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Thread: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

  1. #1

    Unhappy Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    Firstly I did not have to retrieve it from the bottom of the ocean, but it was trying to go there.

    This is a bit tricky to explain as there are so many things to say yet I do not want to waffle or seem to miss critical details so I will categorise it with "1. Fault"; "2. Concerns"; "3. Efforts to have Nobleboats remedy"; "4. Repairs"

    1. The Fault is that the back of the boat where the motor attaches is cracked and flexes a lot - you could call it a "soft transom".

    Here are the pics of what alerted me to the problem whilst away on holidays with family at Easter.

    bob6.JPGbob1.JPGbob5.jpg

    Please let me post items 1, 2 and 3 before commenting as I may have some answers to your questions.
    Cheers

    Trev

  2. #2

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    2. Concerns

    As mentioned I discovered the problem whilst away on holiday with the family we had 6 days on an Island and the boat was moored for this time.

    I do not wish to go into the holiday but it reads here if you are interested
    http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...inations/page5

    We left for mainland on Friday after Easter and it had been blowing previous days 35-40 knots for a few days but was about 25 knots when we left and 2.5 to 3m sea with 1m chop on top. We had family and camping gear and was well below safe carry limit and in my opinion safe enough to return but with some risk associated so we all wore life jackets for the 20km one hour plus trip to the harbour from near Great Keppel Island.

    I thought the trip went okay but the boat was not too responsive - never broached and I took it easy sitting on about 17kph and letting the swell and waves pass us by as we were going with the sea at about 45 degrees. I let the boat drag it's tail and never tried to go faster than a wave or use the trim tabs - it was okay but the sea was pretty big and very brown.

    We got back okay and I put the boat on the trailer and then removed the bungs.

    Here I need to describe how the boat is designed - it has three separate airlocks front to back and the middle one has a bilge pump - the outer compartments have no pump.

    The Port side compartment drained hard through the bungs for over 20 minutes and the Starboard compartment for over 10 minutes. I reckon one airlock was full and one at least half full. The middle compartment with pump was empty.

    If I'd had any idea I was returning with my family in a laden boat with the sub floor more than half full of water in that sea!

    I am taking steps to ensure this doesn't happen again - see in Repairs.

    Some may say it was my fault for not checking these compartments but there is no way to check them at all.
    Cheers

    Trev

  3. #3

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    3. Efforts to Have Noble Boats Remedy

    Upon returning from the holiday I phoned Nobleboats three times a day Mon, Tues and Wed and only received an answering machine.

    On Wednesday afternoon I left a message on their web site for them to contact me - no reply.

    I sent them a friendly email to enquiries@nobleboats.com the following Monday detailing the problem and asking them to contact me - no reply.

    I took the boat in for 175 Suz 240hr motor service at Jeffers on Friday and collected in arvo - Keith said your motor is perfect but your boat has a broken transom - I said yeah I know - I am trying to get it sorted.

    Anyway we opened the inspection lid to bilge pump and it was pretty obvious what is wrong.

    There are two vertical channels that go from bottom of boat up into the upstand where the motor bolts too. These channels have small welds securing the toe of channel to back of boat and these welds have torn away from the boat back allowing the motor and upstand to flew a lot.

    So weld gurus what do you think of the weld holding the vertical channels in place

    bob3.JPGbob8.jpgbob7.JPG
    Cheers

    Trev

  4. #4

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    So with the fault appearing pretty obvious to both me (being a structural engineer) and Keith being a marine guy - it seems perfectly clear that the vertical channels should be secured at the bottom of the boat to stop them moving.

    I then sent to Nobleboats another email explaining that I had been trying to get them with no reply and that the fault appears to be clearly welds not done during fabrication and that they should make steps to fix it. I sent this with pics last Monday and said if i receive no reply I will post my findings up on this forum. Further to the email and pics I phoned their answering machine and left a voice message alerting them and asking for a reply - I have had no reply.

    Prior to posting this I have tried to contact them via the dealer I bought the boat from and they said Nobleboats have not returned their calls or emails for over six months and they haven't sold their boats in over 12 months - strangely though J&B Marine are still listed on site as a dealer. Further they said they had a couple of paint warrantee claims put to Nobleboats that were not honoured and once again received no replies. Is anyone on this forum managing to get any feedback from them? Jason Lee I believe is the contact in OZ.

    Further I have tried to contact them on their site in China where they offer an English rep clinton@#######################.com and get the email undelivered.

    I have tried every possible avenue for three weeks and no reply.
    Cheers

    Trev

  5. #5

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    looks simular to the cracking starting to develop on my haines sig. Started after 80 odd hours on the boat, i bought it with 50hours on it and 4 years old, haines weren't interested in it either.
    Best of luck solving the problems.
    Lee

  6. #6

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    I've got absolutely no useful input to contribute except to say hard luck and sorry to see that mate and if it's out of action for a long time I'll be more than happy to take ya out.

    Chin up.

  7. #7

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    I have spent each evening this week removing items from the back of the boat so that welding can be done.

    I have removed the trim tabs and hydraulics, bilge pump (breaking it and buying a new one), burley pot, sounder transducers and water scoop uptake.

    I had a boat builder come and look at it this afternoon and now I will tear up the carpet and drill out the lid to fuel tanks, drain the tank and remove it so boat is safe to weld.

    I will continue to grind back the top cracks to remove the bog and paint covering the weld and expose this for repair.

    The vertical channels must be welded where they meet the floor - this will be done through a small inspection opening so not an easy fix - but doable.

    bob9.jpg
    Cheers

    Trev

  8. #8

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    Trev,

    That is bloody terrible mate. From what I can see, that piece of vertical box is no where near enough to support the outboard and the welding looks atrocious. I base my comments by looking at your pics, comparing to how the transom on my and my mates Fishers (originals by Col S) were constructed and comparing the visible weld quality on those two Fishers plus my Origin. If I were you I'd take your boat to a quality plate builder and get them to assess the damage, recommend repairs needed then hit up Noble to pay for the recommended repairs. No point just getting this welded back up if the original design/construction isn't up to the job.

    Good luck and keep us posted.

    Regards,
    Dave.

  9. #9

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    The welds........for lack of a better word are really only tacks.......and it appears that they were welded when the hull was upside down in the hull jig........you can tell from the way the cold cap has fallen away.............My guess is that they were tacked into position and were supposed to be fully welded out when the boat was rolled upright..........Obviously they forgot to weld them out...........bad QA on their behalf.
    Confidence.......the feeling you get before you fully understand the situation.

  10. #10

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    Obviously those couple of welds are pretty ordinary.

    My main concern would be with the rest of the boat now. Have you had a good look over it? What is the rest of the welding/general finish like?

    Cheers,
    Roo.

    P.S.
    Any other Noble owners able to take a look at their boats for a comparison?

  11. #11

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    Wow I always liked nobles and had them pegged for almost unbreakable. Seriously hope they come to the party and fix it properly for you!

  12. #12

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    Is the boat still under warranty? If so then you may need to take the dealer to task over this and insist they honour the warranty.

  13. #13

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    QUOTE: <I sent them a friendly email to enquiries@nobleboats.com the following Monday detailing the problem and asking them to contact me - no reply.>

    I just checked their Website - the email there states enquiries@#######################.com

    Ps. I can't re-edit the email address for some reason for the all he ##'s.
    But it should read noble boats international (one word without spaces)




    Hope it all turns out for you soon.
    Last edited by Fishbait; 04-05-2012 at 09:01 PM. Reason: fix email address

  14. #14

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    Mate I hope they come to the party....

    But I would be Seeking legal agvise, would be my call tomorrow morning.

  15. #15

    Re: Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

    Not a good situation Trev. That's a real concern that Noble are not contactable and haven't replied to any of your messages. They should definitely be responsible for any repair costs. I'd be contacting other dealers listed on their website to see if they are still selling them and have any further contact details.

    Best of luck.
    Phil
    Last edited by IcyDuck; 04-05-2012 at 09:31 PM. Reason: Oops ... Wrong manufacturer

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