Warranty Policy

Firstly a warning! 

It must be accepted that recreational and light hovercraft are still in their infancy without any substantial  investment or corporate development into this nascent industry. This means that they must be treated as an  experimental vehicle that cannot be expected to achieve the same degree of reliability or durability as an ‘off the-shelf’ mass-produced product such as a car or recreational boat. BHC does not have dealers or  distributors in every country – or even regional UK ones - and faults, breakdowns or warranty issues may be  a more serious inconvenience if the craft is located somewhere that product support can only be offered via  the phone and with parts supply and labour recompense.  

BHC is a small, family run, privately funded company, and cannot be held accountable for losses due to  issues with products - and you buy your hovercraft accepting that. BHC hovercraft are the world’s bestselling  make for good reason, but all mechanical things can – and do – break! Whilst the number of failures and breakdowns is small, clients must accept the limitations of the product and the considerably greater risk of  breakdowns or failures compared to a mainstream vehicle, due to both the varied operating conditions of  which it is possible, and the nature of low-volume manufacture.  

This in no way reduces BHC’s obligation to ensure we meet our one-year warranty terms but does represent  a change to your statutory rights. BHC craft are only for use only in conditions which will not damage or  compromise the vehicle integrity, a breakdown will not endanger safety, and the user accepts all risk of use.  

A breakdown or incident in a remote or inaccessible area may lead to a dangerous situation and recovery  may be difficult or even impossible. As the operator, you must consider all possible scenarios within your  area of operation and environment. The company does not accept liability for any financial loss or injury incurred by craft or component failure.  

Basic Terms 

We have 2 types of warranty on BHC craft, the first is a new craft warranty and the second is a used  craft/brokerage warranty, Please check the warranty you have is correct and understood. Your new BHC  Hovercraft is covered by a manufacturer’s warranty for a period of 12 Months or 150 hours (whichever  occurs first) from the date of delivery. During this period, BHC or their agent will repair or replace, free of  charge, any part, or parts of the craft that are defective in material or workmanship or both. Our warranty is  strictly ‘return to base’ – either to BHC itself or our agent. Where this is not possible, local repairs must be  organised by the customer, and details of this can be found below.  

Treat your hovercraft with respect 

Please remember, hovercraft design owes more to aircraft than boat/land-based vehicles and often operate  in harsh, dusty or extreme conditions. It must be clearly understood that hovercraft are unique in the way  they operate. Being able to traverse water and most types of sealed surfaces means they are exposed to a  colossal range of environments, surfaces, temperatures and challenges, unlike any other vehicle. Hovercraft  have been developed down to an effective weight - if they are not, they simply do not work properly, and this  further challenges designers when building a tough, reliable craft. Your responsibility as the owner is to  preserve the craft when it is used in demanding conditions and treat it with respect, more like an aircraft than  off-road vehicle. Do not rely on your warranty to offset the massive demands placed on your craft should you  take it into a hostile environment. Correct planning, maintenance, operation, and care will pay dividends and  ensure reliability. 

Your craft is fitted with an hour meter so that you can monitor when servicing and inspections are due. In the  event of a warranty claim, we will ask for proof that the craft has been serviced in accordance with the  schedule. We fully support our clients, whether the craft is being used commercially or recreationally, but do  not automatically accept any failure as a legitimate warranty claim without investigation.  

In 2016, over 80% of our warranty claims clearly displayed external factors as a cause of the claim. We are  here to help and advise and in all cases, do our best to support you. All we ask in return is your undertaking  to follow the stipulated operating procedures.  

THREE BASIC RULES TO PRESERVE YOUR WARRANTY 

1. The craft is only to be flown by pilots with operating knowledge that have either undertaken a  training session with an instructor at BHC or are under the supervision of that person. 
2. Regular inspection and servicing is essential and must be adhered to.  
3. SALT WATER MUST BE REMOVED BY JET WASH AFTER ANY SEA OR BRACKISH WATER EXPOSURE. 

DETAILED TERMS & CONDITIONS 

1. The craft and trailer must not be modified in any way. 
2. Faults on the vehicle must be reported by telephone immediately upon discovery and followed up by  email (with photographs) as soon as possible. You can Whatsapp details to BHC mobile number: 07946 089537 
3. The vehicle must be returned to BHC as soon as reasonably possible following discovery of a fault.  The cost of transportation to and from BHC is at the client’s expense. If there is an authorised dealer  in your area, we may appoint them to undertake necessary warranty repairs. 
4. Damage caused by the continued usage of a craft with a known fault is not covered under the  warranty. 
5. We may at our discretion, send you a replacement part if diagnosis is clear and replacement a simple  matter. In accepting this, you confirm your ability to fit the part to OEM standards and absolve the  company of any losses, damage or injury caused by improper diagnosis or fitting. You undertake to  return the faulty part to BHC or pay for its replacement. 
6. No replacement or loan vehicle will be supplied whilst repairs are carried out. No compensation is due  to the client, under any circumstances for any failures in craft manufacture. This includes losses if the  craft are used for commercial purposes. 
7. This warranty excludes damage caused to the craft by misuse. This includes, but is not limited to, the  effects of poor piloting, accident damage, poor (or lack of) servicing, trailering, loading/unloading  damage, skirt damage (or excessive wear), hull damage, fan assembly damage or any other failure  not due to manufacture, howsoever caused. 
8. BHC will endeavour to complete repairs and return the craft to you as soon as reasonably possible,  but cannot guarantee a timescale for this, as may be delayed due to supply of parts, factory availability 
9. All parts replaced under warranty become the property of BHC. 

WARRANTY GUIDANCE AND EXPLANATIONS 

Hull: Failure of structure caused by poor materials or workmanship. Likely manifestations would be the failure  of watertight integrity/leakage, misalignment of engineering components, aesthetic degeneration i.e major stress cracks of GRP finish. Damage to either underside (and skids) or top deck caused by impact, poor  loading or general wear and tear are not covered. Servicing should include regular checks and repair of any  damage, particularly to the underside.  

Engine Installation: Failure of the power unit by reason of poor workmanship or installation. It covers  electrics, mechanicals and cooling system if fitted. Servicing should include regular cleaning and lubrication,  visual checks (including fluid levels) and replacement of service items.  

Fan Installation: Failure of engineering through component failure or installation. This may manifest itself as  cracks or misalignment in frames for instance. It does not cover components becoming loose through  operation, which should be identified and addressed in pre-op checks and servicing. Belts and fan blades  are not covered by the warranty as they can only fail due to external factors such as foreign objects being  ingested or because they have not been replaced in accordance with the schedule. 

Steering, system & Controls: Failure of control cables or other moving components are covered provided  that regular lubrication has been undertaken and the components have not been forced beyond their design  limits. Switch, battery, pump and light failure (excluding bulbs) are covered. 

Skirt System: Skirt wear, tears and rips are not covered, but failure of stitching or material (for instance de lamination of unworn material) is included in the warranty. Damage to skirt wire cable/'P-Clips' and cable ties  are not included, as are wearable parts. 

IF YOU’RE OVERSEAS OR UNABLE TO RETURN YOUR CRAFT 

BHC have a number of distributors both in the UK and overseas. If you bought your craft from one  of these dealers, then they are your first contact in the event of a warranty claim. 

However, if you do not have a local dealer, and returning the craft to BHC is not a viable option, then  you will need to either undertake warranty repairs yourself or find a mechanic/fitter to do so.  

We will supply bespoke parts and calculate the labour credit for this from our own records of how  long repairs take and the equivalent of our factory hourly rate.  

Please ask for BHC approval, repair details and agree hours/rates and cost before  authorising a repairer.