[yachty]

With almost ten years professional experience in the yacht brokerage business I have to admit things are pretty bleak for a boatowner.
On the central North Carolina coast there are several boatyards. Some of them are reputable, expensive and even embrace DIY owners. Some of the less reputable yards want contracts until they need more money, then they become null and void. One year long contract was voided after two weeks.
One of my personal favorites. We are refitting a boat and recently received a "retroactive" bill going back 8 months and for $500. When questioned, the yard owner said that he hadn't charged for the two masts on sawhorses. There had never been a suggestion of such a charge. Nothing written anywhere. Needless to say we moved the boat to an adjacent yard, the best yet.
Some yards are run with pride and scrupples but most are doing OJT on our boats with $10/hr labor. The bathrooms are disgusting, the owner is a predator and they wonder why nobody supports them.