Had u-joint, exhaust, shift bellows and water hose replaced last year, then boat was
winterized and put away... never went in the water. This year the shift was very stiff and the boat stalled when shifted in or out of gear, especially into reverse, both NEW
problems. I pulled the outdrive and the bell housing was full of water, with corrosion on the shift cable, a corroded and frozen (pooched) gimbal bearing and rust on the yokes and drive shaft. The o-ring that seals the water passage between the bell
housing and outdrive was partly folded in half WHEN IT WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED by Heritage Marine, in 2013. Today I called to ask them what they
thought and was told "not their fault, this happens sometimes, the boat is not new, ie
used outdrive and bell housing, so they are not responsible, but gimbal bearing replacement and shift cable replacement could be done for about $500 + taxes.
I indicated I was not satisfied, but that fell on deaf ears... not even a half-hearted
apology. I wouldn't trust them to do any more work, as I'm not sure they can or would
get the outdrive sealed up properly next time, or really give a damn if they didn't. read more