The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - October 2012

The Good  West Systems Epoxy

With the project list under full steam ahead,  Epoxy and fiberglass are a daily experience.  Somewhere in the learning curve perhaps at the end we will have a new mount for the anchor, a propane locker, a hard dodger and a super secret project.   During this time I am getting familiar with the West Systems Epoxy that has been riding around for the last couple years waiting on us to get time to do these projects.  One thing negative so far is that the six10 tubes are only 1/3 full!  Other than that all else seems as expected.  Stay tuned for a whole blog page on a couple of those projects.  With step by step photos.

The Bad - Raymarine Autotiller and Raymarine Warranties!

RAYMARINE ST-1000
I'll try to keep this one short.  Raymarine has refused to warrant our auto-tiller!  It came with a two year warranty and was purchased in March 2011!  They refused to warrant it due to water intrusion.  It would appear that water entered the unit through the button or the LCD display.  If you have moisture in the display beware the gathering gloom, oh such impending doom.  Please keep in mind when it rains take your damn Raymarine Auto-tillers down below because they are not engineered to withstand the elements with in which they were designed to do.   Please keep this poorly engineered POS in a secure location like the store with which you are thinking of buying one!  It will not perform in the world of cruising!  This is the second one I know of personally that has failed due to this reason.  So in recap: DO NOT BUY THIS POS!  If you already own one please practice safe tillering and use protection.  

Anyone want to buy a Raymarine Cricket Bat?

The Ugly DHL's drive-by looting!  For those of you that don't know DHL they became the German Post office a few years back.  They also made an assault on Fed-ex and UPS here in the US.  In trying this they partnered with the USPS to deliver their rural packages,  Suddenly the cost of shipping with the USPS went up drastically and we found the new Flat Rate Boxes at the USPS, A DHL favorite! (Shipping from Germany to USA almost doubled when they took over the Luftpost.)  So what does this have to do with anything?  MONEY OUT OF A CRUISERS POCKET.  I prefer Fed-ex over the counter! Always cheaper and includes $100 of insurance but, this town is not FedEx friendly.

In an effort to buy a new tiller pilot, NO NOT A DAMN RAYMARINE!, we have sold some of the items we are not using on the boat.  First you must decide if it is economy or priority,  economy often only saves 10% and takes twice as long.  Then you must decide if the delivery guy tosses it out with out care, he electronically verifies, the recipient signs or insurance.  Then you must pay the exorbitant amount but their credit card machines never work so you have to hand it to an employee that makes 3 times minimum wage.  Then it is handled by the poor chaps only making 2 times or more than minimum wage.  Then if something goes wrong and it does about 5-10% of the time in my experience you have to talk to someone making 4 times minimum wage.  With all those pensions, holidays and other paid days off, no wonder they charge so much and are still loosing money.

Here is a recent event:
9-15  All decisions made and package sent off with a tracking number with hopes that all would be good.  ($13.80 to send a fishing reel)  USPS expected delivery date 9-18!
9-21 As of 9/21 I have not recieved the 750 reel yet.Did you ship it?? I responded after checking the online status and finding "out for delivery" I told him to check with his post office. (#1)
9-22 Over the next week we exchanged emails multiple times, Tried to file a lost package at both ends and were told "ONLINE ONLY" to file the complaint! Hmm question time: "What if I don't have a computer?" "YOu have to go to the library!" ""What if I don't know how to use a computer?" "I guess you are out of...long pause... I guess the supervisor could help you. We get back to the boat and finally find a web page with an 800 number AND DIRECTIONS TO FILE AT THE POST OFFICE AND HOW TO MAIL ONE IN." Called the 800 number and made the missing package complaint. (#4) "We will call you within 24 hours". They did! They called and said the "the local post office in PA will not answer. Here is the number you can call..." Called that office and repeated the whole issue (#5) again. "We dont have it here are some number to the delivery station and local post office! WTF (#6 &7) I was given one more number that I could repeat myself once again. (#8) Called back the next day and repeated the story 3 more times (up to #11) plus a few calls I know I made but don't remember at this moment. So on Friday the buyer and I decide to wait one more week HE IS BEING GREAT ABOUT THIS!  He even chased down his local delivery guy to see if it was with him. Are you getting confused and feel like you are going in circles?
9-29 On Saturday the bar code label, hopefully with the package still attached and the reel inside undamaged was attempted to be delivered and he was not at home.
10-1 Guy from #7 explaining myself calls and says if mysteriously appeared Saturday and he didn't know why! AT LEAST THIS ONE PERSON FOLLOWED THROUGH. At 4pm central time I recieved an email stating..." I got the reel today the box was opened but the reel is intact and working properly."

This is the third package in the last year that has been a pain. One to Stewart, FL that made it to Stewart and then to Atlanta before we could catch it and turn it around. One to CA that was delivered to the wrong address just because it was the same company name and easier for the delivery guy.

Could you imagine if you were in cruise mode and had to deal with this? It should have ended with the online complaint! They should have handled the issue from that point through completion of the problem. Maybe they need to make more money to give a damn.


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