I'm not sure where to begin with this marina, the rude management, the sub-par service, the car-salesmen attitudes, the corporate feeling of a marina which has gotten too big for its own britches. I owned a boat and kept it at this marina for two years, some of the most stressful of my boat owning life. I could easily see how keeping a boat here could cause someone to turn away form boating all-together. Ill attempt to make a list of the things i experienced at this marina so those intending to keep a boat here are fore-warned:
1.) Sold me a slip that was too small for my boat- when i first moved into the marina they openly attempted to sell me a high-dollar slip which was too small for the boat, when I went forward to move it they charged me a fee for moving the slip after the beginning of the season.
2.) Mechanics with no respect for the lines of a classic sailing yacht. I had some issues with my engine and after waiting 5 hours, the mechanic finally made his way over and stomped right onboard the boat, leaving trails of engine grease and dirt all the way back to the cockpit. We spoke about the engine, i believe it was a small noise that worried me on the engine. No advice given and waltzed off the boat, leaving with him a trail of dirt and oil for me to clean up.
3.) This one gets me the most- They openly ripped my toerail off the hull when lifting the boat out the water. Had two guys pulling the boat up, the lifting slings placed the load of the boat on the teak railings and ripped the screws out of the fiberglass deck joint. Accidents happen and I understand that but when approached by the yard owner, without even an apology he blamed the accident on my "rotten old boat" not his "slings", there was no concern for the boat.
4.) Magically 10-15 gallons of diesel disappeared from my boat while in the yard. When i spoke to the yard manager he said the yard was too "safe" for these things to happen- but magically 10-15 gallons of diesel had disappeared from the tank. Again all blame was attempted to be placed on the boat owner and not on their "secure" "CCTV'd yard.
5.) When I attempted to sell the boat, a buyer was found through the yards brokering program. I good program and one that carefully handled all the paper work. The sale went off without a hitch, and that is appreciated. But launching it and what-not did not go off without a hitch. I asked them to step the mast and they half stepped it. The boat was a small ketch, and so four of five stays were put up. The Triatic stay was left unattached, I mentioned this to the yard and they said- no problem we'll go ahead and attach it... not ever mentioning the $250 fee which was going to be charged on top of the mast-stepping, after they left the job half done and put the blame... again on the customer.
5.A) I had left the commissioning to be done by "Yanmar Certified" Mechanics (Are they?). The mechanics emailed me once the commissioning had been done and informed me that the engine had its fluids changed and test run for One Hour, I was ecstatic, the boat was in good form and in good condition for the the sea-trial to show the new owner. I arrived at the boat to be sitting in the water (Somehow they managed to not devastate the boat during launching). Checked her out, tested all the electrics, and went for the engine. Could not get it started, Gave it some solid throttle and still couldnt get it started. I called a true USCG certified Chief Engineer who walked me through a tip with disabling cylinders and just then would the engine start, took full throttle and was the coldest start I have ever experienced. The C/E on the other side of the phone concurred that it was one rough engine start, and did not sound like an engine which had been properly commissioned and started the day prior.Long Story Short, the primary fuel filter wasn't filling because of a clogged valve, I had the mechanics change it out for the buyer at my expense, I wanted to make sure the buyer was getting a solidly working boat. The bills for the changing out the fuel line were extensive and one of the jobs completed on the fuel lines was verbally spoken to be a $30 fix this turned into a some $150 bill.
I will mention here a few good things about the marina:
1.) They will get you fuel when you need it, even if the pump is closed.
2.) Good parking
3.) Clean Bathrooms
4.) power through most of the winter for boat projects.
5.) Canvas repair on site, had him repair a jib- fell apart with the first breeze, but he was convenient, took the jib to North Sails about 45 min north.
To summarize, Silver Cloud puts on a smile and shakes your hand while another fella grabs your wallet out of your back pocket. Be careful placing and entrusting this place with your boat- I would suggest the state marina, Townsend Marina or Ted & Sons all fine marinas. read more
