goldspoon Posted November 20, 2023 Report Share Posted November 20, 2023 I am seriously considering buying a used Maverick 17 hpx-t for use in Texas coastal marshes and have been researching that boat extensively. I have read in several threads of a couple issues I would like to get some clarification on from those who are familiar with the history of this skiff : 1) stringer issues and 2) water leakage around the cap near the back of the hull Do any of you know if these issues have been corrected on the newer hulls? I understand that there was a significant redesign in the 2011+ model years. Any ideas if this redesign solved these issues ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Seither Posted November 20, 2023 Report Share Posted November 20, 2023 Your in the right place asking this, lots of folks running these hulls for extensive amounts of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tails Up Posted November 20, 2023 Report Share Posted November 20, 2023 I have had no issues with the stringers on my 2000. The water issue at the cap has to do with the gap between the cap and the hull. Pulled the rub rail and filled the gap and no longer have any issues. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltySouth Posted November 23, 2023 Report Share Posted November 23, 2023 I had a 2000’ T and the gap between the hull and cap was atrocious. The boat took on water while on plane. It always pumped back out and the the rest of the skiff was killer. The earlier ones are pretty sparsely glassed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted November 23, 2023 Report Share Posted November 23, 2023 On 11/20/2023 at 7:10 AM, Tails Up said: I have had no issues with the stringers on my 2000. The water issue at the cap has to do with the gap between the cap and the hull. Pulled the rub rail and filled the gap and no longer have any issues. yes, that was the main issue.....the way it runs on plane, the water come up and pushes up against the rubrail...once you get that fixed...no issues, runs in spit, take a light chop well... I ran my buddy's Capt Don H's boat for years when we'd go fishing....I'd race him in circles so he would never know where we were in Chokoloskee without a GPS so he wouldn't steal my spots (LOL).....actually, I never knew where I was Hundreds of hours of great times together....I have a video I can post if I can find it... DC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldspoon Posted November 24, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2023 Thanks for all the comments. The water intrusion around rub rails seems to be firmly established as an issue but reasonably easy to fix. The more concerning issue for me is what years had stringer issues ; obviously a much more difficult problem to resolve. I have seen quite a few posts in various places noting this problem particularly in the 2002 era. Trying to tell if it has shown up in the later years? Appreciate any knowledge people have on the stringer issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilemaker Posted November 25, 2023 Report Share Posted November 25, 2023 The standard joke to that is Monday boats the workers are hung over don't worry about details Wednesday boats the workers are humming along doing well Friday boats the workers just want to get done and go home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddyBottomBluz Posted November 26, 2023 Report Share Posted November 26, 2023 I have been following this thread, but i feel I need to play the devil advocates here. All manufacturers of items have issues during the manufacturing process, but some problems that occur with certain models is not always a production issue. For instance the stringer issues you are concerned about. Stringer issues can come from numerous issues not part of the manufacturing process such as.............. The boat hit a submerged object. It was involved in an accident. Fell off of trailer. Rear ended while being trailered. etc. Sitting on the trailer incorrectly and being towed causing unnecessary flexing and stress. All manufacturers go through a learning curve when mass producing goods such as Cars, airplanes, boats, trains, etc. it doesn't matter. For example; the Evinrude FICHT outboard. Many people think they were crap motors, but I know many people still running them to this day without issue. But that being said, there was a problem at the factory that caused a good number of engine failures that caused Evinrude/Johnson it's demise. In order to increase production and save money they incorporated an automatic assembly line for the product. It started and stopped on a dime when the work day was over and started again. However the major issue they discovered (after it was too late) was that during the engine assembly process adhesives and sealants were used, and in the middle of the adhesives/sealants being applied the assembly line shutdown at 5, no matter where the engine was at on the assembly process. Well in the morning when the assembly line was re-started the assembly line continued to apply sealants and adhesives to the blocks where they had left off, So some of these engines had the adhesive/sealants re-applied the previous day or even last Friday. Obviously the sealants/adhesives that were applied the day or week prior had obviously cured and once the engine was assembled the adhesive/sealants were useless. This caused significant engine failure's and a decline in sales and reputation which is why they ended up in bankruptcy and eventually were sold. The technology was strong, it was simply the assembly process that failed them. We obviously understand your concerns. Bottom line, do not let heresy stop you from buying a boat you want. Go through the inspection process and have it thoroughly checked. Also, as you are currently doing is search for real world experience from individuals with the knowledge of the specific models which you have concerns about. Stringer issues usually show themselves, such as the floor flexing, cracking on the deck, hull and transom, and I am not talking about simple gelcoat cracks. Best of luck in your decision and let us know what the end result was was. Good luck! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Seither Posted November 26, 2023 Report Share Posted November 26, 2023 Good write up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted November 26, 2023 Report Share Posted November 26, 2023 4 hours ago, George Seither said: Good write up X2... Also, as we all know....STAY AWAY FROM ANY BOTTOM PAINT on a skiff....covers a myriad of problems and some owners who want to pawn off hull damage willl say....oh, it's because it spends time int he water on vacation etc.....Run Forest Run You'll know if there are CAP issues....just go for a 20 min run and check to see if the bilge comes on candor check to see if it's full of water...the one flaw the earlier models had was there was only one bilge pump on one side of the tunnel....the stern had to fill before it would come on.....some owners installed a second pump on the opposite tunnel.....again, all fixable... Enjoy your search....I will tell you, I probably ran my buddies HPX T more than 200-300 hours on the water together....it would run through spit....litterally run over mud if there was water to push into the tunnel....once time I made a wrong turn and found us at mid throttle with 50 yards of pure mud ahead of us on a mud bank in Chokoloskee....I trimmed it up and hammer down and ran across it.....made it to floating depth 6 " and we were full of mud but "a - float - ing " DC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichwaysup Posted November 27, 2023 Report Share Posted November 27, 2023 OP - where are you seeing info on stringer issues on the HPX models? I haven't seen any broad issues with these models involving stringer problems. The 21 MA and some of the year 2000 (only) 18 MAs had stringer issues, but those are completely different models. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tender Posted November 27, 2023 Report Share Posted November 27, 2023 2 hours ago, whichwaysup said: OP - where are you seeing info on stringer issues on the HPX models? I haven't seen any broad issues with these models involving stringer problems. The 21 MA and some of the year 2000 (only) 18 MAs had stringer issues, but those are completely different models. Maybe he's thinking of the Pathfinder 17T's, nearly every one of them had stringer issues from my knowledge. The HPX's I don't remember hearing any stringer issues either. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted December 3, 2023 Report Share Posted December 3, 2023 On 11/27/2023 at 4:59 PM, Tender said: Maybe he's thinking of the Pathfinder 17T's, nearly every one of them had stringer issues from my knowledge True....just about every one of them had a stringer issue.....but, because of the open deck layout was pretty easy to fix it... The HPX-t and other Hpx's in the early days did not report stringer issues.... DC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldspoon Posted December 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 Many thanks for all the feedback, can always count on this forum. MBB's comment "Stringer issues usually show themselves, such as the floor flexing, cracking on the deck, hull and transom, and I am not talking about simple gelcoat cracks." is particularly helpful. Hoping more of the Maverick tunnels start showing up for sale here in Texas.....has been slow going finding one so far. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 9 hours ago, goldspoon said: Hoping more of the Maverick tunnels start showing up for sale here in Texas.....has been slow going finding one so far. given the price of "new" ....people are not selling ....I have a 2019 23HPS....I paid $80K...no way I'd sell it for another vessel unless I was completely changing my chartering platform. Dc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geeviam Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 This may sound like a crude test on a hull, but in addition to having a trained professional survey a used boat before I bought it, I'd lay on a creeper under the hull (on trailer) and visually inspect and thump all areas of concern by pounding it with my fist - and listening. Anything less than a solid feel and sound - like vibration, thin/hollow feel & sound, softness or flex, or visible linear cracks, would tell me this hull and stringer system will need a repair or full restoration costing big bucks. Call me crazy, but I'm a hull-thumper... 😂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polliwog Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 I disagree about bottom paint being a stay away warning. Mamy of these boats like my 1997 20 ft light tackle only see its trailer in the Fall for winter storage up in the northeastern coast. Has always been at a dock for the whole summer. Never had any issues with it being stored wet with bottom paint. My FL 15ft HPX v is trailered all the time and also has no issues with stringers or leaks. I agree you need to do your due diligence when buying any boat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddyBottomBluz Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 Hello, Devils Advocate here again............................... If there is a problem with a stringer and there is flexing and cracking (not spider cracks on gel-coat) on a hull, bottom paint will not hide it. I had layers of bottom paint on my Redfisher because it lived IN the water at a yacht club. When I bought it I saw there were "layers" that looked like cracks but with bottom paint being ablative it was just layers where the bottom paint wore off and was repainted because of life IN the water. When I sanded it all down, the hull was fine. Now I will not explain the frustration about sanding down layers of bottom paint because this is a family channel. 👎 BUT, if you see a boat without worn out bottom paint, but rather a fresh coat that looks like it has never been in the water, then the red flags should pop up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldspoon Posted January 5 Author Report Share Posted January 5 Lots of great experience showing up here. Many thanks for all the feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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