GL: Need recommendations for Brunswick GA area

[Joseph Roy]

I will be spending several months near Brunswick and I don't know any service people there. I need recommendations for a Volvo mechanic (D12's) , air conditioning, and a general/small projects guy. I'd appreciate your help. Joe


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[joseph.pica]

I don't recommend anyone there unless it has changed in rhe last year of so. I lived here for 8 years as well as stayed there on the boat. Many work horror stories from those who had work done.  Get work done at Thunderbolt in Savanah or several good yards in Jacksonville especially Huckins.

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-------- Original message --------From: Joseph Roy <jor...@hotmail.com> Date: 4/1/17 3:27 PM (GMT-05:00) To: great...@lists.trawlering.com Subject: GL: Need recommendations for Brunswick GA area

[Jim Healy]

Joe,

Agree with Joe Pica. I had a small emergency ("emergency" in the sense that intervention could not wait) last year while the boat was at Brunswick. Simple enough thing, but handled poorly. Work performed by marina-recommended people. Work was done half-a$$ed without consultation with me, even though I was actually standing-by for a phone call from the technician. Checking around while considering follow-up action plan, I found Joe's opinion widely confirmed by the locals at the marina.

Caveat Emptor.

Jim

Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary, currently at Charlotte Harbor, Punta Gorda, FL
http://gilwellbear.wordpress.com <http://gilwellbear.wordpress.com/>
Monk 36 Hull #132
MMSI #367042570
AGLCA #3767
MTOA #3436

[Paul Yantorno]

This is concerning. I am ready to have Philip Jones from First Coast Marine Services install a complete navigation electronics suite on my boat. Anybody have experience with Philip, he seems professional and knowledgable and I have a couple of references?
Paul Yantorno.

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[Jim Healy]

Paul,

When I responded to Joe, I thought the questions was referring to mechanical services provided by the marina. Installing an electronics suite is quite a different matter. I have no experience with Phillip Jones or his company. And if ou have favorable references, I'd guess you're OK.

However, one thing I would watch out for. Some of the marinas in that area charge outside tradesmen a percentage of their billing for the privilege of doing work out of their facility; 15% if I recall. That's a lot of dollars for the job you're talking about. So that's something I'd investigate if you're in a marina there. If your guy has a dock, go to him to have the work done. I really do not care for the business practices in that area.

As far as mechanical services, I'd go elsewhere to have that done. It may be that an independent would be good. Just stay clear of the marina.

Jim

[Bob McLeran]

I ran into a similar practice (of charging tradesmen a percentage) at a
marina/boat yard in the Key West area back in 2005. If work was being
done in the yard by outside tradesmen (and this yard didn't have any of
their own workers), the tradesmen were required to bill through the yard
and the yard would add a 20% "handling" fee. There was no way around it.
Since that experience, I always ask about whether the yard is going to
add a fee whenever I have any work done in a yard or marina.

<><><><><><><><><><><><>Mozilla Thunderbird<><><><><><><><><><>
Bob McLeran and Judy Young Manatee Cove Marina
MV Sanderling Patrick Air Force Base
DeFever 41 Trawler Melbourne, Florida
Blog: http://mvsanderling.net/Blog
Web: http://cruising.mvsanderling.net/

On 4/3/2017 5:42 AM, Jim Healy wrote:
> However, one thing I would watch out for. Some of the marinas in that area charge outside tradesmen a percentage of their billing for the privilege of doing work out of their facility; 15% if I recall. That's a lot of dollars for the job you're talking about. So that's something I'd investigate if you're in a marina there. If your guy has a dock, go to him to have the work done.

[Randy Pickelmann via Great-Loop]

I second (or third) Jim and Joe's assessment. We've spent time BLM and have never been impressed with work performed. In one instance we paid the marina a substantial deposit for work which was to be done while we were away on a delivery. We returned to find that the work had never even been started. To her credit, when confronted with this fact, Sharie immediately opened the cash register and returned my deposit - no questions asked.

A few years ago we stored the boat there, on the hard, for the summer. Bad choice! The boat ended up being blocked up in an unsecured field next to a derelict sailboat which we half expected to fall off its jack stands. (It didn't). But the boat was FILTHY when we returned in the fall. The yard help was willing, but short on experience. Again, to her credit, Sharie had begged me to store the boat in the water rather than on the hard but we had an insurance situation that pretty much required us to be out of the water.

I think it is very common for marinas to charge 15-20% on top of an outside tradesman's charges. This is especially true when they don't have anyone employed directly in that trade. It's true here in Stuart, FL and it's true at the marina in Maine where we keep a small boat. The one redeeming factor is that when the marina bills you for the work (and marks up a tradesman's bill) they assume responsibility for the work. Your remedy for deficient work will be through the marina. And if the tradesman wishes to continue doing work at the marina, he needs to keep them happy too.

Regards,
Randy Pickelmann
Morning Star-lying Sunset Bay Marina-Stuart, FL
Cool Change-hard aground in Thomaston, ME
www.CruisingMorningStar.com
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