ComplaintsforVentnor Marina LLC

• Initial Complaint

  09/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a boat last June 2021 and was told by the owner that I could bring it to his marina on 21 May for repairs. The boat sat all last summer waiting on the correct parts to be ordered for someone to service the boat. A sea trial took place in October before the boat was winterized. There were many issues along the way with pricing discrepancies. I would receive an invoice with an estimate for repairs and a higher priced invoice when the parts arrived to do the work. Most of my issues occurred this year. When the boat was first launched, I paid to have the generator repair last year, a significant cost. I tested the generator this year and it still did not work correctly. The owner charged me to have someone come out and re-evaluate the generator, replacing the same parts, that did not fix the problem. I took the boat in for its 10-hour oil change, after receiving the boat I had a major oil leak. The 10-hour oil change was performed on the engine that was replaced last year. When I returned the boat to the marina for repairs, I mention a water leak and to check a gimbal bearing on the starboard motor, that the technician stated was bad during the oil change. Both our drives for removed at this time as well as the port motor for repairs. The technician sent me text messages with pictures and descriptions of his work. I picked the boat up from the marina and took it out the following weekend. At this time the water leak was much worse, and the gimbal bearing started making a very bad noise. I return the boat to the marina at which time the owner presented me an invoice to replace the bellows on the outdrives. I questioned him and asked him why this work was not performed when the outdrives were removed during the last visit. Furthermore, the outdrives have been off twice last summer for examination and repairs. The conversation escalated to an argument, and I had to contact the other owner who agreed to do the job at half cost. I received the boat again, still leaky

  Business response

  12/19/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 15, 2022/10/31) */ Contact Name and Title: James ** ****** Owner Contact Phone: XXX XXX-XXXX Contact Email: *****************@gmail.com The owner bought a boat with many mechanical problems including a blown engine, generator not working, hot water system not working, trim indicators not working, AC not working, etc. Supply chain has been a challenge across the US due to Covid, transportation logistics etc. leading to delays in obtaining parts on an older boat. The owners boat was completed in October of 2021 when all his parts arrived. The boat was sea trialed, with the owner on board, without issues/exception and the boat owner took delivery. The boat owner brought the boat to Ventnor Marina mid summer of 2022 due to a leak in the stern of the boat and other various issues. Both outdrives were removed and were reinstalled with the necessary parts where needed to insure the leak was no longer coming through the outdrives. It was determined and discussed with the owner that this may fix the leak but there may be other factors causing leaks as this is a boat almost 20 years old. The owner limited the work to just the outdrives and refused a comprehensive rebuild. At this time Ventnor owners and Techs described what may be causing the leak and Ventnor provided the owner with an actual assembly demonstrating possible locations of the leaks. A spare transom assembly was provided to the owner in addition to describing the procedure for replacement if necessary. The owner was not in favor of pulling the transom assembly for further investigation due to the cost involved. Additionally, Ventnor Owners and mechanics described to the owner that the leak may be coming from a steering cylinder/pin. Both the steering issue and transom assembly would require the engine being removed for repair. The owner declined investigation of these issues. It is worth noting that at this time and at the time of the purchase the owner never had a Marine Survey performed on the boat. The Marine Survey would have detected the "Wet Transom" through a simple testing device termed a "Moisture Meter" and would have possibly directed the owner to major problems with the transom of the vessel and potential structural damage and leaks to the vessel. The marine survey would have also focused on other items that were in need of repair prior to the purchase of the vessel. Again, the owner elected not to incur the cost of the marine survey and proceeded to buy a boat of considerable age and with multiple problems. We understand the boat was not operating due to the parts unavailable for an extended period. As a courtesy to the owner, we did not charge any storage fees for the vessel being at Ventnor for the Winter/Spring of 2021 through 2022. This was estimated at 6 months at $280 per month totaling $1,680. This fee was waived. At this time the generator has been repaired and per the owner running great. The leak evidently still exists and Ventnor suspects it is in the transom assembly, a job that was never approved by the owner, so the exact cause is still not known. All services on invoices were approved by owner and paid for with the exception of the owner refusing to pay for the most recent haul out equating to $196. We are able to provide documentation of the invoices if needed. In summary, Mr. ****** purchased a boat with multiple problems. He did not properly evaluate the boat with a pre-purchase survey and was therefore surprised with the amount of issues requiring attention. His purchase actually required an engine, transom assembly, outdrive and transom rebuild. Instead of rebuilding these systems at one sitting, he has been "piecemealing" the repairs and getting quite frustrated in the process. If you have any questions, please provide them and I will address them in a timely manner. Also, please include my email *****************@gmail.com and *************@gmail.com in any future correspondence. We do not use any facsimile at our marina and *** and Cindy Salvos are no longer associated with the marina. Sincerely, James M. Cesare Owner, Ventnor Marina Consumer Response /* (3000, 17, 2022/11/02) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The information provided by Ventnor marine has some truth. I did not get the boat surveyed and it is an older boat. I took the boat to this particular marina based on a friends recommendation. I provided a list of known issues and asked that the boat be checked over. At no point did I refuse a major repair or ask for partial repairs. I waited an entire season partly due to supply chain issues and supplies that sat while no one worked on the boat. I too have invoices showing an estimate for labor prior to ordering the engine and double the labor after I prepaid and ordered it. Another invoice for R?R of the generator and overhaul, had the same problem after launching the boat because the actual problem (a clogged heat exchanger) was never originally addressed. The water leak is a huge issue. I had taken the boat in for a major oil leak repair on the remanufactured port engine (installed by Ventnor). I mentioned the water leak in an email to the owner when the oil leak repair was performed. The port engine was removed and both outdrives to fix the oil leak and starboard gimbal bearing. I was told by the mechanic that no water leak was found. To repair the steering pin the engine and outdrive have to be removed (would have saved me a lot of money). During this same repair the mechanic replaced the gimbal bearing on the starboard outdrive. I took the boat out the following weekend, there was a loud noise and vibration coming from the starboard drive. Water, at this point, was pouring in through the transom on the port drive. I immediately returned the boat to Ventnor and placed it on a lift, per the owner. I received a $1,900.00 estimate to replace the bellow kit on the port outdrive. At this point I was furius and contacted the other owner. I was offered to have both outdrive bellow kits installed for the price of one. No alternative leak options were mentioned by Ventnor. I agreed to the repairs. I picked the boat up and noticed water was still coming in the on the port side. I met with the owners and brought my own inspection camera to locate the leak. I arrived at the specified time and had to wait for the mechanic, who was late. He never got on the boat or looked at the camera but was confirmed that it was the gasket between the outer gimbal housing and transom. The owner said we should caulk around the gimbal housing as an experiment to see if this fixes the leak. At no point was a price ever discussed. I picked the boat up and had a bill for $150.00 plus a $20.00 environmental charge for the leak repair and $196.00 to haul and launch the boat. I was not happy but paid the $170.00. I did not pay the $196.00 because I just paid it the week before and the leak was never fixed. I get on the boat, looked, and it was still leaking, the owner stated "it was an experimental repair". At this point, with no conviction, the mechanic stated the steering pin is leaking. I was also shown the old boots that were not damaged, rather poorly installed because Ventnor had the outdrives off roughly four times over the two year period. The water leak was much worse after the oil leak repair. I never received a repair order for the warranty oil leak repair, as the owner refused to provide it. Furthermore, the leak could have possible been avoided if the mechanic did place 10 quarts of oil in an engine that requires 4.5 quarts. The mechanic also made it known to me that the ground wire was never reconnected on the port engine. I recently had the boat pulled and checked over by another company. The grounding issue caused major electrolysis on the lower unit and steering pin creating the new water leak at the steering pin. The exhaust boot they just replaced has already come off the starboard outdrive with less than three hours of use. I have pictures, tons of emails, invoices, repair orders and even text messages from the mechanic to backup my claims. The bottom line is Ventnor not only provided me with poor service but took my money for a water leak repair that was never properly diagnosed. I have overpaid and paid for things twice, three times that never got fixed. I feel as though Ventnor should refund my money for the below replacement and attempted transom seal, as now I'm going to have to pay someone else a lot of money to fix it correctly, included the corroded lower unit (from electrolysis) on the port drive. Business Response /* (4000, 19, 2022/11/07) */ Ventnor Marina responded thoroughly to the consumer's complaint in its original response. Ventnor took multiple and reasonable steps to address this customer's concerns regarding the problems with his boat, none of which were caused by Ventnor. This is an unfortunate circumstance which demonstrates the need to have a marine survey performed before buying a vessel. Consumer Response /* (4200, 21, 2022/11/14) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The existing issues where caused by poor repairs and neglect bu Ventnor. A marine survey has Jack to do with poorly diagnosed and short work! Bottom line... I want the wasted money back for the water leak repair. Attached is a picture of the starboard exhaust boot that came off after 3 hours of use! I paid $2,000 for this repair.

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