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On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 07:38:38 -0400, DSK wrote:
wrote: NEWS From BoatU.S. BOATU.S. ONLINE CONSUMER DATABASE DEBUTS ... (snipped for brevity) ... Thanks, Chuck. I'm a Boats US member and didn't know about this. BTW if the Boats US magazine is included in the $14 membership, I'd recommend it highly as a good deal. Give me a good reason to join BoatUS for $14 per year - seriously, as a member, what do you gain for the $14? |
Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
Give me a good reason to join BoatUS for $14 per year Why, am I a salesman all of a sudden? ... - seriously, as a member, what do you gain for the $14? I don't know. Check out their website. *IF* the magazine is included in that $14 then it's a good deal right there, as it's a nice magazine with very helpful boating articles... especially safety related ones. Personally, I pay a lot more for my membership because I get insurance and free towing, which I also consider a good deal. We've considered shifting to a true maritime insurance policy which covers a lot of boat-related casualties that Boats US (along with any other mainstream insurance co) won't touch. But such policies are a lot more expensive, and we like the idea of free towing even if we haven't ever used it. Fair Skies Doug King |
On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 08:00:06 -0400, DSK wrote:
Shortwave Sportfishing wrote: Give me a good reason to join BoatUS for $14 per year Why, am I a salesman all of a sudden? Your not - you said it was a good deal and I wanted to know why. ... - seriously, as a member, what do you gain for the $14? I don't know. Check out their website. *IF* the magazine is included in that $14 then it's a good deal right there, as it's a nice magazine with very helpful boating articles... especially safety related ones. Personally, I pay a lot more for my membership because I get insurance and free towing, which I also consider a good deal. We've considered shifting to a true maritime insurance policy which covers a lot of boat-related casualties that Boats US (along with any other mainstream insurance co) won't touch. But such policies are a lot more expensive, and we like the idea of free towing even if we haven't ever used it. I've been with Sea//Tow since the CG started with private services and have never had to use them. Thanks for the info. |
... we like the idea of free towing even if we haven't ever used it.
Shortwave Sportfishing wrote: I've been with Sea//Tow since the CG started with private services and have never had to use them. Clearly, we're doing it wrong. We're shelling out hard earned money for a service that we never use. We both should start boating more dangerously! DSK |
On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 11:40:40 -0400, DSK wrote:
... we like the idea of free towing even if we haven't ever used it. Shortwave Sportfishing wrote: I've been with Sea//Tow since the CG started with private services and have never had to use them. Clearly, we're doing it wrong. We're shelling out hard earned money for a service that we never use. We both should start boating more dangerously! Never quite thought of it that way before. |
"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message ... On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 07:38:38 -0400, DSK wrote: wrote: NEWS From BoatU.S. BOATU.S. ONLINE CONSUMER DATABASE DEBUTS ... (snipped for brevity) ... Thanks, Chuck. I'm a Boats US member and didn't know about this. BTW if the Boats US magazine is included in the $14 membership, I'd recommend it highly as a good deal. Give me a good reason to join BoatUS for $14 per year - seriously, as a member, what do you gain for the $14? Without being a member, I can walk into their Rochester NY store any time I want and be "helped" by some of the worst retail staff I've ever met. :-) Went in last week to buy a boat ladder. The ones they had wouldn't fit, but the merchandise label showed the model numbers for OTHER sizes, one of which I wanted. Went to the vegetable at the counter and asked if she could give me the phone # of the West Marine 15 minutes away so I could call & see if they had the ladder. She said she could check their inventory from her computer. She punched in the model number and came up with two results: Model 385788 - 3 Step Ladder 7" Hook - $34.95 Model 385788 - *** 3 Step Ladder 7" Hook 6 Pack - $38.95 She asked "Which one is it?" I said "They both show the right model number, and the first one matches the right price on your shelf. I don't know what a 6 Pack of ladders is all about, so it has to be the first one". She says "Well, it shows both in stock, but I can't call them to be sure unless you're sure of which one it is". I said "It's YOUR computer system. Aren't you supposed to know more about it than I am? How about just giving me their phone number?" She walks away and gets the manager, who goes through the same routine with the computer. I finally convinced them to just give me the damned phone number. It took about 30 seconds for the human at the other store to find out that he had the ladder, and set it aside for me. The store's like this ALL the time, and has been for years. West Marine, on the other hand, is a dream to shop at. I don't understand how the two companies can be related. |
"DSK" wrote in message
.. . We've considered shifting to a true maritime insurance policy which covers a lot of boat-related casualties that Boats US (along with any other mainstream insurance co) won't touch. What sorts of casualties? |
On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 11:54:00 GMT, Shortwave Sportfishing
wrote: On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 07:38:38 -0400, DSK wrote: wrote: NEWS From BoatU.S. BOATU.S. ONLINE CONSUMER DATABASE DEBUTS ... (snipped for brevity) ... Thanks, Chuck. I'm a Boats US member and didn't know about this. BTW if the Boats US magazine is included in the $14 membership, I'd recommend it highly as a good deal. Give me a good reason to join BoatUS for $14 per year - seriously, as a member, what do you gain for the $14? I get a nickel off each gallon of gas at my marina. Only 300 gallons and I've made a small fortune! -- John H "All decisions are the result of binary thinking." |
"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message ... On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 11:40:40 -0400, DSK wrote: ... we like the idea of free towing even if we haven't ever used it. Shortwave Sportfishing wrote: I've been with Sea//Tow since the CG started with private services and have never had to use them. Clearly, we're doing it wrong. We're shelling out hard earned money for a service that we never use. We both should start boating more dangerously! Never quite thought of it that way before. I have Vessel Assist, is the towing service in the San Francisco area. Only tow I need was on the Sacramento river, and a fellow boater towed me in. Broke a U-joint while running about 35 up the river. The coupling banging around dinged up the inout shaft, making for major headache during repairs. (Kodiak jet drive). But at $150 / hour for a tow, Is cheap to pay the $80 a year. |
We've considered shifting to a true maritime insurance policy which covers
a lot of boat-related casualties that Boats US (along with any other mainstream insurance co) won't touch. Doug Kanter wrote: What sorts of casualties? The only one I can think of off the top of my head is disposal... which can get very expensive, and was a big issue for many people along the Gulf after last year's hurricanes. Much less of an issue for smaller boats, or trailerables kept at home. Fair Skies- Doug King |
Clearly, we're doing it wrong. We're shelling out hard earned money for
a service that we never use. We both should start boating more dangerously! Never quite thought of it that way before. Bill McKee wrote: I have Vessel Assist, is the towing service in the San Francisco area. Only tow I need was on the Sacramento river, and a fellow boater towed me in. In that case, the tow boat company should pay you... or the fellow who did tow you in... DSK |
"DSK" wrote in message . .. Clearly, we're doing it wrong. We're shelling out hard earned money for a service that we never use. We both should start boating more dangerously! Never quite thought of it that way before. Bill McKee wrote: I have Vessel Assist, is the towing service in the San Francisco area. Only tow I need was on the Sacramento river, and a fellow boater towed me in. In that case, the tow boat company should pay you... or the fellow who did tow you in... DSK Have to be a licensed tower. Actually remembered another tow. Lake, and ran out of gas about 100 yards from the ramp. Had been waiting about a 1/2 hour for my turn to pull out. The guy towed me into and tryed to tow me over the dock. I would have had less agravation getting the paddle out. |
That's $14 per search.
Later, *********** It certainly would be if the only service one ever took advantage of was a single search. But on the other hand, would $14 be a ridiculous expenditure for information related to the purchase of a $10,000 outboard motor, or $150,000 boat? This may be the same sort of information onw would find in a Consumer Reports magazine. What does an annual subscription to CU cost? How many people will use it more than once or twice a year, just prior to a major purchase? I wouldn't suggest everybody sign up for this, but knowing that it is available may be of some specific assistance in some specific cases. |
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On 15 Jun 2005 21:32:41 -0700, wrote:
"Spam warning": If you are offended by any mention of material or information that is not available absolutely free of charge to all comers, please move on to the next thread. Thanks. *********** NEWS From BoatU.S. Boat Owners Association of The United States 880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304 BoatU.S. News Room at http://www.BoatUS.com/news/releases.asp FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, Date: June 15, 2005 BOATU.S. ONLINE CONSUMER DATABASE DEBUTS One-of-a-Kind Reference Tool Now Available Online If a boat could talk, what would it tell you? For nearly 20 years, the BoatU.S. Consumer Protection Bureau has maintained the only nationwide database of consumer complaints and safety information reported by boat owners, the U.S. Coast Guard, manufacturers, marine surveyors and marine technicians. Now, for the first time, this one-of-a kind database previously only available only via phone and fax is now accessible online as an exclusive reference tool available to BoatU.S. members. "Whether you are buying a boat, trying to determine if a problem on your current boat is widespread, or just curious, we can help," said BoatU.S. Consumer Protection Bureau Director Caroline Ajootian. The database contains thousands of specific reports about boats, marine engines, boating products, dealers, marinas and related boating services as well as information about how, or whether, the companies involved responded to each complaint. Also included are manufacturer's defect recall notices and safety alerts published by the U.S. Coast Guard and a selection of service bulletins issued by boat builders. BoatU.S. members can search the database by boat and engine make, model, year, hull number or serial number, or by the type of problem and they can also register a new problem. The database has been used by the U.S. Coast Guard to issue defect recall notices. To increase accuracy, BoatU.S. makes every effort to collect boat make and model information and hull and engine identification numbers. Having this data is vital because analysis often shows that problems are confined to specific models or a series of hull numbers. Ajootian also cautioned, "We do not rate or evaluate boats, engines, marine products or services, so users should not expect to find an overall company report card. Also, boaters searching the database will most likely find reports about larger companies simply because large companies have more products on the water. Keep in mind that the presence - or absence - of reports is as much a reflection on market share, rather than the quality of a boat or lack of it." The database is located at http://www.BoatUS.com/consumer If you aren't a BoatU.S. member yet, this Web site also gives boaters the option of easily signing up at a special online rate of only $14.00. BoatU.S. - Boat Owners Association of The United States - is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 595,000 members with a wide array of consumer services. I'll add this post to my 'keeper' list, just in case. I wish it were $14 a year though. -- John H "All decisions are the result of binary thinking." |
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