Crestliner boats

[miksup]

Bought a Y2K 1750 SF in August with an Optimax 150. My second Crestliner. First one was B4 Genmar Inc. owned everything. I love the boat but 1 huge problem. It chine walks above 4400 Revs no matter which prop or where the motor is mounted. Found out it's because of motor slop caused by only single cable steering system. Crestliner shipped all of them with single cable steering. Now I'm left to split the cost of a new SeaStar dual cable system with R & R Marine in Minnesota. Seems to me if Crestliner is going to rate and sell a boat for 150 HP, they should rig it with the proper steering system. I've been told by the dealer that Crestliner is basically saying tough nuggies. I love the boat but it's **** sure the last Crestliner I'll ever buy. Tight lines guys.

[Don K.]

What is chine walk?

[paulg]

I have new Crestliner 1750 . When I bought the boat the dealer gave me the option of ordering dual cable anti-feedback steering or hydraulic steering. I ordered the hydraulic and it works great. I think the dealer should of informed you of the options. I don't know all the circumstances but the anti feedback and hydraulic steering are a upgrade(more money) and possibly it was a way for him to be more competitive price wise. I have had nothing but good expieriences with Crestliner and this is my fourth one.

[WestCoaster]

I have a 2000 1850 SF I/O.......but when I was shopping, my dealer would not let me order above 135hp outboard without hydraulic steering. He said if I wanted standard steering, I would have to buy it somewhere else. I appreciated his candor, but opted to buy the I/O instead. I have nothing but good things to say about this boat. Also the second Crestliner I've owned. Sorry to hear of your misfortunes. I blame your dealer more than anyone. Good luck.

[miksup]

This boat was on the floor with a 2 plus 2 125 when I started shopping. I was interested in maybe a 135. He offered me a great deal on a 99 150 Optimax. I naturally said okay but I asked if this boat would handle okay without dual cable steering. My point is that if Crestliner is going to sell a boat rated for 150 they should ship it equipped to handle a 150. Why should it cost me more money to get it to handle correctly. I was new to the high performance motor market so I was maybe a little naive. But I still believe that it is Crestliner's responsibility to provide me with the correct equipment to handle the horsepower it's rated for.

[M2]

I live in Shakopee and bought my Crestliner at Crystal marine because of the people there.I think the previous posts hit the nail on the head.I'm sorry you've had this experience with an otherwise great boat.

[Eyez (SD)]

I don't know if I'm helping any, or just adding fuel to the fire, but maybe crestliner, or the dealer, whoever is responsible, should include the cost of the dual hydraulic steering with any motor over 125hp? If the motor needs the dual steering, it should not be an option with that motor, it should be part of the package. Is it your dealer that determines that, or cretliner? Probably your dealer. The boat probably handles the motor fine, but I would have to think that any dealer worth beans should know that larger motors need dual steering. I don't see why crestliner should have to put dual steering on a boat that may only have a 90 or 100 HP motor on it. The steering should be part of the motor package that your dealer puts on the boat.

Please don't take it as though I'm bashing your dealer just to defend crestliner, I'm not, that's just the way I think it should be done so that the customer is happiest.

Eyez (SD)

[Floater (MN) KL]

"Crestliner should...." Did Crestliner actually ship this boat with the motor rigged or was it the shop/point of sales that rigged it? Not all boats from all these companies come rigged with a motor. Some shops take them and put other units on the boat and sell them. Could this have happened here?

[WestCoaster]

I agree. Unless specially ordered, the boats come into the showroom without power. Or at least that's what I've seen at my local dealers. The dealer then rigs a boat for sale or allows the customer to choose the power option. Crestliner Boats probably chooses to ship the boats with the minimal steering setup and it becomes the dealer's responsibility to suggest and sell you the upgrade. That's how it seemed to work at my dealership anyway.

[Fritz]

Have you talked to Crestliner yourself? I would place more blame on the dealer than Crestliner.

My personal experience in boat shopping last year was there are alot of sales people who don't know their product. Fortunately there are some that do. We are fortunate to have this board for advice also.

There is a guy by the name of Larry who reads this board on ocassion and is a regional sales manager for Crestliner. Hopefully he will see your post or somebody will remember his Email address.

Good luck,
Fritz

[dahopping]

As above, a great majority of these boats come without power and it is the dealer who adds the motor package. It is only natural that a manufacturer will send it rigged with the lesser expensive components since not all people will opt for the higher horses. Dealer should have definitely handled this, especially since he swapped out the motor that was originally on the boat in the showroom.

[WestCoaster]

Larry Carr of Crestliner Boats. Great source of info!

Email addy is LCFishn@Concentric.net

[Terry/JNR]

If it came with single cable steering, more than likely it was the dealer that ordered it that way. Crestliner ships their boats the way they're ordered.

[Ram Man]

I know Larry personally and this the last email address I had for him. Try it and see if it works.

He will tell you the "straight" story on who possibly is to blame.

My 1850TS has hydraulic steering with a 125 Merc. I will never "not" have this type of steering again!! SMOOOOTHHHHHHH!! Takes care of alot of strain on myself and the steering system.

The dealers are quick to blame someone else.(not all of them though)

Anywho... here's Larry's address:
LCfishin@concentric.com

[Fishlips]

Yep, the dealer is the one who orders how the boat should be rigged based upon the power plant. I ordered the 150 Opti and the dealer recommended and ordered the hydraulic steering which Crestliner installed before shipping the boat. I think your dealer slipped on this one!

[miksup]

Thanks for all the input fellas. You're all correct of course. R & R Marine is the culprit here I believe. As a matter of fact, I recall questioning my salesman about the need for dual cable steering when he offered to sell me the 150 last August. He told me it wasn't necessary. He was mistaken. They are in the process of putting in a new SeaStar system as I type this. They are splitting the cost of the $700 job with me. I guess that's not too bad. It should have cost me the whole thing last year. I suppose I was just releasing my emotions on my first post. Thanks again guys. Tight lines, Mike.

[TerryMac]

Boat comes from factory w/ steering (you chose) already on it.
How did they keep them from chine walking BEFORE hydraulic steering?

Any boat rated for over 115hp is supposed to be equipped with anti-feedback steering or, the UPGRADE to hydraulic steering serving as an option.

I don't think the problem is all in the steering.

Just my 2 cents.

[LC/in/OH]

Most of the posts below are right on the money.

As far as the 1750 Sportfish steering, Crestliner offers it two ways, with non-feedback steering as standard and the SeaStar Hydraulic from Teleflex as an option. I'd probably agree that the 150 on a 1750 Sportfish should have probably been sold with hydraulic, especially since Crestliner does not offer dual cable steering anymore since we began offering the hydraulic.

Personally, the larger the engine, the more I recommend the hydraulic. In fact, I doubt that I would ever buy any manufacturer's boat with anything over a V-4 or roughly a 100 hp outboard without hydraulic steering now that I have used it as much as I have. It is money well spent.

Now, you've also got to keep in mind some folks don't have that extra money to spend on the larger motor, or don't have the 'need for speed', or the 800 or so bucks for the hydraulic, but still want a deluxe model like the Sportfish. So Crestliner offers the boat as standard with non-feedback, which is a lot better than some other aluminum boat builders do. None of our boats (except maybe the demos) are shipped with the motors rigged, although they can be ordered with certain recommended horsepower motors as part of the package. This motor option left up to the individual dealers discretion, based on their market, marketing plan, etc.

LC
><(((({'<

[LC/in/OH]

Forget to mention...
The crew at R and R is a great crew and would not knowingly mislead anyone. They have been a Crestliner dealer for many years and I have met them before at different shows, although I do not call on them as their rep. It shows that they are a class organization if they are splitting the cost of the hydraulic steering and then, on top of that, installing it. It is a total pain in the 'stern' to have to rig the steering, esp the hydraulic steering, after the boat has been assembled.

R & R won't make much money on this deal, but it is obvious that they want to take care of their valuable customer base. They DO NOT want one time buyers....good, honest, quality marine dealers like R & R cannot survive that way. They rely on repeat sales and the good words they get on sites like this and at launch ramps and tournaments and the like. I'm darn proud that they have done what they have done with this 'problem'. It shows they are a class act interested in selling class boats to hard working fisher folks like you and me.

LC