Are you curious about boat warranties? Are you wondering what’s covered under warranty (and what’s not)? We receive warranty questions on a regular basis and both L&M Marine and Day Break Marina are here to help and share our 40 years of experience with you. After reading this article you should have a better understanding of what your boat warranty covers.

Extended warranties are a one-time lump sum transaction and are transferable, and they could potentially save you a lot of money if major repairs are necessary. What’s covered and the duration of your manufacturer, engine, and extended warranties vary.

EXTENDED WARRANTY

Most accessories on a boat are covered for one year, while some trolling motors are for two years. An extended warranty can cover things like your:

• Anchor

• Battery charger

• Electrical components

• Controls compass downrigger

• Electric trolling motor including iPilot

• Fish finder

• Hardware

• Hydraulic steering

• Livewell

• Manual steering

• Trim tabs

• Jack plate

• Transom

• Stereo

• Parts

• Labor 

• Pick up + delivery

• Towing assistance (up to $300)

• Dockside assistance

• Some trailer coverage

• Travel expenses

  • Covers a portion: must occur more than 100 miles away from home. 

The Trophy Fishing Package is our most popular extended warranty package and we highly recommend this package since it covers most types of boats and covers the most overall. Other extended warranty packages are available at both of our locations, such as pontoon or bass warranty packages which only cover those specific types of boats, versus the Trophy Fishing Package which covers all types of boats.

This particular extended warranty we offer will cover everything for six to eight years. It can come in handy if you run into problems and can be used to cover a $3,000 iPilot replacement. Sometimes extended warranties will have a deductible, the one listed above has a $100 deductible per claim. There are conditions for certain coverage, for example: five hours of labor is the maximum amount covered.

As far as extended engine warranties, sometimes engine manufacturers will offer promotions for extended warranties, and getting an extended warranty that’s not through the manufacturer is always an option. 

The average term for an extended warranty is six years and the duration of extended warranties varies and can go all the way up to eight years while the average coverage term for the warranty on the boat itself is five years.

FACTORY WARRANTY

Manufacturer Warranty

Most boat manufacturers will cover things like defects including:

• Seat defects

• Windshield defects

• Scratches

• Damaged cushions

• Any defects in the mold or welding process including air voids and cracks
  
  

But if the damage is due to the customer, the warranty will not cover the damage. 

Engine Warranty

If the engine is still covered under the factory warranty it covers nearly everything minus negligence - for example: if the boat isn’t serviced it on time and a problem emerges because of that. Things such as the ECM, powerheads, and sensors are covered while depending on which warranty you have, serviceable items may not be covered.

Battery Warranty

Battery warranties typically come with a six-month to one-year long warranty and if you come across any issues within that time, it’s an easy fix. You just bring the battery to an authorized dealer such as L&M Marine and Day Break Marina we’ll swap it out for a new one. 

Other Warranties

Other parts such as livewell pumps have their own warranty and depending on the manufacturer they will either repair or send another one or it may be necessary to go through a third-party. The same is true for Power-Poles and jack plates. 

Some warranties have a deductible, just like extended warranties, and this depends on the kind of warranty and level of warranty - this is mostly true for electronics which may require a deductible or a repair fee.

Summary

Different things are covered under different manufacturers' warranties for example, for certain manufacturers all of the lights on the trailer are covered under warranty, while under other warranties they’re not. And every warranty is different as far as the duration.

The process for warranty claims differs as manufacturers will send your parts as soon as you submit a claim, while others require approval before ordering parts, and engine manufacturers operate in a similar fashion. 

Our warranty work includes powerheads, lights, pumps, depth finders, batteries, sensors such as fuel sensors, NMEA 2000, and more. We recently had a customer who brought in their 2019 Excel, and even though his warranty claim was denied, he was still happy to pay the $135 per hour labor rate after we sat down and had an in-depth, face-to-face discussion about his concerns and needs. Customer trust, education, and satisfaction are our top priority.  Sometimes a portion of the warranty is approved by the manufacturer and we’re happy to follow up with manufacturers to get you as much as your claim covered as we can. 

Both L&M Marine and Day Break Marine are here to make sure all warranty work is a fast and efficient process. Feel free to call us with any warranty questions: L&M Marine (251-937-1380) Day Break Marina (850-434-9022).