Hannibal
Well-known member
I need some opinions/feedback. I don't want to mention names as I am still working with this gentleman/shop and would like to have them complete their work as discussed. I apologize in advance for the length. I am wordy as it is but this things has REALLY gotten my blood boiling.
A little background: My father and I bought a 1991 Parker 21' Walk Around back in May 2010. It was in great shape but needed a few things here and there. Motor is an 03 Evinrude 225 with less than 50 hours on it. Mechanically, the boat and motor are/were in great shape. Shortly after acquiring it, we sat down and wrote a "to do" list to update and refurbish this boat. We then sent it across the Bay to DE where T-Tops, Etc. installed a great hard top for us.
We opted to keep the boat as is for the rest of the summer so we could really get a feel for what the boat needed. We kept a running list as the summer went along. We finally shut the boat down for good in late November and placed her under a tarp canopy while we researched some places to send the boat.
After speaking with my best bud and his father (both long time boaters), I approached a marina/mechanic in early January 2011 (2nd week of the month). We had exchanged a few phone calls and went over some scope items prior to that. I met him at his shop on a Saturday morning. We took about 30 minutes going over the boat and going over the list we put together. Most items were relatively simply things (replace bilge pump, replace guages, etc). The biggest item on the list was to replace all the wood trim/doors with starboard. This was to be the single most extensive scope item on the list and the one that had the greatest importance to us as it would really help with updating the boat asthetics.
We then moved into his shop where we discussed the list in further detail and we also discussed terms .... IE, he would provide a quote for each scope item that we would approve prior to work. The expectation on our end and as conveyed to him was that we needed the boat back by mid-March. This allowed me a couple weeks of float time (for unforeseen things that came up or added work) and allowed me two weeks of my own time with the boat for some random things (waxing, rigging, etc). This was all agreed to and given our list ....... was more than enough time to make sure I was READY FOR THE START OF STRIPER SEASON!!!!
Fast forward a week or so. I start getting prices for smaller scope items. I approve them within 24-hours of getting them. Over the course of a few more weeks, other items get priced/approved and I add a couple items here and there (AM/FM/CD radio, trailer guides). I attempt to follow up with this person 1x a week or as something is approved/added. I continually push on the wood work as again, this was our #1 priority and something this person said they do all the time.
All in all, throughout this process - I notice response times are poor. We agreed that phone and email were the best means of communicating. I like the email option because everything is documented. As things are added/approved to the list, I would send him an updated work list with approved prices/running total, etc and what items I was still waiting on estimates for. Everything was updated as it happend.
Back in early March, I really start getting concerned as I was still waiting on some prices and I wasn't getting updates like "this is done and so is that". I start asking specific questions like "where are we with the wood?" I don't get straight answers. At one point, I am told he is having trouble finding what I want for doors. So I tell him I can send him some contacts found on the web. I quickly send him 6-8 links to companies who do exactly what I am looking for. When I follow up a week or so later, he states that these companies aren't being responsive ....... but when I call, they seem to be as willing to do work as I am to hire them.
Mid-March rolls around and we speak briefly on the phone and I express my concern about timing to which I get a list of reasons of things that have happend in his personal life. I am polite but remind him that he's had the boat since early January and it's now 2 months later. I ask for photos of what has been done and I am given a few snap shots of some wires on the deck and the backside of my helm.
I start calling/emailing him every couple of days - leaving VM's and emails. They go unanswered. After two weeks (late March) I contact my buddy and his dad and see if they'd call him and see if he'd atleast answer. My buddy's dad does so and quickly gets him on the phone. At the same time, I decided to send him a fairly strong/firm email about his lack of production and response and more or less demand an update. He tells my buddy's father that he got my email and was planning on calling me that day. Well that day turned into the next day (Friday, April 1rst). He does call but I am in the middle of a meeting. So I answer his call and say "Hi - I have to call you back in 30 minutes as I am in a meeting". He agrees. In 30 minutes, I call him back and get his VM. I call him again Sat and Sunday (both shop/cell and leave a VM). Nothing. He also sent me an email that Friday saying he was about done with the boat but the door people respond slower than he does. My email back to him asks for specific updates "Is this done? You still owe me a price." Etc.
Since then, I've been following up every couple of days with a phone call or email to him. At this point, I don't know WHAT has been done or in what state of repair things are in. The 2nd most important thing to get done was to have the motor tuned up and all filters replaced. I was looking to have the motor baselined so we could start a formal maitenance program (we don't have the records from the original owners). I don't know if this is done.
I don't know if the boat is water-worth at this point. I DO KNOW that I will most certainly miss the spring trophy season which is the VERY REASON I BOUGHT THE FU(K&NG BOAT IN THE FIRST PLACE!
The kick in the nuts here is the guys estimates to me total 16 hours of labor. TWO DAYS!!! This doesn't include the wood work obviously but the other things should have been done long ago. He's had the boat since early January.
This has really put a bad taste in my mouth. I was hoping to finding a trust-worthy mechanic/shop who I could depend on. I mean, god forbid I have an issue DURING the season. At this rate, I'd be lucky to get the boat back by the start of the next season.
Anyone run into this? Part of me wants to just go back my truck up into his lot and yank my boat. Let him call me for the money (if I owe him anything at all) and then have him walk through everything he did and prove it. Part of me wants to report the boat as stolen cause I can't get a response from him about his possesion of my property.
I know someone is going to say "go down there" but the two times I've stopped by during what I would assume is normal business time (late morning) - there was no one there. And his shop is also about an hour from me so flying by on a whim is tough.
The legal consel for my firm suggested I contact a local lawyer as he felt there was some grounds for action against him since I have all attempts to contact him documented via email and in my phone's log - and that I've documented good faith on numerous attempts in not only contacting him - but actually pushing him along.
Not sure at this point. I do know that I will likely but on the DL for the spring season and you have no idea how much that infuriates me.
A little background: My father and I bought a 1991 Parker 21' Walk Around back in May 2010. It was in great shape but needed a few things here and there. Motor is an 03 Evinrude 225 with less than 50 hours on it. Mechanically, the boat and motor are/were in great shape. Shortly after acquiring it, we sat down and wrote a "to do" list to update and refurbish this boat. We then sent it across the Bay to DE where T-Tops, Etc. installed a great hard top for us.
We opted to keep the boat as is for the rest of the summer so we could really get a feel for what the boat needed. We kept a running list as the summer went along. We finally shut the boat down for good in late November and placed her under a tarp canopy while we researched some places to send the boat.
After speaking with my best bud and his father (both long time boaters), I approached a marina/mechanic in early January 2011 (2nd week of the month). We had exchanged a few phone calls and went over some scope items prior to that. I met him at his shop on a Saturday morning. We took about 30 minutes going over the boat and going over the list we put together. Most items were relatively simply things (replace bilge pump, replace guages, etc). The biggest item on the list was to replace all the wood trim/doors with starboard. This was to be the single most extensive scope item on the list and the one that had the greatest importance to us as it would really help with updating the boat asthetics.
We then moved into his shop where we discussed the list in further detail and we also discussed terms .... IE, he would provide a quote for each scope item that we would approve prior to work. The expectation on our end and as conveyed to him was that we needed the boat back by mid-March. This allowed me a couple weeks of float time (for unforeseen things that came up or added work) and allowed me two weeks of my own time with the boat for some random things (waxing, rigging, etc). This was all agreed to and given our list ....... was more than enough time to make sure I was READY FOR THE START OF STRIPER SEASON!!!!
Fast forward a week or so. I start getting prices for smaller scope items. I approve them within 24-hours of getting them. Over the course of a few more weeks, other items get priced/approved and I add a couple items here and there (AM/FM/CD radio, trailer guides). I attempt to follow up with this person 1x a week or as something is approved/added. I continually push on the wood work as again, this was our #1 priority and something this person said they do all the time.
All in all, throughout this process - I notice response times are poor. We agreed that phone and email were the best means of communicating. I like the email option because everything is documented. As things are added/approved to the list, I would send him an updated work list with approved prices/running total, etc and what items I was still waiting on estimates for. Everything was updated as it happend.
Back in early March, I really start getting concerned as I was still waiting on some prices and I wasn't getting updates like "this is done and so is that". I start asking specific questions like "where are we with the wood?" I don't get straight answers. At one point, I am told he is having trouble finding what I want for doors. So I tell him I can send him some contacts found on the web. I quickly send him 6-8 links to companies who do exactly what I am looking for. When I follow up a week or so later, he states that these companies aren't being responsive ....... but when I call, they seem to be as willing to do work as I am to hire them.
Mid-March rolls around and we speak briefly on the phone and I express my concern about timing to which I get a list of reasons of things that have happend in his personal life. I am polite but remind him that he's had the boat since early January and it's now 2 months later. I ask for photos of what has been done and I am given a few snap shots of some wires on the deck and the backside of my helm.
I start calling/emailing him every couple of days - leaving VM's and emails. They go unanswered. After two weeks (late March) I contact my buddy and his dad and see if they'd call him and see if he'd atleast answer. My buddy's dad does so and quickly gets him on the phone. At the same time, I decided to send him a fairly strong/firm email about his lack of production and response and more or less demand an update. He tells my buddy's father that he got my email and was planning on calling me that day. Well that day turned into the next day (Friday, April 1rst). He does call but I am in the middle of a meeting. So I answer his call and say "Hi - I have to call you back in 30 minutes as I am in a meeting". He agrees. In 30 minutes, I call him back and get his VM. I call him again Sat and Sunday (both shop/cell and leave a VM). Nothing. He also sent me an email that Friday saying he was about done with the boat but the door people respond slower than he does. My email back to him asks for specific updates "Is this done? You still owe me a price." Etc.
Since then, I've been following up every couple of days with a phone call or email to him. At this point, I don't know WHAT has been done or in what state of repair things are in. The 2nd most important thing to get done was to have the motor tuned up and all filters replaced. I was looking to have the motor baselined so we could start a formal maitenance program (we don't have the records from the original owners). I don't know if this is done.
I don't know if the boat is water-worth at this point. I DO KNOW that I will most certainly miss the spring trophy season which is the VERY REASON I BOUGHT THE FU(K&NG BOAT IN THE FIRST PLACE!
The kick in the nuts here is the guys estimates to me total 16 hours of labor. TWO DAYS!!! This doesn't include the wood work obviously but the other things should have been done long ago. He's had the boat since early January.
This has really put a bad taste in my mouth. I was hoping to finding a trust-worthy mechanic/shop who I could depend on. I mean, god forbid I have an issue DURING the season. At this rate, I'd be lucky to get the boat back by the start of the next season.
Anyone run into this? Part of me wants to just go back my truck up into his lot and yank my boat. Let him call me for the money (if I owe him anything at all) and then have him walk through everything he did and prove it. Part of me wants to report the boat as stolen cause I can't get a response from him about his possesion of my property.
I know someone is going to say "go down there" but the two times I've stopped by during what I would assume is normal business time (late morning) - there was no one there. And his shop is also about an hour from me so flying by on a whim is tough.
The legal consel for my firm suggested I contact a local lawyer as he felt there was some grounds for action against him since I have all attempts to contact him documented via email and in my phone's log - and that I've documented good faith on numerous attempts in not only contacting him - but actually pushing him along.
Not sure at this point. I do know that I will likely but on the DL for the spring season and you have no idea how much that infuriates me.
