sml boat rentals
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sml boat rentals印象
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My family has been coming to Smith Mountain Lake to vacation for 10 years. We always rent a boat for the week, a year in advance. This year we changed from our previous rental company to SML Boat Rentals, LLC at Mitchells Point Marina. My family reserved a boat last summer. When we called a few months before our arrival, they had lost our reservation. They finally resolved this error, and reinstated our reservation. When we arrived, they rented a boat that was missing an important part that rendered the boat unsafe to operate. When we reported this problem to SML Boat Rentals, they first claimed that the part (called a trim tab anode) did not exist. I have had a Coast Guard Masters License for nearly 35 years, so I told them they were wrong, and that the part was essential for the safe operation of the vessel. Without it, the boat pulled dangerously to one side under power. They then claimed the part was not needed. When I told them we wanted them to come see the boat for themselves, they said they would come take the boat back, but did not have any other boats to rent to us. At no time did we raise our voices, or curse, or treat the employees of SML Boat Rentals badly in any way. Unfortunately, the same can not be said of SML Boat Rentals. When the owner, Jeff Prowse, arrived we told him we wanted to show him the missing part. He, pushed past us and began to untie the boat. When we asked him what he planned to do, he was abusive and threatened my family. At no time did he offer to obtain the required part and fix the boat, to make it safe to operate. The cost of this part (verified online) is just under $10. We suspect he re-rented the boat without fixing it.When we read other online reviews, we saw that other people had experienced the same abusive and unprofessional behavior from Jeff Prowse. We want other potential renters to be aware of the unstable and abusive behavior of the owner of this business, so their vacations will not be ruined by this unscrupulous business.
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DO NOT rent a boat from SML Boat Rentals if you value peace of mind and don't want to be verbally abused and physically intimidated by the company's brute of an owner, Jeff, if something should go wrong. Let me tell you our story. In May 2014, my family, including two young boys (ages 4 and 6), rented a pontoon for the day from SML Boat Rentals. The day began auspiciously as we cruised around the lake along with my wife's sister, brother-in-law, and their toddler. Toward lunch time, we raced back to our rental cottage to eat lunch and put the young one down for a nap. Literally, just as we were tying the boat to the dock, an alarm buzzer went off. We did not think too much of it as we immediately turned the engine off and went up for lunch. An hour later, my wife, two boys, and I went back out on the lake. Barely out of the cove, the emergency buzzer went off again, so we immediately called the owner, Jeff, to apprise him of the situation. He told us to stay put and that he would be out to check on the boat and tow us in if necessary. We turned off the engine and waited. However, there were other boats in the channel and we were drifting dangerously close to shore, so I started the engine to keep us out of harm's way in the middle of the channel. After about 20 minutes, the boat owner and one of his workers arrived, dashing hard against our boat, and jumping on. Upon seeing the engine idling (no alarms, mind you), the owner launched into a verbal tirade, saying that we were on the hook for $6,000 for a new engine if it was damaged due to our "negligence." Now, we're responsible people, and if we're at gross fault, we'd of course settle the matter. Unfortunately, no clear instructions were given during our assistance call to shut the engine off, throw anchor, and wait. Nonetheless, the owner threatened legal action against any and all of my protestations, cussing freely in front of our children, all the while not making a single inquiry into our well-being. Once back at the dock, the owner immediately jumped of his boat and ran into his boat house. No assistance was offered to help my wife or children off the boat. Jeff, the owner, then returns with a receipt for $2,000 charged to my credit card for damages (thankfully, not the $6,000 promised earlier). I would not accept this from him, and I told him that he was being extremely belligerent toward me and my family--customers, I reminded him. He retorted that I was now a litigant, not a customer. After getting my shaken family into our car, I took some pictures of the boat and engine and attempted to discuss the matter with him further. At this point, he physically confronted me, bumping his chest aggressively into mine. I backed off from this intrusion and decided the best thing to do was disengage and leave. At this point, he says it's not in my best interest to leave because he's going to check the engine to see if the impeller was all that was damaged (apparently a relatively cheap replacement part). He finds the impeller undamaged, so I leave with $2,000 charged to my credit card in addition to the $200 boat rental, the threat of further litigation, my vacation peace shattered, and a promise from the owner to call me with a report on the extent of the engine's damage. A few hours later, the owner informs me the problem was a faulty temperature gauge--maybe a $50 part and a maintenance issue! At this point, we agreed to "call it a wash," although it really wasn't given the horrible experience SML Boat Rentals and its owner put me and my family through that day. In short, if you need a safe and reputable company for a Smith Mountain Lake boat rental, you will be well advised to take your business elsewhere.
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Last summer in 2013 we booked a boat for the summer of 2014. We have done this every year with another boat rental company with no problems. When we called to firm up our booking they had no record of it. They did manage to find a boat for us for a few days vs. the week we rented it for but it was broken and unsafe. When we told them the boat was unsafe the owner became verbally and physically threatening and then came and took the boat away. I witnessed Jeff, the owner snatching the boat keys from my son's hand. Very scary. Don't rent a boat from this place. The owner and his team are unpredictable, over reactive, verbally and physically threatening.
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I rented a pontoon boat from SML boat rentals for my husband on Fathers Day weekend. The boat was amazing. We didn't have any problems out of it at all. The couple that runs it seem honest, helpful, and overall great. The employees also seem to enjoy their job and are eager to help. We had a great time and it was a comparable value compared to other rentals I've seen. We also rented a tube which was a lot of fun. The couple was honest when we asked about renting skis and a knee board. They told us the boat wasn't fast enough for skiing or boarding to be fun. That saved us money and I appreciated the honesty. The only problem we had at all was I initially wanted a 60 hp pontoon and I requested it over the phone when I made my reservation. The girl that took my reservation booked me for the wrong weekend so I didn't get that boat :( luckily, they had two boats reserved for situations like this and we still got a boat, just not the one we wanted or one as fast as I wanted. Overall a great experience. Check you email conformation and make sure the date is correct.
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Our future daughter-in-law's family has been coming to Smith Mountain Lake for family reunions for 10 years. They always rent one pontoon boat and one ski boat for the week. This year they rented both boats from SML Boat Rentals, and it was a HUGE mistake! When it was discovered that the ski boat was unsafe due to a critically important missing part, and it was reported to this company's mechanic, he immediately denied any problem whatsoever, and actually claimed the part was not required. Then he and the owner, without any warning, actually stole back the pontoon boat (which was rented under a separate contract and was not reported to be problematic). The family member who rented the pontoon boat noticed it was missing from the slip, and he was just about to call the police when another family member told him he saw the boat being taken away by the owner. The owner continued to argue with family members (who are quite knowledgeable and experienced with boats), became verbally abusive and threatening, and took away the ski boat. The family then regrouped, contacted another boat rental company, and was able to salvage the week by renting another pontoon boat and ski boat, but only for a few days each. The owner and his mechanic are bullies and have absolutely no customer service skills. It's amazing that they continue to stay in business.