Starboard Ace 14' carbon rocketship, arrived brand new in Perth a couple of weeks ago, lent it to Connor Baxter for the Doctor race in which he won then kindly signed the board with a personal message, then it was freighted across to Melbourne last Friday but was unfortunately damaged in transit. I've been inconsolable ever since. Could get a replacement but it won't be a signed race winner. Hopefully the talented shaper at Zaks Surfboards can repair the damage with minimal weight gain.

PTWoody said...

Starboard Ace 14' carbon rocketship, arrived brand new in Perth a couple of weeks ago, lent it to Connor Baxter for the Doctor race in which he won then kindly signed the board with a personal message, then it was freighted across to Melbourne last Friday but was unfortunately damaged in transit. I've been inconsolable ever since. Could get a replacement but it won't be a signed race winner. Hopefully the talented shaper at Zaks Surfboards can repair the damage with minimal weight gain.

you should just put it straight in the pool room anyways

One solution would be to insist that literacy be a prerequisite for obtaining a forklift license. Specifically the ability to read the words "DO NOT USE FORKLIFT".

tonyleitch said...

Its gunna add big bucks to the price of boards in the long run.
If not already.

The big unanswered question is .. what can be done about it ??

Perhaps manufactures could come up with a vacuum plastic, crush proof, coffin.

Better packaging and handles on the boxes would have to help.. plus get rid of the stupid test that the transport guys have to pass to get the job.

DJ

there is a big difference in cost to, i have been quoted between $80 & $250 to get boards down here, it really does pay to shop round, maybe the big players can get together and get a good deal for all of us, if we can get boards down here cheaper & in one piece we are more likely to buy more, which is better for everyone.

There is lots of useful experience and comment coming in from you guys.

And it seems to me that at one end of the scale you have to make the package
bulletproof (which is expensive) and then send the board with any old carrier at
best freight price.

or

At the other end of the scale we get a "sensitive" carrier who has our industry
seal of approval, and who charges a bit of a premium but insures or warrants
his services. And you only have to send the board in its bag or bubble wrap.

Just as an after thought. The guys who pack and dispatch from the warehouses
seem to do a good job with their cardboard and bubble wrap and it must take time
and cost their businesses heaps .. and then the boards gets trashed anyway. it must be a pisser for those packer guys too. Especially if they get the blame for freight abuse.

There sure is a lot of cost and waste with the current system .. and heart break.

Had my SUP board damaged by Hunter Express Couriers.

Avoid them like the plague!

The tail was totally smashed up even though it was extremely well packed - it must have been dropped straight down on it's tail pretty hard for how it looked - still not sure how they did it to a 10'6" board - maybe a forklift?

Anyway, I took it down to The Ding Shop about 4 weeks ago... still waiting for the repair - not sure what the deal is with them either... I mean I understand they're busy, but they could at least let me know whether it's ready or not before I waste 3.5 hrs organising a car (mine's too small) and getting down there and then having to drive back with no board. I was first told 1 week, and seeing as they were flat out, I gave them 2.5 weeks before trying to contact them again as they said they'd ring when it's ready - called about 10 times over 2 days, no answer, no returned call... sent sms, no response.

Steve from ROAR told me I better go down there and find out what's going on - so went down there last Thursday - said he got my messages... why not let me know then??? anyway, said it will be ready Friday... I couldn't organise a car to carry the board that quickly, so said I'd be back on Monday.

Yesterday I couldn't get out in time, so went today - wasted 3.5 hrs and it's not ready - I rang 4 times yesterday and today, still no answer.

I've got no problem if they need more time - but they could at least let me know what's going on without me having to waste 1 hr+ just driving down there to find out.


Anyway, back to Hunter Express ;)
Not only are they rough - they wouldn't take responsibility for the damage, even though it was supposedly insured... plus they were extremely slow - even sent the board to the wrong place the first time!

I swear someone doesn't want me to get this board ;)

I was supposed to get it in 3 weeks - it took 5 weeks to get to me - but turned out to be doa... then another week or two of getting the run around from Hunter Express about the damage they made with insurance claims etc... realised it was going to take forever and they were going to drag it out as long as possible and then still find some loophole... so decided to get it fixed instead - I just want to get on the water ;)

Another 4 weeks later and I still don't have a board!?

So what's that? 10+ weeks now?... maybe they're trying to tell me to stick to my short boards :(

DC sent my 14 to me via Toll DNATA. Expensive and the depot blokes were typically rude but the board arrived quickly and was handled with due care ( I might have just been lucky).

Was going to start a thread "transit damage" but i'll ask the question here,just had a board shipped from retailer eastern states to adelaide SA, i would assume the sender had transit insurance but as i had it delivered to rellies in town i guess when they sign for it that has wavered any chance of a claim, as that signature is accepting that it isnt damaged ? wish i had been there to spend 20 minutes unwrapping and inspecting board before letting the delivery guy know inspect and accnowledge the damage

Yeah, I don't know if there's any way around the couriers loop holes in the whole insurance scam they seem to have going there... but anyway...

I've been able to stop myself from losing it completely just by the fact that I'm so busy with work at the moment that I haven't really had time to get in the water much anyway... I just hope the board's ready to go once I've met these deadlines and can finally get back in the water ;) Though at this stage it's looking like it will most likely be on one of my short boards.

Still haven't heard anything from Polsy... hope it's ready by next week :S

My replacement Fanatic arrived yesterday .. in time for our long weekend ..

In good order

I have to say that the dealer gave good service and couldn't have acted quicker

or more decisively once the problem was reported.

Hearing lots of bad news here but is there anyone I should look at to get a board from QLD to Adelaide?

Start with the basics - Air/Road?
Who has provided good service?

Flute board is plastic sheet that looks like cardboard and is tough and light.
A couple of layers on the rails is good.
Its easy to cut and fold around the rails.
The secret for the nose and tail is pad well, then tape a small piece of 3mm MDF to each end so that when they drop the board on its end the MDF takes the load.
I bubble wrap, then flute board, then cover everything in black builders plastic, then MDF the ends and rails if you want.
Cheap and LIGHT

You weren't just lucky mate. I work for Toll/Dnata in Sydney & the boys always handle boards of all types with extreme care. Can't say much about the guys being rude though. There is no excuse for that.

HumanCartoon said...

DC sent my 14 to me via Toll DNATA. Expensive and the depot blokes were typically rude but the board arrived quickly and was handled with due care ( I might have just been lucky).

Australian Air Express is very good. Anyone can get freight from them. They deliver to most regional airports, you have to get the board to AAE.

There is a limitation on size which is 3 meters and 15 kilograms, the most exspensive delivery zone is $240 and the ceapest is $50.

You don't have to have an account, anyone can use this service.