It was a close one.....

I decided to take the day off work today and go fishing. First stop I hung up my shakes head and trying to pop it loose I broke my rod.
Then I looked down and notice the rubber plug coming from my Ultrex was popped out and knew that I would have to take the casing off to replace it back in the slot when I got home.
Then when I loaded up my boat on the trailer I started to get out of my boat. I have a 2020 Nitro Z20 with the step out front and I stepped off the boat onto the step and the complete step broke off and there I go flipping over and landing on my left knee, elbow and back onto the ramp concrete.
Let me tell you that hurt!
All in all I feel lucky I wasn’t hurt anymore than a sore knee, elbow and back. No broken bones or cuts. After clearing the cobwebs from my head I looked and wondered how did I ever miss my back bumper of my truck. Thinking later after I got home and fixed the Wiring plug on my Ultrex I am glad I did not land on my head or neck into the concrete and maybe breaking my neck.
The weld on the step was poor at best, it wasn’t even welded all the way, just spot welded in 4 spots. Of course the warranty on the trailer is only for 1 year and I’ve had it 15 months. But I will weld it back but all the way around and with supports to make sure that NEVER happens again.
My wife wants to send Nitro a letter and pictures of it to show their poor workmanship. She says if I am still sore and stove up tomorrow she wants me to go get x-rays and get checked out.
I guess the worst spot is my elbow and falling a good 4’ onto concrete will do that to you.
But it was a close call today, I’ll be a little skittish every time I will put my foot on it when climbing off the boat. I don’t need a repeat of that again.

Ouch. That could have been much worse.

Sounds like a rough day for sure . Look on the bright side --- could have been much worse . I just started getting back on the water today . 6 weeks ago I had an " accident " removing the oven door for my wife . Not paying any attention and fearful of breaking something on this oversized , over priced Viking oven ( mainly the glass section ) . As I start pulling the door off , had my right hand to close to the spring loaded latch and when it cut loose , it snapped back and totally crushed the back of my thumb , trip to the emergency , 5 stiches , broken knuckle , and eventually $1250 out of pocket . On the bright side , it didn't severe the tendon so I have most of the function in my thumb ---lesson learned and a silver lining .

Wow. Challenging day. BTW, I'd be like your wife on the plan to notify Nitro, but sadly, I seriously doubt that Johnny Morris will give a chit; he's got most of the market locked up, and there are limited other places a customer can go. Even if you never buy another of his many brand boats, there is an endless supply of first-time owners.

“Some days you’re the windshield/some days you’re the bug”

Ouch, things like this make me cringe. Just think about getting your arm or leg between two cross bars and snapping the bone...

You need to make them aware as well as your dealer. If it was only tacked that’s clear negligence and next time it could get someone killed.

I'd let WMR know anyhow. Warranty or not thats just a piss poor crafted trailer step. They need to be made aware.

You said you went fishing... Did you catch any?

Glad you're still in one piece... A little ice on that elbow may help... Dan

Wow! I just put bought one from BassPro and installed on my Nitro trailer… I need to run out and see how it is welded now.

You should DEFINITELY inform Nitro… I disagree Johnny Morris would not want to know about such a very serious safety issue from one of his vendors who make this part.

This morning my elbow and shoulder is sore. I can really feel that fall today. My wife is livid!!
Of course Nitro customer service is closed today and they do not even have an E-mail to send anything to them, just a phone number.
I looked at the tack weld....they only did it on the side not the top and bottom on the plate/bracket. I can see where it had already broke and the fresh break from yesterday because of the rust and shiny part. So this was an accident that WAS going to happen.

Dan, I caught around 6 or 7, but nothing bigger than 2 lbs.
1oldbassguy, ouch! It seems as get get older we find ourselves getting hurt, like we seem to find accidents.

I was definitely the bug!

To add my thoughts here....
First off everything that broke yesterday wasn’t a Nitro boat item.
Daiwa Rod
Minn Kota trolling motor
The step? Yea maybe Nitro but not the boat. Plus I will agree the trailers they have from my experience is the worse trailers I’ve ever had. This is my 2nd Nitro and the boats have been solid and have never had an issue with them.

Yeah dude you were snake bit, big time. Sorry to hear about all that.

I would discuss your trailer with an attorney, warranty coverage is one thing, structural failure is another.
You will be sore for several days, it might get progressively worse.

Tough day. Hope you feel better.

I know my Trick Steps are one of the best investments I have made for mine!

Take a lot of pictures!

I’m feeling better in my back, it’s not as sore. My elbow is still hurting more than anything.
I will be seeing my doctor tomorrow and see if he thinks x-rays will be needed.
Yea, I took a picture when I got the cobwebs out at the ramp of the step laying on the ramp where it broke off. I also have close up from both the step and the plate where it broke off. That’s when I noticed two different broke patters. One that already had rust built up and the shiny part where it had just broken off. So that tells me in was a progressive thing.
I love the step, it’s great but I will make sure my next one will be welded with support brackets and just not welded or tact welded on the sides and not the top and bottom of the mount. Bad design in my opinion.

I have always heard the Nitro trailers are very cheaply made. Falling is never fun...

Could have been much worse. Lost a friend several (15-20) years ago, he was alone, loading his boat on the trailer and stepped off the bow to the trailer, slipped and fell, hitting his head on the bumper of his truck. He landed face down, unconscious, in a few inches of water and drowned. The next guy at the ramp found Bob laying right behind the truck, with the engine still idling. Coroner found water in his lungs, so the fall didn't kill him.

I love the boats, never an issue but the two Nitros I’ve had, I totally agree the trailers are junk and not made very well.
My last on had so many weld spots from me having to fix it.
The boat is 100% good, the trailer is10% good.

That is what flashes through my mind, no one was at the ramp at the time it happened. I still can’t see how I fell with out falling into my bumper. I must have fell more sideways toward the right....at least my memory was picking myself up in that direction.

Do yall really think that they are not aware of the quality of their boats and trailers?

Oh they know they are dog sh*t

I have never had an issue with the boat. I love the two Nitro's I have had. If I had nay problems with the first one I would have never bought a second one.

Now the trailer! I totally agree worthless and built to maybe last a year or two.

Skeeter trailers are the same pieces of [censored]. Trust me. EZLoader needs a few class action law suits.

(UPDATE)
I finally got in touch with Nitro Boats about my step. They ask that I take my trailer to my nearest Bass Pro Shop and have them look at it for warranty. I did that and the service person was amazed at how it broke and even more amazed I wasn't as hurt as I got. They fully agreed it was a defective weld and they would have put one on my boat that day if they had one in stock, they checked and it wasn't.
The said they would turn that in to Nitro and the part would be in about a week.
Well...today the Bass Pro Shop called me and said Nitro turned down the warranty. They said it was over a year old. It is 15 months old. Forget that it was a defective part here, forget that Nitro on their web site say that these trailers are warranty for 3 years.
Needless to say I am very much upset over this. Plus they never did even mention the fact that I hurt my shoulder, elbow, hips and knee in this fall because of this defective step.
Nitro has just lost me as a future boat owner. I'm sure one guy like me isn't going to hurt them any but I cannot find any reason to support a company that has no support toward me.
Sadly the lawyers I have spoken to have decided they do not wish to take me on to pursue an class action suit against them because I did not suffer any broken bones or suffer life changing injuries.
If any of you have these steps please take a close look at the weld on those trailers, I do not wish anyone to have to face falling from their step and plant facing concrete below. I was very lucky to not have anymore serious injures than what I did receive. I am counting myself lucky I did not land on my head or neck or even crash into my bumper and not being killed or paralyzed.

Your head is too hard for that to happen... : A far as the warranty claim goes, remember Johnny's saving his money for the Zoom Baits purchase...

Again, glad your OK... Dan

I hear that Lew's Corp. is looking to purchase Zoom.....just my ear burning stuff I have heard from some of my lure suppliers. Remember Lew's did buy Strike King!
Yea, my head is plenty hard...now my neck is another thing...lol!