[Rhodes22-list] RE: Public Service Announcement from Stan

[Michael Meltzer]

The rhodes22.com website, stans email, but that goes back to 1995. trading
favors, the list is all me. 

-mjm

> -----Original Message-----
> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org [mailto:rhodes22-list-
> bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of TN Rhodey
> Sent: Saturday, June 24, 2006 9:05 AM
> To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
> Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] RE: Public Service Announcement from Stan
> 
> David,
> 
> There are always at least 2 sides to every story. Perhaps just a simple
> response might have been better received....."Yes deep six my file, I did
> buy a boat but it didn't work out so well. Now I wish I would have
> purchased
> through GB".
> 
> Although Stan does not "own" this list it is my understanding that MJM and
> Stan have a relationship making this the "Rhodes 22" list. Many of us
> moved
> to this list from the R22 Sailnet list. That list has nothing to do with
> GB
> or MJM. Although the seller didn't post the boat for sale on this list
> they
> did use this list to sell their boat.
> 
> If the time comes to sell my boat and I sell it to someone who made on
> offer
> based on my post to this list I will give Stan his %. If I sell  outside
> this list I don't think I would give GB a %. Others may feel differently
> but
> to each his own.
> 
> I know you must be frustrated and I hope your compression problems are not
> serious. Good luck!
> 
> Fair Winds,
> 
> Wally
> 
> 
> >From: "David Culp" <dculp at hsbtx.us>
> >Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >Subject: [Rhodes22-list] RE:  Public Service Announcement from Stan
> >Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 16:34:55 -0500
> >
> > > so sue me, I am blatantly touting the value of the recycling process;
> >but
> >do so as a pre-emptive service to future used boat buyers lurking >out
> >there:
> >
> >
> > >  1.    Somehow the e-Bay boat that Brad was considering, ended up at
> GB,
> >at great gas cost to us.  Even the mast, the reason Brad wanted >the
> boat,
> >is NG.  The boat is a mess, missing lots of parts and not worth
> recycling.
> > > 2.    A boat was recently offered on this list,  bypassing GB (seller
> >shall remain nameless).  It was purchased by a List reader (who shall
> >remain nameless) who also bypassed GB.  Now, even though our investments
> >laid the ground work for this transaction and even though we have in no
> way
> >been compensated for this transaction and even though we invested in
> making
> >the buyer pre-aware of the recycled boat advantages, we now receive a
> >letter
> >bitterly complaining of a long list of things wrong with his purchase. To
> >quote a few of his out-of-context words,   "....I am not exactly thrilled
> >[with a Rhodes] right now ..."
> >
> >  > I get the feeling we are not doing a good enough job explaining the
> >worth
> >of recycled Rhodes and therefore boats are ending up with unearned bum
> raps
> >- sorry about how this kind of word of mouth handicapping can affect your
> >future return when it comes to selling your boats..
> >
> >My name is David Culp and I live in Texas.  I am the un-named buyer who
> >Stan
> >refers to in his public service announcement.  I have introduced myself
> to
> >the list before and was in the market for a used Rhodes.
> >
> >Now Stan is obviously a brilliant inventor and he is no doubt the Messiah
> >when it comes to the Rhodes 22, but folks to steal a line... No one, not
> >even the Messiah is entitled to his own set of facts.  So let's try to
> >straighten some of this out.
> >
> >First of all, the boat I purchased was never offered for sale on this
> list.
> >An announcement was made that a boat was going to be sold back to GB on
> >this
> >list and I unilaterally approached the sellers off list and offered to
> look
> >at the boat.  The reason that the boat was going to be offered to GB was
> >that the sellers felt no one in their area was interested in purchasing
> it.
> >Also, again according to the sellers, Stan had only offered wholesale for
> >the boat and they would have to trailer it back to NC.  According to
> them,
> >even Stan's recommendation was to find a buyer locally.  As you can
> >imagine,
> >this was very good advice.  Obviously, Stan can only offer wholesale for
> >boats the company takes back to recycle because he will be investing
> money
> >to bring them back up and he has to make a profit.  The sellers were able
> >to
> >get several thousand more from me as a retail purchaser and nobody had to
> >trailer a boat from Texas to NC.  Everybody comes out pretty good except
> >Stan.
> >
> >My contact with General Boats prior to this was as follows:
> >
> >I sent 2 emails to GB requesting information on recycled boats that were
> >available after seeing the Rhodes 22 website.  The requests were never
> >answered.  I ended up calling GB and spoke with Stan for approximately 5-
> 6
> >minutes.  I told him where I was and what I desired in a boat.  He told
> me
> >what a recycled boat would cost.  I offered to send money to get the
> photos
> >of the boats that were available as the website talks about.  Stan told
> me
> >not to send any money as the boats turn over too quickly and the
> >information
> >is too hard to keep up to date.  He mentioned to me that when GB brings
> >buyer and seller together on a non-recycled boat that both parties
> usually
> >agree to pay 5% of the purchase price if the deal is consummated.  I said
> >that if GB put me in touch with a seller and I bought the boat that I
> would
> >agree to this no problem.  Stan took my name and address to mail out one
> of
> >his information packets.
> >
> >Several weeks went by and no information came.  I went to the Rhodes
> >website
> >and noticed that there was a "new" email link for bringing buyers and
> >sellers together on used Rhodes.  The address is usedboats at rhodes22.com.
> I
> >would assume that if you use this link and find a boat that you will be
> >paying a commission to GB.  I sent an email to this link several times
> >requesting information on used boats.  Again, no response whatsoever.
> >Another week or so went by and I called GB.  I spoke to Stan for about
> one
> >minute to see if the information had been mailed.  He said that he
> thought
> >he remembered it going out yesterday.  He was right, it arrived a few
> days
> >later.  Another few weeks later, I emailed Stan to inquire what the deck
> on
> >the Rhodes was cored with.  He said he couldn't remember exactly, but
> >thought by the mid or late '90s that they were using plastic.  This was
> my
> >sum total contact with GB until I received the following email a day or
> two
> >ago:
> >
> > >David,
> >
> > >Did you buy a boat ?
> >
> > >If not, any interest in the Rhodes for now or in the next year or two -
> >or
> >should we be deep sixing your file.
> >
> > >thanks for updating us.
> >
> > >stan/general boats
> >
> >I thought this was rather interesting to receive considering I had just
> >purchased the boat and also considering I hadn't heard a word from GB up
> >until now.  This didn't sit too well with me because I know darn well why
> >Stan is emailing me.  I have seen his previous announcements on the list
> >proclaiming that he is entitled to 5% when a boat changes hands whether
> he
> >is involved or not.  So I wrote the following email to him:
> >
> > >Stan:
> >
> > >Yes, I purchased the 19xx boat from xxxx in xxxxx.  You may be
> interested
> >in the list of repairs so far which include:
> >
> > >25-30 blisters and the filler had begun to separate from between the
> keel
> >and the hull.  All had to be excavated and filled, then the bottom was
> >repainted.
> >
> > >The motor was trashed.  We attempted to disassemble it, but among other
> >things, couldn't get the cooling tube out without a hack saw.  Purchasing
> >an
> >overhauled, used 8 >hp as a replacement was more cost effective.
> >
> > >Once the replacement motor was on the boat-the motor mount bottom block
> >set
> >pulled out of the glassed in wood block.  You may want to think about
> using
> >something a >little more substantial then the 4 3/4" wood screws which
> was
> >all that was holding the block.  I used 2" deck screws to secure it.
> >
> > >The worse thing of all and I am kicking myself for this one is that I
> >think
> >the cabin ceiling has some compression and I didn't notice it until I got
> >the boat home, the mast up and put some tension on the shrouds.  You
> don't
> >see anything from the deck and it looks perfectly normal to me, but
> inside
> >the cabin there is a small crack in the ceiling liner which I didn't
> notice
> >being there on the test sail.  Also, I see a bit of distortion in the
> >ceiling below the glassed-in tabernacle block area.  There is enough flex
> >whereby the light fixture cover (next to the head) doesn't fit quite
> right
> >when the mast is up.  Xxxxx had very little tension on the shrouds.  I
> have
> >put 250 lbs on the upper shrouds and 200 on the lowers according to my
> Loos
> >gauge and the lee shrouds are still going way too slack.  Normally, I
> would
> >just tighten it up some but am afraid to as I am running out of
> adjustment
> >ability on one of the lowers and the mast looks straight.  This just
> >doesn't
> >seem right to me.  Next time I have the boat out of the water, I am going
> >to
> >check this out and if required, I'm thinking seriously of putting an
> >additional pressure post directly under the tabernacle block to support
> it.
> >It won't look as good and I hope it won't interfere with the head folding
> >door, but...
> >
> > >So Stan,  if it sounds like I am not exactly thrilled right now, you
> can
> >understand.
> >
> > >Regards,
> > >David Culp
> >
> >Now I don't believe that this email indicates that I am griping about the
> >Rhodes 22 in general or giving it bum raps.  I was a little miffed at the
> >(4) 3/4 inch screws holding the motor mount block and ultimately the
> motor
> >because it failed right as I was getting ready to take the boat on its
> >first
> >sail.  The screws pulled out, the motor fell to the bottom of the mount
> and
> >I was out of business for that day.  It took half the next day to do the
> >repair.  I knew the motor was basically worthless and figured a
> replacement
> >in the price I paid.  My true frustration is with what may be some deck
> >compression that I should have caught on inspection of the boat.  Ask
> >yourselves... Would you pay top dollar for a boat that has deck
> compression
> >that may need repair?  I like my Rhodes 22, think it is a fine boat and I
> >paid handsomely for it... so no one should be offended.  Used boats
> always
> >have some problems and always require additional repairs.  Some used
> >sailboats have deck compression problems, maybe this one doesn't, but I
> am
> >concerned.  When they do, you flex the deck back to the proper position
> and
> >place a support underneath it so that it is no longer a problem.  I'm a
> >realist, but with all this going on, I was in no mood to talk about any
> >commissions which I felt was the purpose of Stan's email to me.  So
> instead
> >of responding to my email with at least some kind of encouragement, Stan
> >would rather make these pronouncements on the list.
> >
> >Stan, I want to tell you publicly so there is no misunderstanding:
> >
> >I do not intend to pay you 5% of the purchase price that I paid for the
> >boat.  You are not entitled to it, no more then the CEO of Ford Motor
> >company is entitled to a commission if I go out and buy a used Ford
> >tomorrow
> >from a private owner.  You were not involved in this transaction at any
> >point.  I tried several times to get GB involved as is indicated above,
> but
> >it just never happened.  True, you didn't get the boat back wholesale, so
> >you could retail it again, but I can't help that.  You have stated on the
> >list that it is important to all of us that GB stay afloat so to speak.
> I
> >agree.  You have also said that a lot of people take advantage of your
> >expertise and your time by soliciting information and that you receive
> >nothing in return for it.  No doubt very frustrating to you and no doubt
> >very true.  I took about 10 minutes of your time considering the emails
> and
> >phone calls and the envelope indicates that postage cost you $ 2.55 for
> the
> >information package which was really just a rehash of the website... but
> >that's OK.
> >
> >In return for these services, it is my desire to mail you a check for
> >$200.00 dollars as a consulting fee.  This will hopefully compensate you
> >for
> >your time and expenses on my behalf.  I would like to try and maintain a
> >good relationship with you and the other owners on this list.  However, I
> >believe that a good relationship is based on facts and then ultimately on
> >trust.  So I have presented the facts and I trust that you a reasonable
> >person and businessman and will accept my consulting fee as a gesture of
> my
> >good faith effort to play fair with everyone considering the situation.
> >Please let all of us on the list know your response to my offer as we are
> >all one big happy family... Right?
> >
> >David Culp
> >FNG and proud owner of a used Rhodes 22!
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >__________________________________________________
> >Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> 
> 
> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list