Wild Thing.....Ouch!!! Talk about expensive!!!

Wildthing, I walked away for nine months. Everything is OK now.

Ken -
Sorry to hear this...your boat is sweet, stay with it.
I haven't had the issues you've experienced but I'm taking it out for the first time Sunday so who knows...I haven't broken anything in awhile.

I'm having similar issues with a different industry..yours

Can't get this guy to do #@$! on time.

I'm paying big $$$ for a re- landscape on my new house and get one call back for every ten I make !

Anyway, there's major issues in most service industries today.
When you find the one person that makes you happy for a good price, you'll be a lucky guy !

Take 'er easy !!

Ken it is a shame that people cant do honest work, I build my own motors
and have any work not related to engines done at Doller Offshore Marine.
Mindi and Mac are a class act to deal with you get what you pay for with
no regrets because it is done perfect the first time. I have never taken my
boat back to Doller for something that was done wrong or incorrect, you
have had a bad experience up there and it is a shame that people do half
ass work for the sake of what. Good luck to you, Albert

I quit dealing with the custom so called engine builders years ago. Get something with Merc 525's or 575's and get extended warranties. I had a local marine mechanic on Lake Lanier take me for a ride! Thanks Tony! BH

Thanks for all the support. This post is from last yr. so everything is good.

WES, this is a crazy time for landscapers!!!! I too am way behind with work. However, I DO return phone calls and let my customers know what is going on.

So what was the problem?

I say let these so called Marine Mechanics take the ones with too much money and no brains. They don't even know the difference and just keep taking it in the behind. I have no faith in any of them. I fix my own problems. Example: my alternator went out on the Port engine. I went to NAPA, bought a Marine Alt for $150, it came the next day and I installed it last night in 15min. Just to make myself feel better I called a Marine shop, here is what they said....$250 for the Alt "it is a very special Alt and is very hard to find. It also is harder to install" $100 to install....all this will take a week and they had to have the boat this whole time to make sure it was ordered and installed correctly. When he was finished I told him my story about how I had found the exact Alt at NAPA and installed it in 15min. He had the nerve to say I probably did it wrong and that NAPA sold me the wrong Alt. I then ripped him a new one, I was surprised he listened to the whole b itch. I then called back and asked for the Manager and told him the story and that I would not let his shop change a chain on my bike. I am done with them and any others. I can do anything that this boat requires as far as repairs and diagnostics. The reason I learned this was because I cannot afford to let someone screw it up and the time it takes means no boating for weeks sometimes. Let them all rot in hell.

Understood.
However this job was booked three months ago so I'm not giving this guy any room !
Your comment is the key...just return calls and communicate..most people are understanding and will work with you but not when you ignore them.

Good Luck, Buddy !

I love it when these old timers post, they emanate wisdom with their centuries of experience!

How's the Bucket running? Give us some numbers Wes and are you doing the NYC run?