1973 22.2 redo ===== SOLD!!!!!

[shortpants]

Just to let everyone know, Shipoke although I believe they would do quality work to level that I was anticipating the shop that I orginally took the boat in doing, is a little out of my price range at this time .  If I had know about Shipoke in the beginning I would have never used the other shop!!!!!.  I will just throw this out there that I am a SPPD officer and after the loss of several co-workers just wanted to  get on the water and relax if you know what I mean since the shop that was doing the work go so busy he was unable to work on it any longer building TCraft boats.  This is why I chose the boat shop in Tampa based on it's website.  It's a shame because the orignaly shop it was at does some really great work but just slower then heck.

I did find a shop several k$ off of Shipoke's cost that I am considering. Everything up in the air right now. However, I do plan on taking the boat back to the original location to see if the issues can be resolved.  Again, I am hoping he understands what is needed to be done to make this right and does!!!!  If he is an honest and respectable business man I'm sure he will do what is necessary to save his, "reputation". as a boat builder.  I do plan on taking the boat to him one day this coming week and having a talk with him unannounced.   This is only because he isn't so good about making arrangements unless he needs money, IMHO!  I was given a heads up that one member on this site is close with him and am hoping that this friend nudges him to get him to do what is right by pulling the PVC board he used on my floor up and replacing it with Nidacore.  I am still not going to mention the shops name by the sites rules but am wondering if THT's rules are the same

I know I continue to thank everyone for their support but I really do appreciate it!!

Thanks, Shorts (Tom)

[gran398]

Tom, I'm sure that your friends enjoy your company, and value your friendship.

Know what you have been through, and it sucks that it continues. Not only is it unpleasant but it can easily kill the desire for a nice boat and the boating experience.

My advice is once bitten twice shy. Take the boat by, but only to point out what you have been shown by other professionals, no names. Then ask how he proposes to compensate you financially. You are a police officer, it is only natural to mention your job, district court and the folks you work with daily. Nothing political or underhanded....just that you know and are familiar with procedural matters.

Absolutely no way you should leave the boat there again. Will PM you on that.

Best to you, keep us posted, thanks.

[xtremekline]

I had a question for you .I did not see earlier where you said they used PVC board ,I used PVC board on my floor (recommended by a friend and a boat repair shop)He as performed extensive work with PVC board and tested its strength quality and glass attachment .It is has always been very successful if prepped properly,I have pieces from my deck that we saved from installation that are almost impossible to destroy or pull apart, what did the other shops say the cause of your issues were with this product.I have never known that builder to use that for any of there builds.P.M me if you want, I do know who the builder was.

[shortpants]

As soon as weather clears, I do plan on taking a few pictures to post.  Again, I am down in the Bradenton area if anyone would like to take a look to form your own opinion.  

Thanks, Shorts

[Capt Matt]

Nidacore is going to be weaker than the PVC board
 I'm guessing you need a thicker deck or a better way to support it
Good luck with the builder
Capt Matt

[gran398]

Good luck with the builder
Capt Matt

It is time for the builder, a founding member here, to input.

[RickK]

Good luck with the builder
Capt Matt

It is time for the builder, a founding member here, to input.

I'm not sure he is a member here. He might have been friends with some of the early members though.

[fitz73222]

Unless I did something wrong, his domain name is up for sale.

[shortpants]

Okay, I have left phone messages, texts, and e-mails for "the shop" and have not one returned since pulling my boat out of his shop...well one was returned 3 weeks ago indicating that he would let me know about being able to look at the boat after the 21st....I've texted him and e'd him a week ago...no return response!  I am over his inadequate ability to communicate after he gets his money!  Let me tell you,  when he wants money from you he calls immediately!!!!!!  I would even call him back when he called about the money..hmmmmm.

I have had two shops give me quotes on the deck alone which run between between 10-5k.  They both mentioned the inadequate glassing of the deck to support both the deck and hull. I am getting one more estimate tomorrow to for a peace of mind.

Here are a few photos showing his quality, or lack of in my opinion, work.  see the cracks coming out from the knees?  The overspray of light blue of my motor is crazzzzzzzy.  On the water, my motor looks ice-blue!!  The cracks of the deck are getting worse.  I know even have crack on the deck around the (Admin Edit) livewell.  He must in the process of flipping it over scrapped it on the ground.  The hull, rear port side and middle both have flat spots from being dragged. Hard to see in photos in photos but trust me or come see for yourself!!!!!!!  The non-skid has areas where it is either just scrapping off or rusting out from him having popped a screwed up underneath and not addressing it.    I'm affraid to even knock the boat on either the dock or with anyone on the boat for fear of the thin paint he sprayed on it coming off.  My anchor barely hit the hull when I was pulling it out of the water and put a knick in the side that shoud have never happened with a quality paint job!!!!!!!!!  In some areas,  the primer shows through...crazzzzzzzzzzzzy!  Heck, even the qualty of the livewell he is known for scratches easily.  You hit it with anything including the livewell cover and it scrathes down to the light blue primer color.  

Sorry for all the edits, computer keeps screwing with me...lol!



I apologize it appears I'm compaining...well, I am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You think our paying money for quality work and you get this!   Several AS forums members have contacted with similar issues.

Here are are few pics....


This shows the primer shadowing throug the paint on the corner.


Here, looking up underneath,  barely shows the port, rear corner of the hull where it is scrapped probably from being flipped over after the outside hull was sprayed.


This shows, I think, that the what he used to sprayed the deck is crack around the reciever area of the bilge hatch.  Hard to see with my pics but look in the middle near the edge, flacking paint.


Above picture show the nice job he did with the overspray...can you see the ice-blue color in and around my porta-bracket?


Hmm, no glass or anything where the deck adheres to the stringers.


Cracks formng around the knees.


Carefully look at how the crack is coming straight out on the deck from the knee.  Hard to see but spider crack.




View from bilge are towards the livewell access.  Again, no glass between deck and stringers.

I thought I'd taken a picture of where he must have dropped the boat on the rear under the drain pluc are where it looks like a flat back.....I will take a picture of that later and post it.  Nice flat area turning my boat into a flat back hull with a small crack in the gel-coat.

On a happy not, here is the wife and I on water last weekend where she is his operating the boat.  



shorts

[fitz73222]

What a shame to see this from what was a reputable builder; at least as history had depicted. Cash flow now going up his nose or down his throat most likely. No longer can pay suppliers or keep quality employees. Since we are pretty timid on this forum about bashing vendors which I understand; the best you can do is report this to the Better Business Bureau and seek legal action. These rebuilds are serious money and you have an obligation to not let this guy walk from this.

I have no doubt you have some friends to help with this cause!

[dbiscayne]

Don't think you're going to see many decks glassed to the stringers, whats usually done, & he might have, is some type of bonding agent is placed on top of the stringer to glue the deck down, might not be able to see evidence of that unless theres so much applied it gets squished out when the deck is laid down.
Those cracks around the knees look like they need to be addressed, can you get a pic thats not zoomed in so close?

[gran398]

If you look carefully at the pics...there is no sign of adhesive whatsoever between the deck and the stringer tops. You would expect to see plexus, or whatever adhesive, oozing out.

All I see is a shim.

Tom, you mentioned a while back a substantial amount of flex where the deck joins the sides. How much flex would you say there is? That should also be noted by a third party. A marine surveyor would be your best bet.

After filing the BBB complaint, take your estimates and expert third party evidence and file suit against him.

Bet he'll learn how to use a phone again.

[shortpants]

The cracks coming from the knees have gotten worse.  I will take another pic when I can maybe this weekend.  I don't keep the boat at my house, keep it at a friends.  

The flexing from the sides is not real bad I think because the deck is built up about 3" it avoids most of the beating from the water that it would get normally.  I'm not sure, but watching the sides this weekend seemed to be okay.  I say that with some apprehension because you can push on the sides when it's on the trailer and see how flexible it is which structually doesn't seem very strong, but it is glass, right?  The cracks are not going up the outside of both needs.  When I say cracks, looks like the glass is peeling away from the knees.  You can see it on one of the pictures but the more I run the boat the worse it is getting.  

I did hear from the shop by e after sending at least two e's a week.  The last e I got from him was about early back in June when he mentioned he was busy and wouldn't expect to be able to do anything on it till after the 21st and that he would let me know if anything changed.  I did not hear back in and around the 21st. so I e'd him and texted him several times.  Nothing.  I finally sent and e on Friday of last week and asked that he'd please respond to an e and let me know if he can fix it in a week or next year but an e would be nice!  He finally answered me back and told me that he was booked at least for the next 8 months with work and was on vacation and that he told me he wouldn't be able to do anything until after the 21st....hmmmm, it is after the 21st. but now he has 8 months of work.

All I can say is that the saga goes on....I have considered law suits but someone I've spoken with that knows him well gave me some information about him.  What's the old saying, "You can't squeeze blood from a turnip!"

Oh, I forgot!  I did get one more quote.  Originally he suggested cutting the deck and pulling it up behind the livewell and reinforcing the area and then putting the deck back down leaving a seam since he would not be able to match the non-skid probably.  He also said that the area needed to have some more supports near the transom and under the hatch.  He took a day to think about it and called me back and trashed the easy route.  He told me that they,his shops guys, were uncomfortable doing that because it would now cause the rest of the floor to not take on the added stress.  Does that make sense?  Anyway, he would only be able to repair the deck by putting another deck down using Divinycell and not Nidacore.  Still, several more thousand to have him fix it.  

Shorts

[CaptSteveBetz]

I am really sorry to see the problems you are having. I wish I would of contacted you back when I saw the pictures during your build and warned you of who you were dealing with.

My first hand experience with this guy was less than pleasurable to say the least.

I hope somehow you can get your problems resolved.

[shortpants]

Just a quick note....after mulling over my boat for weeks as what to do with it and the continuing structure issues, I have dropped my boat off with Eugene at Shipoke Boats.  I went to his shop and after meeting with him feel very comfortable with my decision and so far the experience has exceptional!  I'm sure Eugene won't mind posting a few pics as the new deck goes down for viewing with the forum.  I am very excited with knowing the quality work that his shop will be doing on my boat and look forward to putting her on the water in a few months!  

Also...guessing it was good timing since Eugene discovered that the "other" shop, and we all know which shop that is, mounted my porta-bracket with lag bolts on the bottom of the bracket.  Who knows how long it would have been before my motor dropped off into the water or in the middle of the road!