Disputing Marina Fees

[DCatSea]

Getting the most out of marina mechs.

Angus,
You have experienced the joy of boat ownership that at some point all of has had.. or will face at some point.
This is exactly why in the early 80's when I moved up to big boats I started learning how to fix EVERYTHING on the boats we have had. Not to mention when something fails in a remote location you have the knowledge base learned from other similar projects.. Make sure you have manuals for all mechanical stuff aboard and a copy of Nigel Calders book, mine is well worn!
My mantra is I might be unhappy with how long a repair takes .. and be less than pleased with the fix.. but I never am pissed off what the labor costs .


HOLLYWOOD

Precisely - I have learned how to do most, but not all yet,repairs on our boat (from books and by asking others)- and frankly I think that when I DO need to call on the marina guys for advice, or to fix something I can't get to (serious back issues stop me from getting to the stuffing box for example) they do a very good job for $60.00.hour).
I have found that being able to discuss the issue in a little depth adds to mutual respect, and even gets a "look in to see how its going".
I have also found that the odd case of Coors Light or pack of Camels helps almost as much as a new can of WD40.

 

[Avalon36]

We kept our boat at a marina on the Chesapeake for about four years and spent probably $20K on upgrades and repairs. Generally, the work has been good and the people very nice. I only questioned one previous bill, until now . . . in fact, I have two issues:

1). We had a problem with one of the Waeco refrigerators not working on 12V DC (AC was fine). It took two techs several hours to consult manuals, diagnose a bad fan and replace it. Not fixed—and the original fan works fine. I called the manuf and their tech gave me a 5-minute procedure to detrmine whether it was the fan or compressor. The bill from the marina is $460 to replace a working fan.

2). I posted earlier this year about a clacking noise I heard in the starboard gearbox. The junior-level tech the yard sent over to do this work took the tranny off, said everything looked fine to him, reinstalled it and it still clacked. The second time he removed it, he took the damper plate to the shop and the service mgr—examining it properly—found it was cracked at the hub. That fixed the clacking but there was another serious problem that a different tech found that necessitated removing the gearbox a THIRD time.

All of this was going on when we were finishing projects to get ready for our northern half-loop. I wasn’t as focused on these as I should have been—and normally, I’d have tackled at least the fridge by myself.

I want the marina to seriously dial back the refrigerator charges and the charges for one of the three transmission removals. So far, the marina has not responded to my email or phone messages questioning these charges. I do plan to try to reach the owner again Monday, but am wondering about the consensus on my positions on these jobs. I mean where else but a boatyard are you expected to pay exorbitant prices for half-assed work?

If you paid via credit card, you can dispute the charges with your bank. I have had a couple of instances where the work was not done properly (i.e. not putting oil in the crankcase and cooking an engine) AND I was over billed. After documenting the details, I disputed the charges with my CC Bank (Chase) and they pulled the money back from the yard. That got the Yard's attention and we were able to get things resolved semi satisfactorily. I got a new engine (eventually) but after losing half the season of use, I still had to pay them for their screw up.

 

[Finally Fun Again]

My goal in life, if there is such a thing as reincarnation......I want to come back as a marine mechanic. I need no special skills and just enough knowledge to patch something up in order to get a boat moving forward...........out of my area, never to be seen again. Meanwhile I fill up my pockets with BOAT Dollars............. Been there, done that way too many years!!!

 

[O C Diver]

That's why many choose to use managers of some sort when their boat is distant from them. I am friends with owners of management companies in South Florida and know that many of their users would just not have the work done right and on time without using them to do regular follow up and to make sure the completed work has been done right. Perhaps you find a local captain in the area in which the boat is located.

I realize this is added cost but so is not having the boat ready when you return though incomplete work, work done poorly, or just issues that arose while it was sitting.
.

While I'm sure it works for some, I see no motivation for the manager to control costs and one more person to misinterpret my requirements. I have been on a number of boats where owners who don't do the maintenance and upgrades themselves either accept poor quality or have enough money that excessive costs aren't an issue. I won't tolerate the first, and my boat budget can't afford the 2nd.

Ted

 

[BandB]

While I'm sure it works for some, I see no motivation for the manager to control costs and one more person to misinterpret my requirements. I have been on a number of boats where owners who don't do the maintenance and upgrades themselves either accept poor quality or have enough money that excessive costs aren't an issue. I won't tolerate the first, and my boat budget can't afford the 2nd.

Ted

Manager not in your case as you can be there, but for those distant who need eyes representing them. Some managers do an excellent job for their customers including regular checks on the boats and making sure work is done as the owner wanted.