South Texas Yacht Service

I brought our Beneteau 440 over to the yard on 06/09/2023 to have the bow thruster diagnosed. After 10 days I was told that the motor had seized up and the lower unit had no issued but, the motor would need to be replaced. I was told this my both Mark and Mason multiple times. After 6 days they could not find the Vetus motor. I ask them to quote a new unit thinking that the motor would not turn. After 4 days I was told it would be $5,999.00 to install a new one. I told them that I wanted the old motor back when the boat was put back into the water.

While the boat was located in the yard, all of the topsides starboard and port decks, the fore deck, and the saloon deck was covered with over spray & sanding from other boats in the yard. This over spray left a dark gray stain everywhere on the deck that streaked & stained the gelcoat. I spent over 6 hours on Saturday & Sunday trying to remove the stains to no avail. The gelcoat still has a shadow in it were the over spray was located.

When I picked the boat on 06/24/2023, the boat was in complete disarray. All of the areas that they worked in were completely torn apart with panels not replaced, hardware laying around, cushions scattered in the main saloon. While they were working on the boat they did not take their shoes off when boarding the boat to work. The oil, dirt, and scum from the boat yard was ground into the gelcoat on the port side where they located the ladder to board. Then stained into the cockpit gelcoat and tracked throughout the saloon. I had requested several times to have the zinc replaced on the prop and had not been replaced.

When I got home and looked at the motor the armature spun freely when turning with two fingers. The motor was destroyed by the tech who took it out. The power cables were cut and the diode on the solenoid was broke off. The motor cannot even be tested now. I was told multiple times that motor was the issue that it had froze up. The lower unit was working fine.

Well this company goes for bad to ridiculously bad. After trying to speak with Andy the "Yard Manager" for three days to follow up on what he stated "We will make this right". Crickets, I left 3 messages for him in the last 3 days with nothing.

Today I called for the last time and got Mark, not sure what he does. I ask if Andy was in and he said no, can I help. I introduced who I was and ask if they were planning on going to our boat to clean up their mess. Mark stated no, I ask if they were going to make by Friday he said no.

When I ask why Mark stated that due to my reviews and filing a complaint with the BBB, they Southern Beadworks were not going to repair any of the damage that they did to our 440 Beneteau.

Certainly not the way most legitimate businesses work. I told Mark that I would see them in court I suppose. Reviews stay in perpetuity on the internet, Google Review, BBB, Marine Services Review Sites, not mention Twitter, LinkedIN, Instagram, Charter Groups, and Facebook. It would have been less costly for Mark and Andy to repair our boat that the cost of lost business from all of these reviews. I will pass my experience on to the other captains around here for their own good.