Unconscionable conduct in the international yacht shipping business

How to have your Yacht spend 19 months exile in Greece

Just ask “Yacht Path International” (YP) for assistance in shipping your boat.How long would it be reasonable to wait for a Yacht to be transported? Two or three months? Six at the outside? Is there a sailor or anyone for that matter who thinks that it is reasonable to wait for 19 months so far, for a service promised in just one month? YP hide behind a contract designed to make it difficult for the law to protect unsuspecting consumers. As a member of the yachting community, I feel obligated to share my experience as a warning to others.

It was a happy time when we purchased our yacht, Oceanida 50ft Bavaria. We twice sailed around the Mediterranean, made many friends and planned to sail with them around Australia. I signed a contract with YP on Sept 2010 to freight our yacht from Greece (Lavrion) to Singapore. I had intended to sail from Singapore to our hometown in Northern Australia.

As what appears to be standard practice I paid, in full, the contract price to secure my spot on the freighter. I had provided all documents as requested, then early in November 2010 an additional document was required, which Mr Cummings the director of YP failed to request originally, or as he claims did not know about. I am puzzled how an International Shipping Agent could be unfamiliar with customs regulations. I spared no cost or time getting to the nearest Greek consulate to deliver that document. At that time I was told that the shipment will go ahead in November, then in December and so on and on until now March 2012.

In 19 months, lots of promises, no action. They shipped other boats, but not mine. Boats are being shipped all over the world from this Port weekly, agent and Marina staff in Lavrion tell me so.

One would think that YP would have been in regular contact with me over these 19 months, as they have my money. Conversely, they have rarely initiated contact with me, I only heard from them infrequently despite my regular repeated phone calls, even then, the little information I received was misleading. Dealing with them has been a waking nightmare.

I have no other option but to turn to the international Brotherhood of the Yachting Fraternity to seek help. Am I the only sailor out there that has been left high and dry? Are there others out there with similar experiences who can offer suggestions? Is shaming YP the only option I have left?

If nothing else is achieved, I have fulfilled what I feel is a moral obligation to my fellow sailors, to warn of the hazards in dealing with unconscionable people like those who represent YP.

I have the contract, paid invoice, and emails records to back up all I have stated.

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