Connex Pod Damage

[1WetBoat]

This is a weird one, looked thru the forums but couldn't find anything similar.

I was out on Sunday going back to the ramp after spending the day out on the water. Conditions weren't bad, maybe 1 footers coming in at an angle to the bow.
All of a sudden, my Connex screen and the metal ring around it fall out of the pod. I had to drive the boat back to the ramp steering with one hand and holding the connex screen in place with my other hand. It seems as if the "nuts" that the bolts attach to are press fitted in and the plastic around them is what cracked.

Gonna call the service dept to see when I can take it in. Warranty better cover this type of damage, not sure how it could have happened. I boat primarily in the Tampa Bay area, never out in the gulf. And while the bay can get rough, I try not to go out when its too rough.

@adrianp89 when you took your Connex Pod apart, did you notice if those attachment points had any stress cracks.










These were the conditions that day out on the water. I was coming back in around 2pm

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

No…. That is some decent damage.

 

[1WetBoat]

No…. That is some decent damage.

Lol, yeah, and its all four attachment points, broke the same way.
Interesting part is that you cant access those bolts from the outside, and the metal ring that supports it all is clamped to the POD which is held by the four external bolts.
The Connex is kinda suspended internally to the POD by these fours attachment points.

 

[David Martin]

Ouch....I am FL boater also and hit condition like yours most of the time................Mechanically that type of break is the result of movement allowing it to snap off or overtight weaking/cracking the contact points so a snap was just a matter of time.

My money is on it loosened up in our Nasty Heat(in FL) then add slamming into the rough water and BAM!!! cr_p happens.

I think most with connex screen should check to bolts are not loosening up...............over tight not much one can do. Nothing like being one in a thousand!!!!!

Sorry you have to go through it but maybe Yamaha will take care of you.

 

[1WetBoat]

Ouch....I am FL boater also and hit condition like yours most of the time................Mechanically that type of break is the result of movement allowing it to snap off or overtight weaking/cracking the contact points so a snap was just a matter of time.

My money is on it loosened up in our Nasty Heat(in FL) then add slamming into the rough water and BAM!!! cr_p happens.

I think most with connex screen should check to bolts are not loosening up...............over tight not much one can do. Nothing like being one in a thousand!!!!!

Sorry you have to go through it but maybe Yamaha will take care of you.

Yeah, its one of those things.
I have an appt at the dealers service dept on the 6th, so hopefully no issues with coverage.

 

[1WetBoat]

Dropped the boat off, serv mgr hasnt seen this happening before so that is kinda good news for all the other boats out there. Now waiting on Yamaha to review and approve warranty repair, hopefully.

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

Dropped the boat off, serv mgr hasnt seen this happening before so that is kinda good news for all the other boats out there. Now waiting on Yamaha to review and approve warranty repair, hopefully.

Good luck, my dealer would say it’s normal wear and tear

 

[OB WI]

Yeah. 4th time out and that happened to me while we were cruising. Freaked me out that it just fell out on a new boat. I put a couple of my wifes hair ties around the frame to hold it in and continued on. When we got home I pulled it apart and tighten all the fittings and it’s been good ever since. I called the dealer but the service guy said the typical answer: Never seen that before. But now I’ll check it again this weekend.

 

[1WetBoat]

Yeah. 4th time out and that happened to me while we were cruising. Freaked me out that it just fell out on a new boat. I put a couple of my wifes hair ties around the frame to hold it in and continued on. When we got home I pulled it apart and tighten all the fittings and it’s been good ever since. I called the dealer but the service guy said the typical answer: Never seen that before. But now I’ll check it again this weekend.

Interesting, I was going to try something similar to hold it in place while we were coming in but the water was calm enough that I just held it with my hand and it was fine. I'm sure if it had been choppier it would have been a different story.

 

[1WetBoat]

Update: Got a call from the the dealer (Cycle Springs) that Yamaha approved the claim and it was replaced under warranty.

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

Update: Got a call from the the dealer (Cycle Springs) that Yamaha approved the claim and it was replaced under warranty.

1.5 months later. Sounds about right for Cycle Springs.