- Joined
- Feb 28, 2005
- Messages
- 1,188
- Reaction score
- 211
- Points
- 63
- Location
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Model
- Sailfish
This may be common knowledge to others, but was a lesson to me. Long story short, I called Bennett for the correct part number on a replacement Bennett actuator for my 2007 Sailfish. Burt, who was very helpful, said I needed the "set number" from Grady White. As Burt explained it, Bennet specially makes various length actuators for various model Grady's and none of the 'off-the-shelf' actuator caps and position sending units the Yamaha dealer was trying out were ever going to work. So I called Grady and within a few minutes I had a set number of 18-509. I called Burt back and within a few more minutes I had a part number of GW-SA40P6D, which Burt says is available.
Longer version of story is marina forklift bent the trim tab and damaged position sensing unit which appears to be part of the actuator cap. Marina authorized on-site Yamaha dealer to do repair. After first part received from Bennett wasn't even close, Yamaha dealer took a pic of damaged part and supposedly sent it to Bennett (now owned by Yamaha). Bennett responded by sending another part that wasn't close. During a phone call, Bennett supposedly said that there are no parts available to the pre-2013 two-wire systems and that I would need to replace the entire system. The only parts that would remain would be the tabs themselves.
It didn't sound believable to me that Bennet would abandon the thousands of pre-2013 boat owners out there with no spare parts, so that's when I decided to call Bennett myself.
I'll give the Yamaha dealer some benefit of the doubt because I saw each of the parts Bennett sent them. And I'm sure they never thought to tell them it is a Grady that they're working on. And I have no idea who they were talking with at Bennett. That and I've worked with these guys many times over the years and we have a good relationship.
Longer version of story is marina forklift bent the trim tab and damaged position sensing unit which appears to be part of the actuator cap. Marina authorized on-site Yamaha dealer to do repair. After first part received from Bennett wasn't even close, Yamaha dealer took a pic of damaged part and supposedly sent it to Bennett (now owned by Yamaha). Bennett responded by sending another part that wasn't close. During a phone call, Bennett supposedly said that there are no parts available to the pre-2013 two-wire systems and that I would need to replace the entire system. The only parts that would remain would be the tabs themselves.
It didn't sound believable to me that Bennet would abandon the thousands of pre-2013 boat owners out there with no spare parts, so that's when I decided to call Bennett myself.
I'll give the Yamaha dealer some benefit of the doubt because I saw each of the parts Bennett sent them. And I'm sure they never thought to tell them it is a Grady that they're working on. And I have no idea who they were talking with at Bennett. That and I've worked with these guys many times over the years and we have a good relationship.
