Import USA Boat.....Any regrets?

[my v16c]

Of those who have imported a boat from the USA, have you had any regrets?
Cheers My V16C;D

[mustang5]

Yep. I shoulda bought 2

[Muddy Toes]

Should had done it years before I did.

[Captain Seaweed]

Mine is due next week, only regret....should have grabbed a jetski and a Dodge Ram at the same time

[Burnsy74]

I bought 2 a 19ft robalo and a 235 wa robalo. Been awesome and both boats are made to a superior standard. I towed the 19 footer up to Cape Moreton to catch black Marlin. I ran the big boat 50 miles east of Broken Bay at 30 knots to hook a blue marlin and run home in crap sea and didn't take a wave.
I got both boats for the price of one here!!!
Very happy with the whole process...

[my v16c]

Mustang and Muddy, somehow in the back of my mind I knew you would post with great positive enthusiasm about your imports. I'm sure it took some calculated risk and some sleepless nights to bring them in, but in the long run I'm glad it has worked out for you....nothing ventured nothing gained. BTW, thanks to both of you and wrxhoon for your valuable advice on importing as well.... I do appreciate it.
Captain....I'm also sure we will also hear good things from you when your pride and joy arrives....enjoy....enjoy....enjoy!

Cheers My V16C.;D

[fish'n'chippy]

Same for me as we'll
2 boats, no stress, no problems
Only sleepless nights were from anticipation not anxiety
(a survey before purchase is your assurance, or with the coin you save you could jump on a plane and go see for yourself.......which is my plan for the next one, free holiday)

[wrxhoon]

Jim ,

I hope all goes well with your boat.
Never any regrets here on any of the boats I imported, only regret is spending my $$ O/S instead of here in AU.
I have a nice Grady White (228G) all hand laid F/G ,I imported last year, made a new ally trailer in USA and a new 250 Optimax fitted here and I sold the Yammie.
You have a dealer in your state and he sells these about $140K on ally trailer with 250 Zukes and he doesn't even have any stock , you order from him and he gets the boat 6-8 weeks later. Same brand new boat/trailer combo with 250 Yammie can be bought in USA and imported here everything paid, shipping, tax, port costs etc....for about $105k , he makes $35K for doing what??? At least if he held stock I would say he has to pay for the money.

[Apollo]

No regrets here with my boat. Do your research and work upfront and then enjoy the rest.

[mustang5]

It is really a foolproof process when you cover all bases! For example, get the survey report if that worries you, and only deal with Importers with good reputation!

The only issue's ive had is extended shipping times, for a number of reasons. So id say if they say 4 weeks, it will be 6 weeks.

Additionally, with my first import, i didnt exactly pay close enough attention to the trailer approval papers. So take more notice on that.

There are amazing AU boats out there dont get me wrong, but its more to do with the bang for buck in an import which wrxhoon clearly outlined.

[taffy500]

Hi Guys Im the same as the rest. the best thing i ever did, buying from the US. BUT, the import agent i used was terrible!!! I do not recomend using BOATIMPORTERS.COM and a guy by the name of John from maybe Brisbane area. Its a worrying time enough without him adding too it. The boat is awesome but it was damaged in transit and when that happened "John" was nowhere to be seen. Not what you expect!!

[my v16c]

Taffy, mate what sort of damage did you have during transit...were you insured?
Cheers;D My V16C

[chocolatemoose]

i've lost track of how many customers of mine have told me what they purchased in from the states or asia and how much they saved. and before i sound like a winging retailer i should mention that im not having a go at all. people are always going to go for the best value.
in a way its a wake up call to australian manufactures "in terms of value and quality" and retailers in-terms of price ...as for service.. well. service in this hemisphere will always beat service in another hemisphere "most of the time"

i lived in the US in 2008-10 smack in the GFC boat sell off like crazy period. when every american needing cash unloaded their toys. and a lot of people got burnt, i bought a pontoon boat for chips and it was great fun :)

anyway. sorry to hijack the thread :P enjoy boating ya'll :)

[lee8sec]

Hi Guys Im the same as the rest. the best thing i ever did, buying from the US. BUT, the import agent i used was terrible!!! I do not recomend using BOATIMPORTERS.COM and a guy by the name of John from maybe Brisbane area. Its a worrying time enough without him adding too it. The boat is awesome but it was damaged in transit and when that happened "John" was nowhere to be seen. Not what you expect!!

Taffy, would that be http://boatimporters.com.au not .com ?
I see "john" is in the contacts. Leigh

[Flex]

my only regret was not having the boat yard to detailed measurements of my boat dimensions.
I got whacked with extra shipping costs due to my boat being 3-4 cubes bigger than measured.

Also I regret not using a local broker for the port of delivery. I used an interstate broker which ended up costing me more money as he had to sub out a guy to organise my customs inspection/ cleaning.

[Belly66]

I doubt that many that have had a negative experience from importing would be likely to get on here and roll back through their own sh!t. I certainly wouldn't be putting much credence into all the happy comments if I was going to part with my hard earned. Sure alot of people have done it, and a lot have had a good experience, but tread carefully, because if it all hits the fan the only door you will have to knock on is your ex wifes.

[fish'n'chippy]

.....I certainly wouldn't be putting much credence into all the happy comments if I was going to part with my hard earned.........

I think that is a big generalisation

A lot of people have been burnt buying boats here as well, but if you do your homework you can minimise the risks.
I've used the same bloke both times. All the paperwork is finalised before the boat is shipped and I also pay all the invoices direct to each company involved.
No mistakes, issues, dramas, surprises or whatever else you would like to call it.

Feel free to PM me if you want specific information about my importing experiences and I will gladly pass it on (as I have done for several other Ausfishers already)

In short,
2 boats, all good, and for the 3rd I'll be having a holiday over there as well.

Grahame

[chocolatemoose]

can i ask what boats you bought in?

[Muddy Toes]

Ahhhh....you got me you cunning fox.

Yeah my import was filled with problems and was an absolute headache, i payed out heaps of cash and between you and I the boat never even rocked up!!!
So then I got all of these blokes together plus many hundreds more around Australia and devised a plan to talk it up like it was the best boat buying experience we've ever had just so we could sit back and watch Jim's money go down the gurgler and laugh at him!!!!
Secrets out now Jim.....sorry mate!!!

[fish'n'chippy]

can i ask what boats you bought in?

If you are asking me
Scouts, 1st was a 262 Abaco and 2nd (and current boat) is a 175 Sportfish

[my v16c]

Well.....Import a boat from the USA ....any regrets....none at all !!! After 18 days on a freighter......its here!!! and I have absolutely no regrets. Yes jumped through a few hoops like you do with any major purchase, but all in all worth the risk and effort. The Trophy 2102 with 150 Verado is all and more than I expected.Trailer will need some work to comply, but even that is a pleasure to work on. I never thought I would import from the USA, but when shopping around and trying to stick to my budget, only the US boat stood out. I'm not the Trade Commissioner for the USA in Australia, but if I could have found a comparable boat in Aus I wouldn't have hesitated to buy locally. In fact I would have preferred it. I don't have to justify my purchase, it's my money after all, but after walking into a few boat yards locally, I felt I was either in someones way or taking them away from their valuable time on the phone.
On the other side of the Pacific the story was a little different. Service wise, everyone from the dealer,the shipper who took the windscreens out to save me $1000 in freight and who cleaned and wrapped the boat and gave me the exact time of arrival, to the guy who took photos of the boat before departure and the customs agent were all helpful.
Without sounding patronising and speaking of helpfull, thanks to the genuine comments and advice from the guys on this forum who have imported themselves...it all contributed to a great buying experience. Just as with my Haines V16C I can see myself holding on to the Trophy for the next 20 years...if I'm still on the planet that is.
Happy boating guys...see you on the water.
Cheers;DMy V16C

[Ausgradi]

Welcome to the US import club V16 !!

May I ask who you used for a broker?

Much needed to comply it? Trailer?

Cheers.

[SUPERDAFF]

TIME TO IMPORT THE BOAT - AND THE TRADIES

Love the idea of getting better value and service from overseas .. with the jobs I've got to do around my home, I too see the huge short term benefits in importing an American worker on the minimum wage of $7.95 an hour - half that of Australia - or a handful of even lower cost tradies from a near-Asian country, to do the work. Many would be happy to work in return for just being fed - now there's an idea we need to promote.

Anyway it would make a great deal more sense financially and I wouldn't be leaving repeated messages for tradies to ring me back so I can get them to quote. I could sling a certifier a few shekels to sign-off on the imported work. In fact, if we all work together and perfect the system, I could look after the owner-builder paperwork myself on my next home and the ones my daughters build, their friends etc and we can cut the Aussie tradies out altogether. Then we won't need a bunch of mega-million grant-grabbers like Holden to make any more V8 utes here. Even more savings.

My cheap labor wouldn't be here to work of course ... no need to complicate a good deal with the need for a work Visa, a bucket load of compulsory insurances, leave loadings, sick leave, superannuation, holiday pay, safety scaffolding, tethers, safety lifting equipment or any of that price increasing garbage. Nope - just a few feeds each day, Sundays off for fishing and a few grand to take back home to the wife and the sub-teen kids who are never going to cut it financially, no matter how many pairs of Nike shoes they stitch together with their little 10 year old hands.

In fact, I reckon I could organise it all via the internet. If we can get a few thousand Brisbanites to follow suit - perhaps saving $100,000 each, the idea is bound to catch on quickly.

That way we won't have to worry about having an Australian boat building industry, an Australian retail industry ... or any Australian tradies for that matter.

As for our medical work when we get older, off we go to Thailand on medi-vacations. Better value there as well. Bugger making donations to hospitals - let's all pool it for an offshore medical holiday fund.

So forget about saving a few bucks on a piece of electronic equipment, forget about saving a grand on an outboard, forget about saving quite a few grand on a boat that your next door neighbor's son helped to build, let's have a go at the big stuff - at least a $100,000 -$150,000 saved and no need to debt service it over the next 25 years either (which would at least triple the principal repaid)

Now that's a saving !

Then we could expand into all other areas and save even more. Gee, if we do it right, there will come a day when we we won't even need an Australia. Clever us.

[fish'n'chippy]

So........
I guess you don't own a tv, phone, microwave, or wear clothes and only eat Dick Smith's food.
Where was your computer that you typed your rant made?
Maybe you could voice an opinion on that industry as well .

"People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones"

Hypocritical bullsh!t

but that is just my opinion

G

[chocolatemoose]

everyone to their own. if i wasn't in the industry i would be importing a boat more than likely as well . unless i found it locally. but yeah, always hits a nerve when a customer comes in to tell you he or she imported a boat.
i just take it as a reminder to improve myself. to try and make sure every customer leaves with a smile thinking "jeez those guys are alright" and perhaps get them back instead of ebay at 2am :P

[SUPERDAFF]

My point exactly Mr Fish 'n Chippy.

Specifically and to address your examples, my first television was an AWA, a brand previously manufactured in Australia - the company no longer exists; my telephone is imported because no Australian manufacturer (that I know of) now exists; my microwave is imported as they all are, because no local manufacturer exists; I purchased a Fisher and Paykel fridge which was made in Australia (by an overseas company), but they now no longer exist here; my last five computers were in fact built in Australia by Octek at Windsor, but using imported components because they are not manufactured in Australia; yes, I did wear Fletcher Jones pants and shirts (they did odd sizes) a great Australian company that like almost all other clothing, textile and footwear (TCF) companies which dominated the Ballarat and Bendigo areas in Victoria, used products from the Bruck knitting Mills in Wangaratta - again, none of which exist today; I have in fact just finished my Dick Smith Bush Foods Breakfast cereal; yes I drove a number of Holdens that used Borg Warner gearboxes built in Albury, but they no longer exist; I then bought a locally built Magna, but that company no longer manufactures in Adelaide; my first boat was a new Haines Hunter, the second was a mew aluminium custom built by Alf Stessl, the third a new 15 foot side console built by CruiseCraft; the fourth a new Explorer 500 built by CruiseCraft; the fifth a new Outsider 625 CruiseCraft which admittedly is towed by a VW 4WD because no locally built equivalent spec exists, likewise the outboard; I use a Texalium rod by that is built using some imported parts by a local company called Wilson; (I do have quite a few locally built Wilson rods and some early Jarvis Walkers); I own a swag of locally built Alvey reels, the furniture in my house is Australian, I live in a rendered block house painted with Porters Paint, the last two blocks of land I purchased, I bought from clients because they supported my business etc etc.

Bottom line, Australian first time every time as a starting point because I have and continue to live a very fortunate life in Australia. yeah, I know it's an old fashioned thought, but that's just me.

[Horse]

Good on you Superdaff. I hope your sacrifice saves Australia. I however live in the global economy and buy from whoever I want to. I hope you don't look down on punters like myself

[lee8sec]

Buying locally made is all well and good but getting raped for the privilege isn't.
I have a oz built car & boat hull, but would look at at Us boat for the next upgrade.

[chocolatemoose]

i remember in 2003 i went to a "Working in the marine industry" talk when i was in school thinking about going into the trade. the guy giving the lecture was very proud to say how australia was the 2nd largest marine industry in the world behind the united states. sad that wont be the case soon :(

[Jarrah Jack]

Superdaff...Its funny,,I didn't like your first long post but I liked the second even though they were both trying to convey the same thing.

There's just no easy answers to it. Capitalism has given us a hell of a lot. When we were manufacturing virtually everything here we weren't a rich country. There wasn't a lot of money around in those times. Now its mostly all made overseas and we're a very wealthy country. If it wasn't for the minerals and energy it would be a different story though.

[ozynorts]

The companies that superdaff mentioned as no longer being in Australia are not gone because we all started buying overseas. They no longer exist either because their competition took manufacturing offshore or the companies mentioned took manufacturing offshore as the cost of doing business here wasn't giving the same margins as getting it made offshore. As consumers we had to buy what was on offer in a local store. That is no longer the case and consumers can now sit in their home and buy from just about anywhere in the world.
All of us look at the local product first. If it is what we are looking for and we feel that the price is reasonable then the local guy usually gets the sale. But there are times when we can't get what we want here so we look online. It is how things are done now. Is it the right way to go, who knows? People shouldn't get read the riot act for using the world economy to their advantage.

[Captain Seaweed]

I looked at tit like this...

Need an 8m cat
Aussie boats nothing under 140k that would suit me 100%
US boat $90k on a new ally trailer with everything I need

$50k saving....If it was a few grand I would buy local.....I hate waiting for boats...

The boats are fitted out better and made better in my opinion. I am all for spending money locally but when the difference is so vast, it was a no brainer for me. I believe our boats here are over priced in relation to the world market. If I could get the same boat here i would. It is us Aussies that have priced ourselves out of the market, why fuel the fire?

[Boat Hog]

I hope the overseas buyers who import Riviera's, Maritimo's etc don't read Superdaffs posts and decide to buy locally made boats ......

[cobiaman]

I looked at tit like this...

Need an 8m cat
Aussie boats nothing under 140k that would suit me 100%
US boat $90k on a new ally trailer with everything I need

$50k saving....If it was a few grand I would buy local.....I hate waiting for boats...

The boats are fitted out better and made better in my opinion. I am all for spending money locally but when the difference is so vast, it was a no brainer for me. I believe our boats here are over priced in relation to the world market. If I could get the same boat here i would. It is us Aussies that have priced ourselves out of the market, why fuel the fire?

Thats a wierd lookin tit...

[Captain Seaweed]

Thats a wierd lookin tit...


I knew someone would pick it fanny up. I will have to boobs re read my doodle posts clearly..tit

[Captain Seaweed]

I wouldn't call this a regret ...but I am currently still waiting to pick my boat up from the dock. It is waiting for a Delivery Order which is given by the shipping line., however the importer is having a dispute with them on actual fees they are asking to pay. Until they agree, my boat sits at the port. It has been 2 weeks and I haven't got any can of worms to open but it will be interesting how this plays out. Certainly not a regret but one of those niggly things when importing anything.

Cheers
Marty

[my v16c]

Marty, hope you're not getting slugged with any storage fees.
Cheers;D My V16C

[Ausgradi]

Marty , interested to know if your using an Aussie or US firm to bring the boat in?
No names needed just curious.

Sorry V16 my inbox was full. Can u resend

Cheers

[Captain Seaweed]

Aussie....

[Ausgradi]

Cheers Marty.
Hope it's sorted soon mate. What are u brining in?

[chocolatemoose]

i dont think australians build bad boats i think we just need to re-evulate. there are HEAPS of boats we do brillaint here. have you seen the alloy boats built in the US they look horrid! so we got that going for us

but heres an example. NZ builds some AMAZING boats. they are niche and they still command high prices yet they sell every one.

maybe australia needs to niche itself.

that and our dollar is worth about 30c more than its worth. but you have miss gina to thank for a lot of that.

[timeout]

I would import another one.
I went through marine connection who where great and used Brisbane custom brokers (David) who took all the guessing out of it and couldn't be more helpful. http://www.briscus.com.au/
Ezloader trailer only needed the hitch changed to be full registered.

[Captain Seaweed]

Ok so after today the people that have imported on the same boat I did have a few dramas. Would you call them regrets? not sure depends on your financial situation. I will give you a break down but wont mention names as there will be legal action pending...

-You import a boat using a reputable Brisbane importer with a great reputation lets call them Bill
- Bill takes my money and says Marty we love doing business with you here is our quote
-I say yep, sounds great lets do it
-Bill says, Marty you must pay 33% up front and 33% when its loaded and then 33% when it lands and that is all the money you owe...nothing else
-Ok , so I pay my moneys and we are 2 days from ship arriving in Brisbane
-Bill rings me....errrr uuuu mmmmm your boat is tied up with customs and quarantine
-I say hurry the f up , weather is great
-a few days pass....I call quarantine and go and see customs...I ask them,....what the f is going on, they say..hmmm not sure something has a lien on the cargo
-Find out the route the ship took missed a heap of cargo due to miscommunication with someone, therefore the shipping cost and return on boats been shipped is unviable and in arrears $100,000
-I finally find out..from Bill..Oh Marty the shipping company wants $100k but I am taking them to court as I don't believe we owe them that
-Shippin company contacts us and says, Bill has paid all money but is short 100K, we will release your boat when we negotiate a payment somewhere in between 10k-20k in additional fees Marty or Bill pays up
-That's B shite, I paid my money...yes Marty but unless Bill pays we will not allow cargo to leave, so its either you or Bill pay and we are all happy.
There is a stalemeate and the option is...Bill takes on internationsal shipping company and sues for damages and storage...or I negotiate a payment between 10-20K and have my boat and be done with it. I may take Bill to court for recovery of paid monies down the track.

That is my dilemma along with 8 other boats on the docks right now...regret? nope cos even after I pay another 20k I am still at least 30k in front.
How do you protect from this ...you cant, could have happened even without a shipping agent. Its one of those roll with the punches and come prepared. This is a 1% outcome but can happen.
There ya go some light reading!!!

Cheers
Marty

[ozynorts]

Knowing who you are using Marty I am surprised this has happened. I was talking to those guys about boats and trailers and always had a good vibe from them. I was told they contract whole ships so any problem must be theirs. I guess if I am to go down the import road in the future I will be looking at another importer who also has a good reputation on Australia.

[predator]

Hey Marty.

Sorry to hear about this, I know how you feel. As you say, all the preparation in the world will not stop something like this happening, when it is beyond your control..

Don't let them get away with it, it is still your hard earned cash....


Good luck in getting it sorted.

cheers
Wayne

[TimiBoy]

That's a shit Marty. But will I buy local next year? You can bet your arse on that.

I can't say what I might buy, because some idiot on here will say I'm in a pissing contest, but suffice to say Business is starting to go OK, and my plan to buy 1 foot per year for my 50th (next year) is looking about 70/30.

Looking forward to seeing your tub, it's been a long time between drinks!

[oldie]

negotiating a price between 10-20k and your still in front 30k???????

this is irrelevant mate 10-20k is basically another boat like a quality tinny to do some crabbing!

Sorry to say that this is a risk involved with importation from the get go it is out of your hands, you pay $$$ and freaking pray your fishing in 2 months from your new rig, no real garuntees and when this type of thing happens only makes me happy that i bought locally (though a used boat)

To put it into those who like to import language! imagine what 10-20k could buy you in the states

mate if you've got to pay the extra cash and try and sue the guy and pay the legal fees you'll be up to 30k or so before you know it

[Ausgradi]

That's shithouse Marty. Any way you and the other parties awaiting boats can band up and take bill the importer to task , with the aid of lawyers behind you?

Even if your in front U shouldn't have to fork out more of your hard earned because they f'd up. But I know I'd just want get my boat ASAP as well.

Keep us updated and good luck !

[Horse]

Marty don't even think about negotiating at the moment. Give it some time until the dust settles. Get some good legal advice before talking to either party concerned

[Captain Seaweed]

Will keep you guys posted on the outcome. There are lots of solicitors involved and I have had the luck of receiving free advice from a solicitor in Sydney who specialises in freight. They released 2 boats yesterday.

[cobiaman]

Will keep you guys posted on the outcome. There are lots of solicitors involved and I have had the luck of receiving free advice from a solicitor in Sydney who specialises in freight. They released 2 boats yesterday.

Is there any reason why those 2 boats got released and not the others?

[Captain Seaweed]

Yes they were paid in full to the shipping operator and were handles differently. My boat and the others were handled in another way and monies were paid but not passed onto the ship by another 3rd party company, who is now folding.

[netmaker]

so i guess the price of a swimming pool service in the tweed area has just gone up?:-X

[Boat Hog]

That sucks Marty. Personally, I wouldn't trust anyone called Bill ..... You should send Team Sumo in to "negotiate".

Of course a situation like this can occur with a boat that you have bought from an Australian company that goes belly up. I occasionally wonder what would have happened to my 20k deposit on the Striper if I ordered it 6 Months later from Cunninghams?

Best of Luck with it mate.

[TREVELLY]

Hi Marty,
Our company had a pile of gear to go on that ship to PNG and our freight people did say the ship was due to dock but refused to as they were in dispute with the people delivering the boats as such the port of Brisbane delayed their berthing some days. Wondered if your boat was tangled up in that mess. If you book space on a ship you must pay for it. Sorry to hear mate - it must sour the deal.

[Captain Seaweed]

Hi Trev,
Its not how anyone wants things to play out but will see what light is at the end of the tunnel. At this stage a bit early but gut feeling tells me we are a while away for a day out in that boat!

[TREVELLY]

I trust whilst it is being held there isn't a storage fee making things worse - storage at the POB is $$$$$$$

[Captain Seaweed]

nope sadly your wrong there Trev, wish you wernt.....my boat storage 2 days ago was up to $5130 other boats are around $7000.At this stage there is about $60k of storage across 8 boats. However, with maritime law if someone takes out a lien on cargo it is his requirement to transport stock to an undercover storage yard with low cost rent under security. This has not been exercised and currently there is a barrister applying for this movement Monday. Saga.......just a bit.!!!
Some say a bullbar is used to protect car from animals.....I could find a few more uses though!

[Captain Seaweed]

I have my legal advice its now a matter of time.

[WalrusLike]

Jeez Marty that really sucks. Justice and 'the law' should not be used in the same sentence. They seem never to be in agreement.

It's cruel the boat is so close but so far....

I hope you get a good and swift resolution. Like all women your boat is playing hard to get, but she will be worth the wait. Good luck.


(Using Tapatalk on iPhone so can't easily 'thank' or 'like')

[TREVELLY]

Like all women your boat is playing hard to get, but she will be worth the wait.

And like all women you will always be surprised at the cost - but I do hope mate that like picking the right woman the cost is still worth it for you.

It is just like Christmas approaching but someone both moved the date and imposed a fine as well.

Lesson learnt here so far is to pay the shipping company direct rather than trusting someone else to do the right thing - so wrong that they just thieve the money.

Be interesting to see how quickly and effectively the legal proceedings brings about a resolution.

Good luck mate and keep us posted.

[Captain Seaweed]

Here is a good one for you, what would you do.....

1)If it goes into a big legal battle between an importer(who is quite small in terms of business size) the cargo will be seized for the length of the case. It could be 1 month, 2 months,6 months or more. Do you wait for this battle to go through and If there is a win at the end pick the boat up with no extra funds OR doesn't win and your back to square 1

2)Negotiate a deal that may cost an extra $20k and have the boat and be done with it. Then chase retribution down the track.

I am voting 2 FYI

[Captain Seaweed]

sad part is here are a few boats only worth $30k on there!!

[Jarrah Jack]

Thanks for keeping us informed of the details Captain, it couldn't be easy. Its a huge warning to anyone thinking of importing and I've been one of them.

Best of luck with it. I think the sooner you can put it all behind you the better and get out and enjoy the boat. The winners in legal battles usually aren't the combatents. My vote is for option 2 as well.

[propdinger]

i personally think if you feel paying the extra $$$ will make you get your boat quicker and no chance of it getting sold off by the freight company to recoup their costs then do it and go the legal battle against the importer. least then the boat is at home not sitting there costing more per day. but i would name the person so that others don't get caught out in the mean time. its a bugger of a situation to be put in but thats the risk in anything we do like this i suppose.

Jeff

[Captain Seaweed]

Thanks guys, I wont name anyone but would rather inform people to other things to do to avoid this problem.

The importer I know is a good person and they have delivered many boats to satisfied customers and I know they will learn from this experience and I hope they continue with this business. This was a big learning curve to everyone involved with this boat and shipping international in general. I don't hold any personal grudges at anyone and this is yet another refinement of processes needed in the importing. There are only a few players in the import/export trade and they are huge billion dollar companies and they have the power to play things out how they want. It is a case of small fish in big pond and new player in a heavily dominated field.
I will wait to see how this case plays out as it will inevitably change things to a degree and prevent this scenario happening again or small player will be chewed up and spat out and be told naughty naughty don't do that that again...


Anyway I cant comment to much on details as mentioned before but look forward to using the boat soon....I mean hell , anyone seen the weather :)

[Horse]

Marty, have you thought of an alternative plan. I'm thinking of something involving bolt cutters, a snatch strap and 20 Ausfishers streaking through the port as a distraction for security

[cobiaman]

Marty, have you thought of an alternative plan. I'm thinking of something involving bolt cutters, a snatch strap and 20 Ausfishers streaking through the port as a distraction for security

And about 5l of moonshine to think the plan through properly

[TREVELLY]

I would be instructing the the legal dude to get the quickest cheapest solution and running in there with a bank cheque for damage control then pursuing recompense after.

The bottom line is if the guys you are after are bankrupt then that's no real money recovery.

The number for which the storage is gaining is scary in itself - time you can ill afford and a bill coming from just more parties making things worse.

Just my thoughts - get it sorted quickest way possible before it becomes insurmountable.

[fishing111]

Is there any insurance available out there that would cover people like yourself in these types of situations?

[Captain Seaweed]

I would be instructing the the legal dude to get the quickest cheapest solution and running in there with a bank cheque for damage control then pursuing recompense after.

The bottom line is if the guys you are after are bankrupt then that's no real money recovery.

The number for which the storage is gaining is scary in itself - time you can ill afford and a bill coming from just more parties making things worse.

Just my thoughts - get it sorted quickest way possible before it becomes insurmountable.


Trev,
I couldn't agree more.

Cheers
Marty

[chocolatemoose]

could always find the imported boat you want sold 2nd hand here in oz. the hard work has been done. im looking at buying a small sports cruiser. all reasonably priced here in oz already.

interesting note . yesterday we had our friendly vic roads bloke in looking over a customers trailer. for the lifetime of the trailer in oz who ever imports the boat/trailer is the importer and responsible. sooo 2 sellers down the track and something happens. it gets tracked back to yourself. so you want to be VERY sure of compliance . not just cowboy jocks ticking the approval box. "distance between wheels. tire width, distance from wheels to back of trailer . etc

just a thought :)

[predator]

Here is a good one for you, what would you do.....

1)If it goes into a big legal battle between an importer(who is quite small in terms of business size) the cargo will be seized for the length of the case. It could be 1 month, 2 months,6 months or more. Do you wait for this battle to go through and If there is a win at the end pick the boat up with no extra funds OR doesn't win and your back to square 1

2)Negotiate a deal that may cost an extra $20k and have the boat and be done with it. Then chase retribution down the track.

I am voting 2 FYI

I went with number 2 on mine,

I dont know the company you are dealing with, but my Freight Forwarder was NVOCC licensed by the Federal Maritime Commission in the USA. They hold a bond from the company of which I claimed against. I don't know if there is anything similar here in Aus,

cheers

[madmackrel]

Marty, have you thought of an alternative plan. I'm thinking of something involving bolt cutters, a snatch strap and 20 Ausfishers streaking through the port as a distraction for security
Ausfish has a specialist crack team on standby for this type of work...men highly trained in nude warfare....men not afraid to be exsposed...the Wooli Bum BANDITS 1300 CRACK

[Lucky_Phill]

I have seen the results of the AF Wooli Bum Bandits in action and they are unstoppable.:smug:

Option 2 Marty. The quicker you get the boat in your possession, the worse the weather will get.... uummm I mean ... better weather :oops:

At all times in communication with legal people, push the " time is of the essense " line.

Good luck.


LP

[Captain Seaweed]

Phill I have a lot of respect and business understanding for the parties involved and can honestly say there has certainly been no malicious behaviour in any of this. This is a sh&t situation that unfortunately good people are involved in and needs to have the bet outcome for everyone involved.

[dec0guy]

If you don't pay the say $20k and wait for the importer to settle their issues with the shipping company could you loose the boat and whatever you have paid to date ($100k?).

Did the importer pay per boat shipped (So he should have the money to pay if all the purchasers have paid their bills). Or did he charter the boat or pay for X number of spots on the boat could not find enough boats to import to cover the costs? Who is currenly the legal owner of 'your' boat, if the importer is not and you legally own the boat can the shipping company legitimately keep your boat if the importer does not pay their shipping bill?

Best of luck and hope it turns out well. Friend of mine is going through a legal battle with insurers and her lawyer (also her best friend so good to have the right friends as she could never afford that kind of legel representation!) has told her to keep all emotions out of any communications and keep everything strictly legal, correct, and documented.

[Jarrah Jack]

And about 5l of moonshine to think the plan through properly

Looks like someone's going to be threatened with a house lot of full moons...

It would work with me.;D

[patrol50]

Phill I have a lot of respect and business understanding for the parties involved and can honestly say there has certainly been no malicious behaviour in any of this. This is a sh&t situation that unfortunately good people are involved in and needs to have the bet outcome for everyone involved.

sorry to hear about you issues with the new imported boat mate - can i suggest maybe just check who has put the outstanding monies claim on the boat - the shipping company or the broker or a 3 rd party just to be sure who the bad guys are - have had a similar experience in the past but not with a boat and not for that amount of money to be paid and it wasnt the shipping company at fault !!!

so suggest find out who actually has the hold over your boat and therefore who to deal with directly - forget the rest

best of luck and hopefully all sorted eventually

[FishHunter]

Good on you Superdaff. I hope your sacrifice saves Australia. I however live in the global economy and buy from whoever I want to. I hope you don't look down on punters like myself

I hope you and your descendents are going to be happy on your new global wage brought about by this fantastic global economy.

[Apollo]

Either way you decide to go Marty, hope it works out well.

[WalrusLike]

A while ago there was mention on here of a right of claim if you believe you own the goods being held by someone.

You can break in and recover your stuff if its yours. It's maybe fraught with various risks but might be worth researching?

Maybe pay a recovery team to get it back? Just thinking out loud...

Good luck with it Marty I hope it's resolved soon.


(Using Tapatalk on iPhone so can't easily 'thank' or 'like'.)

[rhodesey]

I suggest strongly naming the importer and letting people who are looking at importing a boat be wary of this company.
Their are companies out there doing the right thing in a very professional way with out the dramas it appears of some others.
I have used Portsea Marine to import two boats now with out any dramas. The service from Justin Harris and his people is great. From when you are looking to purchase a boat in the states his people will check it out, organize surveys or any checks you need. And he gets every thing organized and sorted out for its delivery to Australia. He will even assist with sorting out the trailer making it compliant or supply you with one of his Peterson Trailers which are a top unit.
I hope Captain Seaweeds importer comes good soon and his boat is released.
Cheers Mark

[leezor]

I have personally brought in two boats, the first was a Seaswirl Striper 2300 which came over RORO The second was a Triton 2286 which came over in a container. I arranged new trailers from the US both times, both were pretty good and had no major problems.

Didn't have any problems with either boats or either of the companies I dealt with, no damage, no issues at the dock, no unforeseen costs.

The pick of the boats was the Triton hands down, beautiful well finished boat.

Needless to say I would definitely do it again.

[Snapperscott]

Thank god that never happened to the rest of us. Is this the worst importing story going around?

[Captain Seaweed]

Got the boat last week but I have been away OS, I am going to go right over it today and put up a post about the boat. Pretty excited....cmon sun wake up!

[Horse]

Take plenty of pics Marty. Its been a saga but it will be worth it in the end

[burleygu]

yes marty full thread with pics this afternoon lots of boat porn you can leave out the drugged lady boy in the cabin.

[Jarrah Jack]

You can include the drugged lady boy, don't be bashful.

[my v16c]

Good news Captain !

[Captain Seaweed]

Guys,
I understand that there are people on here that want to know who is involved in this current issue, as a business owner myself I understand how much damage a comment can make on here. I also understand that people on here have mates that import boats and a comment from me shooting my importer down would certainly give them a commercial advantage. I am not an idiot and understand full well what influence my comments could make and the strength of this forum. BUT I will NOT protect someone that has shit on me, infact my reaction would be quite the opposite to the point that I would make it my personal goal/hobby to rub their nose in their own shite. BUT until I feel confident my arrows are pointed in the right direction I will not say anymore in relation to the current situation.

I am not trying to offend anyone in this response and understand honest concern for innocent boat owners looking at spending dollars with importers who could be dodgy. Anyone on this forum looking to import should contact me directly for insight and protection if you are concerned, I can also suggest a solicitor or barrister who can ensure your decision is a good one.

I will probably put up a post on things to look out for when importing when I get a chance.

Cheers
Marty

[Captain Seaweed]

On a brighter note,

It is great to have the boat and I had the opportunity to give it a great once over today. I decided to replace the batteries as I wanted some piece of mind and I had 1 playing up with the C Tek charger. I will creat a thread on this boat for those that are interested. I havnt got any piuctures yetr but tomorrow I should. I will try to launch it myself but its a little hard......will see might find the balls!

[chocolatemoose]

one hell of an adventure for a boat :P

[Jarrah Jack]

.....will see might find the balls!


The lady boys ?

[Spaniard_King]

The lady boys ?

I hope they are all gone by Thursday:o

[Captain Seaweed]

ha ha your a classic Garry!

[WalrusLike]

Good onya Captain for being careful with comments.

But most of all, congrats on finally seeing her here. I hope you have a ball with her.

I for one, am very keen to see some boat porn from you. Have fun.


(Using Tapatalk on iPhone so can't easily 'thank' or 'like')

[burleygu]

On a brighter note,

It is great to have the boat and I had the opportunity to give it a great once over today. I decided to replace the batteries as I wanted some piece of mind and I had 1 playing up with the C Tek charger. I will creat a thread on this boat for those that are interested. I havnt got any piuctures yetr but tomorrow I should. I will try to launch it myself but its a little hard......will see might find the balls!

NO PHOTOS!!! So there was actually a lady boy in the cabin! usually they are the photos you don't show your mates Marty! we all understand!

[Captain Seaweed]

alright....enough bout the ladyboys!!!

[Lucky_Phill]

I can confirm that an inspection of the cabin in said " Glacier Bay " revealed no lady boys.

LP

[burleygu]

That's bloody good news for Garry! Don't want him to be distracted whilst doing the important stuff! May I suggest drowning your trailer in penetrol again marty before it gets drowned in to much salt?

[JMILLA]

Hey Captain Seaweed
I think you already let the cat out of the bag on an earlier post on this one, but glad it all worked out in the end for you.
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?190370-US-importing-recommendations&p=1457591#post1457591