Bad Experience with Tohatsu Dealers

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by beau

Thank you all for your comments.

The interesting aspects, is where can I go from here, there is No Tohatsu office in Australia and Tohatsu Japan, does not except emails from the public

In Japan:
Headquarters
5-4 Azusawa 3-Chome, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 174-0051, JAPAN
General Affairs Dept.
Tel: 03 (3966) 3111
Fax: 03 (3966) 7667
Marine Sales (overseas) Tel: 03 (3966) 3117
Fax: 03 (3966) 0090
Website
http://www.tohatsu.co.jp/en/index.html
Service information.
infoex@tohatsu.co.jp

In Australia:
LAKESIDE MARINE PTY. LTD.
19, ARIZONA ROAD
CHARMHAVEN NSW 2263, AUSTRALIA
61-43-92-6110 (TEL)
61-43-92-1587 (FAX)
Email: sales@lakesidemarineptyltd.com
URL: http://www.tohatsu.com.au

[Chief Engineer]

Originally Posted by never monday

agreed, but to have a one sided bashfest of what my be a good vendor is a bit unnecessary.

If this is allowed than what about the deadbeat boat owners?

When I read threads like this.....I always wonder what part of the story aren't we getting?

[beau]

Thank you Don 1500, I hope i don't need it.

Chief engineer,
I bought and paid for two motors and I did not get the service i expected.
I spoke with 4 other outboard dealers and they all agreed that the dealer is responsible for getting the right props for the motors. (standard practise)
I am only asking for " industry standard practise" nothing more.

the concern I have, is that in our new modern society, honesty and integrity have gone out the window.

Also, I wish to alert other cruisers to be carefull when buying an outboard motor for displacement boats.

[never monday]

Originally Posted by beau

I bought and paid for two motors and I did not get the service i expected.

what exactly are / were your expectations?

[beau]

I have purchased a number of outboards over the last 20 years.

In all cases in the past after the dealer installed the motor, we both went for a run in the boat to check for the right rev's and the dealer then changed out the prop's until we had it right.

In this case not only was I charged $1,000 more than the standard rate for installation. There was no introduction to the use of the motors and No run in the boat. I asked about the correct prop size and was told they would fix that during the first service (10 hours)

After motoring back to the marina from the slipway, i could not get the rev's above 3,000.
I went to the dealer and he swapped over to a finer pitch prop(a mercury prop). Now I was getting 4,500 revs.
I reported this back to him. He told me Tohatsu did not make smaller pitch prop's than the one I had and that I would need a specialist to repitch the prop at MY cost.
He also said I would veto my warranty if I continued to use the props he had given me.
A propeller specialist warned me about repitching an aluminium 14X11 to a 14X9. in his experience, the blades would fall off after a month or two.

I contacted the Australian distributor with copies of the emails between myself and the dealer.
What I got back was a shock, the distributor wanted nothing to do with it.
All I got was a load of spin, how these motors were designed for planeing boats and the problem was all mine.

However, yesterday I did get an email from the dealer offering some form of support, we shall see.

[Chief Engineer]

Ok now I understand.....You had engines for a planing type hull that you want to use on a displacement hull.

What type of engines were you replacing?

A finer pitched prop will probably get you the rpms you desire.

I just don't understand what the need is to get 5,000-5500 rpms on a displacement hull

[never monday]

"He also said I would veto my warranty if I continued to use the props he had given me."

that is absolutely correct. He gave you the lowest offered pitch from Tohatsu. It still isn't enough to allow the engine to achieve operating RPM on your vessel.
This implies you need larger engines to push the boat in an acceptable RPM range.

For him to provide correct pitch, NON STANDARD Tohatsu propellers. Would mean he would probably assume warranty responsibility. Tohatsu would have clear grounds to deny any and all claims.

I think much more discussion is warranted before lynching the dealer.

[Chief Engineer]

Tohatsu Outboard Parts - Props and Hardware

I also checked Michigan Wheel.

If it isn't on the list of available wheels from Tohatsu....he is not going to assume responsibility for another aftermarket wheel. Tohatsu would hang him out to dry.....

[beau]

This is my last attempt to try and explain.

ALL Tohatsu propellers are sourced from Mercury, in fact I believe Tohatsu is partly owned by Mercury.
The propeller the dealer supplied, a 14X11 has a Mercury part number on it.
Mercury do have available a 14X 9 so it has NOTHING to do with putting a Mercury part on a Tohatsu motor.

[never monday]

Originally Posted by beau

This is my last attempt to try and explain.

ALL Tohatsu propellers are sourced from Mercury, in fact I believe Tohatsu is partly owned by Mercury.
The propeller the dealer supplied, a 14X11 has a Mercury part number on it.
Mercury do have available a 14X 9 so it has NOTHING to do with putting a Mercury part on a Tohatsu motor.

it has everything to do with it. The 14x9 doesn't have a Tohatsu part number. Therefor in the eyes of the attorneys and risk managers it doesn't exist.

[bljones]

I understand the dealer's concerns. Just because a prop is available doesn't mean it should be installed. Ford has a 6 litre V-8 available, but that doesn't mean it is designed to be installed in a Fiesta. I am troubled by your insistence on higher rpms on a displacement hull. Hull speed is hull speed- you can't beat the mathematics.

[Chief Engineer]

A man,
convinced against his will,
is of the same opinion,
still.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by bljones

I understand the dealer's concerns. Just because a prop is available doesn't mean it should be installed. Ford has a 6 litre V-8 available, but that doesn't mean it is designed to be installed in a Fiesta. I am troubled by your insistence on higher rpms on a displacement hull. Hull speed is hull speed- you can't beat the mathematics.

hull speed is hull speed, but if you're lugging the engines to get there you need a different prop. This is no different than having a yanmar that only acheives 2200 rpm in gear when it should acheive 3600. the goal isn't to make the boat faster, but to allow the engines to "breathe"

[beau]

Hull speed is hull speed- you can't beat the mathematics.

Sorry you are wrong. My boat has a theoritical hull speed of 8 knots yet is does 15 knots. and it is not planeing.
It does not sit on top of the water but slices through the water.
To plane you need the right hull shape and 60 hp/per ton, my power to weight ratio is 25hp/ton

Why, because it has a very fine angle of entry,triangular hull shape and a flat bottom.
No bow wave is produced and the stern wave flattens out after 10 knots.
Don't believe it, just look at all the fast displacement catamaran and trimaran ferries and the latest USA naval vessels sourced from Australia.

Chief engineer, what are you trying to say?

Bljones, well why are Tohatsu suggesting a prop repitching to stay in warranty. ( but at my cost)

Sorry, I wasn't going to reply to all those negative uninformed responses but i could not resist. i suppose that is the internet for better or for worse.

[never monday]

Originally Posted by beau

Bljones, well why are Tohatsu suggesting a prop repitching to stay in warranty. ( but at my cost)

The engineers at Tohatsu / Nissan Marine have established parameters the engine should be run in to achieve minimum emissions, maximum longevity and minimum warranty claims.
There are known formulas to calculate performance from a current result. The dealer has determined that you need less pitch on your prop.
The dealer AND the manufacturer do not offer the prop pitch you require.

Sorry, I wasn't going to reply to all those negative uninformed responses but i could not resist. i suppose that is the internet for better or for worse.

The replies you are getting are only negative and uniformed because they don't support your preconceived desired result.


Now, In my honest opinion.

You cheaped out and bought the smallest / least expensive engine you could, to push the boat. Probably thinking it would save you on fuel. Now your looking for someone to provide you with a bandaid fix to make it work. I support the dealer in this problem. You are trying to use a product outside of the manufacturers design parameters. Your on your own.

Thanks, have a nice day