On September 5, I took our boat to get work done it. Our mechanic, an independent contractor, has a relationship with Banyan Bay Marina in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He told us to take the boat there, and he would work on it there.
I arrived there with the boat, and they hauled the boat with the Travelift (a lift for boats larger then ours) instead of the forklift because their forklift was broken (it looks very old and poorly maintained). They started to pressure wash the boat, which was something I did not want because it would take off the bottom paint, which it did.
I then went in to register in the office. They told me that it was now storm rates (it was Hurricane season, even though it is illegal in Florida to charge extra for Hurricanes), and because of this they had to charge me for a month of storage, $250, plus a travelift charge to haul & launch the boat of $240. I complained to them that I had to pay the higher rate (33% higher) because their forklift was broken. They did not seem to care. Knowing I have bigger battles to fight, I just paid this and moved on.
Later the following week they called me because I had mentioned I needed a new Bimini top. They gave me a price of $900, when the market rate is $350 (on the internet). I declined, and the guy asked me when I was going to move the boat out. I told him I had prepaid for a month, so I did not see the rush. He proceeded to tell me, Thanks for bringing us the garbage (my boat) axxhole.
A few days later that week, I met the mechanic on site to fix the motors. I asked the yard to put the boat in the water. They said I had to pay another $300 in charges to which they had no legitimate explanation for.
They now refuse to give me my boat back, and we have had to get a lawyer who has had to file a lawsuit to get the boat back. The lawsuit is pending, but I am seeking full damages.
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