Problems with boat services people

[annageek]

So, me and my boyfriend have owned our boat for 2.5ish years. Before this, we were both completely new to the whole boating world, and we have both fallen in love with boats, boating and pretty much everything that is boat related... with one HUGE exception... 'Boat services people'!

By boat services people, I mean people involved in fixing, maintaining and making good the boat. We have dealt with 4 different companies so far, all of whom came highly recommended, and some who's names pop up on here (and other boat forums) as being considered by some the best of the bunch. I'm not here to review, incriminate or name and shame anybody - and I am being especially careful in not giving away specific details for this very reason.

I am fed up with asking anybody to get anything done and being told 'Yeah, I'll sort it next week', only for the next week to come and to be told exactly the same again.. and again, and again. I am fed up with being invoiced for work that hasn't been done, simple bits of work being completed incorrectly, work being carried out when all I had asked for was an estimate or quote (which I never received and therefore never agreed to) the boat being left in a state once people have finished working on it and even turning up at the boat to take her out for an afternoon, only to find it's being worked on by people how have told me they have either finished what they had to do the week before! It really leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Over the past two summers, we have lost about 6 months of boat use due to work not being started anywhere near when it should have or being started and then not finished for months. I.e. Removing the sterndrive and taking it back to a workshop (that we have not access to) and then taking 9 weeks to change the impeller - which leaves us with no choice but to wait and moan!

To cap it off, I was somewhat irked when we were invoiced yesterday for work that was allegedly carried out in April/May this year. Not only that, but the person who sent the invoice (dated 9th December) told us that he's sent it though before and that it was probably in a junk inbox (it most certainly wasn't - checked / double checked) and wan't us to settle up immediately! Clearly the invoice was only raised by him yesterday!

I realise that, at times, supply of these services is less than demand, and accept that. This, however is no excuse for lies, dire service, and poor standards of work!

My question is, is this the same for other people? Or is it that we're seen as 'wet behind the ears' and easy to pull a fast one over? Or is it simply that a boat like ours (which really is at the bottom end of the boat spectrum) keeps slipping to the bottom of the to-do list of these people, because the Bigger / posher / shinier boats are more enjoyable / profitable / rewarding to work on?

Is the way forward simply to do what necessity has driven us to do and to simply work things out and do everything DIY style?

 

[acbruce]

A familiar pattern but there are some exceptions. Their good service stands out even more markedly in contrast to the norm.

 

[sailorman]

DIY where ever posible is the answer

 

[pmagowan]

This is why PBO exists.

 

[Whitelighter]

Try using one of the companies rather than one man bands (and be careful of one man bands who appear to be companies).

Cheaper isnt always better

 

[SEARANGER ANCASTER]

Welcome to the world of boating ! I run a company where we need to "jump" to supply parts or do repairs to keep customers happy. It is even more annoying for me when "next week will do " attitude that is all so common in the boating world. So I try and do as much as possible myself ( plus its a damn sight cheaper)

 

[beejay190]

Over the past nine years I have used the services of four different firms of marine engineers based in Poole and have been happy with the service I received from each of them.

 

[Ripster]

No, you are not alone. It appears to be part of the culture for some service providers. It pays to get a recommendation (on here for example) or at your Marina about who to go to. I am at the moment waiting for the work to be done up the mast - very nice guy and very experienced. He has been going to do it since Early October, but has not got round to it yet and keeps giving new deadlines. I tend to give an outside deadline and then cancel if its not done and get someone else or do it myself. My mast guy knows what the deal is and knows if its not done, he'll lose the business.

You seem to have had a bad run, but don't give up. There are good guys out there.

 

[volvopaul]

So, me and my boyfriend have owned our boat for 2.5ish years. Before this, we were both completely new to the whole boating world, and we have both fallen in love with boats, boating and pretty much everything that is boat related... with one HUGE exception... 'Boat services people'!

By boat services people, I mean people involved in fixing, maintaining and making good the boat. We have dealt with 4 different companies so far, all of whom came highly recommended, and some who's names pop up on here (and other boat forums) as being considered by some the best of the bunch. I'm not here to review, incriminate or name and shame anybody - and I am being especially careful in not giving away specific details for this very reason.

I am fed up with asking anybody to get anything done and being told 'Yeah, I'll sort it next week', only for the next week to come and to be told exactly the same again.. and again, and again. I am fed up with being invoiced for work that hasn't been done, simple bits of work being completed incorrectly, work being carried out when all I had asked for was an estimate or quote (which I never received and therefore never agreed to) the boat being left in a state once people have finished working on it and even turning up at the boat to take her out for an afternoon, only to find it's being worked on by people how have told me they have either finished what they had to do the week before! It really leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Over the past two summers, we have lost about 6 months of boat use due to work not being started anywhere near when it should have or being started and then not finished for months. I.e. Removing the sterndrive and taking it back to a workshop (that we have not access to) and then taking 9 weeks to change the impeller - which leaves us with no choice but to wait and moan!

To cap it off, I was somewhat irked when we were invoiced yesterday for work that was allegedly carried out in April/May this year. Not only that, but the person who sent the invoice (dated 9th December) told us that he's sent it though before and that it was probably in a junk inbox (it most certainly wasn't - checked / double checked) and wan't us to settle up immediately! Clearly the invoice was only raised by him yesterday!

I realise that, at times, supply of these services is less than demand, and accept that. This, however is no excuse for lies, dire service, and poor standards of work!

My question is, is this the same for other people? Or is it that we're seen as 'wet behind the ears' and easy to pull a fast one over? Or is it simply that a boat like ours (which really is at the bottom end of the boat spectrum) keeps slipping to the bottom of the to-do list of these people, because the Bigger / posher / shinier boats are more enjoyable / profitable / rewarding to work on?

Is the way forward simply to do what necessity has driven us to do and to simply work things out and do everything DIY style?

I only email invoives when I have stated to my client I am doing such that, that way they can expect it, I have in the past suffered this as some emails and servers don't allow new emails to go direct, my junk box is full every day with companies trying to get through to me cold selling etc. so nothing new there. Sorry to hear up ur a victim of bad companies , the marine industry like any other shares itself with bad suppliers, labour and alike.

 

[volvopaul]

Try using one of the companies rather than one man bands (and be careful of one man bands who appear to be companies).

Cheaper isnt always better

You say that, one of my clients has phoned me today in a big panic, his boat was lifted " at a big company" for some grp work, they drummed up over 4 grands worth of work that I had quoted him £600 to carry out. It was nothing to do with the grp work I will add.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Welcome to the world of boating ! I run a company where we need to "jump" to supply parts or do repairs to keep customers happy.

I do too and if I treated my customers like I get treated by the boating industry, I'd soon be out of business. It does amaze me that successful people who have often earned the money necessary to buy an expensive boat by offering first rate quality and back up to their customers, are willing to accept the shoddy service they often receive in the boating industry. I guess like me, after a few years, you just get immune to it all and tell yourself that's the price of owning a boat

 

[pan]

Sorry to hear of your experiences, unfortunately the problem is the 'nature of the beast'... boats! What seems to be a simple easy job, turns into a nightmare of inaccessibility, corroded nuts/bolts etc that haven't been touched for years and usually submerged in salt water for all that time, lost count of the times I have started a small diy job & wished I hadn't.

Try to find either by referral or own experience marine people you can trust, in particular specialists for the work you want, build up a rapport with them (pay on time or sooner) discuss & agree the work you want doing & when, a price & completion time... most importantly get them to agree they will advise you if the job or cost is going to run over & why. I believe most marine engineers want to establish a good customer base that pays on time and doesn't just use them for that emergency job! Work out a proper maintenance schedule with them, prevention is better than cure....

Then forget the hassle & bills & enjoy your boating......:encouragement:

 

[David2452]

Time management and is an issue with many small marine (and other) organisations, as is the fear of losing business due to long lead times for a start date. Personally I prefer not to disappoint but if I have to I believe it is best to do it now rather than give an unrealistic expectation and disappoint after one has committed . I am currently into March '15 (quick emergency and warranty jobs apart) with bookings, it's simply a matter of being able to say "No I'm really sorry but I can't start it until ???" that way the customer at least has the option of sourcing help elsewhere instead of believing all is taken care of.
There is also the obverse side of the coin, being booked, reserving the time only to have a last minute cancellation or no show and no communication.

 

[CharlieAlpha]

As one of my 'boat service' people told me "ask a fair price and do a good job and you get repeat work, you can only rip a customer off once";

 

[jfm]

It sounds like you have had a run of bad luck there Anna - while stories of bad service are quite common there are plenty of good service providers too, so you are having a below average run in general I think. I know this thread isn't about naming particular firms but I have been impressed by what Berthon in Lymington do, Osmotech in the Hamble, and of course Essex Boatyards (now Boats.co.uk) whose service is outstanding. And VolvoPaul on here is well known as very capable and reliable on engine servicing. Of course, other people may be able to give war stories where they have had bad service from these people - each of us represents a tiny % of these people's business

All that said, I do everything diy as far as feasible. By the time you've booked the service visit, had a few date clashes and last minute postponements, put up with clunky service say 1/3rd of the time or whatever, and got irritated by omissions by the tech, it's just easier to diy. Also with some tricky things (eg where there is an aesthetic angle or OCD-ism is in play) it is easier to diy than to do a drawing that no-one reads or to explain the precise details of what you want to someone who doesn't get it. Indeed, my last 5 years of boating have been "in warranty" by the excellent Boats.co.uk but often I just ask for the part to be sent in a jiffy bag and diy it, rather than arrange the ceremony of a full service visit

 

[gjgm]

I suspect there is also an aspect that folk do try to look after their regulars first. If you jump from one to another, it is more likely that you will be towards the back. I also know that jobs can start simple and get complex. If that was your boat, you would probably want the job finished rather than be told, "oh well, your day is up, and I am off to the next one". You, too, would like the task finished. So, we all have to accept that timelines slip, here.
When I started I too got frustrated- you come back to find oil footprints on your teak, sort of thing. I did not use them again, but they are one of the most repected on the south coast, so, as JFM says, sometimes it just doesn't work for you.
I suggest try staying loyal to a good provider and cut them some slack when needed. You might find they try a bit harder to keep you on the water.

 

[rubberduck]

I could post a copy of a pm right now, re some work I wanted done, but I wont.

 

[admillington]

+1 For Berthon, Osmotech and Essex Boatyards

Berthon

When I first moved to Lymington Marina, I was concerned about the closed shop situation. Nothing to worry about, basically you have a large very well run shipyard next to your boat. Anything that needs doing get done on time and very well. Add the boat valeting team and that just finishes it off. We can now leave the boat at the end of the weekend and the valeting team come during the week and do a hotel room level clean - including various towel art.

Osmotech

I had a problem with the tender lifting system - basically when Fairline had fitted it there was a damaged reservoir tank that lasted a while until it got hot and poured the contents into the bilge - just at the time that my son had his mates down on the boat and the Williams was required! Osmotech got the part from Italy, fitted it, left spare oil and communicated at all times about what was going on. Also when they were nearby a few weeks later they dropped in and gave it a final check.

EBY - now boats.so.uk

An example of their good service. I was fitting a wi-fi adapter for my Garmin kit and was getting a bit hot and turned the dash aircon onto cool (usually only ever on heat mode) and then one of the kids called up that there was water dripping out of the ceiling. The collection tray under the aircon was split - clearly when fitted. The boat was two years old at the this point. The unit is fitted into the roof space and was very boxed in. EBY got an ex Fairline employee who used to fit them to come and dismantle the boat and fit the new tray - and they didn't charge me!


-Andrew

It sounds like you have had a run of bad luck there Anna - while stories of bad service are quite common there are plenty of good service providers too, so you are having a below average run in general I think. I know this thread isn't about naming particular firms but I have been impressed by what Berthon in Lymington do, Osmotech in the Hamble, and of course Essex Boatyards (now Boats.co.uk) whose service is outstanding. And VolvoPaul on here is well known as very capable and reliable on engine servicing. Of course, other people may be able to give war stories where they have had bad service from these people - each of us represents a tiny % of these people's business

All that said, I do everything diy as far as feasible. By the time you've booked the service visit, had a few date clashes and last minute postponements, put up with clunky service say 1/3rd of the time or whatever, and got irritated by omissions by the tech, it's just easier to diy. Also with some tricky things (eg where there is an aesthetic angle or OCD-ism is in play) it is easier to diy than to do a drawing that no-one reads or to explain the precise details of what you want to someone who doesn't get it. Indeed, my last 5 years of boating have been "in warranty" by the excellent Boats.co.uk but often I just ask for the part to be sent in a jiffy bag and diy it, rather than arrange the ceremony of a full service visit

 

[volvopaul]

I could post a copy of a pm right now, re some work I wanted done, but I wont.

So could I , I was more than willing to do the work , replied to PM many times to be totally ignored.

 

[jrudge]

Remember the franchised motor trade ( who will gladly receive you of £200 per hour) are not much better.

The independents are cheaper - but like boats suffer from being small businesses and more interested in cars / boats than necessarily being able to run an efficient business.

There are exceptions, and generally either in the UK, Atlantic Coast of France and Mallorca I have never really had a problem.

I tend to find people on here or asking at the Marina and then stick with them (Aquatom in Mallorca being one example who looked after my boat for 2 years until I sold it for a new one).

What I do always do for cars, boats etc is to seek to write a 10% clear list of what needs doing, exact problem etc so the everyone is clear what need to be done and if there is a deadline ( we all arrive for our summer holiday!) that they know upfront what it is.

I suppose requirement 101 for anyone I use for anything is can i get them on the phone ( or text - not fussy) If not, I just go elsewhere.