Dealing with some anger!

[bamamick]

This morning I got called away from work to go and sign a waiver so that the boatyard would unload my boat from the trailer that it was on. Since my 40' sharpie schooner was made of wood they did not want to touch it with their Travelift. They would unload it from the trailer if I signed a waiver saying that they were not responsible if they damaged the boat. I had no choice. I signed it.

After I had signed the waiver the yard manager came out and told me that:1. I need to specify that my boat is wood in the future, as no yard will want to fool with a wooden boat. 2. There was no point having a wooden boat around here anyway, as it was just going to be consumed by worms. 3. That wooden boats were prone to sinking. That just last year they had a man bring a wooden boat down from Alaska. As soon as it hit the water it started to sink (no, really?). I assured this gentleman that I realised that some water was going to get into the boat when it is launched. I have a nice pump for just such an occasion.

The yard is going to sand and paint the bottom. I am going to do a few minor touch-ups, then rig it and get it out of there.

To add injury to this (hopefully) final bit of insult, as I was leaving I noticed that the driver had cut all of my nicely spliced halyards. He said that it was unsafe to travel with them taped to the masts. So he cut them. I am sick. I am really, physically sick. I was anticipating some small damage to the boat during this 900 mile trip, but now that I have seen it I feel lucky that the hull is o.k., but p.o.'d that something like this should have happened.

Don't know what to say. I know that I am lucky that the boat made it in one piece. Once I start working on it I'll feel better. Just a little in shock this morning and wanted to vent. Thanks for the opportunity.

Mickey Lake

[Paul Pless]

bamamick,

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Certainly you should be able to find a more suitable yard for any future work. That area has many wooden working boats (shrimpers and just about every big charter boat down there is wood).

I'd like to hear more about your sharpie. Is it a schooner? What design, by who? What construction method? Who built her? When can I see her?

Paul

[Matt J.]

They cut your halyards!? You mean the tape holding them to the mast, right? Good grief.

I wouldn't want them sanding our bottom if they are that ignorant to wooden boats... I'd be finding someone who was competent and knowledgeable if I couldn't do it myself.

Re: marinas / yards not wanting wooden boats. Yep, that seems to be common.

[bamamick]

Paul, the boat is a sharpie schooner, designed and built by Allan Miller, in Key West in 1992. She is planked, look to be double planked. The information that I got from Allan indicated a 6000 lbs hull, 40' LOD, around 46' with the sprit. She has a gaff rigged main, with an interesting kind of batwing, full-battened foresail. She is supposedly a killer in light air, and last week in Key West we were doing close on 10 knots in about 12 knots of breeze. As soon as we get her situated I will let you know. She is going to be kept in Baldwin County at one of three or four places. I'll let you know and you can come down and go sailing.

Matt, the bottom is not in bad shape. Just needs some light sanding and roll on some Trinidad. I am sure that they can do that much. I do know of some yards who welcome wooden boats. The reason that I picked this yard was that the trucking company had worked with them several times, and that they've got plenty of room. The reason that I have let them do the bottom is that my family wanted the boat ready for the Fourth of July, and I will not have the time between now and then.
And oh, yeah. No, I do not mean that he cut the tape. I mean that he cut the halyards off of the masts and threw them into the cockpit.

Mickey Lake

[WindHawk]

After too many years away from the water, I'm working hard to get back in the swing of things. Funny, I never thought that I'm qualified to run a boatyard, but I'm a hell of a lot smarter than that.

I hope she's alright, otherwise.

The broker I bought my small boat from told me some tales about guy's who've gone sailing once or twice, and then dropping a lot of money on big plastic boats that they're not qualified to sail, much less own. These folks must be who this yard caters to.

I'm hoping that I can grow into a 17 footer after a year or two.

[Nicholas Carey]

Originally posted by bamamick:
…he cut the tape. I mean that he cut the halyards off of the masts and threw them into the cockpit.I think I'd be sending the trucking company a bill for replacement halyards: you're talking, what, two or three hundred dollars worth of rope there?

[SC-Lion]

Mickey I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. You wouldn't expect halyards to be damaged in shipping, far less damaged by a knife. I'm with Nickolas, bill them. Could you share the name of the shipping company so that others can avoid them?

-Gary

[Concordia..41]

Cutting the halyards off on the grounds that it was unsafe to travel with them is absolute and utter ignornance. This was a boat transport company??? Must of been for a boat that size, but GEEZE!!!!

FWIW - Dave's purchased two hurricane damaged boats where more damage was done by the salvage and transport than the storm, and the last one they cut the halyards to tie the mast down - but it was a salvage job so there is no real expectation of care. But to cut perfectly good halyards on a perfectly good boat a company is hired to transport is somewhere between sheer stupidity and malicious.

Good luck - hopefully it'll all be smooth from here.

- M

[Alan D. Hyde]

One more story for that book I'll write someday.

The book will be entitled:

Pervasive Incompetence.

Alan

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Post the name of the trucking company, not here, but on the Cruising World forum, where more people will read it, and send them a bill.

I'm disgusted - you must be speechless!

[Paul Scheuer]

Shocking - What could the rationale for cutting halyards possibly be ? Is tape a No-No ?

This point to what should be included in the coverstion with the hauler before he starts making decisions on his own. Anyone else have any horror stories? We all learn from our mistakes, but this might be an opportunity for us not to each make all of them.

The pervasive incompetence, mentioned above, is pushing the boundaries of what we should not expect to have to ask. I recall a story from a shile ago where the hauler reversed the boat on the trailer, enroute. Who'd 'a thunk it ?

[ishmael]

:mad:

What everyone, especially Andrew, said. Take some photographs, get an estimate for having new halyards made up, and send the company a bill. If they refuse to deal with you in a respectful and timely manner, then publish their name wherever you can think of. Be sure you document matters.

Sorry Micky. :(

[Venchka]

People...GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!

A long term solution for the care of your boat might be the gentleman over in Biloxi...my C.R.S. is acting up again...long time wooden boat builder. He built at least one of the replica schooners for the Seafood Museum folks. Having typed that, I realize that he may not be located on the water. Perhaps he can tell you which yards know wood and how to care for it. Wish I could remember his name. Darn!

Cheers!

Wayne
Getting stupider every day in the Swamp! :confused: :D

[bamamick]

Thanks, Wayne. I think that you mean Bill Holland, who is over in the Back Bay area. Nelson's yard in Bon Secour welcomes woodies, as does Pirate's Cove down in Josephine. Nah, it'll be o.k.. I just let them get to me and I shouldn't have.

Like any boat, 'Redwing' needs a little TLC to bring her up to what she once was. We are going to start on that on Monday, but it'll take a while to get her looking 'Bristol'.

It appears that we will be keeping her at Fly Creek Marina in Fairhope, so anyone interested in looking or sailing, please feel free to stop by, or better yet call and let me know you'd like a tour. She should be in Fairhope by next Sunday.

Cheers (a little bit brighter today than yesterday!). Mickey Lake

[Venchka]

I'll have to take you up on that offer one of these days...maybe after it cools off a bit. I'll bring the beer...and Elisabeth Grace...for a raft up. Maybe we could invite Ariel and her Fish Class. Have a regular Messabout! :D

[bamamick]

You'll be welcome. And if Ariel has a Fish class then I know her. I've got one too! Why don't you plan on coming over to the Pirate's Cove show next year? I am sure that you and your boat would be great additions.

Anyway, let me know. Just like where you live, October is about the best month to go sailing. I will be in Maine in mid-October, but any other time looks good.

Mickey Lake

[Ariel]

Reading this a little late, Mickey, while looking for posts by John B. in Auckland. Don't go to Turner's. I was surprised to see your boat there. Go to the Grand Mariner who doesn't think badly of wooden boats, in fact, loves them...re: JOSHUA's home berth is there. Cindy and Carol sent me pictures of JOSHUA's most recent haulout. One spectacular shot is of her in the lift with inches to spare on either side. Turner "got" me over 20 years ago--wouldn't give them a penny of my hard-earned money....and I am not alone in my thinking.

In response to raft up--I sail on Louise Douglas's Fishboat #1--don't have one,unfortunately, but I am boat poor and can easily be available for a raft up and would look forward to it. I do have the plywood version of the Beetle cat but it is merely a toy--I have a larger cruising boat--sorry, in fiberglass. ARIEL is always ready to go somewhere.

[ 08-29-2004, 02:31 PM: Message edited by: Ariel ]

[brian.cunningham]

Originally posted by bamamick:
... Since my 40' sharpie schooner was made of wood ...
Mickey LakeAny pics?
That's one of my favorite boats! smile.gif