Boat Held Hostage By Marine Transport Company

[Captain Bill]

Every time I log on the story changes again. I don't know what to believe, but I'll bet we have yet to hear the objective truth. First the breakdown happens in El Paso, now it apparently happened in Charlotte. Lake Norman is a place one is likely to find a travel lift. Now we are to believe that he was able to get it swapped to a larger trailer in Charlotte and that he did in fact notify the OP about the over weight situation before he left the Charlotte area.

I don't know much about commercial trailers so I would put this question to the truckers. Are commercial trailers built with any safety factor in their design. That is can a six wheel trailer sustain a flat in one tire without becoming instantly overloaded at their rated weight? I have friend with a 12500 lb boat that he tows around on a six tire/3 axle trailer. Towing the thing is very scary in my opinion as I once went with him on a trip from Melbourne FL to Key Largo. The trailer is rated at 14,500 Lb, but that is with all six tires inflated and on the ground. We had a flat on one tire on I95 and by the time we got it off the interstate 3 more tires had peeled their tread from being overloaded and two of the rims were damaged beyond repair. Is there any safety factor built into the ratings of a commercial trailer or are they in the same boat(no pun intended) as my friends personal trailer when it comes to weight ratings?

[kiwitrucker]

Some where there is a Bill of Lading. If there isn't then the trucker has commited another crime. The email that gave the quote is the price unless there are other correspondence that indicates a change in price. If he is the successful business person you claim him to be any verbal agreement would have been followed up with a email. eg As per our conversation. The price for moving your boat will be $ghrts as agreed. Sent this email many many times.
Any further discussion would take place at the unloading site.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

To me this is the brunt of the problem. There is no bite to the bark. If there are no consequences then they will keep on doing it.



...Seems like you are. I'm still trying to figure out why you would call a total stranger and get involved the way you did.

when I saw all those people talking about crimes and hells angels and it all being based on one side of a story ,it concerned me to watch ,as one after the other came on and started slamming this guy and supporting the Op blindly...then to also watch as it gained momentum to the point that not one person said "wonder what the other guy has to say about this"..It was like mob mentality had taken over the forum and it amazed me as I thought that this forum was a place where people were thinking and intelligent and could see that the guy didnt steal the boat and it was a matter that needed the two sides to talk to one another not call the hells angels or the Law for that matter (theres nothing they could do about it ,two people had a problem after making a deal and thats not a crime!)The advice that was given out by most was only applicable if a crime had been commited and when I pointed that out I got attacked as a agent of the driver and so before I went farther I thought I would call the guy and tell him what was being said about him....thats it ...

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by kiwitrucker

Some where there is a Bill of Lading. If there isn't then the trucker has commited another crime. The email that gave the quote is the price unless there are other correspondence that indicates a change in price. If he is the successful business person you claim him to be any verbal agreement would have been followed up with a email. eg As per our conversation. The price for moving your boat will be $ghrts as agreed. Sent this email many many times.
Any further discussion would take place at the unloading site.

Comprehend:I said that he "appears" to be successful...Appears to be !I didnt claim that "he is successful"...

[sailorboy1]

you guys need to lighten up on each other, lets throw some sub topics in to mellow it all out

how about we discuss how this impacts:

anchors
guns
holding tanks
pump outs
Florida laws
hunters
life rafts
integrated electronics
cost of cruising
boat insurance
mooring fees
water cops
politics
pirates

all of which seem a safer topic than what this has become

really now you guys act like someone kicked your puppy or something

[Travelnik]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

you guys need to lighten up on each other, lets throw some sub topics in to mellow it all out

how about we discuss how this impacts:

anchors
guns
holding tanks
pump outs
Florida laws
hunters
life rafts
integrated electronics
cost of cruising
boat insurance
mooring fees
water cops
politics
pirates

all of which seem a safer topic than what this has become

really now you guys act like someone kicked your puppy or something

You forgot composting heads!

(And Buckets!)

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

I was refering to gov. scales..I would guess this man knew the weight was wrong ,he said once it was loaded he could not off load it as no one would allow it at their marina...That it was "POS"..I dont know it looked ok to me from the photos..

Government scales are used only by government agencies for enforcement purposes, to confirm trucks are in compliance with highway weight limits.

For truckers, shippers, anyone else and for any other purpose you use privately owned but state certified scales. Any trucker knows this. Public scales are located around every major city, transport hub, warehouse districts, truckstops and charge just few dollars for a weight ticket.

He had to have passed within a few miles of at least half dozen, easily accessed public scales on the initial 250 mile leg in NC.

[Dansante85]

Earlier TropicalEscape was demanding over and over that Steadley be arrested. If you think about it, we know Steadley is aware of this thread and how it is trending towards him yet he only speaks to TropicalEscape, twice I think he said, and that was a few days ago. By this time, most people would give their side of the story firsthand I would think. Plus, we haven't heard from Creole-Belle for some time. Is it possible Steadley is in custody somewhere? Maybe this is being resolved as we speak and we are just unaware of it.

[Christerart]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Government scales are used only by government agencies for enforcement purposes, to confirm trucks are in compliance with highway weight limits.

For truckers, shippers, anyone else and for any other purpose you use privately owned but state certified scales. Any trucker knows this. Public scales are located around every major city, transport hub, warehouse districts, truckstops and charge just few dollars for a weight ticket.

He had to have passed within a few miles of at least half dozen, easily accessed public scales on the initial 250 mile leg in NC.

Exactly.

Why those who understand this business (trucking) do not believe the story as told by the trucker and has called him on it.

And since this part is not believable - as is the part about the damage to the rig - nothing he says or claims is believable either.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Dansante85

I'm like some other posters, there are so many pages now I can't find what I am looking for. Didn't someone post that they had run Big Dog Marine's DOT number and it was not valid or something? Seems like someone made a point yesterday that everything the trucker claims against the boat owner goes out the window if he is protraying himself as a commercial operator but does not have the proper credentials. Maybe TropicalEscape can speak to this as he claims to know that Dan is running a successful business.

That was me. Link on post #429. Got it from one of the truckers I use in my business.

Have asked Tropicalescape to comment on that but no reply. One person did point out that Dan Steadley seems to have several other businesses besides Big Dog so I guess it is possible that he moved the registration of his trucks to another name.

[kiwitrucker]

Skipmac, If you are the manager and/or owner of a trucking company and your DOT number has been rescinded for non compliance it is a number of of years before you can own or manage or get a DOT number for a transport operation.

It is possible that it is being sorted out as we speak. If OP contacted a lawyer the first thing he would be told is Don't Talk to Anyone.

I am really hoping that it gets fixed and that the trucker gets his just desserts as its these people that give the industry a bad name when 99.9 % are just good hard working honest people.

[Longbow3]

There topic of scales keeps coming up. Most all Interstate truck stops have scales. How difficult could that be? How difficult is it to do what is promised? (contracted). I say that "unscrupulous dealings are afoot!

[Sand crab]

Originally Posted by tomfl

One thing a lot of folks don't understand about the law is the concept of "de minimis" which is often taken to mean the law does not sweat the small stuff.

I thouht you were talking about my anatomy. No wait, I meant someone elses anatomy. Ahh crap..............

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by kiwitrucker

Skipmac, If you are the manager and/or owner of a trucking company and your DOT number has been rescinded for non compliance it is a number of of years before you can own or manage or get a DOT number for a transport operation.

It is possible that it is being sorted out as we speak. If OP contacted a lawyer the first thing he would be told is Don't Talk to Anyone.

I am really hoping that it gets fixed and that the trucker gets his just desserts as its these people that give the industry a bad name when 99.9 % are just good hard working honest people.

It isn't clear to me on the report I received why Big Dog doesn't have a current permit. The only thing I see on the report says "This Carrier has no current Operating Authority with FMCSA."

Doesn't say it was canceled, transferred, fee late, no notice about crashes or investigations. Can you tell anything more from reading the document?

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Government scales are used only by government agencies for enforcement purposes, to confirm trucks are in compliance with highway weight limits.

For truckers, shippers, anyone else and for any other purpose you use privately owned but state certified scales. Any trucker knows this. Public scales are located around every major city, transport hub, warehouse districts, truckstops and charge just few dollars for a weight ticket.

He had to have passed within a few miles of at least half dozen, easily accessed public scales on the initial 250 mile leg in NC.

Right...