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Despite the fact that our government would turn it into a bureaucratic who's who of stamped forms and meetings - eventually costing more than the boat did itself I can't help but think about how it used to be when you received goods that didn't work, you sent it back and received a new one. Of course, for some reason the Eastpack Backpack theory doesn't reach as high up as shipbuilders.

Honestly though, the fact that the boat doesn't work means someone is not doing their job, and if the boat is not replaced or refunded then someone is getting away with not doing their job. Trust me folks - it's not that hard to fix a boat in the first place, and with everything that goes into them I wouldn't be surprised if the malfunctioning culprit was a loose wire that someone just needs to twist.

I would say that the business ethics of you deliver what you promise should apply to defense contractors - really they especially apply to defense contractors because if a defense boat, be it an attack vessel or a research vessel or even a buoy repair boat, doesn't work then people could die. In all honesty there should have been a quality inspection at the shipyard like it is required. Civilian shipyards care about quality, defense contractors should be more so.

Send the boat back or have to company come fix it where it floats or sinks or lists to port a bit. It should be this easy. Pick up the phone and tell them their boat doesn't work, and they respond with letting you know that the repairman is on the way. If the boat functions but is not holding up to what it should be then the company or the designer needs to find out where the flaws are so the next batch meets the specs. It doesn't need to be a bureaucratic circus like it is.

Learn more about this author, Matthew Mcguire.
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