NEED HELP!! (Bottom Scam!!)

[Hatteras45]

Hi every one,

I am in a situation that I don't think that I can get out of. I am hoping someone can help. I had my boat bottom painted at this hole in the wall place in Fort Lauderdale Florida. And the deal was a verbal agreement that he would match the going rate around town to do the work. I then agreed and said I will supply all materials. The going rate around town is a average of 22$ a ft with supplies. long story short he gave me a call back and told me the job is done and the price is 1100$ I then proceeded to tell him that he is f****** crazy and I am not paying that price just for a man to paint the bottom. especially when I supplied the materials!! The work he had done was sand, one barrier coat and one coat of bottom paint. The boat is also only 31 ft!!! My 50 ft Hatteras doesn't even run me that much to do!! This is where I need your help he is threatening me that if I do not pay the full 1100$ he will then hold the boat and not let me take it out of the marina. Do boat yards need to have special licensing to do work like this? Is there any thing I can do so I am not locked in to this guy?? How can I get my boat out legally!!!!!

[canyongear]

Get 3 quotes in writing, take the average and do a face to face, check in hand.

If the guy is a real Pr#$k, the yard can lien the vessel if it's documented, you don't want that and it's easy for them to do.

[Reel_Nauti]

Nothing is in writing?

I would just take my lumps, pay the bill and chalk it up to a lesson learned.

Actually for stripping it, applying barrier coat and painting, it doesn't sound outrageous.

[moveover]

Rough situation. He's overcharging you 50%. I would send him a letter demanding to know how he arrived at that price and which other yards charge that rate. Then I would sue him in small claims court for the difference, after I got my boat back.
It's a pain but that's what these small-time crooks rely on: that you'll payup and forget about it.

[Deep C]

Wow I'd love to find $22 at this end of town. Havn't seen that pricing since the late 80's. $30for a quick coat -$45 for a good job is the common quotes around palm beaches... If he said he'd match do get three qutes as mentioned above and press the issue. Unfortunately as mentioned above also is that he can lien and be a real wanker... To make it worse he could add storage fees to it... Try the quotes thing first... But have the check in hand of that fails...

[canyongear]

Hatteras..

if the yard had to take the hull down to bare gelcoat..which by the way..is the only way to put barrier coat on..depending on how many previous coats of bottom..it's either sand or soda blast the bottom. Then the barrier coat(S)..not one..should be at least 3 or more..(did ya read the can that you supplied them with?)..final sand of the barrier coat if it dried or if they were on it as it was kicking they could hot coat the bottom paint..

I don't know many places that would do all that..do it right..and charge $1100.00.

So something doesn't add up..either you got a crap bottom job..or you told them to do a crap bottom job and they followed your direction and charged accordingly OR perhaps you got a good deal..Barrier coating isn't like slapping bottom paint over bottom paint..so I think I would check what actually was done..by the yard.

If I were you I would call a yard, tell them what you want..sand/blast bare gelcoat..barrier coat(S)..prep..bottom paint..etc..without materials..

I will bet it's North of $1500 all day long..just for the labor..

PS..don't be afraid to go over to your boat with a nice sharp knife and skin back the bottom paint or sand it back to see what they actually did..take a picture..and when push comes to shove..you'll have your answer what kind of job you paid for..

[Reel Compromise]

If so this guy f---d us too. He had a contract with us to pull the 60 Ocean we bought, sand, and paint with Micron CSC. I showed up and there was 1 can of micron and 8 cans with no labels and he was already painting w/o sanding the bottom. I took pictures of the can lids and found out it was $39 cheap ass paint. I confronted him and his mini-me and they told me that they buy paint in bulk and they never have labels. Bullshit! He was also paid to deliver the boat from FtLauderdale to Maryland including fuel, docking, and his fees but he kept the money and ran. I rolled this into my financing and the bank forced me to have the check cut directly to Safely Moored at the time of purchase. Bottomline he was paid in full upfront b/c my financing made me and he took full advantage of it. Ultimately I had to hire another captain to deliver the boat and the paint started coming off before we made it to North Carolina. I will be seeing him in court one day soon since the state of Florida claims they do not provide assistance to out of state victims and I have to go after him on my own with an attorney. Anyone using that thief and his company beware. He will lie and cheat anyone and everyone.

[moveover]

Jesus, what is it about the boat repair business that draws so many thieves and skunks? You can say every field has its louses but the proportion in the boat repair business is much higher.
I think its because the waterfront has always been a sort of lawless place. Historically, things and people had a habit of disappearing there, without much consequence. As in the charming practice of shanghaing. Its always had a devil-may-care, swashbuckling aura that attracted people whose moral compasses were a little bit haywire. And its the progeny of this rum-soaked rif raf that are fixing your boats today!

[Cardinal Joe]

[QUOTE=canyongear;540421]Hatteras..

if the yard had to take the hull down to bare gelcoat..which by the way..is the only way to put barrier coat on..depending on how many previous coats of bottom..it's either sand or soda blast the bottom. Then the barrier coat(S)..not one..should be at least 3 or more..(did ya read the can that you supplied them with?)..final sand of the barrier coat if it dried or if they were on it as it was kicking they could hot coat the bottom paint..

I don't know many places that would do all that..do it right..and charge $1100.00.

So something doesn't add up..either you got a crap bottom job..or you told them to do a crap bottom job and they followed your direction and charged accordingly OR perhaps you got a good deal..Barrier coating isn't like slapping bottom paint over bottom paint..so I think I would check what actually was done..by the yard.



I will bet it's North of $1500 all day long..just for the labor..



First – cheap yard is NOT always the best deal! 2) In my yard I do not allow the customer to supply any of the materials for this kind of bottom paint/ removal job. If I’m going to Warranty any work that is performed in my service yard , I need to used my products ( which all have labels on the cans – Top name brands ) ! 3) Between Soda Blasting, Repairing void’s/ Blister’s in the hull after removing years of bottom paint, re-sanding, preparing the hull for the Barrier coating, then preparing for the first coat of Hard paint –( differ color then the final paint color ) then preparing the hull again for the final coat of Bladed paint –again differ color – so that the following year when the boat is pulled for Winter storage or for just a quick Pressure Washing during the Summer season – I can visually see where the Bladed paint as come off ( doing its job as Bladed paint ) and just spot paint those areas of the hull ! 4) For a 31 ft Hull in my service yard this job would be $2015.00 or $ 65.00 per/ft – This is a 2-3 day job to do it the right way! 5) Deep – is correct, in that this guy COULD charge for daily storage & files a UCC Lien with the Coast Guard!!!!!!! 6) I would first go the “ Sheriffs Office “ to see what they can do legally , ( In the state of New Jersey , I can’t hold a customers boat ,just because he as not paid his bill ) – I would have to take him/she to small claim court to try an collect for services rendered , and I better have a SIGNED contract/service work order in hand !!!!!!!!!!!! because the Judge is Not going to give me any “ KY Jelly “ as he/her hands me my Ass !!!!!!!!!!! Cardinal Joe

[Cardinal Joe]

[QUOTE=moveover;540507]Jesus, what is it about the boat repair business that draws so many thieves and skunks? You can say every field has its louses but the proportion in the boat repair business is much higher.



NO, Bucko - The Used Car Business is #1 !!!!!!!!! If you deal with a First Class Marina -you do NOT have these statements as stated above ! Cardinal Joe