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Old 29-08-2014, 11:14   #1
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Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

So, I had my marina remove my engine from my boat. When I discussed this with him he said the charge for the crane is $100 per hour. OK sounds good. After the fact he gives me a bill for $100 for crane and $240.00 general labor. The labor was him and his brother. (I work for free). When I questioned him he accused me of nitpicking.
Previous to this he tried to charge me for a haulout he never did. And for one haulout he quoted me 8/ft but charged me 9/ft.
Is business so good he can loose a customer?
Are there any Marinas out there that are honest?
I told him from now on (if ever) any work he does must be quoted in writing.
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Old 29-08-2014, 11:18   #2
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

Think I have met his cousin, drives a taxi in Alexandria, Egypt.

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Old 29-08-2014, 11:49   #3
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

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Originally Posted by Pete7 View Post
Think I have met his cousin, drives a taxi in Alexandria, Egypt.

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Old 29-08-2014, 11:54   #4
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

So many people just don't pay attention to their bills. On the other hand... 2 people for three hours @ 240 to pull an engine and $100 for a crane isn't such a bad bill considering it would probably take me much longer.

What bugs me is marinas that don't offer any services but then charge a vendor fee of 20% when you need to call in a pro. That's a pretty big markup.
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Old 29-08-2014, 12:05   #5
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

Those boats....they get up in the yard and run wild! Just like a 20 something blond in a casino.
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Old 29-08-2014, 13:01   #6
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

I guess he only answered your question with a partial answer. Unless he thought you were going to have the engine ready to be pulled, and were just inquiring how much to lift it out.

I think this is a case of mis-communication. I wouldn't expect anyone to work for free removing my engine other than myself. If he was there and helping I'd expect to pay him for his time. I don't expect anything to be free but am pleasantly surprised when it is.

Also I'd say a $340 bill for pulling an engine is a steal, and there isn't much to complain about there. Paying for a haul out that didn't happen on the other hand more than enough to complain about. Good luck and keep a close eye on them.

I always try and do pretty much everything I feel comfortable doing on my boat. Engines, sail repair, woodworking, fiberglass, paint, ect. I'm not so comfortable with rigging yet, so I pay for advise and learn to do it right.

Keep up the dull work of fixing and soon you'll find yourself out sailing!
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Old 29-08-2014, 13:08   #7
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

Their cousin runs a marina in Rubicon, Canary Islands!

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Old 29-08-2014, 13:12   #8
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

You have to be very clear and detailed on what work you do and do not want done with any boat yard. In my experience they are pretty honest. Communication is the key with any haulout or in the water work.
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Old 29-08-2014, 13:17   #9
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

My brother used to be a part owner of a company that made covers and dodgers for boats. He used to say that sailors are the worst because, as they put it: "the wind is free, so should everything else be".

Now, we come from a sailing family - have sailed since the early 60s. I have met thousands of sailors. Generalities are usually not true.

However, you appear to fall in that group. I wasn't there so I don't know where you were in your engine removal process. I think the marina owner should have clarified for you the costs - I would bet there is a placard somewhere (look behind the bin that holds the SS hardware - it is covered in grease) that lists the per hour labor costs. $340.00 to remove an engine from a sailboat just doesn't seem that out of line in the USA.
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Old 29-08-2014, 13:33   #10
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

Don't get me wrong - I am not a fan of marinas. I will dock there. I may rely on them to launch my boat - stepping masts can be problematic. Pulling an engine I would be OK with. I would be concerned about any rigging they may work on, or engine work. If they were putting any fasteners into my boat I would want to see them first.

When I started refitting our family boat in the early 90s (1962 Pearson Triton) I ended up pulling out so much crap that was put into her by the boatyard where my parents kept her it was shocking. Oh, these folks were always very friendly towards my parents. It was Dr this (my dad was a dentist) or Dr that. They charged us inside storage (northern Wisconsin) but may well have stored her outside for many of those years - counting on us not traveling the 270 miles to check on her. During the 70s, unbeknownst to the owner, I moved there and lived there during the winter. The place where I worked was right next door to the boatyard. I saw our boat stored in the back of the yard outside. I chided my father - "hey, isn't your boat worth the extra $ to store inside?" (he was a fanatic about that - hated spending money but paid the extra to keep the winter off her decks). When I went to work the next week, the yard had pulled all the other boats out to get to ours so that she would be put into the right place. I never trusted that smiling yard owner after that.

Still, the bill isn't out of line. Just keep an eye on those mild steel screws.
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Old 29-08-2014, 13:41   #11
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

I agree that disconnecting an engine from a boat and then having to use a crane to remove it seems like a fair price $340.
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Old 29-08-2014, 13:44   #12
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

as always .. get the estimate up front. or get the charge per hour. either way you probably should know exactly what they are doing before they do it.
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Old 29-08-2014, 14:39   #13
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

And sometimes its just the opposite. I had a first rate mechanic at my marina look over my engine to diagnose an overheating problem that I could not find. Spent maybe 20 minutes and then told me what it was. I was embarassed - it was plainly my fault. He told me what to do to fix it and didnt charge me a dime.
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Old 30-08-2014, 04:01   #14
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

I've generally found that if you want things like written estimates neatly typed on company letterhead, you have to go to the types of marinas that take out full page color ads in local boating rags - and pay the high overhead that goes along with it.

For better and worse, these smaller places can't justify hiring a service manager or accounting person and end up skipping paperwork and do a lot verbally. As a customer it can be exasperating but if you develop a good rapport and communication it can ultimately work out in your favor.
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Old 30-08-2014, 08:38   #15
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Re: Marinas Think We Are Chickens For Plucking

B.O.A.T....bust out another thousand..
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