We chartered “Achiever” out of Redondo Beach for a much-anticipated, 8-day family vacation to Catalina Island, scheduled to begin on 8/6/2017, that turned into a complete disaster because of lack of maintenance of the boat. See details below. Upon returning on the 5th day of the charter, the company refused to compensate us for the problems we encountered, but merely said they would credit us for the 3-days we were unable to use. I am still waiting to see the credit appear on our credit card.
This is an excerpt of the 7-page report we wrote, shortened to fit the Yelp review character-limit.
items found broken and/or inoperable:
Catch for the latch on the port aft cockpit locker (where the BBQ propane is stored)
VHF Radio
Anchor Light
Alternator
Missing shore power receptacle cover – no doubt shorting out the alternator
House water supply (ran out when 50% full?)
Shower drains
Shore power system
Leak in aft sink
10. Excessive bilge leakage
11. Tank gauges
12. DVD Player
13. External Speakers
14. Steering Wheel (spokes and leather covering)
15. Dingy
16. Dingy motor mount
17. Transmission neutral actuator
18. 7 other cosmetic items.
Chronology of the experience:
Day 1: 3-hours of cleaning required prior to boarding the boat: floors, mold in the frig and freezer, all cooking items, bedding filthy (a cloud of dust flew up when we sat on them), cockpit dirty. JD explains that the cleaning crew didn’t show up.
During checkout, when asked about the missing button that disengages the transmission and allows the engine to be run at higher-than-idle rpm in neutral, JD says we shouldn’t need that. But he earlier indicated that we should run the engine at a higher-than-idle RPM each day to charge the batteries and run the frig and freezer. He suggests using a writing pen to push in the actuator; that worked once and then the pen broke. We later improvised a push-pin using one of the hex wrenches, some line, and duct tape.
I asked JD about the DVD player and external speakers that are listed on the website; he says there was no DVD player and the speakers don’t work. JD says that the water and fuel tank gauges are also inoperable.
First dingy – deflated and in the locker. Took it out to inflate it, and there was no hose for the foot pump, and no oars or seat.
Second dingy – we inflated and left it on the foredeck – partially deflated overnight, no floor board, no seat (so rowing would be virtually impossible), but it did have oars.
Day 2 (still at the dock because solving the problems pushed our timing beyond a daylight arrival time on Catalina and JD says their insurance doesn’t cover night-time operation)
Showers wouldn’t drain – both had clogged discharges and required repair.
Finally, got under way around 11:00. We found the navigation system could not get a fix on the boat. It turns out the DC power switch for the now-inoperable auto-pilot, had to be on for the GPS to work.
Dropped anchor in White’s Landing; after nightfall, we turned on the anchor light, didn’t work, serious safety issue.
Day 3
Woke up and inflated the dingy and tried to find the source of the leak, traced it to one of the fill-cocks. We decided to go to shore anyway, because the leak was slow and we could take the foot pump with us.
We called the harbor patrol but they couldn’t copy. Bumped the power setting to High, same result. Fortunately, we brought our own hand-held VHFs and used one them to call. “Loud and clear, skipper.” Another serious safety issue.
We try to get the motor into the dingy but one of the tangs that is used to turn the mounting bolts is missing and the bolt was bent. While attempting to turn it with pliers, the bolt sheared off. So now the dingy is completely worthless.
Toward the end of the day we discovered the cold-water line to the aft cabin sink to be leaking.
Day 4
I repaired the water leak.
Motored to Avalon and, lacking a dingy, we decided to pick up a mooring.
Day 5
After 3-days of being boat-bound, finding and fixing problems, and wanting to visit the local snorkeling spots, our only option was to rent a skiff. Called JD upon return, he indicated that MS will not cover the cost of the skiff.
21:00 – the water pump begins to run for no reason after doing the dishes, checked all valves to see if water was running. It turns out that we had used half the water tankage and the other half would not deliver water.
Day 6
We wake to find the house batteries dead and start the engine to recharge them. After running the engine for over 30-min, the batteries are not charging. Contact JD to inform him of this issue. Call a local mechanic; he finds the alternator is not generating. JD refuses to have it fixed and insists that we pilot it back with no house electricity (no navigation systems, no water, lights, etc.)
15:25 - We arrive RB and call JD. I expect him to come to the boat to discuss this whole mess, but call him again around 17:20 and he is gone, office closed.
I had been chartering my sail boat with Marina Sailing is San Diego for several years, and finally decided to sell the boat, because it (supposedly) wasn't getting chartered very much, and they weren't maintaining it as promised (such as never changing the oil), and were nickel and diming me every month for repairs/maintenance that I never asked for or they never cleared with me beforehand.
I gave them written notification, and the boat was shown several times with their knowledge, so they were fully aware it was on the market. When I finally sold it after more than a year, they refused to pay me my portion of the previous month's five charter days, saying I didn't give them enough notification.
They also double billed me for a bilge pump and labor in consecutive months, and refused to re-imburse me for that, even though they admitted the error and said they would refund it to me.
They recently changed ownership and management, they were already going downhill, and now they've hit bottom and ripped me off for about $800.00, as well as not taking care of the boat.
Marina Sailing Reviews
We chartered “Achiever” out of Redondo Beach for a much-anticipated, 8-day family vacation to Catalina Island, scheduled to begin on 8/6/2017, that turned into a complete disaster because of lack of maintenance of the boat. See details below. Upon returning on the 5th day of the charter, the company refused to compensate us for the problems we encountered, but merely said they would credit us for the 3-days we were unable to use. I am still waiting to see the credit appear on our credit card.
This is an excerpt of the 7-page report we wrote, shortened to fit the Yelp review character-limit.
items found broken and/or inoperable:
Catch for the latch on the port aft cockpit locker (where the BBQ propane is stored)
VHF Radio
Anchor Light
Alternator
Missing shore power receptacle cover – no doubt shorting out the alternator
House water supply (ran out when 50% full?)
Shower drains
Shore power system
Leak in aft sink
10. Excessive bilge leakage
11. Tank gauges
12. DVD Player
13. External Speakers
14. Steering Wheel (spokes and leather covering)
15. Dingy
16. Dingy motor mount
17. Transmission neutral actuator
18. 7 other cosmetic items.
Chronology of the experience:
Day 1: 3-hours of cleaning required prior to boarding the boat: floors, mold in the frig and freezer, all cooking items, bedding filthy (a cloud of dust flew up when we sat on them), cockpit dirty. JD explains that the cleaning crew didn’t show up.
During checkout, when asked about the missing button that disengages the transmission and allows the engine to be run at higher-than-idle rpm in neutral, JD says we shouldn’t need that. But he earlier indicated that we should run the engine at a higher-than-idle RPM each day to charge the batteries and run the frig and freezer. He suggests using a writing pen to push in the actuator; that worked once and then the pen broke. We later improvised a push-pin using one of the hex wrenches, some line, and duct tape.
I asked JD about the DVD player and external speakers that are listed on the website; he says there was no DVD player and the speakers don’t work. JD says that the water and fuel tank gauges are also inoperable.
First dingy – deflated and in the locker. Took it out to inflate it, and there was no hose for the foot pump, and no oars or seat.
Second dingy – we inflated and left it on the foredeck – partially deflated overnight, no floor board, no seat (so rowing would be virtually impossible), but it did have oars.
Day 2 (still at the dock because solving the problems pushed our timing beyond a daylight arrival time on Catalina and JD says their insurance doesn’t cover night-time operation)
Showers wouldn’t drain – both had clogged discharges and required repair.
Finally, got under way around 11:00. We found the navigation system could not get a fix on the boat. It turns out the DC power switch for the now-inoperable auto-pilot, had to be on for the GPS to work.
Dropped anchor in White’s Landing; after nightfall, we turned on the anchor light, didn’t work, serious safety issue.
Day 3
Woke up and inflated the dingy and tried to find the source of the leak, traced it to one of the fill-cocks. We decided to go to shore anyway, because the leak was slow and we could take the foot pump with us.
We called the harbor patrol but they couldn’t copy. Bumped the power setting to High, same result. Fortunately, we brought our own hand-held VHFs and used one them to call. “Loud and clear, skipper.” Another serious safety issue.
We try to get the motor into the dingy but one of the tangs that is used to turn the mounting bolts is missing and the bolt was bent. While attempting to turn it with pliers, the bolt sheared off. So now the dingy is completely worthless.
Toward the end of the day we discovered the cold-water line to the aft cabin sink to be leaking.
Day 4
I repaired the water leak.
Motored to Avalon and, lacking a dingy, we decided to pick up a mooring.
Day 5
After 3-days of being boat-bound, finding and fixing problems, and wanting to visit the local snorkeling spots, our only option was to rent a skiff. Called JD upon return, he indicated that MS will not cover the cost of the skiff.
21:00 – the water pump begins to run for no reason after doing the dishes, checked all valves to see if water was running. It turns out that we had used half the water tankage and the other half would not deliver water.
Day 6
We wake to find the house batteries dead and start the engine to recharge them. After running the engine for over 30-min, the batteries are not charging. Contact JD to inform him of this issue. Call a local mechanic; he finds the alternator is not generating. JD refuses to have it fixed and insists that we pilot it back with no house electricity (no navigation systems, no water, lights, etc.)
15:25 - We arrive RB and call JD. I expect him to come to the boat to discuss this whole mess, but call him again around 17:20 and he is gone, office closed.
I had been chartering my sail boat with Marina Sailing is San Diego for several years, and finally decided to sell the boat, because it (supposedly) wasn't getting chartered very much, and they weren't maintaining it as promised (such as never changing the oil), and were nickel and diming me every month for repairs/maintenance that I never asked for or they never cleared with me beforehand.
I gave them written notification, and the boat was shown several times with their knowledge, so they were fully aware it was on the market. When I finally sold it after more than a year, they refused to pay me my portion of the previous month's five charter days, saying I didn't give them enough notification.
They also double billed me for a bilge pump and labor in consecutive months, and refused to re-imburse me for that, even though they admitted the error and said they would refund it to me.
They recently changed ownership and management, they were already going downhill, and now they've hit bottom and ripped me off for about $800.00, as well as not taking care of the boat.