BUILD QUALITY OF A NAUTIQUE TO A MALIBU

[SunriseH2OSkier]

Fibecs and the pylon mounting system IMO are brilliant. Its as strong as anything on the market had 0 failure and makes the boat less expensive to manufacture.

I've got to be careful with this one, Jack and Hank are out there waiting to pounce...

Maybe the problem I am seeing is just with my pylon (yeah Jack, I know). But I've got a small amount of side-to-side wobble in it (yeah Hank, I know) that I cannot seem to eliminate by tightening the single bolt beneath the floor that secures it into the base.

As soon as I saw this design, there was little doubt in my mind why I have the problem. There are too many dimensions that require tight tolerances to ensure a solid pylon. In my case, the inside diameter of the mount is too big for the pylon. The side walls of that mount are so rigid, that it is not possible to tighten the bolt enough to compress the mount to hold the pylon tighter. Not sure how they align the hole in the floor with that mount, but I suspect that because the floor is positioned after the hull and stringers (and pylon mount?) have been assembled, that the hole almost necessarily needs to be larger dia than the pylon to allow for proper adjustment of the pylon. This means that the floor cannot really help to stabilize the pylon without shims of some nature.

Any design that requires the use of shims to cover loose tolerances doesn't exactly scream quality to me. Maybe this design works slick on some (maybe even most) boats, and maybe it is really cost effective. But in my opinion it is nowhere near as robust as the design used by MC. One buddy's got an '03 PS190, another has a late 90's 19Skier - both use the same pylon mount which (as I recall) consists of a metal bracket between the stringers, with at least two U-bolts securing the pylon to that bracket. There is no doubt that on every single boat every single year, that pylon is going to be rock solid. At the very least, if one loosens up over time you are guaranteed to be able to tighten it. This is not the case with mine.

I will say that at least they put the single bolt in the proper orientation to minimize fore/aft wobble in the pylon. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they planned it this way, and didn't just get 'lucky'. I'll also say that I love the value in my RLXi. The only other ride out there that comes close to a layout that would fit my family needs is the 206 - but I don't want to have to spend 10 large more for a ride that at best comes close (even if my pylon got stiffer as a result ).

Edited March 7, 2006 by SunriseH2OSkier

[HRemington]

I've got to be careful with this one, Jack and Hank are out there waiting to pounce...

As soon as I saw this design, there was little doubt in my mind why I have the problem. There are too many dimensions that require tight tolerances to ensure a solid pylon. In my case, the inside diameter of the mount is too big for the pylon. The side walls of that mount are so rigid, that it is not possible to tighten the bolt enough to compress the mount to hold the pylon tighter. Not sure how they align the hole in the floor with that mount, but I suspect that because the floor is positioned after the hull and stringers (and pylon mount?) have been assembled, that the hole almost necessarily needs to be larger dia than the pylon to allow for proper adjustment of the pylon. This means that the floor cannot really help to stabilize the pylon without shims of some nature.

I'm sorry to dissappoint, Jerry, but this paragraph did me in. I think I developed adult ADD just reading it. I felt like I was at a dove hunt when all of a sudden they come in so fast and furious that I end up missing all of them. I'm going to get a cup of coffee.

[88Skier]

Fibecs and the pylon mounting system IMO are brilliant. Its as strong as anything on the market had 0 failure and makes the boat less expensive to manufacture.

I've got to be careful with this one, Jack and Hank are out there waiting to pounce...

Maybe the problem I am seeing is just with my pylon (yeah Jack, I know). But I've got a small amount of side-to-side wobble in it (yeah Hank, I know) that I cannot seem to eliminate by tightening the single bolt beneath the floor that secures it into the base.

As soon as I saw this design, there was little doubt in my mind why I have the problem. There are too many dimensions that require tight tolerances to ensure a solid pylon. In my case, the inside diameter of the mount is too big for the pylon. The side walls of that mount are so rigid, that it is not possible to tighten the bolt enough to compress the mount to hold the pylon tighter. Not sure how they align the hole in the floor with that mount, but I suspect that because the floor is positioned after the hull and stringers (and pylon mount?) have been assembled, that the hole almost necessarily needs to be larger dia than the pylon to allow for proper adjustment of the pylon. This means that the floor cannot really help to stabilize the pylon without shims of some nature.

Any design that requires the use of shims to cover loose tolerances doesn't exactly scream quality to me. Maybe this design works slick on some (maybe even most) boats, and maybe it is really cost effective. But in my opinion it is nowhere near as robust as the design used by MC. One buddy's got an '03 PS190, another has a late 90's 19Skier - both use the same pylon mount which (as I recall) consists of a metal bracket between the stringers, with at least two U-bolts securing the pylon to that bracket. There is no doubt that on every single boat every single year, that pylon is going to be rock solid. At the very least, if one loosens up over time you are guaranteed to be able to tighten it. This is not the case with mine.

I will say that at least they put the single bolt in the proper orientation to minimize fore/aft wobble in the pylon. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they planned it this way, and didn't just get 'lucky'. I'll also say that I love the value in my RLXi. The only other ride out there that comes close to a layout that would fit my family needs is the 206 - but I don't want to have to spend 10 large more for a ride that at best comes close (even if my pylon got stiffer as a result ).

Talk to your dealer. I bet they can fix it. If the mount is defective, (too big), Malibu ought to stand behind it and fix it.

[Tom Sawyer]

I know how to cure vapor lock on the Malibu's with .10 cents worth of materials.

How about filling us in?....

[maliboo]

Now I have started it!!

First, I don't think either issue a big deal. Both items add fuel to the fire. I am not willing to post this publicy just to add fuel. If you are having one of these problems PM me and I will tell you what has worked for me. If you are not having the problem don't worry about, you probably never will.

Second, the vapor lock problem is Indmar's and they refuse to acknowledge there is a problem. I don't know why but they could fix it from there end easily.

Dwayne

Edited March 9, 2006 by maliboo

[SunriseH2OSkier]

Sorry Hank, let me try to explain it this way. Think of the base mount for the pylon as a coffee mug glassed into the bottom of the hull (no Hank, there's no handle, nor is there coffee in it ). The pylon sits down in the mug, and is held in there by a single bolt going through the side of the mug. If the pylon isn't snug in the mug (where's a Dr. Seuss emoticon when you need one?), it is going to wobble. And since the mug is ceramic, you can't tighten the bolt enough to prevent the wobble. If the mug was plastic, tightening the bolt more would squeeze the sides together and hold the pylon tighter. Of course then it probably wouldn't be rigid enough to hold the pylon with someone 'ripping' through their 15' off 28mph pass .

I really want to get to the plant to watch them build these things, because they must have a means of getting this right - it is just too critical of a function to the boat. I'm guessing that it is very labor intensive, which isn't necessarily less expensive than a design with more parts but less effort required to install.

Dwayne - not trying to add fuel to the fire here. Like I said, I love my RLXi - much to the dismay of the SN and MC dealers on my lake. This is a minor issue in the big scheme of things. I enjoy driving it much more than any of my buddies' boats, and IMHO it is the best looking boat on the market. That said, I'd love to get a PM from you on how to address the pylon fit.

[VinRLX]

but I don't want to have to spend 10 large more for a ride that at best comes close (even if my pylon got stiffer as a result ).

Ok, so what you're expressing is the desire for a stiffer pylon, but you don't want to pay for it?

[maliboo]

Sunrise - This part of your boat is warranted for life. Is it conveneint to take it to your dealer? I will PM what I have done in the past that fixes it.

All the DD people should tighting this yearly. Once you let it go for awhile it is much harder to fix.

Dwayne

[88Skier]

Sunrise - This part of your boat is warranted for life. Is it conveneint to take it to your dealer? I will PM what I have done in the past that fixes it.

All the DD people should tighting this yearly. Once you let it go for awhile it is much harder to fix.

Dwayne

Who knew? Sounds like a tech article is in order.

[Tom Sawyer]

Sunrise - This part of your boat is warranted for life. Is it conveneint to take it to your dealer? I will PM what I have done in the past that fixes it.

All the DD people should tighting this yearly. Once you let it go for awhile it is much harder to fix.

Dwayne

Who knew? Sounds like a tech article is in order.

Yeah..never heard this was necessary before.

[88Skier]

Sunrise - This part of your boat is warranted for life. Is it conveneint to take it to your dealer? I will PM what I have done in the past that fixes it.

All the DD people should tighting this yearly. Once you let it go for awhile it is much harder to fix.

Dwayne

Who knew? Sounds like a tech article is in order.

Yeah..never heard this was necessary before.

Maybe just for those guys like Sunrise, that really abuse their pylon.

[SunriseH2OSkier]

Maybe just for those guys like Sunrise, that really abuse their pylon.

Ooooh, good one 88! Even I didn't see that one coming...

Edited March 8, 2006 by SunriseH2OSkier

[88Skier]

Maybe just for those guys like Sunrise, that really abuse their pylon.

Ooooh, good one 88! Even I didn't see that one coming...

Couldn't help myself.

[VinRLX]

Once you let it go for awhile it is much harder to fix.

Who knew? Sounds like a tech article is in order.

Yeah..never heard this was necessary before.

Maybe just for those guys like Sunrise, that really abuse their pylon.

[HRemington]

Sunrise - This part of your boat is warranted for life. Is it conveneint to take it to your dealer? I will PM what I have done in the past that fixes it.

All the DD people should tighting this yearly. Once you let it go for awhile it is much harder to fix.

Dwayne

Who knew? Sounds like a tech article is in order.

Yeah..never heard this was necessary before.

Me neither, but I know it comes as no surprise to anyone that my pylon is rock solid with no tilt to one side or the other as poor Jerry is experiencing. But, Dwayne, come public with your info, don't PM it. I've never even attempted to tighten mine, but would like to know just in case. By helping Jerry you could be helping hundreds like him.

[maliboo]

I don't mind posting publicly how to tighten the pylon. Its how to tighten it after it has become wallowed out.

It just time. I really want to take pictures of the process , it would make it much easier to understand. I think that Jerry may be able to just crank on it and get it to stop moving.

I'll try.

1) Remove the inlet hose(hard rubber hose) from the water pump.

2) Remove 4 screws from the bilge pump cover (directly in front of water pump).

3) Pull bilge cover up and out of the way.

4) Attach a 9/16 box end wrench to the bolt head(the bolt head is towards the front of the boat so this is done by feel only).

5) Attach 9/16 socket ( 1/2 drive preferred) to the nut ( this side you can see easily but still is mostly by feel)

6) Let the box end wrench on the bolt head rotate up to hit the floor so you don't have to try and hold it.

7) Pull up on the socket to tighten.

8) Replace cover and hose.

My 93' MC, the bolts that held the pylon cage in would get loose monthly. That was stainless bolt into a tapped aluminum backing plate. You jack those threads up your SOL.

Dwayne

[SunriseH2OSkier]

Me neither, but I know it comes as no surprise to anyone that my pylon is rock solid with no tilt to one side or the other as poor Jerry is experiencing. But, Dwayne, come public with your info, don't PM it. I've never even attempted to tighten mine, but would like to know just in case. By helping Jerry you could be helping hundreds like him.

"I'n not just a member of the Hair Club for Men, I'm the president!"

Oh wait, different subject...

As for Dwayne's procedure, I tried exactly that when I first got my boat. It only had 22 hours on it, but the pylon already had the wobble. Tightening the bolt had no effect. I am now at about 160 hours, and the wobble is no worse than when I first got it.

OK Hank, I just teed another one up there for you. Let's see if you can hit that one out of the park...

[LSV Footin]

My opinion is that everyone makes a decent boat, some better, some worse. I own a Malibu and would not even think of changing, I bleed Malibu. If anyone wants to compare look at sales, I think public opinion speeks the loudest. Who sells the most boats!!