hullofjustis

iTrader: (1)

I bought a scarab panther back in 2010 knowing I would pull the engines, transmissions and drives to have the stringers and transom replaced and convert to a bravo boat.
I took the boat to a reputable shop to have the glass work done and the imco extension boxes and drives mounted. I had 3 up extension boxes.
I paid close to $8000 for this. the standard bravo drives propshaft were to be 31/4 inches below the bottom of the hull.
after 4 long years I have finally got the boat to a point to sea trial it and when I mounted the stock bravo drives I noticed that they were almost level with the hull if not a touch higher. however the more time went on I started wondering if the boat was going to get on plane.
when the time came to sea trial it, the boat would not get on plane at all. I have since then put 1 inch spacers on the drives and had to purchase 5 blade props . I can get on plane now however there is an incredible amount of prop slip not to mention that the engines are mounted so high the flame arrestors are hanging 4 inches higher than the hatch I had to have custom wedge plates made for the exhaust and everything is very tight to work on.
at one point the I had to take the boat back to the shop to have something fixed while it was there someone (not me ) authorized to re paint the bottom of the hull. (not antifouling paint)
this is not something I would have done then because of the expense of what it was going to cost to finish the boat.
so I ended up paying for a more than half of it then and I was told to pay them when I could. which was awesome of them but again something I would not have done until I could do the whole boat.
I still owe them very little money on the painted bottom.
so back in the spring I wanted to take off the water pickups (that they installed that were 3 inches below the bottom of the boat ) and they were not the ones I wanted to use so I had to drill holes in the transom where for the pick ups and when I did it was like a water faucet was turned on. I was like WTF the boat has not touched water in 4 years and the transom is wet???!!
I started looking at it a little closer and they only replaced 6 inches from the bottom of the hull up and the old transom is still the last 6inches of the bottom of the transom.

I stopped by the shop after texting them the pictures and they were to busy he would call me after july 4th weekend. I have not heard from them since.

so to me the correct way to fix this is to remove the engines and boxes and lower everything down.and reglass the transom. however it has been 4 years I do owe them money.
so do I bite the bullet and pay someone else to fix it and post the name on the internet or do I call them again or has 4 years been to long and it is what it is?
I plan on pulling the engines so the only labor would be the glass work and hanging the drives.

brentadkins

I would have to know what their interpretation of stringer and transom replacement means to them?? After 4 years, are you sure the same personnel are still working there? You are in a tough spot..... What do you think the labor would be for the glass work and hanging the drives? There is a point that the battle may not be worth it!!

phragle

iTrader: (3)

What do you have in writing from the beginning if the job??

hullofjustis

iTrader: (1)

so I want to be clear about something, this is a very reputable company and I would still have work done by them if it was not for this incident. the painter is one of the best I have ever seen and all the personnel is still there it is a family owned business and have been it the racing world forever.
they do great work and I honestly don't know what to think about what happened. they do have new hires from time to time and I honestly think this is what happened because if you would have seen, where and how low the thru hull water pick ups were mounted someone clearly did not understand what they were used for.
pulling the motors and drives I can do and I f I really wanted to and had the time I could do the glass work. I would think the only thing to lower the drives down would be to fill in a couple 10x10 holes and paint blend the transom. most the cost would be the labor of removing and installing the engines which would be on me.
however I paid $8000 for something that was paid in full and another $3000 for something I did not want and I still have a boat that will not get on plane with out 1 inch spacers

buck35

I would start with a face to face meeting with the owners, and explain the whole mess to them, if you have not already done so. Also as phragle said what's in writing. Did the stringers even get replaced if they only did a partial transom.

VoodooRob

Like Phragle said what was put in writing?

hullofjustis

iTrader: (1)

was what put in writing? replacing the transom? I have or had a receipt saying transom was replaced I also was given an estimate for $5000 and ended up paying $8000. however mounting of the extension boxes was added on. I did not authorize redoing the bottom of the hull either. that was done and about 85% paid.
I am simply asking questions on what someone in this situation would do.

Interceptor

You need to have a discussion with whoever owns the shop that did the work on your boat. By your account the transom was not completly replaced, the drive height is incorrect and the bottom was painted without your authorization. Once you have that discussion ( and you realize you're screwed) find another shop discuss the repairs needed and write a VERY DETAILED work order, get a estimate for said work and visit the shop while the work is being done.

VoodooRob

^^^^ This is what I was getting at, thanks Interceptor. I build custom motorcycles along with a custom parts line. Every nut and bolt, every mod, all labor is put on paper and customer signs. What your version of transom repair and the shops version may be/are 2 different things. When it is in writing and both sign, there is no misunderstandings. I also put deadlines on my work orders. Change orders and add-ons also get documented. Estimates in our state allow a 10% additional charge without customer approval. Any more than that, customer has to approve. A good business will call their customer on a penny over and discuss it, in my opinion.

hullofjustis

iTrader: (1)

I am in the car business and if do an estimate if it is not right when the vehicle is completed I have to adjust it before the customer even questions it. but that is how I am.. I do not have problem with the price I do not have that big of a problem with the transom being wet. because it has been 4 years since it was completed and I could have left it open the whole time. I understand that argument. I don't agree but I get it. however if it was 10 years ago and no one invented drive spacers it would have been completely unusable.
my biggest problem is I cannot even get the damn thing on plane with out buying two one inch spacers. and even then I have to work the throttles to do so. I have 17% prop slip with 5 blades and 25%with four blades. I paid a professional to do it because I wanted it right. if I wanted to mess with it after words I would have done it .