Stolen Charter Date?
 

I don't know how to feel about this and would like some input.

Every year on Veterans Day my crew and I do a charter trip. For the past two years we have used a non sponsor boat up in Rhode Island for our Veterans Day trip. This year we had an extra spot so we decided to ask a fellow that we had met on a couple of open boat trips and that we exchanged contact info with(7th Guy). We had a banner day on the Blackfish grounds. We all decided that we should use this boat again for Veterans Day 2015. This was 7th Guys first time on this boat. We went out of our way to include 7th Guy in next years trip and he told us he would love to join us. We told the Captain we wanted the date next year and he said he starts taking reservations in January. We told the Captain he would hear from us January 1st and left it at that.

Today my buddy gets a text from 7th Guy saying he has chartered this boat for Veterans day 2015 and that there are 3 spots available, leaving the other members of our crew out in the cold and on the dock.

I know we don't own the boat or the date or anything,(and the Captain is in no way at fault) but this somehow feels like a major breach of etiquette. I have to admit that I am extremely aggravated by this.

Am I out of line? All opinions are welcome.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

I would certainly be annoyed. But I would have email the Capt to get written confirmation. As for the 7th guy. Screw him let him fill his charter ans charter a different boat. Also remind the Capt of the conversation give him a chance to explain.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

7th guy is a D-BAG for highjacking your date! You should tell him what he did is a B.S. move!

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

Yeah that too :eek:

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

I don't feel the capt is at fault and dosent need to explain a thing. He needs to fill charters to put good on table for famil. Only reason he probably didn't book it at first was because he didn't have next years calendar yet.

As for your 7 th man! He sounds like a tool and I would leave the three spot slap in the face alone and hope they don't get filled and he has to pay for them!! Karma will play a role and he will get his on that trip don't you worry!

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

I do not blame the Captain one bit. He is a really good guy and we will definitely be booking him again. I will remind him of our conversation and let him know what happened. Not his fault at all!!

I believe Karma will take care of the rest!!

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

That is low blow. I would definitely confront the 7th guy. Captain shouldn't be held liable for the 7th guy cutting your throat. Good luck.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

I disagree. If the Capt was told that Day he wanted same date next year the Captain should have put on his calendar the more nute he got home. Things I learned about business is keep your existing clients happy. Don't rely on always getting new clients. Keep your existing clients happy the new clients come. one unhappy client loses 15 clients, one disappointed possible client will keep trying. I believe this incident speaks volumes of the Captain. If he does it to you he will do to others. One day you show up and he booked your date with another guy and so on. I do believe you let him explain why he didn't give you that date as you asked. If you re not satisfied and he doesn't try to make up for it I would be done with him too.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

Not sure of all the background here and 2 sides to every story but let me weight in.

1) If you wanted to hold the date you should have given the Captain a good faith deposit. People don't forget if they have money in their hands.

2) If you've been fising this date year after year, deposit or not, a courtesy call from the Captain would have been nice before he booked the others. As mentioned above, you take care of your long time customers. Faithful Captains as well as faithful customers is what builds business. It's a 2 way street.

3) If that 7th guy pulled the rug out from under you then maybe you should call him out man to man as well as the Captain and let the chips fall where they may.

Lastly, you seem like a level headed guy. Why air this stuff here?? Air it with the Captain and the 7th guy in private. Their responses (in private) will show their true colors and lessons learned.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

What Gerry said !!!! lol The 7th guy is a D**K

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

I'd be upset with seventh man and tell him he's dead to me!

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

I'm not understanding something here. You were told by the Captain that he doesn't start booking till he new year. So how did the other guy book before the new year? Not really feeling the love for this cap't that you apparently still have. My anger would be more directed at him rather then the 7th guy who has no allegience to you whereas you being annual customers the owner should. I'd be on the phone asking wtf happened to my date that I asked for??

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

Agree. Capt. should have wrote down the date before you got off the boat.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

1) The Captain told me to wait till January and I didn't give it a second thought.

2)My crew has fished every Veterans Day for years but,We only used this boat for the last 2 Veterans day trips, so I don't blame the Captain in the least.

3)I will speak to the Captain about what happened but I'm not looking to get into some big to do about a fishing trip with a guy I only met a few times.

Lastly I brought this up in this forum because I realize that there is two sides to every story. I wanted other peoples opinion on the matter. I'm not trying to defame 7th guy in any way. Obviously 7th guy doesn't feel he did anything wrong because he did offer us some spots. I'm sure at some point I will run into him and I'll bring it up in a civilized manner. I really just wanted to hear other opinions on the matter because I was not sure I had a right to be pissed.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

Here is a thought... Have you actually contacted the captain?
Based on you description of the situation, you have not.
It is likely possible that the 7th man has not actually booked the date but would like to and is trying to get people together.
Before you toss the captain under a bus and get your panties in a wad about this, contact the captain and book your requested date that you talked about previously and if he advises the date is not available, then advise him of your past bookings of this date and your conversation. If he does not let you have your date... There are plenty of really good other boats who will put you on fish. Likely the 7th man does not have this booked with a deposit yet if the capt does not take reservations until January...

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

its not about ethics or ettiquette. the guy is a garden variety prick. tell him to find his own operation and new fishing buddies

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

Don't get mad get even. Give #7 three of your names and a fourth guy who will fill in. When and if he asks for a deposit stall him off. If you don't get asked for a deposit just don't show up. In other words play him like a marionette.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

I spoke to the Captain today. The issue was his fault not 7th guys and is being resolved. Thanks for all of your input.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

I agree the Captain is douche if he did what you claim. He said he does not take reservations until Jan 1 and ignored his own rules for a quick buck. REALLY! He is a total POS for two reasons. #1- as stated already. He would not take your reservation until Jan 1, but will take anyone else who's got money in their hands. So even if not "7th guy" like a totall stranger it would have happened... this POS would have sold you out. #2- If you guys are regulars Capt. intentionally burned that loyalty.

Another unknown factor is this 7th guy could have been back a bunch of times on that boat and throws the Capt. more business than you. Again, the Capt is a douche because he sold repeat steady good customers out.

No matter how you turn this situation, this Capt is truly a POS. Again.... if that is what he did. Customer loyalty is gold in any business... throwing that way ( assuming past "good" customers) is short sighted and will hurt a lot in the long run.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

I dont blame captain. This guy might have called up and said I want this date and captain might have not even realized it was veterans day that he promised not all calendars have holidays listed. As for the guy you invited and he screwed you over on date first path I would take would be to call him and explain situation. See if he would swap dates. If he wont karma will work out he will get cancelled due to weather. Offer him spot and tell him to be at dock hour after you depart and leave note

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

why didn't you just do this in the first place rather than posting this stuff here?

...Glad it's resolved - it's always so much easier to confront the source rather than go to social media/websites/forums to rehash problems and have everyone give their $.01 of advice :)

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

Glad you gave the Captain a chance to resolve it. Everyone makes mistakes. Also glad the Capt stepped up and did the right thing too. I love happy endings.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

So the Captain is a stand up guy. Good!

That's another reason to go back to him and make referals to him. Reputation is a VERY BIG DEAL in businesses like this.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

Good to hear that everything worked out but I would still find out when guy number 7 is going and hang as many bananas you could on the back of the boat the day of his trip.

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

Yeah that too :D

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

Capt Allen is correct, when I was in this business I really appreciated a call if u had any issues !
Thank goodness back in 70's, 80's & 90's no internet ! This Capt was tarred & feathered before he could even defend his position ,I'm glad a resolution was found .

Re: Stolen Charter Date?
 

I'm with Joey on this one. well just read the rest of the thread so Hope you and the Cap. walk away with everyone pleased for years to come. Guess your going to have a Happy New Year.