,

[gatorgates]

I got a wrench on the bolt that is supposedly the problem. I couldn't budge it without getting medieval on it so I buttoned up the floor boards and went my merry way. I am certainly not advocating ignoring the recall notice, I am just relating my personal experience.

As regards the flex, my dealer said he will get the brace for me if I want it but he has not heard of this being a problem for anyone else. I intend to wait 'till the end of the season and revisit the "problem" if there is one.

[SilverSpraySports]

For some of these boats, it is a "preventitive" measure but we have found a couple of them that would just spin off with a finger. I strongly encourage you to take the time to fix it so that you don't have future issues!

-Doug

[NautiqueJeff]

Mine wasn't too tight. I couldn't turn it with my fingers, but it didn't take too much force on the wrench. Better to fix it now than to have problems later.

[DougPhillips]

Where do you get ther information on how to check this out?

[FatBoy]

I had mine serviced at White Lake Marine last week. He said mine would never have come lose it was so tight. He took it off and put the locktite on anyway.

[cb]

I had my 216 sport done this last weekend, took about about 35 minutes to do (no ballast tanks though). Mine weren't loose, but better safe than sorry. Took 2+ hours to drive there and back.