Zimmerman Marine

I have had a series of overcharging, botched work that created more problems and poor follow up. This is not about a single issue or personal matter. I gave this business several chances to redeem themselves and they continued to *** their work and severely over bill me.

This business, incompetently spent 44 hours (over $4,000 of labor) replacing unnecessary parts only to find the problem with my generator was a bad fuel lift pump. This should have been $1000-**** at most.

1. failure to service my fuel / water separators even though Yanmar engine specs requires service every 100 hours. I expect a Yanmar dealer to follow the servicing guidelines just like I would expect Audi or BMW to do the same on my car.

2. Throttles not being properly tested in gear before completion requiring a tow.

3. Duplicate labor charges for the wrong carburetor even though I specifically told the tech it was a European model on my Dinghy. Charged me to install the wrong part, remove it and install the correct one. Refused to remove charge for wrong one.

This business botched 5 of the 6 projects I had them do. The only formal credit they offered me was two hours for the throttle mistake and charging me for two shipping charges for the wrong carburetor. They never once really seemed to be apologetic for their numerous errors, but instead was totally dismissive.

This is the WORST company ever! They use unqualified technician who don't have a the slightest clue what they are suppose to do.

The owner Steve Zimmerman claim to know about steering steering systems and write articles about it, BUT, their work on our steering system almost caused deadly consequences if we did not detect the issues before we start our DelMarVa Rally. Just to summarize: They cracked the steering quadrant tiller arm. They installed the steering quadrant so low that packing gland bolts were shaved by scraping againts the quadrant during our 2 hour journey from HHN to Pirates Cove Marina. They supposed to fix couple of small fiberglass cracks on the transom, but after the fixes they sprayed the whole back of the boat with unmatched color, and that unmatched color bled into sides of the boat making it look like the boat had a collision from the transom.

They supposed to fix rudder leaks, 2 months after the fix when we haul out the boat, same leaks were there. (They probably just painter over.) They broke the water maker filter guard, left it in the sink without telling us. Luckily we heard at the last minute the extra water splashing sound from the bilge and cut out the water. They dropped rags, plastic eye protection glasses, and all other items into the bilge and left it there.

They delayed our work more than a month on hard causing us to pay extra land storage at HHN. If there were any standards in the marine industry, this company would have been out of business long ago..

Imagine a car dealer screwing up your steering and causing you to crash ?? It's a shame that they are still in business.

When I first reached out to Zimmerman I was pleasantly surprised with their customer service and prompt follow up. Trisha M.

in their main office was always a pleasure to deal with. Unfortunately one of the first few jobs they did wasn't done properly and the issue with my toilet was never fixed (even though they said everything was functioning properly) Steve Wallace promptly resolved the matter and apologized and I continued doing business with them as a result of how he handled the matter. After reaching out to Steve for a new job in January 2019 and agreeing to a fixed price in writing ($125.00 to install two gaskets in a small port window) he proceeded to charge me nearly $250.00 to take the old sealant out of the window and didn't even install the gaskets. He then quotes me over $500.00 to finish the job.

If you do business with them, you will most likely need to know a heck of a-lot more than I do about boats so you can check behind their work and ensure their techs are doing what you paid them to do. Also - make sure you get everything in writing and ensure that the scope of work is clearly outlined in writing with the pricing noted.

I refuse to do business with them after the stunt they pulled and highly recommend you avoid them unless you are prepared to check behind everything they do. Sad and unfortunate ending to what I thought was going to be a great new relationship with a new boat repair company in Charleston, SC.

Needed help over holidays, Zimmerman responded immediately, professionally, and appropriately -- excellent service!

Had them install a bow pulpit for me in Southport. Such an easy job all they had to do was remove the old one and bolt on a new one and notch out the toe rail. Should have taken a few hours at most

The job they did was horrific! Looked like a six year old did the work and they charged well over $1000!

they hacked up my new pulpit and left golf ball sized gobs of sikaflex all over the place. What a freaking disaster

Pictures can be found here:

[url]http://www.shamrockboatownersclub.com/forums/threads/bow-pulpit-installation-ripoff.38643/[/url]

Activecaptain.com says it all!

Needed a rear seal replacement in the Ranger Tug. When Zimmerman put the engine back in the boat, they stripped the motor mount bolts.

The engine now vibrates so badly, I can't use the boat. Zimmerman ordered three new motor mounts and charged me for parts.

They missed a wire hookup to the alternator and I was running on one battery. When Zimmerman replaced a hose, they did not replace the antifreeze for the freshwater closed cooling system and I over heated of course. Also, they cut that hose too short and it was burning on the elbow.

I am also missing a part off the alternator used for tightening the belt.

Took the Ranger Tug to another Marine mechanic to have it all fixed. Its good now.

I approached Zimmerman Marine, Inc. (ZM), located in Deltaville, Virginia to fix a problem on my boat. ZM spent 2 months trying in vain to solve the problem, without success. At this point, an honest, ethical businessman would have said: we tried, but we can't fix your boat. I would have accepted that. Not Zimmerman. Zimmerman, instead, demands payment for a job that he bungled from the start and never knew how to do.

My father and I, neither of us marine mechanics, ended up doing the job ourselves, armed only with Don Casey's classic: This Old Boat. That should tell one much about their qualifications to do boat repair; perhaps they should pick up a copy of the Don Casey book to help them in the future.

Whatever happened to pride in workmanship and customer satisfaction? At ZM, it is nowhere to be found. With Zimmerman, it is all about unbridled avarice, and collecting from the customer, even when the money has not been honestly earned, means everything.

For those of you boating in Virginia, I am pleased to recommend both Walden Marina, Deltaville, VA, and Schroeder Yacht Systems, Urbanna, VA for your boat repair needs. They are competent, friendly, and honest; in short, everything Zimmerman is not.

Finally, some advice for Zimmerman. Go back and refamiliarize yourself with the Ten Commandments, or, perhaps you are reading the Ten Commandments for the first time? That would not surprise me. You need to pay careful attention to the commandment: Thou Shalt Not Steal. You have violated this sacred commandment at least once, with me, that I know about.

I brought my boat to Zimmerman Marine, Inc. to have a problem repaired. I was extremely disappointed and annoyed with their service; work that didn't need to be done was done and I was billed for it, and the problem I asked them to solve was never fixed. I am not a marine mechanic, but I ended up doing the work myself, so that should give one some insight into their qualifications as marine technicians.

Zimmerman never did the work, but that didn't stop him from demanding payment for a job not done. I have never met a more shameless and avaricious individual. Mr. Zimmerman needs to review the Ten Commandments, especially 'Thou Shalt Not Steal', and put this moral imperative into action in his daily life.

Those boaters in Virginia, especially the Middle Neck Region on the Chesapeake Bay needing boat repair and service should consider the following establishments:

1) Sting Ray Point Boat Works - Deltaville, VA 804-776-****

2) Walden Brothers - Deltaville, VA 804-776-****

3) Schroeder Yacht Systems - Urbanna, VA 804-758-****

I have dealt with these 3 establishments and can recommend their services without reservation. They are friendly, fair, efficient, and ethical; in short, everything that Zimmerman is not.