Ripoff marina shipwrights services

[vistech1]

I am not in the game of naming and shaming certain companies but I think to help people being ripped off by scammers maybe we should.

I recently had my modest 26 foot Triton slipped to have the rudder removed, the prop shaft removed and the prop shaft hole sealed. The quote was $700 the final cost $1000 not so bad except, the shaft hole was only temporarily sealed ( which they told me after it was put back in the water ) I am repairing the rudder myself and then have them slip the boat again and reinstall the rudder. The original quote included sealing the shaft hole, but now they are going to charge me a second time to seal the hole even though the first invoice stated charges close to $300 for sealing the hole. It is obvious that they temporarily sealed the hole to make sure that I had to slip it the second time, to top it off they plugged up the rudder shaft tube ( completely unnecessary because it is a self draining cockpit and water always comes up the rudder shaft tube) to prevent me trying to reinstall the rudder myself, (another second slipping tactic) which I wasn't planning on trying to do until the cost blew out, so to slip boat again and seal prop shaft hole ( which was meant to be done on first slipping and reinstall rudder approx $900 so $1600 all up after an initial quote of $700. This company has removed my rudder before so they new what was involved, the first time I let them make rudder repairs, but it had to be slipped the second time because they didn't do it properly. I'm a repeat customer I have spent $7000 at this marina in the last 3 years, but they still take the piss. I have managed to hammer out the plug in the rudder tube which wasn't easy, I have sealed the prop shaft hole from the inside of the boat and I plan on reinstalling the rudder in the water, this company was going to get more of my business but not anymore. As well they walked all over boat leaving muddy footprints everywhere, it's an old boat but it's my only boat and they treated it like ****. This is Sydney, we pay through the nose, we know that, but how about a little bit of common decency. Maybe these tricks are common practice and a buyer beware policy should be activated, unfortunately for them I'm not an idiot and will finish the work without their help, and I will be taking my business elsewhere. Ok so I'm annoyed and maybe over reacting, don't worry I am not delusional about what it costs to maintain a yacht, I just don't like being taken as a fool.


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[dcstrng]

Yep, been there did that !!

There doubtlessly are skilled, honest and diligent “shipwrights,” but they are rare and when you find one they are probably overworked and you’ll have to wait in a queue. I do find most yards to be well-meaning, but inclined to tackle work they have limited expertise in and then seemingly not recognizing the need to actually monitor and supervise their workmen. At least in the classic-plastic world, there is very little a DIY owner can’t do with time – excepting those times when you need heavier machinery to launch, raise a mast and the like…

When I lived aboard some decades ago (42' ketch) I engaged a well-known yard in one of the East Coast’s well known sailing centers to thoroughly refurbish critical items on the hull/engine (subect to survey no less), as well as do a professional renewal of the cabins… I paid the yard a 15% management fee (which at the time seems wise) to orchestrate and supervise… they refurbished the cabins first (beautifully done) and then had the workman tromp through the boat for another month working on the mechanical items – then had the audacity to pass along another bill ($7500 sticks in my mind -- it was mid-80s) to re-sand and varnish the sole as well as to again recover two of the new cushions… Had to seek legal counsel to resolve the matter, and then to add insult to injury all the bilge pumps failed on the shake-down coming down the Chesapeake and when I tried to divert the saltwater engine intake to lower the waterline (newly installed hose had burst on the engine and the newly restored cabin was ankle deep in water) I discovered that the intake seacock was frozen, and their renowned contract “captain” didn’t have a clue… I eventually got the hose-clamp off (only a single clamp -- grrr...) the intake seacock, stuck my thumb in the thing (nope, no plugs) to stop the inflow and idled the engine for a couple of hours to suck out the bilge – repaired the “new” hose myself with duct-tape and haven’t hired a captain or marine technician since, and don’t go near renowned sailing centers except to get a beer…

DIY repairs go slow at my house, even on our little boat, but at least I know its real state when I’m done…