Champion Owners just a reminder

You might want to check your transome. Got a chance to make a run to marsh island saturday. Launched headed out half way across the bay heard something from the motor area looked back and the motor looked loose pulled the throttlein nuetral looked back and the motor was gone that fast. What a day. waiting to see what the insurance people have to say. Anyone know where I can get a good deal on a new 225 or 250 yamaha let me know.

Ouch...What year boat is it.

Damum!!!!!!...Look like ya gona need New Boat too besides the Motor

i just bought a new boat friday, man i am glad i made sure it had no wood in it!

I rescued some people in caminada bay with the same thing that happened. I would buy a whole new rig with no wood.

I'm lookin for Bigger Boat you can bet it wont be a Champion Both My Brother Have 20 ft&21 ft Cneter console Boats But there Aluuuuuuuuuuuminummmmmm,I have 18 Tracker Aluuuuuuuuuuminum What ever i get will be Aluuuuuuuuuuuminummmmmm

ya, what year???? is that wood or composit, kinda looks like wood, must be an old boat, if its wood??? looks like u need a new motor and new boat?? i wish u good luck with the insurance company?? can't believe the boat didnt sink???? i would call the champion representative for sure!!!!

Didn't they file for bankruptcy?

I have had many boats and looked at plenty of Champions and have done my homework on them and from 1998 to 2003 most of the people I have talked with have told me that the transoms are weak and crack and most of them need replaceing.Almost bought one till I had it checked out.Transome coming apart a 2001.Are we buying the name just to say (Man I own a Champion)?Could not give me one. I say time has changed and get a composit or Aluminum and forget a boat with wood.Champion a dieing breed maybe at one time it was the bomb,but time has changed.Just saying!!!

the boat is a 2001 baychamp

Sorry to see that. I bet your heart was in your throat and your guts were all twisted when you saw what was happening. What a helpless feeling I'll bet.

BOAT
B = Bring
o = On
A = Another
T = Thousand

My Boston Whalers had wood, but there was a piece of mind that they were built right. My Key West had no wood and still piece of mind that there would be no rot in the transom. My boat that I hope is my last: Sportsmans Fabrication 'Aluminum' with floatation.

My dad had a 1998 18' Champion bass boat that the hull cracked under the top cap just from hitting a wave the wrong way. Champion refused to make it right and claimed he hit something. This was right before the company went bankrupt. So if I had to guess this was about that same few years. Eventually the insurance had to pay for it. I would definitly get rid of it and NEVER consider Champion again!!!!

Man, I'm glad you are ok. Good luck with your insurance.

Does anyone know, for sure, what year the transoms went to all composite on the Bay Champs?

Yea i feel bad for you man. I've towed in a few people with that problem on their champion bass boats.

Just one more reason i went with a Robalo. Good luck, and i agree you should just buy a whole new boat if possible.

if im not mistaken didn't champion get bought out by ranger

21' Bay champ

Yes Ranger has all the Champion Bay boat molds. They make the Champion bass boat under the Stratos label now. The 220 Bay Champ is being produced as the new Ranger Bahia 22. It seems the transom issue was a problem on the 21'. I just saw one at the fiberglass shop last week. On that model the inner liner was not a true topcap as you can see in the picture of this post. The liner just butted up to the hull at the transom. They put a piece of stainless or aluminum trim on the transom as a cap. It was a piss poor seal.

I cannot tell for sure from the little picture but I don't see any woven roving or directional cloth like biaxial. From the pic it looks like mat (weak) or it could have been sprayed with a chop gun(technique used in mass production which is weaker than using hand-laid directional fiber cloth). I would have been curious to see it in person to see how it was built because there are alot of transoms out there with wood in much worse shape that have not given out in a spectacular fashion like that.

There have been a few reports of composites rotting and failing as well as wooden cores. The best solution is to make sure all through-hulls and anything going through the transom gets sealed well. Some even recommend over-drilling holes a bigger size, filling with thickened epoxy, and then re-drilling to the required size so that you know the core is sealed.

Anyway... terribly sorry about your loss. I know that has got to bite. Hope you can get back on the water soon!

I dont see why you would need a new motor just cause it went under water. I know a few people that have sunk their boats and if the engine is flushed right it's possible to still run!

Maybe with the older motors you might get away with flushing it but the new motor are mostly computerized, it may run but doubt it will last long before electrical problems take over.

I seen pictures of a 300 Mercury breaking off the transom and jumping into the boat while running , it chopped the guy to death , the pictures where pretty raw , the entire cockpit and center console of the boat was chew up from the prop and blood was everywhere , take it your pretty lucky to be able to tell about it

I have a Champion 190 SX love the boat best I have ever owned. One of the main things on a used boat is the transom inspection. My boat is in great shape and I will buy another Champion if I ever sell this one. Champion is a great Boat!!

I have a 99' 21 bay champ I bought last year. I am haveing issues with my floor starting to rot in some places. I fixed some areas and am worried about my transome. Did you have any issue with your floor? sorry to see this.

I have owned a 1998 21' Bay Champ since 2000. These problems with the transoms and many others, started during the beginning of the first bankruptcy of Champion boats, starting in 1999 through 2000. The quality control went to zero. Many transoms on these boats produced during this time had issues. Another problem that I just found out is that in 2005- 2006??? there was a class action law suit that was against Champion and their trailer manufacture . This suit was generated from owners with hull damage caused by pressure points from the trailer causing cracked gel coat. I just spent $2500 on hull repair due to this. I would love a reply if anyone knows of info pertaining to this case. I cannot find any info on this on the internet. This suit and mismanagement caused Champion (Genmar) to go out of business again. They are a great riding and fishing boat.

It was my understanding that the lawsuit pertaining to the trailer defect was related to the larger bass boat models. I did not hear of problems on the Bay boats
I have a 2003 24 Bay
There is no wood in my transom and I wouldnt trade it for any other bay boat. Smooth dry ride and it has been in some heavy stuff a couple of times

As much as this hurts to report, I have a 2006 24' Bay Champ that I just got back from the Ranger Factory for warranty repair. Yap, the Transom. I would advise all Champion owners to take a look at there Engine when crossing choppie waters. If it looks like your Engines moving, It probably is.

Does anyone know if this problem applies to model year 1998 Champion bay boats, specifically the 21' or 22' boats?

As far as I am aware of the years I have researched on that have seen problems ar 1998-2001 and some not all 2002-2003.

The parish owns the property you say if you use your trespassing yet they have no problems with anybody using it I mean if they did they would block it off,post a guard,have the cops pass by and patrol around it and hand out some tickets. Garland Auto Glass Repair