Tracker Tahoe Q5L - S.O.S

In May we purchased a new Tracker Tahoe Q5L. There were problems from the first day we put the boat in the water. My husband called Tracker Marine at the end of July and we took the boat to the dealer for repairs. During that time, we had a lot of rain. When we checked the boat, it was in the storage yard with the bow down, full of water. Even though Tracker Marine assured us that all the problems would be taken of, we are concerned about structural damage caused by all that rainwater. There are rotted wood chips coming from under the floor and out the drain hole. The port side deck is sinking. Should we hire a marine surveyor to inspect the boat once it's returned to us? -- S.C., Elkridge, MD

Rather than waiting until the repairs were completed, we recommended that you have the boat surveyed before work was started. The surveyor found severe damage to the deck and hull, signs that the starter had been submerged, UV damage to the consoles and water damage to the seats and cushions. A copy of his report was sent to Tracker. You told us Tracker agreed to put you into a brand new 2003 boat. Last we heard, you were headed to Brass Pro Shops to choose the boat's color scheme.