Parts from S2

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 9:28 pm

Having only owned an S2 7.9 for a few months I am trying to get everything in order for the coming summer. I am finding S2 / Tiara Yacht very difficult to work with. You are not allowed to call, e-mail and fax get a 50% response (if you're lucky). If I were to run my business this way I would be out of business. I ordered companionway slides, got some plastic angles, then find from one of the other members I really needed to ask for the weatherboard keepers. I'm sure if I explained what I needed to someone on the phone this would have been completely avoided. I asked for a return and ship the proper item so I'm being ignored of course. Is there another way ? Maybe someone has a name of an actual person we members can call.
Stef

Post by **Tim Bosma** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 10:32 am

Unfortunately, Stef, they are out of the sailboat business. And they say they want to be contacted by e-mail or letter only. Many of us have worked with local suppliers of plastic parts or improvised to replace broken parts such as sliders and board retainers.

Tom Line · Post by **Tom Line** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 1:10 pm

Yep. For many of these parts, your best bet is to go make friends with a local machine shop owner. Things like the hatchboard keepers can be purchased straight from most machine shops as aluminum angle stock, and since they get aluminum angle stock in bulk, you can get it from them CHEAP (especially compared to places like home depot).

Any decent plastic supply house will sell you rectangular nylon bar stock that you can have the slot machined in. If you walked into a machine shop and asked them to machine a slot in each nylon bar stock, they'd probably charge you all of $10.

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 1:26 pm

The reason I went to S2 was because they offered the aluminum channels at $60.00. I definitely can't make them for that price (I own a machine shop) never mind the black anodize, which from my vendor is a $45.00 minimum charge. Tom, I think $10.00 is a little to optomistic. I thank you for your input, at least I now know were I stand with S2. It is sad that they are this way, and the class association seems to have no influence on them. I think we would all rather be sailing than chasing parts.
Stef
"Odyssey" #146

Dale Eager · Post by **Dale Eager** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 5:40 pm

Stef, both the weatherboard keepers and hatch slides from S2 are plastic. It does appear that the official Tiarra Yachts policy is to discourage support for S2 products. But some individuals are very helpful if you can find them. I believe Tiarra is short sighted trying to cut costs just because they can. Most companies would love to be associated with a product with a reputation for quality like S2. Keeping the current owners happy would only enhance that reputation. Who says sailors don't buy yachts or have friends that do?

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Sun Mar 28, 2004 5:22 pm

The saga continues! As I wrote previously, S2 did finally come through and send the correct slides. Well I uncovered the boat today to get it ready for the summer season. grabbed the slides and they are about 4-5" to short. I suspect these are for a 6.9 or other boat S2 made. Just can't win here!

Steve Bowen · Post by **Steve Bowen** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 5:04 pm

For less than $10 you can get what you need for the top channel at Lowe's. It's a C-channel plastic extrusion that is sold as a cap material for plastic latticework. You'll need 2 8-foot pieces. Don't buy the Home Depot version ("Tuff-Lite"), the channel is too narrow for the hatch slides.

For the vertical hatch keepers I used 1.5" UHMWPE angle, part # 52434248 from MSC (mscdirect.com). Std length is 10'; they may cut shorter for an extra charge (but shipping will be cheaper). Only downside to this material is it's not terribly weatherable, but should last a few years.

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Sun Apr 04, 2004 10:21 am

I checked out Lowe's and it's not exactly the best way, but would do. S2 has pulled through and next day aired the correct tracks. They were very apologetic and not entirely the only one's to blame, UPS played a roll in the mix up.
Small section of translucent hatch is broken and I want to just mend with some adhesive. Maybe epoxy? My first inclination was to drill and add a screw and epoxy but I'm affraid I will break/crack the hatch if drilling. If it's made of polycarbonate it will want to crack when drilled.