Our 2012 R20 (5.7 343hp, 251 hours) has had nothing but problems with the frankly awfully engineered platform brackets. These are the older style cast aluminum slot-and-pin ones, not the newer designs from 2013 onwards. It's so bad that with the other numerous (albeit unrelated) problems we've been having that honestly we are thinking of getting rid of the boat if things persist.
First, we had one bracket break. A crack in the lower part where the platform slots in the bottom. Left the platform hanging by the remaining bracket. Got that fixed a year ago or so. I used to work at a Tige dealer a few years ago and have seen the same issue on a handful of boats.
Then earlier this season, a pin snapped and the platform partially came off while someone was surfing which is a huge safety hazard. Put a new pin in and called it a day. Everything was visually inspected afterwards and seemed fine. Local boat mechanic said that to keep stress off the platform we should stop using the boat for surfing (LOL then why have the boat at all??)
Then 2 days ago, after a fantastic morning of surfing, we had a couple of buddies standing on the platform to take a photo. Neither of them are especially heavy. The boat is off, water is calm, nobody is jumping up and down or anything. I'm in the driver's seat sending a text and I hear a crash and a splash out back. I initially think someone is horsing around pushing people in the water so I turn around and see the two guys in the water seeming surprised and alarmed and one yelling "GET IT!". The platform had completely broken out of both pinholes and immediately sunk to the bottom of the lake, out of sight. Multiple attempts were made to dive down and retrieve it but it was mostly just my friends feeling bad and trying to help, I knew immediately the thing is gone.
Pics: http://imgur.com/a/l9W5A
Spoke with the local Tige dealer in Calgary, and a new platform is $5600. Not including the brackets. Obviously not covered under warranty and insurance won't cover as they consider it "wear and tear". Anyone else had a similar situation? Is it possible to speak directly with Tige for help on this, as it's their disappointingly poor engineering that caused this issue? I don't want a boat where I'm having to worry about the stupid swim platform coming off and hurting someone, not to mention costing a fortune to replace.
When it does get fixed, I'm also wondering if it's possible to upgrade to the new style of brackets which seem to hold up a bit better. Seems like the main barrier to entry was having to get a new platform that fits those new brackets but seeing as we have to replace that anyway... Or even a Convex VX conversion?
First, we had one bracket break. A crack in the lower part where the platform slots in the bottom. Left the platform hanging by the remaining bracket. Got that fixed a year ago or so. I used to work at a Tige dealer a few years ago and have seen the same issue on a handful of boats.
Then earlier this season, a pin snapped and the platform partially came off while someone was surfing which is a huge safety hazard. Put a new pin in and called it a day. Everything was visually inspected afterwards and seemed fine. Local boat mechanic said that to keep stress off the platform we should stop using the boat for surfing (LOL then why have the boat at all??)
Then 2 days ago, after a fantastic morning of surfing, we had a couple of buddies standing on the platform to take a photo. Neither of them are especially heavy. The boat is off, water is calm, nobody is jumping up and down or anything. I'm in the driver's seat sending a text and I hear a crash and a splash out back. I initially think someone is horsing around pushing people in the water so I turn around and see the two guys in the water seeming surprised and alarmed and one yelling "GET IT!". The platform had completely broken out of both pinholes and immediately sunk to the bottom of the lake, out of sight. Multiple attempts were made to dive down and retrieve it but it was mostly just my friends feeling bad and trying to help, I knew immediately the thing is gone.
Pics: http://imgur.com/a/l9W5A
Spoke with the local Tige dealer in Calgary, and a new platform is $5600. Not including the brackets. Obviously not covered under warranty and insurance won't cover as they consider it "wear and tear". Anyone else had a similar situation? Is it possible to speak directly with Tige for help on this, as it's their disappointingly poor engineering that caused this issue? I don't want a boat where I'm having to worry about the stupid swim platform coming off and hurting someone, not to mention costing a fortune to replace.
When it does get fixed, I'm also wondering if it's possible to upgrade to the new style of brackets which seem to hold up a bit better. Seems like the main barrier to entry was having to get a new platform that fits those new brackets but seeing as we have to replace that anyway... Or even a Convex VX conversion?
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