Pontoon replacement

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Coldbrew
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Location: Bedford, NH

Pontoon replacement

#1 Post by Coldbrew » Sun Mar 01, 2020 7:47 am

I've got a strange problem. (and kind of a long story)

I'm having to replace both of my pontoons due to damage from "the summer from hell" and I'm running into some problems getting the pontoons.

Our local Premier dealer is just awful to work with. The service manager actually wanted me to bring my boat in last October so that it would be at their disposal to work on it when the pontoons came in. He was going to charge me $1800 for storage, none of which the insurance company would pay. He refused to work with me on this. The only way they would do the work was for me to bring my boat to them last fall. Even then I had no guarantee that the boat would be ready in the spring. Just a note that this is not where I bought the boat. The dealer that I bought the boat from is no longer a Premier dealer.

So my next step was to go back to where I bought the boat and see if they could help me out. I have a good relationship with them since I've bought 4 boats from them. Unfortunately, they are not able to order the pontoons from Premier. The owner even showed me the e-mails he sent Premier to try to get them to sell the pontoons to him.

Their next step was to try to have the Premier dealer, (who is only a couple miles away) order the pontoons for us and we could pick them up and my dealer could do the work. The only problem is that the price they're giving my dealer is over $10,000 for the two pontoons. My insurance company has them costing $2500 each.

So here's where I stand at this point. I'm going to call a Premier dealer in another state (Maine) and see if they could at least price this out for me. If they come back with the same pricing then I guess I'll have to go to my insurance company and let them know. My other recourse is to go directly to Premier and tell them the problem I'm having and put up a stink. Since I'm the end user they may treat me better than my dealer. I honestly don't think they'll care, but it's worth a try.

The Maine dealer is at the Portland Boat show this weekend so I have to wait until tomorrow, but in the mean time I figured I'd ask for opinions from you guys and gals.

Is there another way I can get pontoons for my boat?? Do they really cost $5000 a piece? (20ft)

Thanks for any input.
2014 Premier Gemini 201
Tow Vehicle: 2019 F-150
Home Port: Newfound Lake, NH

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sunedog
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#2 Post by sunedog » Mon Mar 02, 2020 12:15 pm

Point of reference for you: I checked into adding a third toon to my 2011 Bennington. They quoted me $2700 for the toon and $1900 for freight. And that was for an express (3/4/ length) pontoon. Not full length and no transom.

If I were you, I'd get quotes in writing from three dealers and contact my insurance company. If it costs $5000 per pontoon, you need to be able to prove that to the insurance company.

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Coldbrew
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#3 Post by Coldbrew » Tue Mar 03, 2020 3:16 pm

Thanks. That's some good advice.

I contacted Premier directly and they're suppose to get back to me. We'll see.

I wish this was like a car and I could have any dealer order parts. My boat would be done by now. Very frustrating. :hammer
2014 Premier Gemini 201
Tow Vehicle: 2019 F-150
Home Port: Newfound Lake, NH

riplipper
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#4 Post by riplipper » Wed Mar 04, 2020 2:45 pm

I am not sure where premier makes there logs but at that shipping price, it might be worth a long weekend road trip to go pick them up with your boat trailer.
I am the guy at the boat ramp that gives you dirty looks when you are a complete idiot and too stupid to know it.

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bansil
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#5 Post by bansil » Wed Mar 04, 2020 5:16 pm

riplipper wrote:
Wed Mar 04, 2020 2:45 pm
I am not sure where premier makes there logs but at that shipping price, it might be worth a long weekend road trip to go pick them up with your boat trailer.
:shock:
No shit, I would haul them babies for you if you weren't behind enemy lines :-P
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Coldbrew
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#6 Post by Coldbrew » Fri Mar 06, 2020 10:37 am

riplipper wrote:
Wed Mar 04, 2020 2:45 pm
I am not sure where premier makes there logs but at that shipping price, it might be worth a long weekend road trip to go pick them up with your boat trailer.
I am considering that. I'll have to wait and see what they give me for pricing. I really don't get it though. I use to do a lot of shipping at a company I use to work for and I could get pallets of paper shipped for a lot less than $1900.

( I would have to borrow a trailer. My boat is on mine) :-)
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Tow Vehicle: 2019 F-150
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Marc K
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#7 Post by Marc K » Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:45 am

bansil wrote:
Wed Mar 04, 2020 5:16 pm

:shock:
No shit, I would haul them babies for you if you weren't behind enemy lines :-P
:lol3 :lol3
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Marc K
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#8 Post by Marc K » Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:46 am

Coldbrew wrote:
Fri Mar 06, 2020 10:37 am
riplipper wrote:
Wed Mar 04, 2020 2:45 pm
I am not sure where premier makes there logs but at that shipping price, it might be worth a long weekend road trip to go pick them up with your boat trailer.
I am considering that. I'll have to wait and see what they give me for pricing. I really don't get it though. I use to do a lot of shipping at a company I use to work for and I could get pallets of paper shipped for a lot less than $1900.

( I would have to borrow a trailer. My boat is on mine) :-)
Man, that does seem expensive! Did you run over a submerged an iceberg?
Waiting to hear how this pans out.

Marc
Big and ugly but we love our 1999/2000 Crest II DL with a Yamaha F115

Steiner
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#9 Post by Steiner » Fri Mar 06, 2020 2:55 pm

Friend of mine just got a quote to ship his Jeep from SC to Moab and back for much less than that.

But then a pontoon is a specialized load on a flatbed, probably nothing else going with it to split the cost, and maybe nothing to pick up for a return load so deadheading back. Just the federal reimbursement rate for a pickup or panel van would be almost $1200 for a 2000 mile round trip.
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Coldbrew
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#10 Post by Coldbrew » Sat Mar 07, 2020 6:46 am

Marc K wrote:
Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:46 am


Man, that does seem expensive! Did you run over a submerged an iceberg?
Waiting to hear how this pans out.

Marc
Hahaha! Nope. Had a jetski decide to cut in front of me at the boat ramp and bounced off me a couple of times and put a couple of dents in the starboard side. Then I realized that someone put the park day dock together improperly and left an unprotected bolt pointing out toward the water and it put a couple of dents and multiple gouges in my port side. I didn't realize what had done the damage until I used it twice.

I heard back from Premier and they're working it out for me. I'm still waiting for the final resolution, but they've been pretty good so far. I just think it's ridiculous that you have to be a dealer to order parts. I'll update this post with any results.
2014 Premier Gemini 201
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Home Port: Newfound Lake, NH

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Bamby
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#11 Post by Bamby » Sat Mar 07, 2020 7:08 am

The only thing special is the fact that they're fragile, easily damaged, and almost weightless. If the load is going to offset the same amount of space as a typical 20K load that's the price you'll pay. It's just simply business, though one may find ways around it.

Tubes are light two guys can manhandle them if they want to. As such a moving company or a ltl company may take them on as a topload to make some extra money on their preexisting load.

And though a bit of a long shot Bills Pontoon Boat parts are listing a lot of 20ft pontoons available. With a bit of fabrication a usable pair might be found for your boat. Bills Boat Stuff

Also UFab which is a custom manufacture just north of you in Canada may be able to fab you up a pair at a realistic price. U Fab Boats
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Marc K
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#12 Post by Marc K » Sat Mar 07, 2020 11:10 am

Coldbrew wrote:
Sat Mar 07, 2020 6:46 am
Marc K wrote:
Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:46 am


Man, that does seem expensive! Did you run over a submerged an iceberg?
Waiting to hear how this pans out.

Marc
Hahaha! Nope. Had a jetski decide to cut in front of me at the boat ramp and bounced off me a couple of times and put a couple of dents in the starboard side. Then I realized that someone put the park day dock together improperly and left an unprotected bolt pointing out toward the water and it put a couple of dents and multiple gouges in my port side. I didn't realize what had done the damage until I used it twice.

I heard back from Premier and they're working it out for me. I'm still waiting for the final resolution, but they've been pretty good so far. I just think it's ridiculous that you have to be a dealer to order parts. I'll update this post with any results.

Is the jetski driver paying some of this?
Big and ugly but we love our 1999/2000 Crest II DL with a Yamaha F115

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Coldbrew
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#13 Post by Coldbrew » Sat Mar 07, 2020 2:06 pm

Marc K wrote:
Sat Mar 07, 2020 11:10 am



Is the jetski driver paying some of this?
It's way too long of a story to get into, but the incident was basically a hit and run since they loaded up the jetski and took off before I realized there was damage. However I took to Facebook and our local community page and put a description of the vehicle and his neighbor turned him in. I guess he's not well liked. Marine Patrol decided they didn't have enough to charge him, but back when I filed my claim my insurance company told me they found his insurance company and they were going to cover the damages. I haven't had that confirmed since, but I don't think anything has changed.

I told you it was the "summer from hell" :devillol
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Liquid Asset
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#14 Post by Liquid Asset » Sun Mar 08, 2020 6:22 pm

I hope you can get put back together for a decent price and not on your dime. I know the OEM parts are expensive. My Tahoe only came with 4 lifting strakes vs the 6 I would have ordered it with. Long story short I ordered 2 loose strakes and was surprised at the cost. It was way more than I was quoted. Needless to say they sent 4 and it was in a elaborate wood crate 16' long. My 2 loose strakes ended up costing me $800. It works out to something like 32 lineal feet of material so I consider that pricey, but I wanted it OEM to match so it is what it is!!!
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bansil
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Re: Pontoon replacement

#15 Post by bansil » Sun Mar 08, 2020 6:33 pm

Well....if you come down here and want to party? No worries, and our lakes are 300' deep :thumbsup ....just saying :mrgreen:
Ya'll like smashed burgers :drool
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