Louisiana Sportsman
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spec_snow_hunter Profile Photo
Inshore Fishing in Vermilion Bay in South Central Louisiana

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.
July 01, 2012 at 12:47pm
28 Comments
Capt. Kim - Speckle Trout Guide Service Profile Photo
Posted July 01, 2012 at 1:38pm
transom

Ouch...What year boat is it.

jls Profile Photo
jls
Posted July 01, 2012 at 2:25pm
Boat

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

• View Reports by jls
tom1959 Profile Photo
Posted July 01, 2012 at 3:31pm
boat

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

• View Reports by tom1959
Gaspard Fishing Boat Rental Profile Photo
Posted July 01, 2012 at 4:24pm
ouch

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

jls Profile Photo
jls
Posted July 01, 2012 at 5:28pm
Catfish Lake Area Reds

me

Catfish Lake Area Reds

Boat

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

• View Reports by jls
abeastandasavage Profile Photo
Posted July 01, 2012 at 6:10pm
wow!!!!!

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!!!!

• View Reports by abeastandasavage
poppincork Profile Photo
Posted July 01, 2012 at 6:22pm
No more champs!

Didn't they file for bankruptcy?

• View Reports by poppincork
Fish On Line Profile Photo
Posted July 01, 2012 at 6:57pm
Champion Boats

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!!!

• View Reports by Fish On Line
spec_snow_hunter Profile Photo
Posted July 02, 2012 at 7:16am
year

the boat is a 2001 baychamp

• View Reports by spec_snow_hunter
Duck enticer Profile Photo
Posted July 02, 2012 at 8:07am
Sucks man

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

• View Reports by Duck enticer
T Hatch Profile Photo
Posted July 02, 2012 at 1:02pm
22' from Bow to Motor and 8' beam.  Plenty stable and dry ride for bay fishing.  I love it and recom

22' from Bow to Motor and 8' beam. Plenty stable and dry ride for bay fishing. I love it and recom

ALUMINUM

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.

• View Reports by T Hatch
boatless83 Profile Photo
Posted July 02, 2012 at 4:22pm
1998 Champion Bass Boat

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!!!!

• View Reports by boatless83
Bluewave1 Profile Photo
Posted July 02, 2012 at 5:30pm
Yeah, it's aluminum..

Gary

Yeah, it's aluminum..

Boat

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

• View Reports by Bluewave1
C E R Profile Photo
Posted July 02, 2012 at 6:26pm
Composite

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

• View Reports by C E R
SamuGames Profile Photo
Posted July 02, 2012 at 11:53pm
Ouch

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.

• View Reports by SamuGames
kappasigma Profile Photo
Posted July 03, 2012 at 9:58am
wow

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




21' Bay champ

• View Reports by kappasigma
Blackbear31 Profile Photo
Posted July 03, 2012 at 9:19pm
ranger

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.

• View Reports by Blackbear31
whahda Profile Photo
Posted July 03, 2012 at 9:40pm
picture

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!

• View Reports by whahda
aguidry Profile Photo
Posted July 03, 2012 at 10:38pm
new motor?

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!

• View Reports by aguidry
empty shell Profile Photo
Posted July 04, 2012 at 5:46am
Get new motor

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.

• View Reports by empty shell
fishhfiles Profile Photo
Posted July 04, 2012 at 7:21am
could have been worst

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

• View Reports by fishhfiles
CUTTER6464 Profile Photo
Posted July 04, 2012 at 2:06pm
2001 CHAMPION 190 SX

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!!

• View Reports by CUTTER6464
Nick bourgeois Profile Photo
Posted July 04, 2012 at 7:07pm
spec

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.

• View Reports by Nick bourgeois
captainStu Profile Photo
Posted July 06, 2012 at 10:05pm
Champion transom

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.

• View Reports by captainStu
jaggedlp Profile Photo
Posted July 09, 2012 at 2:00pm
Champion bay boats

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 boatsrnI have a 2003 24 BayrnThere 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

• View Reports by jaggedlp
gotta go 1 Profile Photo
Posted July 09, 2012 at 6:48pm
24' Bay Champ

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.

• View Reports by gotta go 1
joebjr Profile Photo
Posted July 09, 2012 at 10:56pm
1998 model year

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

• View Reports by joebjr
Fish On Line Profile Photo
Posted July 10, 2012 at 8:31pm
Joejbr

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.

• View Reports by Fish On Line

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