My 2006 Supra Launch V is dead!

[skibumtx]

The 20k was to pull the cap off, remove everything in the hull, reglass from the inside, sand from the outside until the new glass is hit, then gelcoat the outside back to spec. This was a fiberglass shop that was looking at it. Just got off the phone with Jim Jackson from Viper, he is going to look at it next week. While there, I want to swing bye the factory and get them to look at it.

[jtryon]

i'm interested to see how they handle it. it definitely makes them look really bad so it would be good to see them own up to it and fix it for you. post up how things go!

[bens250ex]

Yea that looks like a manufacturing defect from the pics but i cant tell if it took an hard hit or not.....hope they do the right thing and atleat investigate it for you. Skiers choice R&D department along with quality deparment should be able to identify how and why the cracks started.....Atleat i hope they have the capability of identifying the source of failure. Im sure they can run some samples of the resin and take some key measurements to determine if all aspects relating were met during the build. Keep us posted im interested to here how they handle this.

[Jetlink]

Also called Viper Custom to get their take on it.

I would be very cautious here. There are no shortage of stories of problems dealing with Viper. I know of at least one forum member who will blast me for saying this but the list of people I know that have been pleased 100% with dealing with Viper is way smaller than the list of people who are not satisfied.

[skibumtx]

Just got the letter back from Progressive. It reads "Our investigation into this matter has revealed that the hull damage and cracks are related to stress from wear and tear which is not covered under your policy."

What do you think?

[CJD]

Like I said...appeal it to your state insurance commission. I did not know that a hull suffered wear and tear without hitting anything. I have a webcraft still tooling around after 50 years. Still...work both sides and try to get Skier's Choice to own up too.

[skibumtx]

Thanks CJD,
I'm headed to Knoxville on Thursday to meet with both Viper and Skier's Choice. We'll see what happens.

[Salty87]

Seems wear and tear would affect the surface/finish not the structural integrity. Perhaps an obvious point of impact would have resulted in a more favorable insurance outcome. Reads like the insurance company is just trying to use the ambiguous 'wear and tear' clause. Bottom line, as CJD said, the vast majority of boats experience wear and tear without falling apart or being declared structurally unsound.

[MJHKnox]

I do not know Viper, but I would talk to Donnie at:
Bennett's Boat Repair
517 Pink Dogwood Ln,
Maryville, TN 37803

He does work for all the boat mfgrs - mostly warranty.
Others on this site know of his work. Good guy!!

M-

[wotan2525]

I would be very cautious here. There are no shortage of stories of problems dealing with Viper. I know of at least one forum member who will blast me for saying this but the list of people I know that have been pleased 100% with dealing with Viper is way smaller than the list of people who are not satisfied.

AFAIK, Viper has problems shipping things and answering his phones during his NASCAR season (he builds tube frames and is always under the gun.) People on this board feel that he's given them the run around.

I've only had positive dealings with him and would not anticipate if you're standing in his shop that you'd have a problem with him. He designed and built many of these boats and would be the guy that I'd trust to know exactly what is wrong or going on with your hull.