Boat Shopping again

Busterbrown

Active Member
replied to a post in the past outlining my lousy experience with a broker in San Fran .The deal on the boat did not happen after driving 16 hrs to pick it up. This experience went much better right up to the time I had to deal with the shipper.

I was looking for a 2000-2001 2802 trophy. Now before all the Trophy haters chime in ,I have had some actual experience with them. I have owned a 1995 2502 trophy for almost 20 years I bought it new and it has been the best piece of equipment I have ever owned. We fish on the West Coast of Vancouver Island and often venture 5-10 miles offshore in big water and this boat always handled it like a champ


I then found exactly was I was looking for in Florida and began the process of making a deal. The Broker was amazing to deal with, we spoke on the phone dozens of times and he took hundreds of photos for me and acted as a contact for everything I needed including the loading of the trailer and shrink wrapping for travel and scheduling the inspections.For those interested it was Steven Fernandez at Supreme Marine and export in Miami Now I needed to arrange a shipper
I had the folks at REALX trailers build me a triple axle trailer with disc brakes. They were terrific , turned the trailer around in 4 days





I went on USHIP and got a quote that I could live with, it was not the cheapest but his references checked out so I gave him the work. The boat will now be shipped to Bellingham Wash . Below is a picture of the boat as it was leaving. Max height 13.5 feet as measured at MarinA before leaving. Notice the trailer does have a tag on it. This becomes an issue later



Despite the shippers claim of daily communication this was the last time he called or texted us unless we called him . This boat was to be delivered to Bellingham Wash. The first update we got was that the boat is in North Carolina . As it turns out the driver took a detour with our boat to see a relative. This was communicated to use at time of delvery. We then get a call a few days later from the driver that he has been pulled over in Indiana and can not go any further with out tags on my trailer. WTF I can only assume that he had another delivery .He then claimed I needed to send him $500 to get a trailer tag on the unit . That did not happen Having a transporter tag was to part of the contract. We had taken out insurance on the unit before it left Miami and we had to scan and send it to them.Still no tag
Next day I get a call telling me that a "small" square of the wrap has just come off. I asked him to send me a photo. I asked how it happened and he claimed it just came off
It later turned out that the over hanging tree they hit tore a hole in the top of my wrap.




We now head down to Bellingham to pick up our boat. What we arrived to was disappointing. The radar unit had been destroyed and the port side of my boat and new trailer was covered in yellow road line paint .I was pissed. The driver claimed the radar was busted when he picked up the boat. Yea right .Upon inspection of the busted radar there were sticks and bark inside the case. He should have manned up and taken responsibility





Well it finally got home and cleaned up. The radar has been replaced and she is going in for twin 250 hp Suzukis this week

How would you deal with the shipper if your new boat arrived in this condition. Send me a pm if you want to know which shipper to avoid
 
What a raw deal, not sure what your options are at this time or though Uship but I wouldn't have payed him the diff or followed up with his insurance.
At least you can give him a $hitty review.
That sucks.
 
The shipper should have to pay to replace all that gear. That's thousands in damage which clearly wasn't what you bought. You have photos.
 
Here is what has happened to date, When I meet the shipper to accept my boat , I was really pissed, First he claimed it was like that when he picked it up, WRONG I showed him the picture the broker had sent me he then said I would have to talk to his boss. We tried to call him immediately however no luck, left him a message. I then told the driver I am holding back $750 of the invoice until I receive an insurance claim from them.
Over the next month I attempted to contact him with no success, he never returned my calls or texts. After 30 days had passed, I put in a complaint to USHIP .
They then opened a "pissed off customer" file and miraculously were able to contact the dirt bag shipper. This is when the situation gets almost comical. Dirt bag shipper claimed the boat was over 15 ft tall , this despite the fact the Marine center confirmed a height of 13' 5 " . The reason he got the yellow paint over everything including his drivers truck was because I changed the delivery location on him. I did change it from Birch Bay to a rest stop in Custer as I thought this would be an easier spot for him to access. In addition he claimed I "forced" his driver to travel 18hrs a day. That one came out of the blue.
USHIP has sent him a notice to arrange with me to pay for repairs however I am still unable to contact him.I do have $750 to cover repairs which is was enough to get a good used dome on ebay. The removing of the yellow road paint was fairly easy to remove as it does not stick well to alluminum or gelcoat.

I the issued him a terrible review on USHIP which hopefully saves someone else from getting screwed.
 
See.... Good Guys do win, but way to many headaches. Very nice looking rig that you got now. Hope to see you on the water this up coming g season BB.
 
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