Rob Dubin - watch out for this scammer
 

Cruisers/Repairmen,

Anyone cruising or working on boats in the South Pacific might do well to
avoid a fellow named Rob Dubin (www.ventanasvoyage.com). It seems I am
just one of many to get shafted by this guy and his wife. Take a look at
the cruising discussion list at www.sailnet.com.
Nothing like a first class con man to pave the way for the rest of us
cruisers.

Mike McPherson
Boatsqueak

Rob Dubin - watch out for this scammer
 

Mike
I am not in the South Pacific but I am in the business...what are the
details that caused this posting?

Charlie

Rob Dubin - watch out for this scammer
 

I was not able to find the cruising discussion list - can you give a link?

L8R

Skip
"Boatsqueak" wrote in message
. ..
Cruisers/Repairmen,

Anyone cruising or working on boats in the South Pacific might do well to
avoid a fellow named Rob Dubin (www.ventanasvoyage.com). It seems I am
just one of many to get shafted by this guy and his wife. Take a look at
the cruising discussion list at www.sailnet.com.
Nothing like a first class con man to pave the way for the rest of us
cruisers.

Mike McPherson
Boatsqueak

Rob Dubin - watch out for this scammer
 

Sorry about that. The sailnet section in which this post appears is called
"Message boards". There are several of these and the one which features
this message is "cruising". I would have provided a link but the way that
web site is set up you can't link directly to it. Anyway, I have copied and
posted the piece below. It is from a fellow named John Nikacha and is a
reply to my inquiry about ofther people who had been taken but Dubnin and
his wife. The reply was as follows:


"Fancy that! I have not had the experience myself but happen to be running
into a number of people that have. Mr. Dubin is developing a bit of a
reputation in the South Pac and not one that does us cruisers any good.
(Funny, his web site doesn’t say anything about this aspect of his trip.)
His method seems to be to have work done then either complain loudly until
he gets the price reduced or simply, as apparently in your case, skip town.
Not entirely unknown in the boating community but this appears to be quite a
run. I recently did a little checking up on him based on something I was
told by an industry friend.

According to Island Packet, Dubin bought his boat at a “very significant
discount” based on his promise to produce a cruising instructional video
extolling the virtues of the vessel and distribute it through Practical
Sailor. Practical sailor got wind of the scam and threatened to sue Dubin
but not before Island Packet had delivered the boat. Seems amazing that a
company like Island Packet would have fallen for such a con but apparently
they did. He must have used his “Sailing Quarterly” credentials with some
salesmen who wasn’t old enough to remember what a short-lived waste of video
tape that was. Dubin also sent a letter to manufacturers of the various gear
he wanted and made the same offer. Again, a bunch fell for it. He eventually
did produce an amateurish video (which I actually saw and he doesn’t seem to
be selling anymore) that was sufficient to keep the scammed company’s
lawyers at bay. You got to hand it to him - many try but few succeed the way
Dubin has. And his web site makes him sound so PROFESSIONAL!!

Fair winds and don’t take and wooden nickels.

John Nikacha
s/v Nikaboya "

Rob Dubin - watch out for this scammer
 

OK...I understand the background...what did he do to you that caused you to
post here?

Regards-
Charlie

Rob Dubin - watch out for this scammer
 

Well, at least it shouldn't be hard for the lawyers to find him. He's
here ... http://www.aprs.net/cgi-bin/winlink.cgi?KG4AYO

E.J. Bleendreeble
http://www.casualsailor.com

Rob Dubin - watch out for this scammer
 

Wouldn't mind hearing *their* side of the story, personally.

--
Karin Conover-Lewis
Fair and Balanced since 1959
klc dot lewis at gte dot net (old -- don't use)
klc dot lewis at centurytel dot net (new)



"EJBleendreeble" wrote in message
om...
Well, at least it shouldn't be hard for the lawyers to find him. He's
here ... http://www.aprs.net/cgi-bin/winlink.cgi?KG4AYO

E.J. Bleendreeble
http://www.casualsailor.com

Rob Dubin - watch out for this scammer
 

Karin Conover-Lewis wrote:
Wouldn't mind hearing *their* side of the story, personally.

He does have a video out on outfitting a cruising sailboat. Mediocre
production. A little better than the Dashews' Beowolf series. Has a
pretty good tour of the Island Packet plant and some stuff on selecting
equipment but I suspect it was mostly pay for play type endorsements. I
put more credibility in PS. It is avalilable at several of the on line
marine book stores.

Dubin produced a Video magazine called Sailing Quarterly for a couple of
years and did a couple of programs that were on the Travel Channel and ESPN.

Don't know nutt'n about his credit rating though.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

Rob Dubin - watch out for this scammer
 

Hmmm... Well, over 3000 messages on the board and a search on Dubin produces
two hits... Yours and one commenting about yours...

"Boatsqueak" wrote in message
. ..
Cruisers/Repairmen,

Anyone cruising or working on boats in the South Pacific might do well to
avoid a fellow named Rob Dubin (www.ventanasvoyage.com). It seems I am
just one of many to get shafted by this guy and his wife. Take a look at
the cruising discussion list at www.sailnet.com.
Nothing like a first class con man to pave the way for the rest of us
cruisers.

Mike McPherson
Boatsqueak

Rob Dubin - watch out for this scammer
 

OK Mike, here is the deal...in all my activity on four different boating
related newsgroups, I have never seen a personal attack in the
Subject line of a posted message. I have seen people warning to stay away
from so-and-so marina or repair shop, but never against an individual.

I have read the historical info posted on SailNet regarding how the Dubins
acquired and outfitted their boat. Frankly, I see nothing wrong or illegal
with what they did and I am not sure that there just might be a bit of envy
there from the poster; producing sailing related videos of a boat and
products that are provided by manufacturers either gratis or at a deep
discount...sounds like a dream deal for all concerned.

So I am asking you once again Mike, specifically, what did the Dubins do to
you for you to post such a vitriolic message.

Charlie


"Boatsqueak" wrote in message
. ..
Cruisers/Repairmen,

Anyone cruising or working on boats in the South Pacific might do well to
avoid a fellow named Rob Dubin (www.ventanasvoyage.com). It seems I am
just one of many to get shafted by this guy and his wife. Take a look at
the cruising discussion list at www.sailnet.com.
Nothing like a first class con man to pave the way for the rest of us
cruisers.

Mike McPherson
Boatsqueak

Rob Dubin - watch out for this scammer
 

Charlie et al,

Wow. I knew there was a reason I didn't participate much in this user group
stuff. I post a warning about a couple of cons who sail around passing
himself off as a nice couple with a real "sailing industry" background all
the while scamming businesses and individuals right and left and half the
replies run to rescue THEIR reputation.

Charlie - Basically, I met the Dubins aboard their boat in Maeva in
mid-April. They were having some technical problems with their DC charging
system and I offered to take a look at it. The regulator and alternator
diode turned out to be fried. We had friends coming out from the states to
join us in three days. Rob Dubin asked if it would be possible to have them
bring out spares. Since they were already bringing stuff for us I readily
agreed and didn't give it another thought. Three days later our friends
show up with everything including the Dubin's parts which I promptly rowed
over and delivered. They said they would reimburse me the next day after
the went into town.

With out our friends out for only 8 days, I wasn't really available to help
install the parts. I was a little surprised when Dubin was rather insistent
but figured he was just a little panicky. I sent my wife and friends off on
their own for the day and stayed to install the parts in Dubin's boat while
he watched. Fine. No big deal - glad to be of help. This was the third
day and I still hadn't gotten my money back out of Dubin but he said he have
it first thing in the AM. No sweat - whatever is convenient. By the time I
came out of the cabin at 9:00am the next morning Dubin's boat was gone and I
haven't heard from them since. It seems they also pulled some small
variations of the same theme for even very small amounts of money with some
local vendors. I hadn't planned to say much - what's the point. However,
now that I am back it still ****es me off.

As for the admiration you express for the scam Dubin apparently pulled of
the manufacturers, I think that speaks for itself. Kind of sad when right
and wrong are determined solely by what you can legally get away with. No,
I'm not jealous and I doubt the fellow who relayed that story is either.

Karin - You certainly should "hear their side of the story". I'm sure they
is a very reasonable explanation for why they do what they do.

Dennis - Interesting analysis. I assume this is supposed to mean that the
Dubins must be OK people.

Anyway. This is it for me. I never was too big on this armchair sailor
thing. I just wanted to try to save someone else the frustration and
expense I incurred. Do with it what you will.

Mike

Rob Dubin - watch out for this scammer
 

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 00:46:45 GMT, "Boatsqueak"
wrote:
///

Anyway. This is it for me. I never was too big on this armchair sailor
thing. I just wanted to try to save someone else the frustration and
expense I incurred. Do with it what you will.

Mike


When you present the facts, and allow others to use their judgment
then you can reasonably expect support:
but when you offer an unsupported judgment which is derogatory,
you get just the opposite reaction - as you found....

That's the way armchair sailors are - and everyone else too, come to
think of it.

Still, it sounds like at least *you* did the right thing. And that
counts....

Brian Whatcott