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Business Profile

Boat Builders

Brunswick Corp.

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

Find BBB Accredited Businesses in Boat Builders.

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Brunswick Corp.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

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Brunswick Corp. has 3 locations, listed below.

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    Customer Complaints Summary

    • 5 total complaints in the last 3 years.
    • 4 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

    If you've experienced an issue

    Submit a Complaint

    The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

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    Complaint status

    Complaint type

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/13/2025

      Type:Order Issues
      Status:
      AnsweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I am writing to formally address a series of issues Ive encountered with my membership, which I believe constitute a breach of contract and an overall poor customer experience.Ive been paying $425 per month for my membership, but Ive only been able to take a boat out twice this year, and perhaps half a dozen times since the hurricanes. While I understand that natural disasters can affect operations, the lack of available boats and inconsistent service is unacceptable, especially when Im fulfilling my financial ************** is concerning that after repeatedly encountering difficulty in booking or accessing boats, I was then met with poor communication. On several occasions, calls and messages went unanswered, or I was simply ignored. This lack of responsiveness is frustrating and not what I expected from a service Ive been paying for.What is most frustrating, however, is that those who had the power to address these issueswhether by providing boats, responding to calls, or ensuring a consistent level of servicedid nothing. Despite repeated attempts on my part to resolve the situation, I was left without any meaningful assistance or support. This lack of action especially with the waitlist has made it clear that my concerns have not been taken seriously. It is also deeply troubling that, after expressing my frustration regarding these ongoing issues, my membership was terminated for saying the staff was being lazy which lazy is a describing word; not inappropriate. Terminating m my membership was not only wrong but has caused a significant amount of stress and is negatively impacting my mental health. I was simply voicing dissatisfaction over a service that Ive been paying for but unable to use, and instead of working with me to resolve the issue, I was penalized. This situation has added unnecessary stress to an already frustrating experience. What have I been paying for? Theres drug and alcohol use amongst employees too.

      Business Response

      Date: 05/16/2025

      Date: May 16, 2025
      To: Customer Relations Representative
            Better Business Bureau
            ********************************
            *******, IL 60601
           ***************************************************************************************

      Re: Response to Complaint ID #********

      We appreciate the opportunity to address this complaint and provide further context about the experience of our former member. ***************** stands by our communication practices, operational protocols, and documented interactions with this member, and respectfully refutes the validity of the concerns raised.

      First, the member's expectations related to boat availability after the impacts of devastating hurricanes were unrealistic given the circumstances. Our teams worked tirelessly to maintain operations and restore service as quickly as possible for our members. Fleet limitations did occur because boats sustained damaged as did many of our locations. These challenges affected scheduling capacity for all members in the impacted area and we provided our members with options,including a zero-fee membership hold that this member did not take advantage of.Nonetheless, boats remained available, and many members continued to utilize the service during this time.

      Regarding communication with this member, our records reflect multiple outreach efforts and follow-ups by our team in response to this members inquiries. Our staff made reasonable efforts to respond and promptly assist the member within the bounds of our policies and available resources. 

      The termination of this membership was based on repeated conduct that violated our membership agreementnot on a single word or isolated comment. Our policies are in place to ensure a respectful and safe environment for members and staff alike, and decisions to terminate memberships are made after careful review and due consideration. 

      The allegation concerning employee misconduct (including drug or alcohol use) is unsubstantiated. We maintain strict workplace policies and have seen no credible evidence to support this claim.

      Based on the information provided, we respectfully request that this complaint be closed, however, as resolved. The concerns raised do not accurately reflect the level of service,communication, and professionalism that ************************************** provides to all its members.

      1. Communication and Hurricane Protocols
      ***************** maintains a comprehensive communication strategy to keep members informed before, during,and after major weather events, including hurricanes. This includes:
      >Multiple member newsletters sent via email throughout the boating season.
      >Timely hurricane updates regarding marina ********* fleet protection, and post-storm recovery.
      >Proactive outreach by our team to ensure members are aware of operational changes.

      2. Waitlist and Reservation Protocol
      We operate a first-come,first-served waitlist system that is available to all members. This ensures fairness and transparency in boat access, especially during high-demand periods. Members are notified when boats become available, and we document all reservation activity.

      3. Documented Member Interactions
      We have a detailed history of interactions with this former member including the situation referred to by the former member and various accounts of unacceptable behavior and language towards myself and my staff in person, via text and by telephone. 

      These records also demonstrate that we have made consistent efforts to accommodate this member within the bounds of our policies and available resources.

      In light of the above, we respectfully request that this complaint be closed as resolved. The concerns raised do not accurately reflect the level of service, communication, and professionalism that ************************************** provides to all its members.

      Sincerely,

      ******* *****
      General Manager
      *******************************************************

      Customer Answer

      Date: 05/19/2025

       
      Complaint: 23323417

      I strongly dispute the claims made in the complaint. The central issue is simple: I paid for a service that ***************** failed to deliver as agreed. Over the past five years of my membership, Ive encountered consistent challenges from day one, dating back to when **** was the manager and I had to deal with his unbecoming behavior. I documented many of those earlier interactions, which also reflected unacceptable behavior on the part of FBC staff. 

      In total, Ive paid nearly $30,000 into this membership. That money represents the hard-earned income of myself and my familymoney we invested with the expectation of receiving the quality service that was promised. Instead, we were repeatedly met with excuses, poor communication, and failure to deliver on commitments. It feels as though the club has taken that money without accountability, robbing us of not just a financial investment, but years of trust and opportunities for enjoyment we were promised.


      Furthermore, I have strong relationships with several members of the dock staff, and Im aware that several of the statements being made about me are not only inaccuratethey are untrue. Its clear this organization refuses to take ownership of its shortcomings and instead deflects blame onto paying members.


      The repeated narrative that I have a history of behavior is both misleading and false. I have been a dedicated member and only raised concerns when the service I paid for was not delivered. ******* made one attempt to make this right, but it didn't fix the previous or current issues I was having. 

      In short, this club has continually failed to prioritize its customers, and my experience is just one example of that. I reject the contents of the complaint in full.
      Sincerely,

      ****** *******

      Business Response

      Date: 05/22/2025

      We appreciate the opportunity to respond. We take all member concerns seriously and are committed to providing a fair and respectful environment for all.

      In this case, we thoroughly reviewed the individual's account history and the circumstances surrounding his membership. While we regret that this member was not satisfied with his experience, we are confident that our actions were appropriate and consistent with our membership terms and policies.

      The decision to end the membership followed repeated and documented issues that impacted the overall member experience. It was not made lightly and was based on objective criteria and behavioral standards that apply to all members.

      We recognize the individuals prior participation and can confirm that any applicable refunds were issued in accordance with the agreement. While we respectfully disagree with the characterization provided, we consider this matter resolved and will not engage in further discussion.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 05/22/2025

       
      Complaint: 23323417

      I am writing to strongly dispute the recent response submitted by ***************** regarding my complaint. The statements made by the business are completely false and misrepresent the events that occurred during my membership.

      I have documented evidence showing that for weeks and even months, I was unable to access boats despite multiple attempts and being on the waitlist. Even when boats were marked as available, my calls and messages frequently went unanswered. It's incredibly frustrating to pay a premium membership fee and be denied the ability to use the service.

      ***************** claims there is negative history on my part, but that is untrue. The supposed issues they reference stem from my decision to speak up and hold the staff accountable for their lack of responsiveness and professionalism. That is not a violation; that is a customer demanding basic service and communication.

      Additionally, the claim that procedures were properly followed is provably false. I never once used the checkout tablet process before departing with a boat, as required by the clubs stated procedures. That alone shows a significant lapse in operational oversight.

      Regarding the manager, ******* *****, I have no idea who he is or why he is involved in my case. Based on what I have learned, he recently relocated after being terminated from *****, and it is deeply concerning that someone with no prior connection to this location is now making termination decisions affecting long-standing members.

      My termination was completely unjustified, and I continue to receive messages from dock staff expressing shock and confusion at the decision. It is clear this action was retaliatory and not based on any serious infraction.

      At a minimum, I expect to be refunded for the month of May, as I paid in full before being terminated. Keeping my payment while cutting off access to the service is both unethical and unacceptable.

      Unless this is resolved fairly, I will continue to pursue accountability through every appropriate channel.

      Sincerely,

      ****** *******

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:07/10/2023

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      ResolvedMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I received a letter stated to stop using the boat from Crestliner. Cl- ***** recall for flotation. dated May 10th . I was off that day i received the letter I called Bridgeport equipment spoke with ****. I told him I was calling about the recall he asked me what recall . I stated you had several boats there I figured mine wasnt the only one and you would probably be familiar with the recall. So I go the letter told him the code he started he would order the parts for me and call me in a couple days . Its now July I called **** back again he didnt know what I was talking about . I reminded him of the conversation he told me he was booked up and to take it to **** or ********* in Jackson county. I told him I should be able to take it back to the place I bought it I asked to speak with a supervisor. He had ******************* call me from the Gallopolis store in **** . He told me that he could order the parts and have it fixed soon I asked him if could have it fixed that week he said I cant say that . I told him the summer is gone I havent been able to use the boat and I dont ice fish . I also stated if this was an automobile they would have provided a loaner until mine was fixed . I would like my money returned so I can buy a boat I can have faith in that will Float and the company will stand behind the production I see how issues are handed by Bridgeport/ Crestliner I dont I bought a new boat to avoid issues. I dont want a boat that leaks . I could have spent half and bought one that possibly leaked from an individual. Again the fishing season for me is about over . Im too told to fish in the cold . I paid for a product . Not sure where you buy something and are asked to not use it nor give you your money back .
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/15/2023

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      ResolvedMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Purchased a Mercury Pro XS ************************ February of 2022. Since then I have had the following problems:-Starter bolts backed out, needed starter and flywheel replaced -Trim pin backed out causing motor to lose trim location -Trim sensor put a hole in top of trim motor ************ Harness required replacing -Trim Relays burned out, required replacing -Fuel pump wont turn on.Mercury customer service has refused to help at all along the way. They will only talk to the dealer even though I have an obvious lemon of a motor that I paid over $20,000 for. Since I purchased the boat it's been in the shop due to the motor for a combined 5 months. ******* told me I am not their customer as they sell the boat to the dealers not direct. They will not allow me to talk to anyone in the warranty department. I have an unreliable motor that ******* refuses to acknoledge and instead expects me to keep taking to the dealer for warranty work. Each time the boat is down for at a minimum an entire month. I'm paid for a motor that doesn't work as designed nor is reliable, yet the Brunswick ************************** refuses to talk to me about my issues at all nor do they want to rectify the issue.
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:04/27/2023

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      UnansweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I am a member of the freedom boat club in good standing, and have been for over three years, the terms of my membership included a $4400 buy in followed by the monthly dues. Since the membership entails a very large $4400 Buy in, one of my most important questions that I asked was that my membership could never be terminated under any circumstances by the freedom, boat club unilaterally which I was told could not happen under any circumstances. Also, I was sold on the ease with which I would always be able to get a reciprocal vote reservation at another location with no issues whatsoever, Fast forward to yesterday, Tuesday. April 25, 2023, I called the dock located in *************** ******* to see if they would have boats available the following day Wednesday, April 26, which they did, they had 10 boats that were not reserved available, I then went into the reservation system, which has recently changed in order to create a reciprocal reservation, and it would not allow me to do so, so I called my local doc where I signed up for the membership in **************, and spoke to a couple people there who were kind enough to call over to the *************** location and reserve a boat on my behalf, mind you I have done exactly this, with no issues whatsoever more than 15 times in the past, the reasoning for the trip to *************** was a short, romantic getaway with my fianc, to celebrate our one year anniversary, and all hotel and dining plans were coordinated around getting a boat for a couple hours in ***************. A couple hours later I received a phone call back from the gentleman that stated that I could not get a boat after all because the reservation had to actually be put in the system 24 hours prior, I explained to him that I had never had that issue previously, and that if I couldnt get a boat, it was going to create all sorts of problems with my plans, he referred me to the customer service phone number which I called, I spoke to a manager by the name of ***********************, I explained to ******* that I had made plans around this boat reservation, that I had done exactly this on 15 previous occasions with no problems whatsoever, and the further I have spoken to the dock hand at the dock in ***************, who assured me, there are more than 10 boats available, and that my problem could be very easily solved if anyone actually wanted to do so, at the end of the call, I fully accepted the fact that they would not help me and reconciled myself to telling my fianc that we would not be getting out on a boat. At 10:52 AM I received an unsolicited . Unwanted and unexpected phone call from a phone number marked no caller ID, I answered the call, and the woman identified herself as ******* with freedom boat club. I told ******* that I had already reconciled myself to the fact that they were not going to help me with my issue, even though it was an easy fix. Therefore, since this was an unsolicited and unwanted phone call, I really did not want to continue on the call unless the call was for the purpose of fixing my problem, this woman, by the name of *******, then proceeded to be extraordinarily abrasive and rude towards me, at no time did I raise my voice curse, or anything of the sort, I simply reiterated to her how easily my issue could be resolved if she wanted to, towards the end of the conversation, and completely out of left field, and for no reason, she threatened to terminate my membership with the freedom, boat club , obviously, this would be completely illegal, but under the circumstances of being contacted from a blocked phone number by a person that refused to identify himself that proceeded to speak to me in a very rude and condescending matter, very, very bizarre??? because of the manner in which I was speaking to her, to reiterate, at no point in time did I curse yell, or anything else, in fact, the entire conversation was a very organized and logical explanation of what my problem was, and how easily she could fix the problem, if she chose to do so, and further, how I had no issues doing the same thing 15 prior occasions, , as I still had absolutely no idea who I was really speaking to, I again asked for a last name, title, contact information, etc. and she refused to provide any of it and we terminated the call, a call, which I did not ask for, did not want, and came from a blocked phone number. To my horror a little bit later at 11:07 AM I received an email from a generic freedom boat club email address that could not be responded to notifying me of the suspension of my account, again , no emails, names, titles, direct phone numbers, reasoning for the suspension, or any other pertinent information was provided From: FBC Reservations <***************************>Date: April 26, 2023 at 11:07:07 AM EDT To: ******************* Subject: Account Suspension Notification ?Hello *************************,This is an automated courtesy email notifying you that your FBC account has been suspended effective immediately. Please contact your home club or member experience center if you have questions regarding your suspension.Thank you,?Freedom *********
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:02/03/2023

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      AnsweredMore info

      Complaint statuses

      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I purchased a Progressive EMS -PT30C rv electrical management system 9/30/2020. The product came with a limited lifetime warranty. I just submitted a claim because the product no longer functions properly- it no longer supplies electric current to an RV. My claim was rejected because they said they could not verify that might product was bought new since I bought it on **** and they are not an authorized dealer. The warranty does state they will not honor any sales from an unauthorized dealer. The problem being they do not state who is authorized. The product I bought was new in the package - unopened perfect condition. I believe Progressive should replace my unit per the warranty, since there was no way I could know what entity was authorized or not. I am suffering the consequences of a poorly written warranty.

      Business Response

      Date: 10/08/2024

      The customer you reference on ******************** Case #******** reached out to us and we responded to him back in January 2023.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 10/08/2024

       
      Complaint: 18682648

      I am rejecting this response because:

      there never was a response. If you look back at the documented history BBB stated there was no response from the business. 

      Sincerely,

      ****** *****

      Business Response

      Date: 10/25/2024

      We responded to customer in January 2023.  Thank you!   ***** ***** ************

      Customer Answer

      Date: 11/04/2024

       
      Complaint: 18682648

      I am rejecting this response because:
      The January 2023 response was unacceptable.
      I have no new materials too add to this conversation.
      The complaint was simple :
      The product was warrantied for life
      The company rejected my claim due to the fact that I bought the product from ****. They claim how do they know its new.
      I provided documentation to that point. They claim the seller wasnt an authorized seller- no where in there warranty language does it say only authorized sellers. My expectations is that they honor their warranty anything else is not satisfactory. This is my last response the ball is in their court. If there response is the 1/23 response its a non response 
      Sincerely,

      ****** *****

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