Boat buyers be aware. All of the “Quacks” are not in the air. I needed a new duck boat, my leaky riveted boat had reached end of life. I have a friend that has a Charles Leonard 16’ X 42” skiff. I liked it so I Goggled Charles and called him. It was the 1st weekend in October and he was bow hunting but he met me at his shop on Sunday when he returned from hunting. He seemed enthusiastic to have my business and build me a boat. WE BS’d about hunting, boats, LSU, etc. and he seemed like a really likable down to earth fellow. He wrote my phone number and boat specifications on a piece of brown paper bag. He told me he would order the aluminum on Monday and I would have a boat in 1 ½ to 2 weeks. Four weeks pass and I decide to call him. His wife says the number I have is the home number and I should call the shop and talk to Charles. She gives me the number and I call. He says he hurt his back and couldn’t work, also he was having trouble getting aluminum sheet material and he lost my phone number he wrote on the piece of brown paper bag so he couldn’t call me. He told me I would have a boat in a week. I call him back after a week and ask how the boat is coming. He says “when are you coming to get it its ready” I tell him I am off on Friday and will be there. Friday I call to confirm and a fellow at the shop answers and says “everyone knows Charles leaves on Thursdays to go to his camp”. I say cool, no problem, I’m coming to pick up my boat. The fellow says we don’t have any boat for you. I drove to Charles shop and confirmed that my boat was nowhere to be found. He did have two recently built boats he had apparently built instead of mine. So six weeks pass and my 1/ ½ to 2 boat is just a bunch of BS. I drove two miles up the river and ordered a boat from one of his competitors. I’ll let you know how this goes. Is this how people in this business do business? This was a wacked experience!

this is a first for me....i know a few people that had charles build their boat and went quickly and smooth, and no this is not how this business usually works. however it is hunting season and cant blame the man for heading to his camp for a long weekend but he should have given you longer lead time than what he told you and been straight up.......also i cant say i would have bashed someone like that publicly, the man has to make a living.

I've heard of a few having problems with him....... Not for me to judge, but he wouldn't build one for me based on stuff I've heard.

At least you didn't give him a deposit.... Then you'd really be screwed.

I didn't intend my report to be a "bash", just info for an informed buyer to consider. I looked at Charles' work and I was impressed with some things he does differently and I think better. Impressed enough to choose him over all of the other builders on this forum. Whick brings me to the reason for responding to this thread once more. When I needed a new boat I knew I could search this site and read un-biased postive and negative comments made by many others who have posted their experiences good and bad on the forum. That truly is the reason we all participate in forums, the free exchange of our expereinces for the benefit of all.

Just keep in mind there is always 2 sides to every story.

Just so everyone knows. If you order a boat from a boat builder in South LA, what you are thinking and expecting may not be exactly what he is thinking and expecting. You must attempt to communicate clearly, and sometimes that falls by the wayside.

Also, if you wait too long to order a boat before hunting season, shame on you. If you want a boat for hunting season, I would say unless you are on someones list by May, you have set your self up for problems.

Unless everything goes flawlessly, the anticipated delivered date will never be as promised. It is an estimate. The man that built my boat explained several things to me about how small towns work. There are people in and out of their shops all day long asking questions and making demands to fix crap. It slows down the boat building process unbelievably. because of the small communities they live and work in they have to try and accomodate, or they will be ostracized from the community at the very least.

Although I have never dealt with Uncle J, it seems that he has his act together particularly in this department from what I can tell.

Id like to know how many times I have heard about Charles finishing a boat and if your not there to pick it up he will sell it to the 1st person that comes along.

Bad business? Maybe so but I know I wont be going to him just from 3 different people I know having similar experiences to what was said here.

I require half of the amount of boat down.. This secures your spot in line, and Immediate Purchase of your metal. At any point you change your mind.. You can come get the pieces of metal you have purchased.

I made my deposit with a big pot of SETX style rice & gravy.

For the record my wife's rice & gravy does not have beans in it, & my boat better not either.

when i first went talk to charles about my boat he said it would take him a week or two to put it out. at that time he had one skiff and one bay boat going. I gave him a deposit even though he said he didnt need it, its just how i do buisness i feel that if you have my money you gonna do my work. I went offshore and when i came back a week later he said he hadnt got to it yet but will tomorrow (it was wednesday when i got off) I rode up there Thursday about noon and he had the sides and bottom cut out and was shaping it. i stayed for a while and watched by the time i left they had the gunnels on. Went back up there friday morning had the front deck in and was laying ribs. Saturday afternoon i had that bastard on the trailer heading back to Franklin. Thats 3 days it took for him to build my 20x48. I was pleased with the time frame. My family has done alot of buisness with Charles over the past years and has always had good experiences and lifelong boats. Everyone has their opinions and personal experiences, i dont think he was bashing Charles. I woiuld have been pissed off too. I can say Charles is hard to reach by phone, Best thing is to go there and talk to him.

..idiots