Is anybody else finding dealing with vendors has become difficult?

[gonesail]

I am finding that if you can't get it from Amazon .. you may be waiting longer or paying more than you planned on

[Shrew]

Not limited to marine contractors. Try an sub in any trade. The avg in the building trades in now 55. People are retiring and the younger kids don't want to do manual labor.

[Giro]

Originally Posted by GILow

We are finally underway with our second refit and I have to say, it is proving much harder than the first.

Five or six years ago I did a major chunk of work on the old boat and it went well. The learning curve was pretty steep but the process of contacting vendors, selecting and ordering parts etc was fine. By far the slowest bit was me figuring out what we needed.

This time around I’m mostly clear on what I want but the vendors are really weird.

Some have been terrific and pretty much the entire drive train from engine to prop and everything in between was sorted in a few phone calls.

But others have been a nightmare. The sailmaker who was brilliant last time led me on a game of follow-up emails for months before some kind of major brain fart where I was issued an invoice for sails I didn’t want. Six other sailmakers either didn’t respond to my request for quotes at all or responded by quoting on sails nothing like I’d asked for.

The furler mob have taken weeks of phone calls and pleading emails just to get them to issue an invoice for the staysail furler.

The rigging guys I used last time are off the cards already because when I contacted them last year for a mates boat they led me on a one month run around trying to get prices before telling me they weren’t really doing those rigging parts any more.

Is this an Aussie thing? Or is it happening everywhere?

Ever since Covid reared its ugly head, all the venders, service providers, ice cream venders, etc. seem to have the same old excuse……”COVID MADE US DO IT!!!!!”
Here in the USA it’s become a way of life.

[DEAN2140]

I ordered a new mainsail in San Francisco and when it arrived, it was about 6" short in the foot. When I tried another vendor, his mainsail was about 5" short in the leach. When I pointed it out, he said I was just using my boat for cruising, not racing, so no problem. After taking my problem upstairs, I finally received a decent sail. "Sloppy" is the right word.

[Kettlewell]

I am finding that if you can't get it from Amazon .. you may be waiting longer or paying more than you planned on

Amazon isn't immune! I ordered a solar panel that never showed up. I asked for a refund, then it showed up a month later. I contacted Amazon and they said to just keep it. Another time I ordered a jiggle siphon, and instead they sent me something else. I returned it and they resent the wrong item. Then there are the times I've received goods that aren't the name brands advertised, or not the model advertised. They are good, but not perfect.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Another time I ordered a jiggle siphon, and instead they sent me something else. I returned it and they resent the wrong item. Then there are the times I've received goods that aren't the name brands advertised, or not the model advertised. They are good, but not perfect.

Amazon sells barcodes. You place an order, the warehouse sends you a barcode. They are very good at picking the right barcode to send you. What goods happen to be attached to the barcode is uncertain.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by DEAN2140

I ordered a new mainsail in San Francisco and when it arrived, it was about 6" short in the foot. When I tried another vendor, his mainsail was about 5" short in the leach. When I pointed it out, he said I was just using my boat for cruising, not racing, so no problem. After taking my problem upstairs, I finally received a decent sail. "Sloppy" is the right word.

This is just adding to my neurosis about the new sails.

In the end, after much frustration, I specified the finished dimensions of the sails because the sailmaker was very inconsistent on issues just like the one you have flagged.

A number of times, in writing, I had to spell out that I did not want them to subtract anything as “allowances”. I did that already. I’m worried I will end up with three pocket handkerchiefs.

[Kettlewell]

I ordered a set of sails once and many months after the delivery date they still weren't delivered. The company kept saying they are coming, but finally I contacted MasterCard and got a full refund. A bit later the sail company begged me to take the sails, which they said were finally done.

[Oceanride007]

My boat requires a welder, Its been on the hard for 3 months just waiting for our Hot season to be over. Was told that the job will take 4 Days but he booked out for 5 Months. (Remote area, can't move the boat due to several holes) Wow, big hole in my sailing season). Never mind it is what it is.
But what bothers is this particular poor state of economy, where training is not happening & land valuation increase has effected peoples mobility.
Big expense now for me in storage. Its all getting too difficult.

[Kd9truck]

Expect it to get worse.
Ive been slowly buying replacement parts before needed for seemingly everything, it started with Covid but now seems to be the norm. Goods and services, best to get skilled as a DIY, unfortunately somethings need trades people, they seem to be few and far between.

Buy doubles when you get need
Cheers

[nofacey]

Up here in Canada, once covid had settled in and people couldn’t travel, everything that substituted (boats, rv’s) went nuts - prices basically doubled. Marinas became jammed, Maintenance trades overloaded, on top of supply chains becoming unreliable. Pricing went up, while reliability of delivery went down.

We also happen to be in the midst of a housing shortage/building boom, so new young labourers were pulled in there, while a good percentage of older workers decided to just stay home. Wasn’t a good time to be building/refurbishing anything.

We’re only coming out now - folks that bought rv/boats and prefer to travel are discovering keeping an rv/boat is expensive - starting to see boat prices come down, and yard space open up (slightly) in my favourite boatyard, less capable maintenance companies disappearing.

Will likely take a year or two yet to get closer to “normal”……. Question is weither the Silver Tusami wave of baby boomers creates more of a surplus of used boats (as owners age out) or a greater dearth of skilled marine trades as they retire

[Icarus]

I noticed the same, I ordered a new dodger from the local trimmer at the marina..after 6 weeks of nothing I took the order elsewhere
Same with Ulman Sails , wanted to get my Genoa checked and restitched..3 month later I found my sail under a heap of other sails in the back of the loft.
I am told they are so very busy and book out for weeks..
I also went to a number of upholsterers to get a dozent sette cushions..5 month waiting period...
Why not employing additional staff if they are so busy?
In the end I bought a new Genoa from Lee Sails in Hong Kong..3 weeks turn around and halve the price...

[more]

if need easy cleaning boat dont come in Croatia. simply not possible find any worker. i rent big warehouse for carpenter i think he have huge 20 proff machine for any operation also 3d CNC only 1 person work he is 70 yer old and dont have finger on 1 hand before couple month he lose 1 finger on other hand.
i dont know how he pay me.
i stil waiting spray hood for 1 my boat 8 month paid 80% answer always soon

o also if you buy engine parts,oil filter by you mechanic dont come becouse mehanic have 40% on parts and charg you 50-150€ hour working he calculate clock from time when he standup from bed ,for example he come 10.00 he stand up in 6 when come to you he charge before begining work 4 hour. and rest when work 1/2 time talk on phone he charg also this time.

[Kettlewell]

We also happen to be in the midst of a housing shortage/building boom, so new young labourers were pulled in there, while a good percentage of older workers decided to just stay home. Wasn’t a good time to be building/refurbishing anything.

Pay for lower-level workers, non-college, and skilled trades went up a lot in the USA during the past few years, meaning that a lot of boatyard and marine workers moved on up to better paying positions elsewhere. Quite a few years ago I met a guy who quit working in boatyards because he could make better than $100K in auto mechanics, and I suspect the situation is even more so today. I am seeing older marine workers aging out all over the place, and very few younger folks coming in. The younger workers seem to only stay for a season or part of a season before they find a better paying job. Frankly, if you're into cruising you need to do as much work yourself as possible, and that's one reason you don't want a boat that is too big. Even if you can afford to pay the yard to do work, don't expect to get it done on time, or even this year.