A sail boom boot gone wrong...

[Highvelocity]

I took a job to do a boom cover for a co-worker of my brothers and he has turned out to be a very particular person.
So he bad mouthed me when the cover wasn't right.  My brother explained it's had to work off an old cover and that I never even saw the boat.  So, I also re-learned a valuable lesson, never try to make a new cover from an old one.  Even a boom cover..!!!! 

So now I am getting it back to alter it, which I don't mind too much this time.  But if he is still not happy I am going to offer his money back and chalk it up to lesson re-learned.  The reason I metioned this is because I never had a cover come back on me and I have done quite a few over the years. This sucks worse because it's my brothers co-worker so I guess yet another lesson learned, deal first hand with your customer.

Anyone get into a job and wish they could get out...??  And how did you finally get out...??

[Mike]

Ive got one ed im still with i tell later tonight.   even thiugh im paid i like a satified guy.
Rite now im taking a. Reak from the heat i though i eas going to pass out earlier.

[scarab29]

I seem to have regrets with most sail boat jobs.  :-X

[Highvelocity]

Yeah, I forgot, some sailboaters have very bad reputations for being difficult and dare I say cheap...

[west coast]

My experience is they get the wind for free and want everything else the same way!

[Mojo]

My experience is they get the wind for free and want everything else the same way!

Awesome and true quote. :)

Chris

[Mike]

ok I had this guy wanted tops on this pontoon 20' of shade . I had to run a wire in the rear frame for a anchor light and stupid me when I was done it was on the wrong side , the guy said no worries he will rerun the wire on the boat.   but apparently he though the could turn the top and when  he took the rear top off he didn't like the frames spring tension. so he asked me to remove the tension and bend the corners of the frames more so the top laid straight. now I was already paid in full but ok not thinking and I had never done this to a great fitting top re-bent the corners so they were so sprung.
with the tension on the frame it also pushed the top up tight but now the top was loose and didn't fit properly  . so I agreed to remake the tops not just butcher the current top to make a happy customer.   I could say too bad im paid but that would be bad karma , last week I found at least a $100 left in      a atm I turned in in to the bank call me a sucker but I try to do the right thing

[jojo]

Anyone get into a job and wish they could get out...??  And how did you finally get out...??
[/quote]

Yes, a few times. It's tempting to throw your hands up in desperation and just give them a refund and be done with them, but I find that personally I feel better when I try to make it right.
And usually after sleeping on it, it all works out in the end.

[Mike]

I just remebered 1 i did ealk on. A pomtoon full cover.

I had it all complete and installed.
He didnt like  it.


At all   
So tue best complaint he could find was he disnt loke how the cover scolloped at each snap from the tauntness from the support  poles.  It wasnt nice and perfectly straight like it was sheetmetal.
Mi said i could add a snap betwen. Each existing snap that was a out 11". Apart

No he did t like it at all make it over.  So i took the canvas and left.

[Highvelocity]

I'm sure we all hate to be that way Mike.  But sometimes people have an agenda to wear you down and get things cheaper maybe.  I for one would have done the same thing.  Took my cover and run.  And if this alteration isn't satisfactory I will be taking my cover back and giving a full refund...and I will chalk it up to a lesson learned.  But I will make very effort to make to alterations the best I can...

[Mojo]

Anyone get into a job and wish they could get out...??  And how did you finally get out...??

Yes, a few times. It's tempting to throw your hands up in desperation and just give them a refund and be done with them, but I find that personally I feel better when I try to make it right.
And usually after sleeping on it, it all works out in the end.

[/quote]

I always had a hard time saying no. But it got easier to say no to the customer then face the wrath of my wife. I learned it was safer to tell the customer Nope, cannot do it sorry.

There were threats made to me about taking on anymore main patio awnings and I learned my lesson. I think the easiest way is to be honest and up front and refund their money and tell them to take a hike.

Chris

[Mike]

Do you ll ever know before when your contracting the job that the  custoner dont feel right and that you should leave.
I have and wish i never took the job. Theese 2 were but ive had others also that worked out in the end.
But i can feel like why did i ever awnser the phone.

[forsailbyowner]

 Recently i had a call from someone over a hundred miles away to do a boomcover for the same boat I have. He had heard of me  thru a mutual friend who has same model also. I said I couldnt make the trek to pattern just a boomcover and he talked me into using my boat to pattern. When he went to install it was 3 inches short of covering the boom and too tight to fasten toward center. I made it extra loose to start with and sent him a pic of it installed on my boom. Now he said he would pay for me to alter it, but hes still a hundred miles away and how do I know i will get it right the second time? When will I ever learn not to build something without patterning it myself?

[Highvelocity]

Forsail,
   That is it, you nailed it.  Sometimes you have to get pinched more than once.  I made the alterations over the weekend and I will be returning the cover this Wednesday.  I hope very much that he is happy with it and this can be over with....
Then I'm going the wright all over the walls of my shop, don't take a job without laying it out myself...!!  Second hand info will never workout right..!!

[JuneC]

I had a guy actually ask me to make Strataglass enclosure panels from his measurements and patterns.  Said he was really "hands on".  I said (in an incredulous voice) "no freakin' way!" 

June