Just bought a 2004 Moomba Mobius XLV. Steering, bilge, and water intrusion issues.

[OJT23]

Thanks again for all your responses and advice.

Bad news for me....much worse that I thought. Hull has been breached and will need repair. Moomba says "lifetime" warranty is not transferable from original owner except on newer boats. Insurance adjuster says more than likely a manufacturer's defect, so not covered under my collision/comprehensive policy.

Looks like fiberglass was delaminating and separating from stringers and fiberglass is soft in areas. Going to let Moomba dealer get it off the trailer and get a better look. My adjuster will be there to verify. May have been caused by collision with floating object but he says not likely. Maybe they can work some magic with Moomba. Anyone have experience with this?

What's the point of having insurance or a lifetime warranty?

Anyone know of a good fiberglass repair shop in Austin?

There goes our summer.

[sivs1]

That sucks, hoping for a quick repair. How could you tell the hull had been breached? Just soft underneath? Anything noticeable to the naked eye?

[OJT23]

First indicators were the buckets of water coming out of the hull after I pulled it out of the water....ha ha. The adjuster pointed out the soft fiberglass and how the crack had probably formed over a long period of time. When i get it off the trailer he will tell me for sure if it's covered. There's a bunk in the way of he crack and I can only see about 3" of the crack. The bunk covers the rest.

If it's not covered, I think I'm just going to get it repaired locally. Not going to deal with dealers and warranty. It'll probably be January before I am able to get it back. Want to get the kids back out on the water soon and I know a couple of guys who did great work on my old Sea Ray when I got a chip in it. besides, with a $2500 deductible, it's not going to matter much.

I wonder if it's worth having someone put a drain/plug down near the lowest part of the hull. I wonder if sitting water eventually penetrated the resin and started the deterioration.

I forgot how expensive boats were.

[bergermaister]

with a $2500 deductible, it's not going to matter much.

HOLY INSURANCE BATMAN...

You may be able to find a guy from a shop who would work a side deal outside of shop hours for cash if this truly is an out of pocket expense.

[OJT23]

Yeah I think I'm going to try Cassie's Fiberglass. Former Glastron fiberglass man. Great reviews on him.

[uniwarking]

Good luck sir, hopefully they can get it in and out quickly and you won't have to give up any limbs to pay for it!

My dad is dealing with a cracked block after a botched winterization on his boat and I've watched a good friend of mine sink thousands into his boat over the past four years.... it's never fun when issues arise. I'm sure they'll get it taken care of and you'll be back on the water loving it soon!

[OJT23]

Oh so sad. According to the Progressive insurance adjuster and my repair guy, it looks like a hull defect. The fiberglass delaminated from the structure and started flapping against the it, eventually causing a crack in the fiberglass and softening of the surrounding fiberglass. It's a shame Moomba won't cover it. since I discovered it last week, a total of four guys have told me that Moombas and Supras have had this issue in the past. However, unless you are the original owner, there is no "lifetime" warranty to cover it. I think they've changed their policy, which is good, but owners of older Moombas are out of luck. If there are any Moomba reps out there that can help me out with this, please chime in...I think all Moomba/Supra owners would appreciate it. Same for any other Moomba/Supra owners experiencing similar problems.

I completely understand the normal wear and tear of a boat can lead to this type of damage, but a 10 year old boat that has been well taken care of (garaged) with less than 260 hours on it should not be experiencing these defects.

We were very excited about the thought of purchasing a new Mojo in the next 2 years (came close to one before deciding to go used), but I will have to think twice about Moomba/Supra. I've had no other issues with it but this experience has been a real PITA. I asked the repair shop to look for any other weaknesses in the fiberglass and to take pictures. I will post them soon.

Thanks again for your advice and comments.

[ranger098]

Really sorry to hear about your issue... On the upside fiberglass jobs dont typically take terribly long, and i would think you and the fam can get back out this year still... as long as they dont find any new issues along the way... keep us posted!

[sivs1]

Hey, on the bright side, you've learned a ton in regards to getting in there and getting dirty, once it's fixed you'll have a great running boat. Good luck, keep us posted.

[OJT23]

Yes, very true. He told me 2-3 weeks. Should be back on the lake by the 4th! We'll see what happens.