Warning Key West Dive Operator

[Hetland]

What a shock the OP has not posted again but has achieved his/her desired results

I eat at restaurants all the time that owe money to their distributors. A business dispute won't keep me away from a dive op, and you have to take statements from obviously disgruntled parties with a grain of salt.

I agree it's pretty lame to create an account just to complain over a business matter tho.

 

[The Chairman]

What did he set out to do? Advertise SubTropic on the busiest forum dedicated to diving in the world? We have heard from someone that we trust that we should trust these guys. I would never had known about them except for this, and he wouldn't NOW be on this forum. Good job in promotion!

 

[DennisS]

Running with your analogy, if you call Timmys Salvage to pull it out then you are responsible for paying Timmy. You can file a claim to recover it from your insurer but that's between you and your insurer. Your obligation to Timmy stands. He doesn't have a contract with your insurer. So the question here is who called the salvage op and said "go get the boat"? Was it the dive op or the insurer?

If the owner has liability insurance, I would think that the insurance company would want him to do everything possible to limit damage. Pounding a boat on a reef with the swells can get expensive fast, with mitigation fees running into big money. Spilled fuel from the broken hull gets real expensive to clean up. The owner was acting in the best interest of the insurance company to prevent further damage.

 

[Fox-Cousteau]

Well one thing we Cajuns like to do is stir the pot and add some pepper...:redhot:
having said all that, sounds like the "peace river" thread in reverse...

I'm ducking behind my monitor now before I get hit :lurk2:
by flaming responses :flame:...

 

[Missdirected]

Just to drop a note about Subtropic Dive Center in Key West, Florida.
Yes, these are facts.
Captain runs Island Diver aground at Rock Key Reef in Key West, Florida.
Damage done to reef is extensive.
8 foot by 5 foot section of hard coral is gone.
Other parts of reef also damaged.
Boat Sinks.
Local Salvage operator assists in 14+ Hour float/tow back to dock.
Boat considered total loss.
Owner collects check from Insurance.
Owner of Subtropic decides not to pay salvage operator.
Only one has one boat operational.
Operator fills boat to max capacity.
Smaller boat breaks down numerous times due to operator error.

These are facts. Not opinions. If you think these are accusations aimed at smearing this operator, ask them about these issues and see for yourself.

You have been warned.:

In FL it is reasonable and customary for the insurance company to pay 10% of a boats worth (before sinking) for its salvage to the salvagor. I learned this the hard way after almost sinking my brand new 2800 Maxuum SCR (though this has nothing to do with the price of beans in China). :doh:

Some days the so-called salvage jobs are easy, other days they are not. It all works out in wash, if you will. If this is the industry you are in, one would expect you to know this. One would also expect you to know what remedies are available to you, if in fact the insurance has not paid you. That said, you should also know that if you are inflating the cost of the boat you are going to be SOL. My apologies but you are going to have to live with it or find a new line of work.

 

[Divergirl4U]

I feel sorry for the reef…
It seems the insurance claim would include the cost of salvage.
I still feel sorry for the reef …

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I lived in the Keys for several years and operated a scuba charter boat out of Cudjoe key, Florida Keys Reef-Divers, Inc.

The folks at Sub-Tropic were ALWAYS professionals with ALL my dealings with them.

 

[lmorin]

Mishap seems to have occurred in Feb., 2008See here.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Hmmm, I thought it sounded familiar, thanks for the link.

It seems the original poster has some personal beef that he/she is taking public. Look, as of right now, they haven't even been back to this thread.

Typical hit-n-run one-post-wonder.

 

[oly5050user]

I lived in the Keys for several years and operated a scuba charter boat out of Cudjoe key, Florida Keys Reef-Divers, Inc.

The folks at Sub-Tropic were ALWAYS professionals with ALL my dealings with them.

I have to agree with Capt Jim on this.We are on the lower keys every August and have dove with Sub Tropic at times.Alway found them to be pros and care about what they do. If there is a business dispute,its just that,a business dispute ,and has nothing to do with the way they treat their customers.