Boat Locked In Shop
08-21-2009, 04:19 PM
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Boat Locked In Shop
Okay....went to check on the progress of work on my boat today and found the shop closed with a letter from an attorney on the door. The owner showed up and said the sheriff's dept. served a civil order of seizure of property on Tuesday and locked his shop closed. This is one day after I coughed up 10K to complete the rest of the repairs on my boat. I tracked the case down online and there is a civil judegment against him and his business with an order for seizure issued in June. The case dates to 2007 and it appears he has not complied with the previous judgement of sentence, resulting in the seizure of property order.
Where do I stand in all this?? My boat is locked in his business, still in 30 pieces waiting for parts and re-rigging. Only ray of hope is that at least the owner stopped to tell me the story when he could have driven right past me. He says he intends to finish the job once he gets re-opened. He has my boat and my money....all I have is a receipt for the work and parts that says "paid in full".
Where do I stand in all this?? My boat is locked in his business, still in 30 pieces waiting for parts and re-rigging. Only ray of hope is that at least the owner stopped to tell me the story when he could have driven right past me. He says he intends to finish the job once he gets re-opened. He has my boat and my money....all I have is a receipt for the work and parts that says "paid in full".
08-21-2009, 04:35 PM
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Well that sucks!
But I don't believe the siezed inventory would include your boat. Let's hope this gets resolved. Some people just suck. I dropped my boat off at local trailer shop to get a new trailer because mine was pretty far gone and just not worth fixing, Hoping to have a real fast turnaround, the new trailer still hasn't arrived. The shop said it would be here on Wed. Here it is Friday, now they tell me Tues. and OPA racing is right in my backyard this Sunday, I don't have a boat to spectate from. I could go get it if I choose but I'm actually worried about loosing an axle when I back down over the ramp. So I guess I'll won't be watching from my boat. Anyway enough about my delema. Good luck with yours.
Ray
But I don't believe the siezed inventory would include your boat. Let's hope this gets resolved. Some people just suck. I dropped my boat off at local trailer shop to get a new trailer because mine was pretty far gone and just not worth fixing, Hoping to have a real fast turnaround, the new trailer still hasn't arrived. The shop said it would be here on Wed. Here it is Friday, now they tell me Tues. and OPA racing is right in my backyard this Sunday, I don't have a boat to spectate from. I could go get it if I choose but I'm actually worried about loosing an axle when I back down over the ramp. So I guess I'll won't be watching from my boat. Anyway enough about my delema. Good luck with yours.
Ray
08-21-2009, 06:26 PM
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08-22-2009, 10:07 AM
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c'mon......no one on here has any advice on this?? I know I'm not the first poor schmuck to get his boat locked in the middle of someone else's legal BS.
08-22-2009, 10:32 AM
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You can get your boat back - worst case scenario, have your lawyer petition the court for an order directing the sheriff to release your property. If you don't have a lawyer, start by contacting the sheriff's office and asking it to release your property (be prepared to show a title). You may have a lot more trouble getting your shop to finish the work - not because he doesn't want to finish, but because the next step after a sheriff's levy is a sheriff's sale - in other words, you shop may not exist shortly. As for your money, if you paid for services not yet complete and you paid by check or credit card, you should stop payment NOW (run, don't walk). If he works things out, you can alway pay him again. If you paid by cash, you should tell the guy you want your money back until he clears things up - the fact is that the judgment holder has more right to your cash than the shop does. If he hasn't done the work, has your cash, and won't cough it up, you need to see an attorney ASAP (the earlier you establish your rights, the better off you will be). I wish you luck.
08-22-2009, 11:08 AM
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You can get your boat back - worst case scenario, have your lawyer petition the court for an order directing the sheriff to release your property. If you don't have a lawyer, start by contacting the sheriff's office and asking it to release your property (be prepared to show a title). You may have a lot more trouble getting your shop to finish the work - not because he doesn't want to finish, but because the next step after a sheriff's levy is a sheriff's sale - in other words, you shop may not exist shortly. As for your money, if you paid for services not yet complete and you paid by check or credit card, you should stop payment NOW (run, don't walk). If he works things out, you can alway pay him again. If you paid by cash, you should tell the guy you want your money back until he clears things up - the fact is that the judgment holder has more right to your cash than the shop does. If he hasn't done the work, has your cash, and won't cough it up, you need to see an attorney ASAP (the earlier you establish your rights, the better off you will be). I wish you luck.
08-22-2009, 06:52 PM
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Started with gimbal rings and drive couplers....then morphed into a full-on restoration....transom and stringers....fuel tank had to come out. While everything was torn apart also did starters, plugs, wires and added mechanical drive indicators.
