Yacht Delivery Death Traps.

[SurferShane]

Ever had one of those "friends" with no sailing experience who runs out and buys a yacht way too big then ask you to help them sail it down the coast like you are privileged to be on a luxury cruise? Once on board you discover the thing is a death trap and your "friend" a tyrant?

Since promising myself never to do it again after Captain Cox tried to asphyxiate me with a carbon monoxide leak from his new pride and joys outboard well, I was stupid enough to agree. This time it was SV Phar Lap from Southport to Bobin Head. Let's just call her "Knox Revenge"!

My first requests where simple.

One: put some boicide fuel treatment in the diesel tanks. NO!!! The owner argued he had the tanks removed, cleaned, and the fuel systems were spotless. Likewise, he claimed the engine had been fully serviced.

Two: fill and run out the fresh water tanks a few time to ensure we had an adequate supply of potable water. NO. I was NOT to fill the tanks. He had a water maker. I did anyway.

Before even actually getting to the yacht I had to explain that a hybrid ocean racer was too much for the owner's physical disabilities. On the yacht the list started with me explaining that his VHF radio did not work. It being an essential item. The list is endless. Despite him expecting me to sail straight to sea almost NOTHING on the boat functioned.

After the fiasco it took to get out the heads - noting I had requested at least another week to prepare her - the boat broke down a few hours down the coast streaming into a light southerly wind. Guess what? A fuel line blockage typical of a boat with a fungal infection alge bloom and debris in the tank getting swished around in open water. Towed back to Port.

Next day, I identified the problem and for the moment had the engine running properly. Owner phones me, I tell him the news and he jumps down my neck that the issue was still that the 15 kg fishing line we were trolling had stopped and was still fouling his 70 hp Yanmar.

Never dd find the water maker let alone see if it worked. Due serious safety concerns I booked a hire car home. So do you also need to know about how the island cabinet in the salon was not secured and flew across at sea nearly breaking my leg?

[lockie]

Seems like a sort of a rite of passage for many: buy a boat and embark on an under-prepared delivery trip. Have engine failure caused by algae or cooling failure. Call for help.


In many cases, write it up and have your story published in Practical Boat Owner or Yachting monthly. Bask in the publication of your heroic achievement.


Good on you for bailing out.



Cheers, Graeme

[Wotname]

Good to see you posting again SS .
It took a 'death trap' to motivate you , thanks for sharing the 'adventure' and yes, great decision to bail while you still could.

[CaptTom]

I've done quite a few "new old boat" deliveries. And yes, I've had a few breakdowns and tows due to fuel issues.

But overall I've been lucky. I send the owner my pre-underway checklist, and always schedule time for a good inspection and correction of any minor issues before departing. Interestingly, almost every delivery I've done had at least one navigation light not working, even though the owners always assure me the yard checked them. I'm convinced boat yard workers have no clue about nav lights.

I also send a provisioning list ahead of time, and that includes plenty of spare filters. I've occasionally had to use them, but nowhere near as often as you'd think. There's a lot that can go wrong on an old boat. I think one of the biggest benefits of hiring a delivery skipper is the experience to head off foreseeable problems, and respond to the unexpected.

[Tetepare]

I don’t know how delivery captains do it. New used boat, no shake down, aged fuel, wiring probably a rats nest.

One delivery skipper told me about an owner who insisted the boat was shoal draft. It was not.

I trucked ours and it took me a month of weekends to be satisfied it wouldn’t sink or stop running. God bless those fearless souls.

[donradcliffe]

I won't give you specifics, because I don't want owners to know that I am posting their shortcomings on the world wide web.

I have learned the hard way that if the owner says the sun rises in the east, I need to verify it myself.

I also carry my own navigation equipment, handheld VHF with AIS, and tools to diagnose and fix electrical and diesel fuel issues. I swear I am going to bring a handy billy next time.

[Capt. Tom]

Do quite a number of Bahama deliveries refuse as many as I take. It is amazing what owners consider to be safe and seaworthy craft. Thank goodness that it isn't necessary that I go.

[Jono as 2234]

That's an awful lot of boat for an inexperience and incompetent owner to manage. Just thinking about putting in a reef, short handed, has me running away. Will look out for it at the marina. Another pontoon queen I expect

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

I won't give you specifics, because I don't want owners to know that I am posting their shortcomings on the world wide web.

I have learned the hard way that if the owner says the sun rises in the east, I need to verify it myself................
.............................

The sc*mb*g will still probably insist that it sets in the south, too.


Good for you Don.

[mindsofman]

You want horror stories of life threatening problems
On Boats,Sail and power,old and new ?
I've been delivering (Mostly solo) Boats around the
World for close on 50 years.
There's an old adage in this business that any
Prospective delivery Skipper should remember,,
"NEVER take any Vessel for granted".
It takes me an extra half hour to get through Air Ports
Because I always carry my own Nav. Equipment with me,
That,and essential tools which include 40ft of Elect. wire,
Volt mtr, half a dozen essential wrenches plus Vice grips
Etc,,,,,Oh ! and Flash lights with lots of Batteries...
If I'm lucky I might find a Walmart close to the Boats
location and I'll purchase necessary tools when I
Get there instead of carrying them,,they can stay on the
Boat at deliveries end...
After a couple of years of deliveries,you get to know
Which questions to ask a prospective client prior to
Purchasing a ticket to his boat,,even then,Ka Ka happens.

Happy New Year to all and Safe Sailing..

[garyfdl]

I've done consulting work.

When someone hires you for your expertise, and then questions your judgement? Walk away.

(Addendum - put in the contract that there is a ((significant)) deposit due at signing, and deduct any time and expenses when you leave)

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by garyfdl

I've done consulting work.

When someone hires you for your expertise, and then questions your judgement? Walk away.

(Addendum - put in the contract that there is a ((significant)) deposit due at signing, and deduct any time and expenses when you leave)

Good point, Gary. In all my years (45), only one dirtbag refused to pay. An un-named "developer" [from Texas, first initial like Texas, other like Connecticut, but no naming names, because they are so nasty they'd come and eat my first born son...], took two months of my work, which included three options, decided they wanted to change the "program" which invalidated my options (think: give me three options for a car, no, now I want a boat!), then had the nerve to say that since they didn't use any of my options they weren't gonna pay me. I eventually worked it out with the owner, but that one guy from that company was a real piece of work. I still wonder how he sleeps at night...vulture...

[clakiep]

This a very common problem indeed. Easy to understand psychologiclly. He is the proud owner, he pays the bills, but You are in command - he has to obey You. This is very frustrating for him, specially when his friends or relatives are also on board. Most will than try to compensate the feeling of depending on you, douting your decisions, pointing out your eventual mistakes, and engage in any other means of putting you down. I had my experiences, and if I don´t know the owner very well, I only accept deliveries with the owner staying on shore.

Capt. Claus - ocean tramp of the eighties

[Mithril Bham]

Why you would have ever left the dock on that boat baffles me.
Always get paid upfront.

[garyfdl]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Good point, Gary. In all my years (45), only one dirtbag refused to pay.

I cut my "business teeth" in the NE particularly NYC/North Jersey. You learn pretty quick who pays and who's the "dirtbag". Eventually you learn to 'smell' them.

But big corporations do it too. A certain tractor manufacturer (who was owned by an automaker) refused to pay the last $35,000 bill on an ended contract. When I/we threatened to sue, the project mgr told us to "go ahead" that they had an office building full of lawyers in Detroit, and they would burn us through $35,000 so fast it'd make our heads spin. So I called and 'audible' (figured I had nothing to lose). I wrote a letter to the President of the parent company, and copied the CoB. Said as young sales engineer I was disappointed to see that's how a Fortune 500 did business with a smaller specialty supplier. About 3 weeks later they paid the invoice and, we got a letter of apology from the project manager.