thoughts on new dry dock inspections

[tangled mess]

Just wondered how everyone else's dry docks went. I got wrote up on stringers that my inspector said were rotten and when they cut them out there was solid wood.Lost half a seson on some thing that did not need to be fixed.

[fishctchr]

That sucks, hope you took lots of pics and got documentation from the guy doing the repairs. I would consider talking to an attorney. Who was the inspector. I know sometimes they look at the boat make and base their decisions on past history of defects from that manufacturer. The guy I had was out of Traverse City and he was great. But he knows Tiaras so that also helped.

[tangled mess]

This guy was from Chicago

[Steelhead]

Samething happened to a dock mate of mine in St.Joe. The same group out of Chicago did his dry dock. They told him his stringers were bad and when they cut them out they were soild also. He a little dry delamination. A core sample would of proven the stringers ok.

Troy

[Walleye Express]

Don.

I'm very sorry for the BS and loss of business you had to endure. I had the same experience. It took place on my very first dry dock inspection in 1996 from a new/untrained DNR guy on the job. Said my whole transom was rotten after he pushed an ice pick through a few layers of fiberglass from the inside. $5,000 later, the transom was found to be sound and the guy who fixed it said (if he wanted to) he could push an ice pick through any part of a sound/new boats hull. Later dry dock inspectors laughed at what he the new DNR guy did and how he did it. Seems the blunt end of a hammer or other tools should be used to press and check for strength of inner hulls, not a sharpe ice pick. I still don't find it funny at all. But I want to thank you for this post, as next year is my first scheduled dry dock inspection under the new rules and DNR contracted inspectors. I will stay very aware from where these so called experts are from, and see what I can do about any before and after dire diagnosis. One more thing. Did you report this inspector, along with his and your repair mans findings to the Coast Guard, DNR and the MCBA? If not, please do so for all our sakes.

Edited September 25, 2009 by Walleye Express

[Capt. Brian]

I agree with Walleye Express you should report the inspector to the DNR along with a statement from your repair guy so let them know that the incident is not just your opinion. I am up for dry dock this off season and don't really know what to expect. Does any body know if the inspector finds somthing wrong can you do something to double check there results without cutting into the boat. If so how do you prove to the DNR the original inspector is wrong?

[Walleye Express]

Another place to aire grivences would be at the annual MCBA meeting this October in Grand Rapids. The proper DNR people will be there to hear such things. I'm also working on getting a MCBA rep to both accept and possibly submit or read any grivences like this at this meeting to these people. If he agrees, I'll post his address here. Not sure it would carry the same weight, but it sure might if there were more then a few.

[Walleye Express]

Answer to my inquiry.

Dan.

They need to get together and decide what type of question they want to ask or show up to the MCBA meeting in October and ask there own question.

If they are MCBA members and are having problems they should go to: http://www.fishmcba.com/aboutmcba.html

and contact the MCBA Director for there area, see map on home page: http://www.micharterboats.com

for area map and send them a email so they can represent them.

If they are not members of MCBA, then they have no bitch, they may be just a far left independent that should contact there Michigan congressman for help.

[tangled mess]

I have contacted the mcba and a lawyer i am in the process of getting letters to gather so i get things started. Hope to get things rolling at the end of Oct.

PS there is no double check system right now if the inspector says it is bad you have to fix it.

[Walleye Express]

I have contacted the mcba and a lawyer i am in the process of getting letters to gather so i get things started. Hope to get things rolling at the end of Oct.

PS there is no double check system right now if the inspector says it is bad you have to fix it.

Question Don.

Did they come back and re-check the work after it was done? And if so, how fast after the work was done did they come back? And I don't know in what capacity I could help you, but I sure feel like doing so in some way to get this crap stopped right now. I'm going to at least write a letter to the MCBA and voice my concerns about this. I encourage anybody else who are MCBA members to do the same.

[tangled mess]

yes he had to come back but he let me go in the water first.

[Walleye Express]

Don.

I really enjoyed our little chat on the phone last night, I'm glad you called.

I think we as charter boat fishermen and MCBA members have to stick together and help in any way we can. I know some are saying that their inspections were easier and different then this case. And that the difference between each inspector can vary. But we cannot stand by and accept that some of us are given a free and easy pass, while others in our organization are put threw the ringer for BS reasons. All inspection have too be fair across the board or the whole system will get tougher for all, or taken over by yet more burocracy. And I say if Don has a fair chance to stop this kind of crap through a law suite, we should get behind him both in our support and maybe monetarily if need be. Keep us posted on the prognosis of the case Don.