boat packages

[stevenc]

Gday everyone, just a friendly warning here in regards to boat trailer packages. Bought our first new boat the other day, I had concerns about the weight of the package as it was on a 749kg rated trailer. Took it to public weighbridge immediately as supplied by dealer and no fuel in boat etc and whole package weighed 780kg. Of course took it straight back and the trailer was replaced with the correct rated trailer after a bit of a lengthy process. If I had an accident what a nightmare sorting that one out with the dept of tpt.

[craigie]

Would be interested to know what dealer would send you away with a package that is not legal ??
As far as I'm conerned, it's just not good enough !!

[freddofrog]

Actually Craigie, there's quite a few products that are legally able to be sold but illegal to use, eg amplifiers for cb radios, sling shots come to mind, radar detectors (in some sates), boat/trailers exceeding 2.5m width without appropriate signage, flashing lights etc or checking you have a VHF license before selling you one, or at least telling you need to get one. They're all/most are just dodgy con men just trying to make a sale.

[dnej]

So the best way here would be to ask them to register the trailer,as happens with motor vehicles.

The weight then would not have allowed the trailer to be registered,and the purchaser would be protected.

In this instance,if you went to motor vehicle registration,they would have knocked it back,and then you would have to go back to the dealer and do battle.
Just as well you were on the ball Steven
Regards David

[craigie]

Yes good point Freddo, usually a lot of competition for our Boating Dollar these days and with the world becoming a smaller place through the use of the Internet etc, these dodgy guys are bound to be exposed and go out of the market through lost sales.

Stevenc, Was interested to hear what type, size, motor your new boat is ?
Might give the forum users a guide to any trailer legallity issues they may have with their rigs.

Regards
Craigie.

[boatboy50]

Guys,

Although they were technically in the wrong, there is no way any dealer can guestimate the weight to an exact.

I'm sure they had registered it legally, although it was illegal.

Even if they needed to take it to Qld transport for a sighting, again, there is no way the transport staff member would have even picked up on it. The dealer staff member would have a closer guestimate of weight than the Qld transport person would.

Unless they take every single boat over a weighbridge, I am sure there will be some mistakes made by all dealers.

The old saying of buyer beware is always applicable. Every driver towing should know his rig inside out.

Regards

Darren

[dnej]

Darren,
I thought you had to have a weigh bridge certificate,to get the registration in the first place.Is that not the case?
David

[Local_Guy]

question to add to this thread.

dealer rang me up a week after i picked up the boat and told me that dept. of transport said the serial number on the trailer is wrong..... dealer gave me the first part of the serial number so i knew what i was looking for and get back to him... after i told him the serial number the following day it matched what he had written down.
it's now been a month and i still have a temp label on my trailer and my rego sticker has not turned up yet....

so if i got pulled up, who's problem would this be... the boat yards or mine..

[Spaniard_King]

Makes you wonder how many boats and aother trailer for that matter are getting around over there rated limit. Seems unfair for the owner to be responsible when buying a new rig :p

[stevenc]

Gday everyone, I dont want to name dealer or boat etc, they did take care of it at end of day. They did say they were going of specs that the builder gave them and I do understand that they are not going to weigh every boat that they sell, but at the end of the day it is there responsibilty to be selling you a legally trailerable boat. If someone was to have an accident, courts are not going to accept the defence of "well we cant weigh every boat in our yard, so we thought she be right" , was not a great experience in picking up my first boat unfortunately. Got there before lunch, driving home after 5.30, anyway all done with now and try and put it behind me and enjoy the boat now.

[Poseidon]

It is poor form by the dealer, the weight of the hull is known by the manufacturer, the weight of the motor is easily accessible on the net. The weight of anything else the dealer fits could easily be estimated , add weight 1+2+3 = X kg.

You have to wonder how many of the same package deals he has done with the incorrect trailer. it won't be his first.

The reason this happens is unscrupulous dealers trying to line their pockets in the hope that the average punter won't check.

Good on you for demanding what is right.

[boatboy50]

Hey David,

No weighbridge certificate is required. Simply a guestimate as to the weight category the trailer fits into. Under 750kg, over 750kg or over 2000kg. It is impossible for anyone to know that a trailer will weigh 780kg, and not under 750kg as they obviously guessed. There is no way to police this other than to get a weighbridge certificate, which is impossible for a lot of people due to their locations.

Local Guy, the dealer is responsable as he was the person he registered it. Sometimes Qld Transport also stuffs it up as they have done with me before. They find it hard to read my writing and put an S into their computer instead of a 5. It happens very regularly, which is more than likely what has happened in your case. In the event of an issue with police or accident Qld transport would research it and find the dealers original written which would prove their case.

I have had Qld transport cancel some rego without my knowledge. Six months later when no renewal arrived, we started asking questions. It was soon fixed when found out. Too bad if there was an accident within those six months, It could have arisen serious issues.

Garry, the buyer should not be resposible for the buying process, however he is resposible for checking the papers when they arrive and knowing what he is towing, and what he is towing it with.

The amount of people I have seen wanting to buy a big boat to tow with a Camry or similar is rediculous.

Regards

Darren

[boatboy50]

Poisedon,

Don't be so quick to jump down the dealers throat.

The weights given on all the marketing are so far out it is not funny. If you actually believe them you are silly, as most times the manufacturers are trying to fudge it a little to look better.

In 90% of cases the dealer actually WANTS to get it right, but makes a mistake. The issues arriving out of something like this far outweigh the small cost saving they make from selling you a dodgy package.

Everyone is only human, and #### does happen. It's how they deal with it when it comes up that makes the difference.

It may not be their first package they have sold incorrect, however if they are a decent dealer it will be the last. Every model is different and has a different weight.

Regards

Darren

[black runner]

There's no excuse for dealers these days to provide underdone trailers. They know what they are doing and those that try it on are just out to make an easy buck at the customers expense.

Best to do the sums yourself or with the dealer and agree that the trailer is up to the mark. Hull + max transom weight + fuel@1kg/litre + Gear (Hull+max+aux+fuel@1kg/litre+Gear) + trailer as a minimum. And make sure its got brakes if GTM requires it. The vehicle max unbraked towing weight overrides transport minimum if it is less.

My rig (4.6 runabout) - Hull 380kg + 120kg mtw + 70kg fuel + gear kgs + 300kg trailer . Doesn't take long to rack up a tonne with a small outfit especially if you thow in a bit of camping gear.

Its a bit like some of the packages that have the smallest possible outboard on to keep the price down. False economy in the end.

Cheers - Fred

[Poseidon]

Poisedon,

Don't be so quick to jump down the dealers throat.

The weights given on all the marketing are so far out it is not funny. If you actually believe them you are silly, as most times the manufacturers are trying to fudge it a little to look better.

In 90% of cases the dealer actually WANTS to get it right, but makes a mistake. The issues arriving out of something like this far outweigh the small cost saving they make from selling you a dodgy package.

Everyone is only human, and #### does happen. It's how they deal with it when it comes up that makes the difference.

It may not be their first package they have sold incorrect, however if they are a decent dealer it will be the last. Every model is different and has a different weight.

Regards

Darren

Sure, every model is different and has a different weight but it still comes to maths. If the dealer is provided with weights by others that later are proven to be incorrect then at least he has done the best that he can with the information he was provided.

What happens though if the numbers the dealer has at his disposal proves that the selection of trailer is incorrect and he proceeds to supply the incorrect trailer in the package, a clear display of deception.

Yes mistakes happen and no-one is perfect however if it all comes down to a problem with basic addition and subtraction then perhaps a $12 calculator could be utilised to assist them with this challenge.

Always the dealer wants to do the correct thing when he is proven wrong but how about a little wanting to do the right thing from the start ?

[STUIE63]

I think the problem is the boat "package" dealers always advertise their prices
a standard boat "package" will have the cheapest trailer , smallest old tech motor possible to make the price look good . alot of first time boaties don't know any better and but a nice shiny new boat "package" if they knew boats they would probably get a lot better trailer ( more solid ,better winch, drive on. alloy wheels ,led lights and such. they would be leaning toward max HP for the boat instead of minimum. they might even go new tech instead of old tech .even thing like better life jackets and sounders
just my thoughts
Stuie

[Wahoo]

the dealer tried to screw you over with a cheaper trailer and thats all there is to it, and hopeing to get away with it.. 90% of these clowns just "PLAY DUMB"
they have every weight figure on everything there is to do with boating, right down to the GPS /fishfinder, they know whats going on


Daz

[blacksmith]

Have learnt from the experience of hard knocks. I only take delivery of a boat from a dealer now with a weighbridge certificate of the BMT date stamped on the day of delivery. This needs to be less than the capacity stamped on the plate the trailer and the combined weight bearing capacity of tyres. I'm more than happy to pay for the certificate. It's a useful thing to have anyway.

I tell them this when I order so there will be no surprises.

[The-easyrider]

I dont think boat salesmen are to far removed from car salesmen, I once had a salesman just about insist that I fit a big silver 4s to a new 5m boat it wasn't untill that i pointed out that the motor was 50kg over the max allowable transom weight that he started to listen to my request, and I realy dont think he knew as he seemed surprised when he took the time to check the details. So when buying a new boat it realy is a case of buyer beware;)