I can't stands no more

[John G.]

Once again I read another post about how the "yardbirds" were remiss in another of thier endless ( could you help me for one minute) jobs. That did it, I am proud to stand up and say that I, John Gilbert, happen to be a "yardbird". I will only relate to you one incident from the other side of the fence.
A captian that winters his boat at our yard was making his annual pilgrimage from his summer residence, about 3 miles total. First he had to telephone the marina and make sure plenty of "yardbirds" would be at the ready to help make sure he didn't hit anything. Shortly after getting the captian's vessel, which bears the name "Navigator" safely tuck in, he then asked if we knew which way was WEST.
I've got a boat load of similar stories that make you wonder how in the world "yardbirds" get through another season of "boatowners". A.K.A. Captians

[Steve Laume]

So asking which way is West wasn't a joke with a boat named Navigator? That is pretty bad. Sounds like he could use a pair of those port and starboard red and green socks for Christmas.
I might joke about the yard guys but I have a tremendous amount of respect for all of them. The guys at our yard posess a depth of knowledge I could never hope to acquire in one lifetime. Except for one guy that just kind of has a mean and non caring attitude, everybody seems willing to chat a bit and even share a some of there expertise. I make a point of talking to them whenever I happen to see them around, not just if I might want some "free" advice. When I do get some answer it seems like stocking some beer in the launch house or mechanics fridg goes a long way towards staying on the good side of some guys who put up with a lot of crap from a whole lot of people who seem to think they are better than they are. Now about the yard owners,... Another rainy weekend, Steve.

[Clay Stalker]

At Bristol Marine, I take very good care of the "yardbirds..." That includes providing them with frequent cases of Molson Ice for their after work fridge, various other compliments, and trying not to act like a jerk. In return, they try very hard to please me, are extremely friendly, and when the "big one" heads up the coast, Yankee Lady is one of the first to be hauled and secured. Ya gets what ya give in this world I suspect.....

Clay Stalker

[Oswego John]

Clay,

Truer words were never spoken. To this day, I still have vivid memories of who was nice to, who took care of the "lesser people".There were certain people who always had a tip for us and we reciprocated in kind. A tip, a kind word and a smile were always appreciated and rewarded in one way or another.

And then, on the other hand, was the opposite type of person. They thought they were "something else". They, too, are well remembered and also were rewarded in strange, inimitable, inimicable ways. No one would deliberately do damage or cause harm. Service could be erratic at times, though. The mills of the gods grind slowly but thoroughly.

I could write a book or two about the great customers I have met, and also about the kooky crackpots. I won't though, people wouldn't believe most of the tales, would brand it fiction.

There was one slimeball who stood out from all the rest, trouble personified. He was rewarded, behind his back, with the disaffectionate nickname "The Grinch". Most dockworkers probably never did know what his real name was, or could care less what it was.

One fine day, the Grinch pulled up to the fuel dock to top off his remote gas tanks. One was empty and the other was more than half full. In those days, there were no four stroke outboard motors, only two stroke which required oil to be mixed with the gas.

The fuel boy added a bottle of oil to the empty tank and then filled it up. He next added less than a half bottle to the half full tank and then topped it off. The Grinch threw a double hissy, screaming at the fuel attendant that he was being charged for a full bottle of oil and he only got less than a half bottle. He grabbed the oil and poured the balance into the tank, signed the credit card, untied and took off in a huff.

The fuel boy told me what happened because he didn't want to get in trouble. I patted him on the back and said "Son, fuel up the work launch and stick by the radio, you and another worker are going to take a trip pretty soon".

Sure enough, about fortyfive minutes later, Captain Grinch was screaming "Help, Mayday, SOS". His engine failed and he was dead in the water, drifting toward the rocky shore. The problem? Fouled sparkplugs. Towing bill? $50.00. Party that night, yup. Here's a toast to Cap'n Grinch.

The launch boys appreciated tips, too. Boat horns blowing all over the mooring field sounding likt New Years at midnight. Guess who got first service?

Sure, some yard workers are better than others, but they all have feelings. Although it may sound cute to some, one of the most demeaning things that you can call a hand is a "Yard Ape".

To this day, I always make sure that I take care of the workers, and they show their appreciation. When I go down to the lumber yard, they'll hand pick over the lumber to insure that I get the best. Many times they cross cut or rip lumber for me at no charge. You have to appreciate and take care of the lesser people and they'll take care of you. A little grease make life slide a lot easier.

Paybacks are - - - - well, they're something else.

O J

[tartansailor]

The crew at Maryland Marina in Baltimore (where I bought my boat, and had yard work done) impressed me with their professionalism.
Dick

[Paul Grecay]

I am glad that people have posted good experiences. In my case, I paid a great deal of money to have the cockpit sole replaced including the core, as per the surveyors reccomendation. It looked great when it was finished....until the paint started to flake off. At that point I could see that I paid a couple of K for a just a coat of paint over the old sole. It was one of the most blatant ripoffs I have seen and I did prepare a small claim suit and got all of my money back after 2 years. This was done in Grasonville, MD.

The other experience was replacement of my cutless bearing. The yard cut out my old prop shaft and said it needed replacement. As it turned out, there was nothing wrong with the old one and it set me back a bundle. I just repowered and took all the stuff apart and guess what? The SS shaft they put in was a piece of garbage.....defects everywhere on it....just not visibile until it was removed. In addition, there was no attempt at alignment etc. That work was done at a yard in Raritan Bay near perth amboy.

In both cases I paid alot of money for terrible work....so I don't trust yardyork...period.

[Oswego John]

Paul,

I guess that the ageold maxim still holds true. "If you want something done right, do it yourself". (if you can)

Probably the majority of boatyards are honest, but there are some cutthroat pirates still at large, ready to take advantage of some unsuspecting boatowner.

Here's a sneaky little trick that has been pulled off on owners more times than not by unscrupulous yards. Some yards wont let you do certain work on your boat, including bottom painting. After they paint your bottom, they leave empty paint cans of the $170.00 variety within eyesight of the hull area.

What really goes on is that they pour inferior bottom paint of the same color into the expensive empty can, making sure that the color shows on the label. They paint your bottom with inferior paint, which looks good to the customer, and charge for the top shelf paint. It is blatant, outright thievery. Chances are, the customer never suspects what has transpired.

There are dozens of dirty tricks going on. If anyone has a good trustworthy yard that has been proven to be reliable, stay with it. Don't go shopping around for a better price. You'll get burned in the long run, one way or another. You (hopefully) get what you pay for.

O J

[dwdisbennett]

I've spent over 20 years at my trade and have found that most yards are very trustworthy, and yes O.J. a little grease goes a long way. I don't mean money either, a smile, a kind word, and just plain professional respect.
In the past 20 years I have seen a lot of fly by night operations and bottle rocket repair companies (they come in with a screech and end with an amusing bang). If you look at the lifers in the industry though, you will see a person that is passionate about their craft. People who care about the boats they move and shore and are entrusted with over the course of the seasons. You'll see men who are out in blizzards checking jack stands and shoring, men who work in the blazing sun well after quitting time to keep someones vacation dreams afloat. Often with little more than a short thanks.
Some of the most intelligent and ingenious people I have met work in the yards, mainly because they love boats, it's their passion. Some leave but most always return, it's in our blood.
Most of us shop for the best deal on things but as the stories relayed here tell that deal is no bargain. My advise to all... strike up a good relationship with a yard, not just with the owner or manager but the whole crew, get to know them and appreciate them and they will return the favor in kind a thousand fold.

Dave Disbennett
Toledo Beach
LaSalle Michigan

[Duncan Maio]

Clay:

Where did they move the fridge? I used to do the same, but stopped when the lounge turned into office space a couple years back.

Service was never better than when I was at the yard often enough for the Holiday Case, Pre-Launch Case, Launch Case, July 4th Case (Bristol, Rhode Island has been celebrating the 4th of July since 1774; it's a big deal), Labor Day Case, and Haul Case.

I also try to be one of the owners who is ready to launch on time, and willing to go in a little early or a little later if it's easier for the yard. Running a business that is tide and weather-dependent, with a seasonal workforce, is enough of a challenge without cranky customers.

[Skip]

Like anything else, there are good guys and not-so-good guys in the yards. The good guys are usually around for a while.

I used to do a lot of welding and fabricating in a local yard and for customers of that yard and found that I generally got on better with the "yard guys" than with the clients that we both served. However, I noticed that the clients with whom I had rapport, the yard guys did too. It usually, no, always reduced to a matter of mere courtesy and respect.

Now I do believe that one gets back what one puts out. In this case it simply blew my mind. When I first bought Carissa (formerly, Bandolera) and had her transported to Cracker Boy's for pre-launch work, a former "yard-boy" who had become a paint contractor was very pleased to see both me and the lovely boat I had bought.

She had at some time met with a coral head, I presume, and had a sizeable dent in the glass on her keel. Plus, of course she needed a deep sanding and good painting below the water line.

Tony asked me who would work on her and I replied that I'd do it myself. He said that I should let him do it so I could get in the water faster by doing other things myself, so I asked him what he'd estimate. He said, for you? ZERO. Huh? Yeah man, zero. Aw man, c'mon. You have to make a dollar. Hey man, after all you've done for me? ZERO.

Well let me tell you, all I've ever really done for Tony was treat him like a human being; with courtesy and respect, crack a joke or two with him and stock the after work fridge with some beer from time to time, and if this isn't some fine reward for simply treating people well, then I know nothing of humankind.

Yeah, those yard-guys are human and most of them are damn fine fellers. Hell I ought to know. I grew up under a buncha old shrimp boats and such in my own dear ol' Daddy's boat-yard.

Skip

[Dan & Pat]

Skip, was that the Cracker Boys by Lake Worth Inlet by any chance?

That's where I had our CD 25 towed to and yanked out back on 4/1/06. The yard guys were courteous and all, but too much in a hurry though for my preference. I had just finished a whirlwind drive from Lauderdale to Tom's River NJ and back to West Palm Beach in 2 days, to pick up the trailer, so I was a little punchy (drowsy), which certainly didn't add to the situation.

I should have taken more pictues as it was being prepared for the trailer though!

[Skip]

They have two yards; one in Riviera, the other in Fort Pierce. I'm in Fort Pierce.

Skip

[Bill Goldsmith]

"If you want something done right, do it yourself". (if you can)

Although technically not a "Yard Guy," I hired a local "mobile marine mechanic" to pull my engine, replace the mounts, repaint the engine,install a new exhaust manifold and piping and re-install the engine. He took a deposit and came to remove the engine. He indiscriminately cut all the wires, pulled the engine, and left it on a pallett next to the boat, initially covered by a tarp. But then he never came back despite several promises.

This gave me (and my friend Mark Y--CD27) an opportunity to gain some good exerience. We repainted the engine, installed the new manifold, and reinstalled the engine with new mounts using the yacht club's forklift and a chain hoist. Installed new exhaust piping and mixing elbow, and reconnected all the electrical, then aligned the engine. Took the opportunity to install a PSS dripless seal, new cutless bearing and a new shaft, got the prop re-conditioned and realigned the engine (that took the longest amount of time). Saved quite a few boat units but took on a few bruises. I am so much more confident in my undertanding of the mechanicals now, and I know exactly how everything goes together.

Of course, not everyone can do this. I admit a sense of pride in of being self-sufficient (and thankful to my friend for his help). Bottom line is know who you are dealing with.

[oldragbaggers]

We live in Maryland now, but before coming here we lived in San Diego for 13 years. We dealt with a few boatyards over the years, but one deserves a special mention, Driscoll's Mission Bay. There is an assembly of some of the nicest, hardest working, and friendliest yard workers we have ever met. They were always willing to stop and give advise, help you find a cheaper or easier way to do something, and when we did our own work they even took time to stop and compliment or instruct (whichever was appropriate). From the carpentry shop to the paint shop to the engine shop, good guys all. Even the office staff and the management were always more than nice to us and tried to accommodate us in any way possible. As a matter of a fact, we formed such good relationships with some of those yard workers that they are still on our Christmas card list to this day. I agree with the others who said, when you find a good yard stick with it. I would go beyond that and say, appreciate those workers and let them know you do, it will return to you not only in great service for your boat but perhaps even in friendships that lasts well beyond the yard relationship.
Becky