D'Aprix Marine Services, Coomera, QLD

Organized a survey on a boat we were looking to purchase. Following the survey being completed, my husband and I sat down with a representative of The Marina who was the listing agent and went through the survey page by page to determine what repairs the owner (boat owner at time of survey) was to pay for. These items were listed on the contract of sale. The survey noted 6 of 8 underwater lights were not working (among other issues), so it was written into the contract that the underwater lights were to be fixed. We finished agreeing what repairs the current owner was responsible for, and subsequent to that, we settled on the boat a few days later. One of the jobs that DAprix Marine was to do was the underwater lights. When DAprix marine said he was finished doing all the work he had to do on the boat that we now owned, he rang us told us that the previous owner was disputing the bill. One of the people at AMT Marine told us that it wasn’t our concern and the Principal picked up the boat from GCCM and took it to his Marina, telling us it was easier for the other tradespeople to finish the repairs there instead of at our house. Unbeknown to us, well after the survey and agreed repairs in the contract, the previous owner allegedly said to both DAprix marine (and another person named in my report) that only 4 lights had ever worked, so he would only pay for 2 to be repaired. Somehow, (I’m pretty sure I know how) DAprix Marine found out that our boat that we had fully paid for was at The 2nd Marina and not at our house, and he sent two of his staff to enter our boat at AMT Marine without our knowledge or consent , then go into our engine room and remove 4 underwater lights from our boat over a bill dispute with the PREVIOUS OWNER. I contacted 2 people at the marina (named in my police report) to ask if they knew this was happening or had happened. Both ignored my text. (Proof provided in report) I contacted DAprix Marine and he admitted to me in a text and verbally that he sent people to my boat to remove lights because the previous owner would not pay him for them. He told me that if I wanted them back, that I had to pay him $925.00 plus gst x 4 and 2 hours labour @ $125.00 plus gst. I contacted Fair Trading. They told me what was and what was not in their jurisdiction. They then told me to file a police report for theft as well as an insurance claim. I contacted the insurance Company who also said it was theft and to file a police report and file a claim. I bided my time until I got my boat back home safely back in my possession from the 2nd Marina, and then followed Fair Tradings and the Insurance Company’s advice. Additionally, one of the issues with the boat was a steering issue with a major hydraulic oil leak. Daprix marine said he pressure tested the steering pump and that it was not the problem. I got another mechanic to look at it, and in a heartbeat, he found it WAS in fact the steering pump, and showed us where it had been leaking for what he said was quite a long time.