Unbelievable Situation - WTF???

I would like to know why you were not notified of the problem and asked to authorize the repair??? Like Franks said, ask them to SHOW you the parts replaced or the repairs. NOT tell you about them. I would be VERY suspicious not to mention VERY pi$$ed!
 
Ok - here's the resolution to this deal...I called the service manager - who I actually think is a good guy. His explanation was that on maneuvering for the haulout he had no steering. When it was on the hard and all the boats were pulled he sent a tech guy to check it out and get us a quote.

Turns out it was leaking seals on the HC5319 steering cylinder. Total price for the seal kit is $44.50 (widely available online.) Why it was leaking no one knows but basically there was no steering which to me means it had to be spraying fluid.

Well the service guy put together an estimate and the quote sat in the office. The guy then came back to it later figuring that we had been notified and that it was approved, and went ahead with the repair. Total cost for me was a lot of labor, $88 for parts, $50 for shop supplies, and a total of about $850.

My main complaint was that we were not notified about anybody even going on the boat much less that they proceeded with the repair. I own a construction company with a very capable maintenance shop and we definitely would have tackled this ourselves.

So I articulated this to the service manager who did not protest one bit. In the end I agreed to pay 2 hours of labor (@ $90/per) - probably the amount it would have taken to remove & replace the cylinder and to bleed the system (which they did as part of the entire process). Total cost is $225 which is probably a deal now that it is all said and done.

I think two things were accomplished here. #1 - I got the problem repaired for a good price & #2 - the shop now knows full well not to *#ck with my boat without checking first.

As I made clear to the manager - I like the marina that I'm at and the last thing I want is bad blood between us...I think all is well now and I'm satisfied.

It just seems like its never easy anymore getting any kind of these things done. I have a high performance airplane as well and getting maintenance (under warranty no less) on that thing is equally painful. Just seems like high dollar items like this ought to carry a premium on service quality as well. ho hum.............:huh:
 
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i believe that the higher the price of the toy, the more likely you are to have an attempt made by someone to take advantage of you. the thinking may sometimes be, "what the heck, this guy has money, he isnt even going to notice this as a blip on the radar of his checkbook." and you can be sure that if they throw 100 of these "repairs" against the wall, 85 of them will "stick" and the payment will come rolling in without protest.

but alas, it is comforting to know that there are still boaters out there that are wary and dont like to be "had." heck, it could've just been a honest oversight on their part, but your actions may help the next unsuspecting guy by making the yard think twice about proceeding with a repair OR take more care when it comes to getting approvals.

bravo!
 
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Glad to see your resolution worked out well......:thumbsup:
 
Hmm. . . that is a good point about "blip on the radar".

Last time I had my sailboat launched, I incurred a fairly random (under $50) charge to fix mast lights. The $50 (and maybe it was less) was not a blip on my radar, and was not something I could fix easily myself (without going up in a bosun's chair). I didn't question it. . .(since the bulb was probably 33 years old at the time) and am glad the lights worked.
 
Sprint27c said:
..........As I made clear to the manager - I like the marina that I'm at and the last thing I want is bad blood between us...I think all is well now and I'm satisfied.
Click to expand...

....you're lucky he didn't bill you for the fiberglass work he had to do after he ran it on the rocks.........:smt021

Seriously I'm glad it worked out. Drop a 6pack by for the tech and Manager that did the work and tell him you appreciate the quality work. It works wonders.
 
Glad it worked out.
I never did understand what the lack of steering had to do with almost running it into the rocks, anyway. I never touch the wheel at idle speed...
 
tobnpr said:
Glad it worked out.
I never did understand what the lack of steering had to do with almost running it into the rocks, anyway. I never touch the wheel at idle speed...
Click to expand...

There is a stretch of about 150 yards of semi-open water that he had to pass through...then line up for the "gauntlet" (rocks on port, seawall on starboard) to get down to the lift. At some point I'm sure he would have made sure the the rudders were centered; though they would probably have been already. Also there was damned near a gale blowing that day...a bit of rudder correction doesn't hurt even when cruising out of the dock area.

The real nightmare would have been if the rudders went off center and then the cylinder failed...you'd be left with a big boat, heavy winds, low water, a narrow passage, and less than stellar differential thrust behavior.

I suppose that might have been the case and that would make a man out of you real quick...even with heavy doses of bow thruster. Regardless - no scratches, no patches...they got lucky I believe. In any case - I will be the one piloting the boat for all reasons from now on....
 
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