SeaStart Excellent Service

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Scubadoo

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Last Sunday I managed to get my props tangled in some fishing rope near Freshwater bay. Although I tried to sort it out myself with no luck, decided to call seastart and within about an hour they were on the scene with a diver who removed one of my props and basically got me on my way again.

Excellent friendly service and peace of mind, this is the second time I've had to call them out in the last three years and on both occansions simply outstanding service.

Certianly worth the £125+ each year.

Anyone else experience good service from Seastart or for that matter poor service.
 
Well done.....makes a change from people using the RNLI as a break down service! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Never used them, but do have their number on a sticker by the helm and I have only ever heard good things of them, I believe they do come out and you can join in one go, but it is around £400 for first time use and membership.... as I haven't needed them yet I think I'm quids in....

the idea of calling the RNLI up for a mechanical failure within the Solent would (IMO) just not be right.... unless I was in grave danger!!

edited bit;
Just looked at their website, haven't done so for a few years.... there used to be mention of non-members call out fee (which is where I remember seeing £400 mentioned). Not there any more.... Does anyone know if they do still come out for non members? (and obviously charge a premium), or just don't!!.... if they don't then I guess I might consider joining.... although it was the reason I invested in a decent size auxiliary engine......!
 
Sea Start office here. Thank you for your kind comments. we're delighted to know you were pleased with our service.

As regards our membership fees, £400.00 is way off the mark (the average annual fee is £150.00). If you are not a member and breakdown we will indeed provide assistance but we require you to pay the annual membership fee, plus a £70.00 non-member call out fee (the £70.00 element is a one-off payment). This is indeed mentioned on our website; links below.

https://www.seastart.co.uk/membership-information/why-join-seastart.html

https://www.seastart.co.uk/membership-information/SeaStart_KeyFacts02.pdf

If you need any more information - just call us!
 
I've been a member of Seastart for 10 years, only had to call them out once, a couple of years back. That was a fouled prop, I can only give praise to the level of services as well. Out within 45 mins and all sorted with a minimum of fuss and bother.

Like any insurance, absolultely priceless when you need it.
 
Seastart,

fast reply..... well done! I guess a reflection on your service??!! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

....thanks for pointing me to part of your website I couldn't find earlier.... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif .... trouble is, now you've made me feel guilty that I rely on this fact, but in my defence I am quiet self sufficient, hence why I got a decent size auxiliary engine.... (its my only excuse!!!)
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sea Start office here. Thank you for your kind comments. we're delighted to know you were pleased with our service.

As regards our membership fees, £400.00 is way off the mark (the average annual fee is £150.00). If you are not a member and breakdown we will indeed provide assistance but we require you to pay the annual membership fee, plus a £70.00 non-member call out fee (the £70.00 element is a one-off payment). This is indeed mentioned on our website; links below.

https://www.seastart.co.uk/membership-information/why-join-seastart.html

https://www.seastart.co.uk/membership-information/SeaStart_KeyFacts02.pdf

If you need any more information - just call us!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well as someone who has never used your services (and hope will never have to!) I must say that the £70 non member call out fee seems very reasonable. You do seem to have a good number of satisfied customers on here, we hear nothing but praise. Well done.
 
Sea start have always had good reports from users, so well done on running a customer friendly business. I think the £70 non member call out charge is too cheap, it invites people not to join until they have a problem, so you lose out on annual fees. Maybe you should offer a more limited non-member service, and make it clear you look after members first?
 
sssshhh, they might hear you!


....oh the basis in my mind it was a lot more than £70 for a one off call out charge if not a member, it would still have been my first call made if I needed them...
But just think, once you've called them out once and they have done a good job, I doubt you would then ever let your subscription slip!!
 
Just to confirm: Non-members have to pay the annual membership fee, let's say £150, plus a £70 non-member call-out fee, totalling £220. Therefore, we don't lose out on annual fees.

If you look at the first link that I posted, it clearly states "members first".

Again, thanks for the compliments :-)
 
Another happy customer, here. Used seastart once - first day on my first mobo - batteries too flat to start her. Also done the diesel engine course - excellent way to spend a day in the winter and gave me an excuse to buy some really top notch spanners.
 
I have used them once in the UK and had phone support while in both France and Holland while I fixed the problem myself.
The Seastart subscription is one thing I won't go to sea without
 
I would also add that an aux engine may not always get you out of trouble.

I should also point out that it is not just the on call visits they do, they also provide a valuable advice service, I have called them for advice on batteries, oil pressure etc and they still offer to visit me on berth if required.

For £150 a year it is very much a peace of mind.

PS. If only the RAC/AA was as good.
 
SeaStart are absolutely EXCELLENT - similar story - 8am Hurst Point when a trawlers net with a 4 inch (I only do old money not metric) diameter rope decided to use my shafts as knitting needles! Nick (SeaStart's boss man) was coming out of Lymington behind us and was with us in less than 5 mins - then underneath with a big knife and cleared everything - we made Cherbourg only 10 minutes late!!!
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In 2007 they installed 2 of my own new batteries for me when they failed and didn't charge ANY labour!!! Simply brilliant.
 
More praise for seastart from me. Been a member for eight years and called them out three times. Rope round the props, over heating engine and non starting engine (two weeks ago at the Mercury meet but managed to find the fault before the guy turned up but he still checked everything over). First class service every time. Certainly worth every penny for the peace of mind.
 
I'm a fan of SeaStart, the concept, their obvious great service, and to know they are there as an emergency (prior to calling the RNLI!)... but I am mechanically minded and in my experience (a number of decades of..)
I would say an auxiliary engine will get me out of most issues that would require a call to Seastart... things that my auxiliary engine would fail to help with might be more serious and require someone else, apart from Seastart..... Oh yes, and I am incredibly independent (aka pig headed!)


......hopefully not "famous last words!!!!"

(before anyone adds the obvious problem of having rope around the prop scenario which Seastart are obviously adept at removing, my main engine is an outboard, so I could lift it and clear that myself.. but my next boat will be inboard shalf drive, so then I will join!!) /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I've been a member for a few years and have never called them out.
I did have reason to do so about 2yrs ago when I couldn't re-start the engine. I was about 4 miles SW of Prawle Point.
This was obviously outside their 3ml radius from a given port (not sure if Salcombe is one of these). I therefore didn't ring them and ended up doing a Pan-Pan.
Three miles offshore isn't very far - wouldn't cover crossing Lyme Bay or doing say Salcombe-Falmouth.
I'm still happy to pay the sub. though.
 
They are great, but remember, the £70 non member callout is also subject to their current workload, so you may have to stress about "when" they might turn out and the £70 after that, the "bottom of the queue" issue would scare me more than the £70. I know this fact because when I called them out another caller came in and they were told because they were non members they would have to wait, fair enough!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I've been a member for a few years and have never called them out.
I did have reason to do so about 2yrs ago when I couldn't re-start the engine. I was about 4 miles SW of Prawle Point.
This was obviously outside their 3ml radius from a given port (not sure if Salcombe is one of these). I therefore didn't ring them and ended up doing a Pan-Pan.
Three miles offshore isn't very far - wouldn't cover crossing Lyme Bay or doing say Salcombe-Falmouth.
I'm still happy to pay the sub. though.

[/ QUOTE ]

If I were you, I would have called them, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't leave you in trouble and help if they could.
 
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