Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Cahoon Yacht Brokage's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Cahoon Yacht Brokage

  South Chatham, MA 02659-1521

• 

  Cahoon Yacht Brokage

  PO Box 111 South Chatham, MA 02659-0111

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/17/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This is a negligent merchant case. Cahoon Yacht Brokerage advertises on their web page, quote: "Guiding buyers to the right boat and ACCURATELY representing sellers listed vessels..." ******* Cahoon FAILED to accurately represent this boat during an off-season sale when he knew the buyer would not be able to test the boat until open boating season / spring-time. The buyer (*****************************) had only the word of ******* Cahoon who stated the boat was in proper working order. The owner of this boat, ************************************* utilized ******* Cahoon Brokerage to sell this boat on their behalf for $13,000. Believing the word of ******* Cahoon, that the **** Sea ************** 210 was in proper working order, the buyer paid ******* Cahoon $13,000 in cash. This boat was purchased in a "winterized condition" meaning the entire vessel was shrink-wrapped and supposedly the engine drained of all water / fluids and prepped for winter storage. This boat sat unused through the winter season from late October 2022 to mid March 2023 at the buyers house. After the winter season was over, the boat was unwrapped and tested in the water. The boat had several serious mechanical failures including structural damage in two areas on the hull which was covered by the shrink wrap plastic. The boat is currently unusable and in need of extensive repair. Parts that were replaced by the buyer includes: "new motor mount, freeze plug, carburetor, all marine dash switches, fuse holders (corroded) 4 new marine speakers (originals were non-operational) stereo, helm latch, floor latch and marine battery." Also repaired was a bent trailer frame, all at buyers expense. The engine was found to have substantial damage underneath with a severe oil leak that involves removing the entire engine from the boat for repair or replacement. ******* Cahoon misrepresented the boat as an "expert" in his field. Repairs will be approximately $6000. (parts + labor.)

  Business Response

  Date: 05/23/2023

   

   

  The only negligence in this matter was on the part of a ***** buyer;  not making further inspections (to his satisfaction) prior to his decision to purchase a used, 21-year-old boat and engine.
  Buyer chose this open Sea Ray bow rider,no one coerced him into acquiring a boat.  ***** was not restricted in his opportunity to review the boat regardless of the season.
  In fact, the listing ad from which buyer replied - encourages inspection and specifically states in bold print the following language, as copied below:
  
  Disclaimer
  The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.
  
  In keeping with boating industry standards, ****** presented boat to the best of his understanding and made no representation expressed or implied as to the condition or capability of a **** used-boat. Broker is not an accredited marine surveyor and never purported to be a surveyor.  Buyer boarded the boat with a friend, climbed around under the shrink-wrap, accepted vessel and completed the purchase all within less than half an hour. ***** signed a Bill of Sale in October 2022 acknowledging that boat was being sold to him AS IS, WHERE IS.
  Immediately upon purchase buyer took possession towing the boat and trailer from Cape Cod, *************  to his home in *************.
  
  It is simply naive to think that this twenty-one-year-old boat, which was priced low, would somehow be completely free of issues and not require forward maintenance.
  
  Alternatively a prudent buyer before purchase, might have engaged a mechanic to start, run and then re-winterize the old engine.
  Shrinkwrap cover could have been removed by arrangement and then re-installed. A marine surveyor could have been consulted.
  Instead buyer decided to save money by relying on his own observations and also kept the protective shrink-wrap cover in-place for the coming winter.
  
  Any remorse this buyer now has, some seven months later after purchase, is a consequence of the decisions buyer made. 
  Buyer needs to recognize his responsibility in this matter.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/25/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********.

  ******* Cahoon specifically states on his business web site "... accurately representing sellers listed vessels, Cahoon Yacht Brokerage achieves positive results." ******* Cahoon did NOT accurately represent the boat, and the owner of said boat performed hack maintenance to the engine to hide the fact it was in need of serious repair. This repair would not have been seen simply looking at the boat, as it was beneath the engine where the owner made a deliberate attempt to hide the issue with a handful of silicone. This boat sat for the typical winter duration that ALL *********** boats sit for- from late fall to early spring. ******* Cahoon needs to take responsibility for selling a broken boat, at current market value (not below book value at all) and for assuring the buyer (me) that the boat was free of major defects. ******* Cahoon did not live up to his advertised claim of "accurately representing the boat" bottom line. Prior to purchasing the boat, i had several phone conversations with ******* Cahoon discussing the condition of the boat- I took ******* Cahoon at his word as a professional regarding the condition of the boat, this led me to have a trusting, comfortable relationship with him. ******* Cahoon needs to be held accountable for misrepresenting the boat he sold from his boat yard- at no point in this transaction did ******* Cahoon "accurately represent" the boat and he took advantage of this customers trust. ******* Cahoon needs to be held accountable for the partial costs to repair the engine in this boat.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *******