I trailered my boat to a marine mechanic who had been recommended by a friend. He did some really bad work that left me stranded and forced me to cancel a trip. I tried to get help from the guy but he never called me back, so I put a stop payment on the check and left him a message.
Here are the details:
I've got a 28 foot twin engine boat (Sea Ray Sundancer 280) and after I took delivery of the boat I found that my boat had water in the cabin, the seats were covered with grease and oil, the air conditioner seawater strainer was laying in the bilge, and the gelcoat in the engine room was damaged.
Later, when I put the boat in the water I found the generator would not start, and the stardboard engine would not restart after I shut it down.
Needless to say, at this point I had to cancel my weekend. As we reloaded the boat my wife pointed out that there was an oil slick behind the us. Turns out both of the outdrives were leaking oil.
This is where I felt obliged to place a stop payment on the check.
I called him twice more over the weekend. He answered the phone once and told me he'd call me back. I finally managed to get him to answer the phone on Monday afternoon.
We agreed to meet the following afternoon. When I called him that afternoon he said he would only come if I agreed to pay him in full this evening with cash or a cashier's check. I wasn't happy about that, but I told him I'd give him half tonight and half on Saturday when I had a chance to test the boat in the water. (He was invited to come along.) He refused this offer and told me he would not come unless he was paid in full that night.
I said he could come Saturday and once we tested the boat he'd be paid in full. He said he wouldn't come unless he was paid time and a half for working on a Saturday.
He told me he didn't even know the problems were his fault. How did he know I didn't damage the boat after I took it? I've got 5 witnesses to the event. And all of them knew what condition my boat was in before I took it to him. They were apalled at what they saw AFTER I had cleaned the boat up!
He has threatened me with felony charges for stopping payment on the check. He has not made any attempt fix the issues he caused during routine maintenance.
He told me if he didn't get paid Tuesday night he was going to the court house in the morning.
I told him that if he wasn't going to fix the boat I'd have to get another mechanic to finish the job and I'd pay him whatever was left.
I've never had issues with paying this guy. I just can't pay him until I know the work is complete. I trusted him the first time, now I need to know the boat is fixed.
I intend do exactly what I told him I'd do. Which is pay him whatever is left after another professional mechanic completes the repairs.
What can he do to me? Did I break any laws? Can he put a lien on my boat? Can he repo my boat? (The bill was $2000, my boat is worth $70,000+)
Here are the details:
I've got a 28 foot twin engine boat (Sea Ray Sundancer 280) and after I took delivery of the boat I found that my boat had water in the cabin, the seats were covered with grease and oil, the air conditioner seawater strainer was laying in the bilge, and the gelcoat in the engine room was damaged.
Later, when I put the boat in the water I found the generator would not start, and the stardboard engine would not restart after I shut it down.
Needless to say, at this point I had to cancel my weekend. As we reloaded the boat my wife pointed out that there was an oil slick behind the us. Turns out both of the outdrives were leaking oil.
This is where I felt obliged to place a stop payment on the check.
I called him twice more over the weekend. He answered the phone once and told me he'd call me back. I finally managed to get him to answer the phone on Monday afternoon.
We agreed to meet the following afternoon. When I called him that afternoon he said he would only come if I agreed to pay him in full this evening with cash or a cashier's check. I wasn't happy about that, but I told him I'd give him half tonight and half on Saturday when I had a chance to test the boat in the water. (He was invited to come along.) He refused this offer and told me he would not come unless he was paid in full that night.
I said he could come Saturday and once we tested the boat he'd be paid in full. He said he wouldn't come unless he was paid time and a half for working on a Saturday.
He told me he didn't even know the problems were his fault. How did he know I didn't damage the boat after I took it? I've got 5 witnesses to the event. And all of them knew what condition my boat was in before I took it to him. They were apalled at what they saw AFTER I had cleaned the boat up!
He has threatened me with felony charges for stopping payment on the check. He has not made any attempt fix the issues he caused during routine maintenance.
He told me if he didn't get paid Tuesday night he was going to the court house in the morning.
I told him that if he wasn't going to fix the boat I'd have to get another mechanic to finish the job and I'd pay him whatever was left.
I've never had issues with paying this guy. I just can't pay him until I know the work is complete. I trusted him the first time, now I need to know the boat is fixed.
I intend do exactly what I told him I'd do. Which is pay him whatever is left after another professional mechanic completes the repairs.
What can he do to me? Did I break any laws? Can he put a lien on my boat? Can he repo my boat? (The bill was $2000, my boat is worth $70,000+)
