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Pretty Bummed about the 'Bu


hco

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So, some of you may or may not remember, but my old style wedge finally died over the summer. Like many others, my wedge torqued itself and bent itself so slightly that it has become useless and just ruins the wake. So I contacted Malibu (since I had heard of stories about wedges being replaced), but apparently wedges only have a three year warranty (when they are purchased with the boat), which pisses me off, considering that there was no recall, even though they had seen wedges being ripped off boats, being broken, etc... I might try to find those old style manual wedges on ebay for cheap and hope that they hold out, because I do not see it feasible for me to afford a new wedge (which kind of wedge would you even reccomend buying?). Not to mention the dealer who originally installed the wedge closed down and is now selling Tige's. A new marina recently took on malibu around here, but they are so incapable that I would not want them to even wax my boat, but if I did buy a new wedge I presume it wouldn't be under warranty unless they installed it, but like I said, these guys are terrible when it comes to customer service, satisfaction, and can't fix anything correctly, so there is no way I would let them touch my 'bu (kinda wonder why malibu even let these guys distribute for them).

Sorry for the rant, but in times like these with budgets, this especially gets on my nerves.

Edited by hco
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So, some of you may or may not remember, but my old style wedge finally died over the summer. Like many others, my wedge torqued itself and bent itself so slightly that it has become useless and just ruins the wake. So I contacted Malibu (since I had heard of stories about wedges being replaced), but apparently wedges only have a three year warranty (when they are purchased with the boat), which pisses me off, considering that there was no recall, even though they had seen wedges being ripped off boats, being broken, etc... I might try to find those old style manual wedges on ebay for cheap and hope that they hold out, because I do not see it feasible for me to afford a new wedge (which kind of wedge would you even reccomend buying?). Not to mention the dealer who originally installed the wedge closed down and is now selling Tige's. A new marina recently took on malibu around here, but they are so incapable that I would not want them to even wax my boat, but if I did buy a new wedge I presume it wouldn't be under warranty unless they installed it, but like I said, these guys are terrible when it comes to customer service, satisfaction, and can't fix anything correctly, so there is no way I would let them touch my 'bu (kinda wonder why malibu even let these guys distribute for them).

Sorry for the rant, but in times like these with budgets, this especially gets on my nerves.

Did you say that there is a new Malibu dealer in CT? Where are they?

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I was thinking that, but would they replace the arms that got bent in addition to the flat wedge part? I was also wondering if it would be possible to upgrade the flat part to the bent wedge (performance wise the bent is better?). I just really need someone to school me on wedges so I can start thinking about pricing this stuff out.

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It is still attached, but the entire wedge is bent slightly, but enough to change the form of the wake. I need to go investigate further when I get home to see if it is screw related.

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You would know if it's "screw related". One arm would be hanging straight down no longer attached to the foil, and the other arm bent up at 90 degrees or so. There was a problem with the screws shearing off that hold the foil to the arms. This would do more than mess up your wake. In fact, I would remove it before ever driving the boat again. If yours is tweaked a bit but still usable, I suspect it has hit something.

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Interesting to hear your thoughts on Candlewood East. As a long time Correct Craft and Cobalt dealer, I would expect that they have a clue. But I have no first hand knowledge, so it's just an assumption on my part. Cobalt in particular usually demands excellent CSI scores from their dealers.

Peter

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You would know if it's "screw related". One arm would be hanging straight down no longer attached to the foil, and the other arm bent up at 90 degrees or so. There was a problem with the screws shearing off that hold the foil to the arms. This would do more than mess up your wake. In fact, I would remove it before ever driving the boat again. If yours is tweaked a bit but still usable, I suspect it has hit something.

I was wondering if that might be part of the issue, but I think hitting something with the wedge down would have been pretty obvious to me, and my lake is not shallow. Would it be possible to bend just from too much stress on that side? It is bent on the regular side for wakesurfing, which is how I only surf, so I was thinking there is a chance it might involve that in some way?

Smooth- I don't mean to tear them apart, I am sure that plenty of people may have had positive transactions with them, but I have heard too many horror stories (in particular with winterizing) for me to want to use them. I also have acess to any tools that I might need, and my labor is much cheaper than theirs. Not to mention the first 'bu that they got to work on broke down on the guy the first 2 (maybe even three) times he went out with his family on the lake. Nothing like watching him be towed in by seatow twice in the same week.

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i could be wrong, but i think you need to stick with the straight wedge. i thought i read that the bent wedge is for non diamond hulls (or has something to do with different hulls, anyway).

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It would be really obvious if you hit something, there would be some time a scarring where the imptact occured. I would try and take it to a machine shop. Better yet...call a couple of Malibu Dealers in the Northeast and ask them who they use to repair a wedge.

I think if you do some more research...you can get it fixed.

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You would know if it's "screw related". One arm would be hanging straight down no longer attached to the foil, and the other arm bent up at 90 degrees or so. There was a problem with the screws shearing off that hold the foil to the arms. This would do more than mess up your wake. In fact, I would remove it before ever driving the boat again. If yours is tweaked a bit but still usable, I suspect it has hit something.

I was wondering if that might be part of the issue, but I think hitting something with the wedge down would have been pretty obvious to me, and my lake is not shallow. Would it be possible to bend just from too much stress on that side? It is bent on the regular side for wakesurfing, which is how I only surf, so I was thinking there is a chance it might involve that in some way?

Smooth- I don't mean to tear them apart, I am sure that plenty of people may have had positive transactions with them, but I have heard too many horror stories (in particular with winterizing) for me to want to use them. I also have acess to any tools that I might need, and my labor is much cheaper than theirs. Not to mention the first 'bu that they got to work on broke down on the guy the first 2 (maybe even three) times he went out with his family on the lake. Nothing like watching him be towed in by seatow twice in the same week.

HCO

In regards the the First Malibu Customer that you saw get towed on Candlewood by Sea Tow - I am the Sea\\ Tow Captain and the only Malibu that I had to tow there was a used 2004 Wakesetter 23 LSV Blue and Black that went out on the first ride and drove recklessly too close to a shoreline and wrapped himself around swim bouys. I know the dealership personally and they only got their new malibus in about two months ago and did sell their 2009 23 lsv right away and it was the same colors as the one you saw me towing. That boat was in the water for one week because that is all the customer could use it for the season. They didn't even use it by themselve because it wasn't registered yet. Maybe get some proper facts before throwing people under the bus. They hold the highest level of service on Candlewood and carry the finest lines in the market. Has to say something. Plus the are one of three dealers in the State that are rated in the Top 100 Boat Dealerships in the United States from Boating Industry Magazine.

My only thoughts to your poor interaction with them is that you asked them to fix the boat this time of year when they are in the process of trying to winterize 500 + boats before the lake drops. Did you ask them to do it over the winter? Many dealerships love winter jobs. Or did you just not like the price quoted? Remember, these guys are no farm yard highway dealer like the previous dealer. Check out their facility and their service center. Clearly the best in the area.

Madhat78

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HCO

In regards the the First Malibu Customer that you saw get towed on Candlewood by Sea Tow - I am the Sea\\ Tow Captain and the only Malibu that I had to tow there was a used 2004 Wakesetter 23 LSV Blue and Black that went out on the first ride and drove recklessly too close to a shoreline and wrapped himself around swim bouys. I know the dealership personally and they only got their new malibus in about two months ago and did sell their 2009 23 lsv right away and it was the same colors as the one you saw me towing. That boat was in the water for one week because that is all the customer could use it for the season. They didn't even use it by themselve because it wasn't registered yet. Maybe get some proper facts before throwing people under the bus. They hold the highest level of service on Candlewood and carry the finest lines in the market. Has to say something. Plus the are one of three dealers in the State that are rated in the Top 100 Boat Dealerships in the United States from Boating Industry Magazine.

My only thoughts to your poor interaction with them is that you asked them to fix the boat this time of year when they are in the process of trying to winterize 500 + boats before the lake drops. Did you ask them to do it over the winter? Many dealerships love winter jobs. Or did you just not like the price quoted? Remember, these guys are no farm yard highway dealer like the previous dealer. Check out their facility and their service center. Clearly the best in the area.

Madhat78

Well, when I had talked to him, he said his boat had broken down (during that one week), and he had to be towed in, and then later that day I suppose it was his error in driving too close to the buoys (I guess thats when i saw you towing him in, also I am referring to the '04 LSV) , but he said the first time something went wrong (I forget exactly what he said, I believe it was engine related) on his first run out and the boat had to be fixed. And a family friend of mine had to pay thousands of dollars of damage because of improper winterization, which Candlewood East would not accept blame for. This family friend bought the Cobalt through Candlewood East, and I am pretty sure was a slip customer at one point as well. I have checked everything out, I am very familiar with all of the marinas and am not new to the area. Your opinion is that they hold the highest level of service on Candlewood. I can say many things about them are negative opinions, but I am not on a mission to discredit them, I just said I would never trust them with my boat, especially because I have access to tools, and my labor is much cheaper than them. Anyways, it looks like I have to find some metal workers to possibly help me straight out the wedge and see what they might reccomend to fix the problem.

Edited by hco
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If it was a screw related problem, it would have come apart & not just bent. I disagree with those that say that if you hit something you'd know it. I've known too many people that have had significant damage (much more so than just a bent wedge) from very minor impacts. Let me put it this way: at the very least, I would make the argument that it's not out of the realm of possibility that an impact could have caused this. My guess is that a) because it wasn't the problem with the screws that Malibu has known about & B) is a situation that could likely be attributed to an impact, that's why they didn't replace it. But that's just how I see it. To my mind the only other thing that could have caused it was just "wearing out", but that would be a first that I've seen mentioned either here or on the old site.

Is this wedge one that came with the boat originally?

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IME, the only bent foil plates (mostly twisted) I've seen were from an impact. I've seen several bent arms from the arm to foil screws letting go and it only bent the arms, not the foil plate.

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Wedge was added on in '01 or '02 I believe. Again, I do not know where/when something could have been hit, the wedge is never down in less than '15 feet of water, and although we do have debris problems on my lake, we almost never go out when there is floatsam, and I doubt that a stick would be sucked under the boat that deep and then manage to bend the wedge.

EDIT- The foil plate itself might not be that bent, it could possibly just appear that way because the arm is bent (which I know it is). I suppose this will be an unresolved problem until I can get home and scope it out and get some good thoughts and pictures.

Edited by hco
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I always find it interesting that they say the bent wedge is for a wake hull and the flat wedge is for the diamond hull. My diamond hull came with bent wedge - maybe that was a mistake from Malibu. I had the bolts shear off. It's a good thing the wedge stays down when that happens because the wedge sticks out to the back of the platform when bent and moved to the up position for docking (and wedge removal Cry.gif ). Malibu (and my dealer) were bery good about getting it replaced timely, but it was replaced with the flat wedge. I did not notice any change in performance. I only use the wedge for surfing. The boat drives like a tug with either wedge when weighted down and the surf wave didn't change.

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Since I have the manual wedge I do not really like using the wedge when surfing, I mainly used it to make the wake nice and steep, but ever since the wedge got bent it made the wake into a vertical wall with wash on the port side. The wake is so steep that water hits you in the face when you jump it because the front of the board kind of cuts into it.

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I've been in boats while both driving & as a passenger where I haven't felt an impact & wouldn't have known about it without seeing the debris in the wake. IMO....I think that it's entirely plausible that this is what happened.

I'm going to have to respectively disagree. Maybe in a wakeboard boat loaded down like a barge you could hit something hard enough to bend a wedge and not feel it, but I just don't see that happening in the OP's Rlx. I think I've at least heard just about every twig that brushed up against my boats over the years.

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I think that the example that I was using was just to make the point that it's plausible that it could happen without knowing about it. (And FWIW, the example that I was using was not exclusive to big boats that are loaded down for boarding or surfing.) Another example would be if he was running with the stereo up loud, that can certainly mask both hearing & feeling an impact.

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How are the arms bent, to one side, the front or the back? I'm sure we would all love to see a couple a pictures of this wedge.

By the way what speed and extra weight are you putting in a RLX to surf.

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My speedo doesn't work (and when it does I don't really trust it). I just go fast enough to make the wake clean up. As far as weight goes, I put ~300 lbs in the bow, then a 400 lb. sack where the rear seat goes, another ~200 lbs. on the surf side next to the motor box, and then I make all passengers go on that side (at least 3 people).

I will get pictures when I can, probably won't be until thanksgiving.

wake- i had thought about that too, but even when someone hits a twig it feels like it hits your feet through the hull, but my family also uses the boat (but usually not the wedge), so maybe they managed to hit something.

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