PDA

View Full Version : What happened to AeroMarine quality



sigelitest
09-11-2011, 09:17 PM
I just got back into this hobby after about 10 years and being sick of messing with gas.
For me the brushless motors got me back into the hobby. Anyway what happened to Aeromarine . The first thing I did was pick up a Titian and start my build it seemed like the top coat was a little foggy. I figured no big deal. I use 2 part foam so I spray wd40 to keep it from sticking.After a trip to the lake I realized that the hull was leaking between the seams. 
I ordered a mean machine and this time it was worst than the last one. The thing was full of bumps and scratches that were under the clear coat + the cowl didn’t fit. If I wanted to sand the thing down and repaint it I wouldn’t have ordered it in color. Anyway it is the last hull I order from that mfg . I picked up an AC boats Razor and it is perfect not a mark on it. Also going to pick up my 36 delta force cat Mon. If it is as good as the Razor than I think I will stick with them.

Anyone else have problems with Aeromarine?
:doh:

Fluid
09-11-2011, 10:54 PM
Of the last three hulls I bought direct from Remy, only one was a problem It was a Titan 40 with the "new" glue they were experimenting with a couple years ago. Well, the deck separated from the hull while I was building the boat. Had to re-glue and reinforce with 'glass tape on the inside seam. The other two hulls (hydros) were fine structurally and were okay cosmetically.


.

drwayne
09-30-2011, 09:33 PM
SprintCat40 built around apr/may 2011

If I dont build, I buy Brand names of known excellence

I have no issue paying more $ for high quality

fool me... this shi te quality forces me elsewhere . :sad:

61372

Aeromarine
10-08-2011, 12:56 PM
I'm really sorry to hear this. I wish you would've called, I would've straightened it out right away. I am NOT a fan of ANY colored gelcoats and let everyone know that. Our molds are of the highest quality. However, in the last 12 years maybe there has been a change in the US (due to EPA regulations) to take many things out of gelcoats that in my opinion made them harder and shinier. They are ALL now mainly latex based (in this country anyway). Unfortunately, other countries don't have these regulations or aren't enforced like it is here. We would GLADLY pay for the better gelcoats if they were avail. This is not an excuse, just an explanation. I always recommend to our customers if they insist on a color and NOT to paint the hull, which our hulls and most hulls are meant to be, to use a compound like "Ebony" or "finesse it" to bring the shine up on the gelcoats to the level they want. We try to do what we can (withen time constraints) to do this but sometimes it doesn't come up all the way. There is always a certain inherent finish work to be done to all hulls including finish work on the hatch to make it fit the way they want. We usually leave them high on purpose so the customer can hand fit it. If we are to do this and a customer wants it, we can do it. As far as the adhesive. This should've been brought to our attention and I would've taken care of this right away.
Having said that we have consistently tried to make our products better within price considerations of "most" people. Some will def. pay for all the extra work, but most wont do we try to strike a balance. We are certainly not perfect and things get thru, the point is thought we recognize our faults and we do fix them and learn from them. If you have an issue, PLEASE call. I will help in any way I can.
I just really wish they stop taking all the good stuff out of products for "our safety" and allowing other places to do as they will. Ridiculous.
Thank you,
Remy Jr.

Fluid
10-08-2011, 08:45 PM
Remy, thanks for the explanation. Aeromarine has been supplying us with great products for decades, so any problems seem to stick out. In my case repairing the seam on the Titan 40 was a lot simpler than sending the hull back. Hulls made around that time (2-3 years ago) definitely had seam adhesion problems; one club member had two decks separate on two hulls on the same day at the lake - one a Conquest the other an Avenger. This had not been a problem before and does not seem to be one today. Other posters here and on other forums have mentioned the same thing. I do not know if any of them called Aeromarine to report the issues.

I am far less focused on gel coat quality than hull integrity, I am a racer so I really don't care if there are a few minor cosmetic flaws. A Shadow I got a couple years ago had some scratches in the surface - a few minutes with fine cloth and some polishing compound fixed them. I have no doubt that Remy would fix any problem; he once offered to do some non-standard things when building a hull for me and said that if I didn't like it he'd build another free. He has a point - if there is a problem we should bring it up to him. I guess some of us are used to the "limited" customer service offered by the Asian makers, and we are out of the habit of contacting the manufacturer when there's a problem.


.

Jesse J
10-08-2011, 10:03 PM
I have another vote for the great customer service!
My first order in 2008 was for a Titan, I got it and was in love, then Amedeo later another one showed up!?!?
I called up remy and he said that he wanted to be sure I got it.... That has had me hooked since.
My most recent, an xxx, very nice deep red gel coat and overall gorgeous! I had a pretty bad wipe out and it peeled back about 8" from the bow. Problem really is a beast moving 60mph weighing 20-25 lbs is pretty hard on anything

I will keep buying AM hulls so keep up the good work!

drwayne
10-08-2011, 11:57 PM
I'm really sorry to hear this. I wish you would've called, I would've straightened it out right away. I am NOT a fan of ANY colored gelcoats and let everyone know that. Our molds are of the highest quality. However, in the last 12 years maybe there has been a change in the US (due to EPA regulations) to take many things out of gelcoats that in my opinion made them harder and shinier. They are ALL now mainly latex based (in this country anyway). Unfortunately, other countries don't have these regulations or aren't enforced like it is here. We would GLADLY pay for the better gelcoats if they were avail. This is not an excuse, just an explanation. I always recommend to our customers if they insist on a color and NOT to paint the hull, which our hulls and most hulls are meant to be, to use a compound like "Ebony" or "finesse it" to bring the shine up on the gelcoats to the level they want. We try to do what we can (withen time constraints) to do this but sometimes it doesn't come up all the way. There is always a certain inherent finish work to be done to all hulls including finish work on the hatch to make it fit the way they want. We usually leave them high on purpose so the customer can hand fit it. If we are to do this and a customer wants it, we can do it. As far as the adhesive. This should've been brought to our attention and I would've taken care of this right away.
Having said that we have consistently tried to make our products better within price considerations of "most" people. Some will def. pay for all the extra work, but most wont do we try to strike a balance. We are certainly not perfect and things get thru, the point is thought we recognize our faults and we do fix them and learn from them. If you have an issue, PLEASE call. I will help in any way I can.
I just really wish they stop taking all the good stuff out of products for "our safety" and allowing other places to do as they will. Ridiculous.
Thank you,
Remy Jr.

Ive admired Aeromarine quality in previous purchases.

just PMd Remy re this quality anomaly.

D&D
10-09-2011, 09:24 AM
Since I started boating in 1985 I have never bought anything but an Aeromarine cat boat. Yes, my last boat (a Mean Machine) had a couple of small problems, but it ran and handled "like only an Aeromarine does"! the Remeys (Sr. and Jr.) have always taken care of their customers and built the best racing cats.

sigelitest
10-09-2011, 03:43 PM
I appreciate the feed back from aeromarine and the other comments from users.
The biggest problem for me is that aeromarine has a solid good performing hull. I hate having to put a bunch of work into them to get them looking good. On my last mean machine I had to rebuild the nose because it was chipped off and cracked .5 inch from the front. I guess it is easier to fix them then send them back and wait. I hate waiting. I just whish they were in the same shape as the other hulls from the start
I like the idea of not having to paint the base color on my hulls. I have been working on my AC boat Razor and DF explorer and the finish is flawless. Not a mark or a bubble in the hull they are perfect. When my boats are not running in the pond they sit on shelves in my office and I like the fact that they look great and fly on the lake

Aeromarine
10-10-2011, 09:29 AM
Thank you for all your comments. We really appreciate it and makes the effort of doing this for so long worth it. I'd like all who reads this to know that if anyone EVER has a problem with an Aeromarine product, please call me! I understand that the cost effectiveness of sending a hull back and forth (especially internationally) isn't worth the cost of fixing the problem, but that does not mean we cannot offer some sort of compensation. As long as its legitimate ( we know how some unscrupulous people try to get away with anything, which thankfully is not typical).
Look, the point is, we love our business and we value anyone who purchases from us. In this economy, we have a strong belief that we need to keep things American based. There is very little manufactured here anymore and what little is, even if is only measly model boat parts, should be made with pride, quality and outstanding customer service. So please let us know if you have any problem. If we're not aware of it, we cant improve. We have made many corrections to our adhesion problem, which we acknowledged it, and fell we have corrected it with this new adhesive (which is VERY expensive) without adjusting our prices due to customers input. (this may have been what you received). This is ALWAYS welcomed. Believe me, anyone who knows or raced with my old man, knows that I must have a thick skin, so go ahead, let me have it! Let us know what you want or what we should be doing..please!
thank you again
Remy Jr.

drwayne
10-10-2011, 09:45 AM
Hi
email on way


Perhaps you could offer to the FE market a 'water tight' turbine cowl .. that tuned pipe exit is a PITA !


regs
Wayne

Aeromarine
10-10-2011, 12:07 PM
............or even perhaps give someone a good discount on our NEW REALLY cool, 33" Jerse-E Skiff sure to be a upcoming class for someones trouble??

properchopper
10-10-2011, 12:19 PM
............or even perhaps give someone a good discount on our NEW REALLY cool, 33" Jerse-E Skiff sure to be a upcoming class for someones trouble??

Yeah Buddy !! I'm in !! ( I started the JS thread on RRR). Stand by for a phone call !

Tony