Boat Yards Hostile to Do-It-Yourselfers

[jmschmidt]

It's the world we live in. Everyone is out to scam and screw everyone else. A persons word is no good anymore. Sad.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by jmschmidt

It's the world we live in. Everyone is out to scam and screw everyone else. A persons word is no good anymore. Sad.

Are you out to screw everyone else? Is your word no good?

[Kalinowski]

I would pay the $300 and keep quiet about it. Getting aggressive does nothing but create bad vibes, especially if you need this yard again. Just be tighter with definitions on the next visit. Fewer and fewer yards are still available because of the EPA.

[boatman1]

Well, goodness! The original poster may have a legitimate gripe, but to paint all boatyards as theaters of deceit and thievery is a bit extreme. I know several folks that own and operate small boat/yacht yards and they’re not villains. The business that they’re in is quite difficult to operate at a profit, and there’s not any reason I can see for them to do show up every day if they’re not profiting.

[Baba Buoy]

The fiberglass work was about 2" x 8" on bottom of rudder. Damaged area was only couple inches. Work time was about 1 hour. The issue is all about money, not environmental crap. I tried to save a little $ by DIY; Chris has to pay for his condo in Maui or whatever.

I was also leary when one of his employees looked around inside my boat and claims a through hull valve was frozen. I tried it and it wasn't. He also said my almost new flexible coupling on the drive shaft was bad because part of it was "plastic". I wonder how many people get suckered by this BS. More effort to inflate the bill.

[jen1722terry]

Interesting posts. We also agree that it is getting harder to find yards that allow
you to do bottom/glass work. We have a yard in Blue Hill, Maine that is an adjunct to a full-service yard. They do require tarping and vac-sanders for any bottom work. At our yard there are no services other than electric and hauling/launching. They will send workers over from their full-service yard for specific projects on request. Nice for now, as we do basically all our spring/fall work ourselves. As we age, we'll be looking for more of a full-service yard.

Sorry about the $300. Not all lessons are free.

Cheers! Spring outfitting before we know it.

[Ken Z]

while in georges marina, ft walton beach I was switching out a diesel. I was told I could rent with an operator and a fork lift for $100 . an hour. It took 8 minutes to lift out the engine and put it in the back of a pick up. Next day we dropped a new diesel in , it took 12 minutes, I was charged $200. for 2 hours , and what part of 20 minutes they didn t get.........ruthless thieves.

[powsmias]

Originally Posted by Baba Buoy

The Windward Yacht Boatyard in Marina Del Rey is bottom painting my sailboat. I ask Chris, the boss, if I could do work concurrent with painting. He said yes but no outside contractors. While boat was drying after pressure wash, I changed the prop, changed a speed transducer and patching a small bit of damage on bottom of rudder. Chris came out in afternoon and said he was going to charge me one day extra fee (over $300), because his workers did not do the work. He claimed I didn't tell him about the small fiberglass work. The damage was discovered only that day. I had paid "rent" for the painting I don't think I should be double charged. My work did not impact their paint schedule or resulted in more time on the hard or used outside contractors. Small claims court?

I'm lockin him out.. every week.. if he told you ok then went back on it it's wrong. lockout costs get crazy

[SVPP]

I wouldn’t pay it. Most would that’s why they think they can get away with it.

You don’t have to pay this. It is outside the scope of the work they quoted and you approve.

If they lock your boat up, they’ll them the rate you are going to charge them per day for having access to it.

Be very straight with them and don’t back down. Don’t talk straight to the owner, not some yard manager.

[roverhi]

Originally Posted by SVPP

I wouldn’t pay it. Most would that’s why they think they can get away with it.

You don’t have to pay this. It is outside the scope of the work they quoted and you approve.

If they lock your boat up, they’ll them the rate you are going to charge them per day for having access to it.

Be very straight with them and don’t back down. Don’t talk straight to the owner, not some yard manager.

This is really bad advice. If you refuse to pay, they'll file a mechanics lien, hold the boat in the yard and charge you lay days. You'll have to win in court to get out of paying for the initial charge and the lay days in the months it would take to get into court.

I'm not saying roll over and give in but you don't want the boat held hostage. First, the OP doesn't have any proof what the manager said to him other than his word. Look at the contract and be sure whatever you did falls within the WRITTEN work you are authorized to do. May have been manini work but if you aren't allowed to do it in the haul lout contract there is no leg to stand on. The tine and effort to POSSIBLY win a Small Claims Court case will be way way over the disputed additional charge.

I've been in your position with yards a couple of times. Once I convinced the yard to see reason, the other I had to pay and just badmouth Kona Gentry Marine at Honokohau for ripping me off. In both cases there wasn't any option other than to satisfy the yard's charge and get the boat back in the water. You'll have to make a decision if this is the 'hill you want to die on.'

[Drew13440]

Originally Posted by Ken Z

while in georges marina, ft walton beach I was switching out a diesel. I was told I could rent with an operator and a fork lift for $100 . an hour. It took 8 minutes to lift out the engine and put it in the back of a pick up. Next day we dropped a new diesel in , it took 12 minutes, I was charged $200. for 2 hours , and what part of 20 minutes they didn t get.........ruthless thieves.

Maybe I'm just a glass half full kind of guy, but $200 is a lot cheaper than back surgery.

FWIW, even used fork lifts can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

[Espiros]

Originally Posted by meridian28

Pay by credit card, move the boat then dispute the charge

This is the best way to deal with these types of situations.
Your card company will deal with them way better than doing it yourself.

[john61ct]

Yes if I have an expensive bit of gear, takes time to get it, and the expensive labor, going and in position,

a $100 per hour charge should, and usually does, translate to "$100 minimum"

Just because you live your life ultra-frugally, does not mean businesses are going to charge less than what they can / need to, to make it worth their while being in business.

Clear communications certainly is key though, and it cuts both ways.

If in doubt, ask for clarification and get it in writing.

[thruska]

Boatyards and marinas, get everything in writing and get it signed by someone in charge....
Don’t even ask why ...

[thruska]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

So far no illegal practices have been documented. He failed to get clear direction on what was or was not allowed in writing. Plus civil contract issues are not a police function.

Even if there are illegal practices, it's simply not worth the trouble from a financial point of view to pursue legal remedy.

If it makes you feel better to spend 3 times as much cash and a lot of time and emotion...only then lose anyway go for it but realistically the best bet is to take it as a lesson and next time get clear direction in writing regarding what work is allowed.

Who was not clear ? Seems to me the yard guy was not clear! He was not clear about what he said the customer could or could not do, nor did he get specific with a signed agreement stating such parameters.
Bad procedure on yard guy , guilty !!!!