Reviews from David Greene (1)

Marina Review for St. Augustine Marine Center

Reviewed by: David Greene on Feb 21, 2020
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 48'
Draft: 7.3'

Rating: 1

St. Augustine Marine Center was the most disappointing experience I have had in 12 yards in six countries - expensive, slow service, poor communication (multiple emails and phone calls went unanswered), and poor quality work. It took this yard 13 weeks to complete five simple projects, nothing custom nor complicated.

For example, they were asked to replace the forward head raw water intake through-hull and cap permanently. The yard did not install a permanent plug, and a bonding wire was left uncrimped. The new ball valve moved with little effort. I sent a video to Lee Inabinett (Service Manager). Lee emailed to say “5200 was applied to the threads on the thru hull upon install” and “it seems fairly obvious that the ball valve broke loose on the threads as a result of applying force to the elbow in an effort to remove it, while not securing/ steadying the ball valve”. It is true that, in an effort to remove the old hose and install a plug (which the yard had not done), I moved the ball valve. This is why I pointed it out to Lee in the first place. I’m not a big guy, and it would be impossible for me to break the seal of 5200 with my bare hands. I subsequently removed the ball valve to discover that nothing had been applied to the threads of the through-hull when the ball valve was installed. I sent photos to Steve Mask (General Manager) and Lee. No response. I completed the installation of the ball valve and plug. In an email to Lee, I proposed to pay for the parts for this job, but not the labour. No response. I pushed back a third time. Lee said that no adjustment was made to the final invoice and that the installation had been done correctly. On February 7, 2020 they launched the boat. The through hull immediately began to leak. We went back to hardstand and they pulled the through-hull back out and re-seated it. They snipped the lanyard for the wood plug but did not replace it, and left debris in the bilge. The bonding wire was not properly connected to the ball valve. I finished the job properly. Two other through hulls were not replaced satisfactorily. They snipped cable ties and lanyards for the wood plugs, replaced neither and left them laying in the bilge along with a bunch of debris. They damaged one of the hinges on the trash bin door and didn’t say anything. I repaired it and finished both jobs. I asked to meet me at the boat to discuss these issues. No response.

The technicians removed an old macerator pump. It was left under the boat for weeks. Several days later, the new pump was not installed. I installed it and finished the job.

They installed both lower seals for the sail drive facing seawater. I sent Lee and Steve an email from Yanmar that said that the seals are to be installed back-to-back, or one facing seawater, the other facing gear lube. They allegedly did it correctly.

If there is anything this yard may be good at, bottom paint might be it. PropSpeed on the prop looks good and the bottom paint looks good, though they missed spots around the through-hulls. I pointed it out. Lee said “it’s bottom paint”. Precisely. We need every chance we can get to keep the bottom from fouling.

They were asked to torque the keel bolts. With virtually no communication from the yard, I have no idea what happened here.

I do not recommend this yard and I will not haul out there again. Early on, my instinct was to have them put the boat back in the water and take the boat to another yard. I should have trusted my instinct. The yard is expensive, the service is slow, the communication is poor, and the quality of the work is sub-standard.

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