5 Most-Common Problems With Supra Boats (Explained)

Supra Boats builds higher end towboats and wake boats. They have a long reputation for producing quality boats.

Their design allows for the production of excellent wakes perfect for water sports. They are considered a top manufacturer in the industry.

If you are shopping for a Supra Boat, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will share the most common concerns faced by boat owners.

We have searched through all the Supra information to find the issues you might face with a Supra Boat.

Before we start, make sure to check our rundown of how reliable and good Supra boats are nowadays.

1) Vapor Lock Concerns

There are many owners across the forums that have reported issues with vapor locks on their Supra Boats. This does not seem to be a serious issue, but it is often a recurring one.

Many owners had a positive experience with Supra working with them to resolve this.

Vapor lock occurs only in fuel injected engines. This typically happens because of the way the fuel system is built. When the pump is designed so that it is away from the fuel tank, it pulls the fuel from it, which causes low pressure in the fuel line.

When there is low pressure, the gas boils and turns into vapor. The fuel pump cannot handle vapor well. So anytime the pump is able to pump the vapor, it is replaced by more vapor.

This is what is known as a vapor lock.

This does not occur when the fuel pump is in the fuel tank because there is no fuel line and no low pressure. The best way to correct the pressure problem is to add a second fuel pump.

2) Electrical Problems

There have been reports by Supra Boat owners of electrical problems.

These reports range widely and can include problems with the touch screen, blown fuses, and bilge pump concerns.

In some instances, the boat operates fine, and then it just dies randomly. It does not appear as though the fuses are broken or popped but still randomly go bad. Once one fuse goes bad, they all seem to go.

There have been reports of an inability to control the stereo from the driver’s seat. It can only be controlled at the head unit. In addition, the steering controls may randomly go while driving. In some cases turning off the boat and cutting power, and then restarting seems to correct it. In other cases, it is not such a simple fix.

3) Gel Coat Cracks

There is a wide range of complaints across the forums by Supra Boat owners in reference to cracks in their boats. Some of these cracks are cosmetic and happen during stress or flexing of the boat. These can easily be repaired.

However, there are some larger complaints about cracking in areas that you would not and should not expect.

These include cracks around the front chrome vents, the bottom of the boat, and around the D-rings at the back of the boat.

Many of these problems are covered under warranty; however, that means time that the boat is in the shop and not in the water.

4) Misalignment of Struts

While having a misaligned strut is not necessarily the fault of the builder or the dealer, it can happen often, especially with an inboard.

There are many posts from Supra Boat owners that speak to misaligned struts.

It is important that you are aware of it and what can happen. In one case, the owner was riding along, and the propulsion stopped. At first, they thought it was the transmission.

Instead, it was the propeller shaft in front of the strut that was sheared.

Most likely, you are going to hit something at some point. You may not even realize you have hit it. This can bend the strut. When you bend the strut, it pulls your shaft out of alignment. Over time, this will snap.

The strut must be perfectly aligned, or it is going to cause problems. Even if your propeller looks perfect, do not trust just eyeballing it. You want to measure it to ensure it is aligned.

It would be best if you considered checking the alignment of your struts regularly.

5) Location of Older Parts

When it comes to Supra Boats, there is no indication on their website how long far back they keep replacement parts in stock. Therefore, if a boat owner is looking for a replacement part, they should contact a dealer.

However, the owner should be aware that the dealer may not be able to provide the part. The best place for someone looking for a replacement part to go is the Supra owners’ forum.

They have an active community that is willing to provide help when looking for parts.

There are also many online retailers that carry replacement parts. Some online retailers sell parts specific for wake boats and some specifically for Supra Boats.

General Pros and Cons for the Supra Boat

Pros:

Supra Boats created the first inboard ski boat with an open bow. These boats helped to revolutionize water sports boats and made them the standard ski and wake sports boats.

Supra uses Autowake technology that automatically shifts the ballast as needed so that the owner does not need to worry about shifting the weight.

The interior vinyl has UV and mildew resistance, along with Chill Tech, which keeps the seats cooler even when sitting in the hot sun.

Cons:

• There are significant cracking issues, some are cosmetic, but some are not.
• Supra is known to have problems with vapor lock.

What Do the Reviews Say?

Supra Boats have led the industry with technologically advanced features.

“The cushy interior stays cool, even under the hot sun, thanks to Chill Tech Vinyl, and a flip-up back on the portside lounge combined with the convertible rear bench allows for numerous seating arrangements.”

[Source: boatingmag.com]

Many Supra Boats are pleased with their boats and either still has their original boat or have bought new versions of Supra Boats.

“I am very satisfied with my 04 GG SSV. I just wakeboarded behind it yesterday and love it. The wake is the BEST I have ridden on. I am used to Malibu VLXs with the ballast full and the wedge down and I am more impressed with the fine tuning of the GG SSV wake.”

[Source: forum.supraboats.com]

 

What is the Resale Value on the Supra Boats?

When trying to determine the resale value of boats, including Supra Boats, most boat owners, dealers, and private sellers use the NADA guide.

Unfortunately, it is not always easy to use this guide.

It is essential to know that the NADA website uses and provides data that is provided by dealers who have sold older models of boats, including Supra. Private sales are not represented on the NADA website.

Supra is not a boat brand that is sold that often so it has a high resale value than other comparable boats because they are rare.

They have fewer sales which make the value seem higher than brands that have many models available for sale.

A brand new Supra SE450 sold for $115,600 in 2015. This same boat has an average current resale value of $125,410.

Just about every boat depreciates, so you should carefully consider the information when you see that it appears as though a boat not only has not depreciated but appreciated.

Another example that shows some depreciation is the 2014 SA350 sold for $111,880 in 2014 when it was brand new.

It recently sold for $75,000 today.

Year	Price
2015 Supra SE450	$115,600 (new)
2015 Supra SE 450	$125,410 (uesd)
2014 SA350	$111,880 (new)
2014 SA350	$75,000 (used)

You should do a comprehensive search when determining how much you should either sell your boat for or how much you should pay for a used boat.

You can expect to see a 20 to 25 percent depreciation over the first five years.

 

Sources:

www.wakeworld.com,

www.forum.supraboats.com,

www.boatingmag.com