Warning, Sea beacon Marine.
 

Sea Beacon Marine, owner Chris George, who is a OSO member was refered to me by another member by the name of Rick. BTW Rick nice referal, and if this goes to court I don't care what it takes you will be there.

So this is how it went: I call this Sea Beacon Marine who on the phone tells me he's Merc certified, which he is not straight from Mercury. I set it up to have him do the first services on my triple 300 Verados @ my storage place in Miami. In the begining I should of pulled my head out when the lies about why work was not completed on time started from he was in a car wreck, his helper got the wrong oil, to the waitress spilled split pea soup on my cell phone and that's why I could not call you. The last lie I have in an E-mail. He invoices me trusting the work was done I pay him and come to find out from not only my Storage facility that he never step foot on the propertry, and also the Mercury Certified marine facility that did perform the services after I realized he ****ed me, that nothing was done at all. So I'm out 1350.$. I call the Monroe County Sheriff department in the FL. keys and I asked them what I can do to get my money back. They tell me this Jack ass has priors from writing bad checks to Grand Theft. I contacted one place he wrote a bad check just to confirm, and sure as **** he did write a bad check in the amount close to 980$. Nice!!!
This is where it gets hilarious. As this all goes down I call him and after about the forth call he answers and I tell him I've contacted the sherriffs department and if I don't get my money I will start the process to get him arreseted again. I get an E-mail from his wife telling me that he will send me the money and he will do no more work for me, what work has he done so far. As the days pass I call him back asking wheres my cashiers check which he told me It would be out the next day, and will be next day service. 6 days go by and finally the delivery service shows up with a check for the amount in question and it's a check from his business. Guess what, it's no good.
Chris I've dealt with some idiot rip offs before but that's about as dumb as you can get. Other then your priors and some written letters I have from people, If you would have not sent the check it would of been very hard for me to recover my money. Now I have a NSF check from you that is at this time going to the bad check program in Key Largo. The same program that got the other people back there 980$ from the bad check you wrote them. Chris your a fricken loser that does not deserve to be in business, have a checking account, or on a boat site like OSO. Looking forward to the day the Sherriff shows up to arrest you.
I strongly advise to stay clear of Sea Beacon Marine. Don't be an idiot like me.

The good, I've learned some very valuable lessons. Greg Faulkner

I feel for you Bling. last year- I was buying a 33Powerplay from Trader1 on this board. We are friends because I bought my last boat from him and he's a good, honest guy.

I was referred to a mechanic (goes by the name GOODT here on OSO) GOODT ripped me off for over $1K on money he supposed to return to me becuase he didn't actually do any work on the boat! He wrote me a bad check for $1,600. I called the sheriffs dept in Maryland and they basically wouldn't do anything about it. I had to file a claim in samll claims court, while not getting re-imbursed for my flight, hotels and meals. I didn't bother to file a claim since it would have cost me at least another $800.00+ to get there.

Here in California he would have been arrested for the bad check!!!

Greg,

I am sorry I referred you to him, I dont know what happened, I know Chris thru friends, and thought we were friends also. Chris personally called me the weekend I referred you to him to thank me for the reference, and as far as I knew he was MERC Certified, maybe I shouldnt have opened up my mouth, and let ya find someone else. I HAVE done some work for him personally(rigging a 45 Formula), and never had a problem getting paid. I hope your not mad at me, you asked a question, I gave ya an answer. There were other people who posted different ref's(very well known ones, but I wont drag their name into this thread), but you chose to go with Chris. I apologize for my mistake of giving out his info, and I will call him to try and straighten this out for ya.

Rick

What an extreme hassle. This is probably a good example of why all businesses (even those that have grown from a hobby) should join their local Better Business Bureau...and why people who need services should check out a company's past performance record. Some industries are more serious about this process than others (for example, it's big in Home Improvement Services) and available references seems to vary by locale, but complaints about poor service, no service, bad checks, missing refunds etc. are usually reported and entered into a company's record if they're a member. Of course, not all businesses are members, and even some good businesses don't join the BBB. But it is a place to start. For those on the board who are in the marine industry -- just out of curiosity -- how many of you belong to your local BBB?

Can't fault anyone for taking advice from someone they trust. But you just never know. If there's a way to double-check or get a second opinion--like a BBB report--then it should be done. Bling - I'm sure everyone here hopes the stiuation works out for you and that it gets resolved to your satisfaction. Good Luck.

One of the best things that happend to you was that he wrote you a hot check. Most countys have hot check department and in many places a hot check over $1000 is a felony.

Press it to county attorney and don't take no for an answer, Also go to the bank where the check is drawn and seen if they will let you know when a deposit is likely to come in. In the old days banks would be very helpfull in this but now a days most aren't unless you get to the right person.

Don't let it languish, persue it both at the criminal and civil level. Likely you will get paid back if the heat is hot enough.

Thanks all. What I hear from the office of Mark E. Kohl 16thth Judicial Circuit State Attorney is if the check is bad which it is, in FL. he will be arrested and untill he makes good on the check, he's in deep ****. Will see what happens. He actually can do the right thing and if by 5:00 pm Pacific standard time today makes the check good, this will all go away for him. Not the OSO warning, but the rath of crap I'm gonna put on him. And here's a great thing for me, I'm leaving today for a 9 day trip through the Keys in FL. and my first stop is Key Largo. So if I do need to do paper work in person I can take care of it then. I'll let ya know how it turns out.

Rick, thanks I'm just a bit pissed off right now. The worst thing is the time I've already spent on this, as well as putting that happy face on before you get home to the family at night. Thankfully I have the check, because as stated already in this thread, it would of cost me more to take him to court.

I understand where you are coming from, and I dont know the whole story behind this, but if it is as you state, I would also be pizzed. I will try to call Chris, and have him make good for you, because this makes me look bad also.

Rick

Another scumbag exposed!:hothead: Good luck:ernaehrung004:

Wow. What an ordeal. Thanks for the expose'. It's good to know who to avoid.

It was an OSO member that referred GOODT to me, which we all know how that turned out. However, I don't hold it against the OSO member that was trying to give me a referral to help me out. I have 2 rules when someone does some thing to me or my property.....

1. Mistake/Accident - these things happen, it wasn't intentional and I let it go.

2. Intentional/ deliberate- now you pissed me off and you're going to pay, somehow, someday!!!

I spoke with Chris, and made him aware of this thread. He will either respond tonight when he gets home here on OSO, or speak to you personally. I pretty much told him I dont wanna have to take sides, just get it resolved.

He can respond all he wants. Last I talked to him on Tuesday he said his money market account was to transfer funds into his business account to make check good by that day at 4:00 pm. I went to his bank at 4:30 check was still no good.

Unless he makes the check good by the end of the week it's out of my hands. Thanks for your help. All thats been said by me is true, I was even nice enough to deposit the 1350$ into his account here from Santa Barbara so he did not have to wait for the mail.

im thinkin it outta be taken outta his azzzzzzz

Bling Bling!

Hope this gets resolved fast. Hate to see anybody getting riped off.

This is none of my business, but I hate seeing people get screwed.

Rick there is really nothing he can say about passing a fraudulent check. At this point, words mean nothing.... he is obviously not a man of his word. Why believe him now?

Bling.... Dont give him but one more day (close of business Friday), then just turn it over to the authorities and let them handle this guy. By stringing you along it weakens your case, IMO. If he hasnt made it right by now, he will never make it right. Atleast by having him incarcerated, it gives you a little justice.

It never ends.
Good Luck.

Post his contact information. Maybe we can "reason" with him.

Never underestimate the power of OSO.

Not sure how it works, but if he sent the check through the U. S Postal Service, would that be mail fraud??? If so that's a federal issue.

It seems those of us who have boats like these are targets of the marine world. I guess they think we have more money then sense. Not me, I can tell when I'm being hustled..I pay and move on to another mechanic. You have to be alert (informed) when dealing with marine mechanics. They love to run up the bill because you have $$$ toys....just my .02

most of our toys arent cheap..unfortunatly big money attracts big thieves.

Here in Florida, anything over $300 is a felony. They even have a special line to get in to prosecute a bad check. The bad check is definetly in your favor.

As far as Rick, I know him, and he is a stand up guy, and a guy that will help anyone out. I'm sure he thought he was helping you with the referall. I assure you, that Rick had nothing to do with the shady dealings.

I have personaly threatened contractors with bodily harm, to get them to write me a check, even though I knew the check was no good. Without a bad check, all I have is a civil matter to prosecute, and then you only get a judgement, not the money. It's up to you to collect the judgement, whereas, with a bad check in hand, you now have a criminal case against him, and when convicted, I guarantee that restitution will be part of his sentence, or part of his probation. Don't ask me how I know this. :mad:

Thank you Joe,

Most of yhese guys here dont know me, but those that do(including Joe) I am SURE will tell you, I meant no harm. As everyone can see, I stood up as soon as I saw this thread, no hiding on my part.

Rick

Yes, most of the time I wouldn't stick my neck out to take someone's side, but knowing you as I do, I have no problem putting my reputation on the line, right beside yours.

Bling, I told you from the beginning just to fly me out to do the service.

Sucks............sorry Bling!

They only do that in Jersey :D:D

Or if you're from Jersey........I haven't lived there in 15 years, but that part of Jersey is still in my Italian blood!!

Well, where is Chris George with one of his snappy pea soup bullchit excuses?

Florida is the wrong place to bounce a check.

It's hard to find good service...when you do cherish it..even that wont last forever...

It becomes a second job keeping tabs on the morons that work on boats...

That blood doesn't have to be Italian to still think like that, its been 19 years for me and I couldn't agree more.

You are right, however- the "Italian" part makes it stronger!!!!

Would I ever enjoy seeing you run into GOODT!
LOL!

Ditto, I've heard the same of Rick and do not think Rick had any thing to do with this matter, he was just trying to help me out. Rick if you have access to a fax and need any proof to show you this guy is not on the up and up, I would like to fax over the arrest sheet on Chris for his last bad check he wrote to a very upstanding Marine business in the Keys as well as the check he wrote me that was sent back from my bank with none sufficient funds stamp on the back. The reason for this is to clear any bull**** lies he told you for his reasons in this matter. He screwed me out of 1350$, and he tries to make good with a bounced Sea Beacon business check. Maybe his dealings with you have been straight, but I would watch him like a hawk if you deal with him on a business matter in the future.

Here's the latest: Monday I got a hold of him and he said he was sending me a cashiers check next day. Tuesday comes no check.

Chris, my nice door is closed. On Friday you will receive certified paper work on how your gonna end up paying me back. Every 5th day you don't pay me, this thread gets bumped back to the top with new info on you I have in a rather thick folder. It was amazing the responses I got from OSO and some other people that has dealt with you in a bad way. You will pay me and for some chance you don't, the night you spend in jail will be a little satisfaction. Eat **** Scum Bag.

That sucks that you got ripped off.

That being said, paragraphs are your friend. That first post made me dizzy. :D

Fun times. another one of lives character builders. Is it just me or is the boating industry 95% crooked? Crap like this must make it really hard to do business as a legitimate marine dealer/mechanic. And FYI. I have had split pee soup spilled on my cell phone...it does happen

Hey Chris, I'm sure you know already, but start looking over your shoulder Punk. As of July 2 you have an official warrant out for your arrest.
If anyone out there knows of his where abouts please let me know or Florida State Attorney Mark E. Kohl. 305-852-7170. Case # 2008-CA-00267-A-P

Thanks Greg

Why aren't people paying by credit card? So much easier. Just dispute the charges, which would be a no brainer for the credit card company since no work got done. If the guy doesn't take credit cards, that ought to tell you enough about his business to move on.

Michael

Amen!