Its ended "Messily" again !

[rigman]

He did that to us also, for last August, but I asked him what the reduced rate was for the wave break, - none -. I had booked 4 months earlier so insisted and got a place. There are too many accidents waiting to happen there, and it looks like development is ceasing for the moment - although Yiannes has always said they can't build at the same time as moving boats.....

Is there any sign of the travel hoist he promised yet?

Not sure about the travel hoist. I am offshore at the moment but will be down there next week. If they can somehow get it together then it has great potential. To be honest I am glad we didn't lift out and stayed afloat for the winter as I see a potential cluster on the horizon.

 

[Chris_Robb]

They say Lord Byron died there, maybe after seeing his boat repair!

Messalongy is a nice place, great town, nice people and very helpful if not terrifically well stocked chandler near the port, really good motor factors in the town that stocks lots of boat stuff. etc etc.

But the marina! expensive and ****. Never needing to leave my boat there, I always use the town quay, stand pipe, fuel delivered by truck, friendly fishermen, etc. The wall is a bit jaggy, but there is a concrete monstrosity permanently tied up there that I usually use as a fender.

Did you ever have any trouble with the Gypsies? Last year there was one family nicking bikes and riding them into the sea for fun. Got hold on mine when I my back was turned for 2 seconds - managed to stop them before they rode it into the sea as well. The mother and father were there and thought it was huge joke!

 

[Chris_Robb]

Not sure about the travel hoist. I am offshore at the moment but will be down there next week. If they can somehow get it together then it has great potential. To be honest I am glad we didn't lift out and stayed afloat for the winter as I see a potential cluster on the horizon.

You may remember my boat was damaged by the trailer - those stupidly small pads - it distorted the bottom on each side at the stern. After Paleros had made quotes - with no detail of how they would do the repair we declined to use them and moved the boat - Navigators paid all my flight costs to go back in November and move the boat to Aktio, where it has been repaired. Now, they have got proper trailers there - 3 sets of pads each side all in excess of 2 metres long plus a bow support!

I really hope that they get it together. They were caught with their pants down last year with the runaway success.

 

[grumpygit]

Hi Graham - alias Grumpy old Git...

Ayup Chris.....Graham I am, Grumpy I can be, a Git there is a chance of.....But old....now you are taking the p++s.. I'm at least 7 years younger than my teeth and they're all mine. How about you????

_______________________________________________________

 

[Ariadne]

Why are all so supprised by all this at Messy?

It was posted on here last year what the marina was like, and numerous posts since then saying how bad they are - but as usual nobody listened to those who were 'on the ground'.

They weren't supprised last year - they advertised very it well, and knew in August they were going to be full. Still they took the CASH and did nothing, it apears they still have done very little to make it feel safe for us boat owners.

Sorry for those who love Y & J, but they are very poor managers; and proved many, many times.

Shame as Messy is a fantastic place, and if you look around you can get 90% of the things you need at a good cash price. Didn't really need a marina as the harbour is bomb proof.

But, the mozzies are another story - I'm sure it was called Mosquito creek before!!!

 

[Chris_Robb]

Ayup Chris.....Graham I am, Grumpy I can be, a Git there is a chance of.....But old....now you are taking the p++s.. I'm at least 7 years younger than my teeth and they're all mine. How about you????

_______________________________________________________

All my own teeth to..... Sorry about the "old" bit - slip of the finger...

 

[vyv_cox]

Shame as Messy is a fantastic place, and if you look around you can get 90% of the things you need at a good cash price. Didn't really need a marina as the harbour is bomb proof.

I agree, it's a good port ruined for me. We have spent weeks on the old pontoons before the marina arrived. A super peaceful place with everything you could want a tender ride away. No longer, I'm sorry to say.

Do the turtles still appear or has the shouting frightened them off?

 

[Chris_Robb]

I agree, it's a good port ruined for me. We have spent weeks on the old pontoons before the marina arrived. A super peaceful place with everything you could want a tender ride away. No longer, I'm sorry to say.

Do the turtles still appear or has the shouting frightened them off?

Vyv, it may yet revert and become yet another of the traditional Greek Marinas..... We will be on the town quay when we pass through in early April; I think we were quoted €36 per night - but they have not published their prices this year on their website which is a bit strange.

 

[vyv_cox]

Can be quite noisy on the town quay. That little outdoor taverna is a goldmine, very popular, so there are cars and mopeds in and out all night. Worth eating there though, the food is excellent.

Still plenty of anchoring space though!

 

[Ariadne]

We had two turtles in the marina when we were there but we didn't see any later on though :-(

But a great place, we made many friends (locals & yachties) there, the kids went to the local school (Something Yan prommised to arrange, and fair do's he turned up trumps with that!) for 4 months there.

In the case of Yan & Jo, they could have gold mine but they are not able to realise its potential, as neither of them have clue how to run a marina and they are too stubbon or tight to pay to get in anybody who could.

They weren't liked in the town as they stoped the locals from doing business there unless they paid a commision to Yan. So basically thay had little or no local support in a venture, which was approved by the normal Greek political method. (EDIT, sealed tender!)

 

[Capella1]

The notice, below, has been posted on the Cruising Association website:

Subject: Ending cooperation Paleros Yacht Service

Dear Guests of Messolonghi Marina,With this letter we like to inform you that, we have ended our cooperation with Paleros YachtService(PYS).

Reason:In August 2010, we agreed on a 50/50 partnership with PYS on the total boat service.PYS started immediately and until today they serviced many boats.PYS had the management and was totally responsible for client contacts, price offers,invoicing and administration.On a monthly base PYS would take the updated administration to the marina office forchecking.

They never did.More and more we received questions from our customer about the status of the agreedservices, done pre-payments, goods (sails, motors, life rafts etc.) taken by Paleros to theirworkshop, non received invoices and not answered emails.In January we set an ultimatum. If the total administration would not be handed over, theywould be denied access to the marina. Until today they have not done so.Because we don’t want our guest to suffer from this situation, PYS is granted access to themarina until 08 April 2011, to finish running contracts.If PYS had handed over the financial administration in January, there they could have finishedall services in time.

PYS is fully responsible for the resulting delay.Messolonghi Marina is responsible for the wellbeing of their guests and their property.We cannot and will not work with partners we cannot trust.We have started to work with other professional companies for supplying the bestservice for all boat.We want to apologise for the arisen situation and try to finish this problem to our best ability.Please contact us if you require any information on the above and/or if you need any work tobe done.

Kind regards,Messolonghi Marina ManagementJo Mennen, Yiannes Angelopoulos

It is very nice to read, that "Messolonghi Marina is responsible for the wellbeing of their guests and their property."

But what about the three customers and their boats being damaged in the accident back on September 06, 2010 ???

Messy did no show any responisbility until today, May 02, 2011 !!!

Shortly after the accident happened Robert Meyer of Paleros came up with an incomplete and therefore not acceptable price offer for the repairs on our sailboat CAPELLA. Besides this Robert Meyer was arrogant and ignorant. We several times tried to explain the situation to Jo Mennen, why we are not willing to go with Paleros for our repairs necessary.

Jo Mennen did not want to listen. He insisted on Paleros doing the job - otherwise he would not pay for the damages his company and his people caused. Unfortunately that is the exact thing he did until this very day: he did not pay for anything - and for the future he seems not to be willing to either.

Now reading the article Jo Mennen wrote, sorry - we can only laugh out loud!

Before Mr. Mennen wants to be canonized, he should really think about how to compensate the damages caused!

As of what we know, only our boat is meanwhile repaired and ready for this season, because we took her off the place and had her carried to Lavrio-Yachts, an excellent repair company in Lavrio - by truck - the other two ships involved still remain incompletly repaired on the Messy yard ...

Well, as I said ... we are really very, very happy to read, that now obviously everything improves significantly

Nevertheless, like many others: we are glad to be out of there (eventhough it is a pitty for Messolonghi itself I must say ...)

 

[Sybaris]

...
Jo Mennen did not want to listen.
...

I have to agree with you totally. They don't take any customer feedback very well.

I wrote last year somewhere here on YBW about our experience in a Messy cradle in April 2010. In short our yacht has a displacement of 25 metric tonnes and a freeboard of 2 meter (i.e. a big windage). Our cradle originally only had 3 supporting legs and all of them were pointing out supported by chain and rebars. The keel was standing on soft pine wood. I pointed this out to both managers and was laughed at. Yiannis didn't want to discuss it and Jo told me that the boat actually only needed the two rear cradle arms (why 100% of all other yards use 4 supports or more is a question for Trivial Pursuit). I made a make shift 4th support myself the first day.

The second night the wood under the keel broke and the boat dropped about 10cm. When I asked Yiannis the next day nicely if he could replace it with hardwood he screamed at me on the yard.

The reason for writing this again is not some sort of a vendetta but simply because I felt very let down by their behaviour, and having read about the accident that happened to Capella later on in 2010 I think that my comments and concerns about the cradles were worthy of more than scorn and contempt. Even if I would have been wrong I was still the client and it wouldn't have been hard for them to deal with my concern in a nicer manner.

I hope they invest in more manpower because I think that at least Yiannis behaviour at the time was down to being totally overworked. He was the only one running the whole show most of the time - an almost impossible task. It might have changed by now. A PR and people oriented marina manager would be a huge boost as well as a competent and knowledgeable secretary.

The site has much going for it and we enjoyed our winter in Messalonghi and by being more open to customer feedback I still thing they are on to a winner.

Cheers,
Per

 

[Ariadne]

Per

Some things will never change, will they. Yannis and Jo have the customer relations ability of a rabid wolves - look at the way Yannis shouted and screamed at Sarah for complaining the water was cold and the showers full of S--t! He didn't look but he was right and she was wrong (because she was a woman and he is a proud Greek, therefore can't be told he's wrong in public by a woman!), When I complained to Jo ..........................well you know what happened and I put it all on here at the time.

Only to told by Jo and Yannis (and our Canadian friend) later, that if I didn't stop asking for an appology from Yannis and complaining about the lack of facilities I would asked to leave.

I'd never recomend the marina to anybody and still stand by that. It's a disaster waiting to happen and run by incompetant management.

 

[Mr Cassandra]

I have to agree with you totally. They don't take any customer feedback very well.

I wrote last year somewhere here on YBW about our experience in a Messy cradle in April 2010. In short our yacht has a displacement of 25 metric tonnes and a freeboard of 2 meter (i.e. a big windage). Our cradle originally only had 3 supporting legs and all of them were pointing out supported by chain and rebars. The keel was standing on soft pine wood. I pointed this out to both managers and was laughed at. Yiannis didn't want to discuss it and Jo told me that the boat actually only needed the two rear cradle arms (why 100% of all other yards use 4 supports or more is a question for Trivial Pursuit). I made a make shift 4th support myself the first day.

The second night the wood under the keel broke and the boat dropped about 10cm. When I asked Yiannis the next day nicely if he could replace it with hardwood he screamed at me on the yard.

The reason for writing this again is not some sort of a vendetta but simply because I felt very let down by their behaviour, and having read about the accident that happened to Capella later on in 2010 I think that my comments and concerns about the cradles were worthy of more than scorn and contempt. Even if I would have been wrong I was still the client and it wouldn't have been hard for them to deal with my concern in a nicer manner.

I hope they invest in more manpower because I think that at least Yiannis behaviour at the time was down to being totally overworked. He was the only one running the whole show most of the time - an almost impossible task. It might have changed by now. A PR and people oriented marina manager would be a huge boost as well as a competent and knowledgeable secretary.

The site has much going for it and we enjoyed our winter in Messalonghi and by being more open to customer feedback I still thing they are on to a winner.

Cheers,
Per[/QUOTE


I told you at the time that this yard was sub standard even for Greece. And would you listen NO?. You even took the piss out of me, for taking the piss.

 

[Sybaris]

I told you at the time that this yard was sub standard even for Greece. And would you listen NO?. You even took the piss out of me, for taking the piss.

Yes, and I was wrong ;-)

... but did I really "take the piss out of you"? If I did I apologize. As I recall it we were having a debate and I was reporting what things were like as they happened, because I was there. It wasn't until I was in the cradle that I was mangled by the owners, i.e. I had nothing negative to report until then.

Per

 

[Capella1]

Of course all of you are right. Not to listen to custiomers, customers being treated badly and even being sreemed at is a very, very unprofessional behaviour and mismanagement.

This is the one thing. Damaging custome's property without wanting to be in charge that's the other thing.

And I am not talking about peanuts. The damage to our boat amounted to 25.000,00 Euros excl. VAT plus damage to personnel belongings. Even worse: right after the accident happened Jo Mennen (twice!) promised to pay for the repair, but he changed his mind rather quickly ...

 

[Sybaris]

Of course all of you are right. Not to listen to custiomers, customers being treated badly and even being sreemed at is a very, very unprofessional behaviour and mismanagement.

This is the one thing. Damaging custome's property without wanting to be in charge that's the other thing.

And I am not talking about peanuts. The damage to our boat amounted to 25.000,00 Euros excl. VAT plus damage to personnel belongings. Even worse: right after the accident happened Jo Mennen (twice!) promised to pay for the repair, but he changed his mind rather quickly ...

Did your insurance agree to pay for it?

 

[Capella1]

Did your insurance agree to pay for it?

Hallo Sybaris,

finally and after all for most of it yes. Nevertheless this is no excuse for Mr. Mennen, since a couple of thousand euros we had to pay ourselves - especially for those things not covered by the boat repair, i.e. laptop, glasses, ect.

 

[Sybaris]

Hallo Sybaris,

finally and after all for most of it yes. Nevertheless this is no excuse for Mr. Mennen, since a couple of thousand euros we had to pay ourselves - especially for those things not covered by the boat repair, i.e. laptop, glasses, ect.

Hi Capella,

No it is certainly no excuse and I am actually surprised that your insurance paid, I would have thought it to fall under the insurance of the boat yard. Glad to hear your boat is fixed now as it must have been a real ordeal.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Yes, and I was wrong ;-)

... but did I really "take the piss out of you"? If I did I apologize. As I recall it we were having a debate and I was reporting what things were like as they happened, because I was there. It wasn't until I was in the cradle that I was mangled by the owners, i.e. I had nothing negative to report until then.

Per

Per - Jo also agreed to the repairs on ours - the damn trailer! When push came to shove, they insisted that only Paleros could do the repair, and I said I had only had serious negative feed back. So I had to leave. At this point Paleros did a stupid quote of €2500 which just happens to be their insurance excess, but would provide no break down of what they would do (they eventually cost €5000) When I came to remove the boat (they damaged it more on the trailer) they then said I could get Les Wood from Levkas to repair it. Les said that he woudl not work in the same yard a Paleros! so I left for Aktio. Best decision ever. My insurer paid everything including my costs of travel from UK to move the boat (Navigators and General- brilliant) However, they never had confirmation that the named insurance company did actually insure them! So are they actually insured.

Why trust your boat to them when there are many other places to go.