Advice required

[Happy1]

As some may be aware I ordered a Camper Canvas that has taken Months to get to the UK, so long in fact that we have not had the use of it for the BH weekends we planned to use it for.

My boat has a cockpit cover as can be seen on my photo, and a sloping cover from that to the stern to cover it all in. There is no room to stand in there with that on and you cannot use the cooker.

In the Glastron Brochure it shows a picture of different types of canvas tops, the camper canvas is shown on a GS249, it shows a cover that goes straight up from the cockpit windows to head height and then across to the back, with roll type bars to hold the frame in place. This what I thought I had bought for £600+

Anyway it transpires that the Camper Canvas for my boat is not as the 249 picture but just an extension that fits to the rear of the existing cockpit cover and then squares off the back e.g. replacing the sloping cover. So for my money I am getting very little extra room, as I will still not be able to stand up under the cockpit and will have to crouch at the rear.

What are your views on this, is it a misrepresentation of a Camper Canvas cover, have I been had over and what can I do. I have paid £100 deposit and the cover has had to be sent over from the USA for me. Have you ever seen something similar to what they have sent, and should it be called a Camper Canvas? When I have asked for pictures in the past, they said they never had any.

Thanks in advance for any views on this.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[longjohnsilver]

Oh dear H1, looks like you've been done again. I suggest you go in and create a stink and demand your money back, well maybe ask politely to start with pointing out that it is not what you were lead to believe, then if that fails go into v agitated mode. Also worth telling em that you are in the markey for another boat, and wot a shame it would be not to have a Glastron on the shortlist being as you're so pleased with the one you have.

If that fails then praps just write off the £100 deposit.

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[c_j]

Sod that. Stand outside showroom and hammer on door til disgruntled salesman comes to open said door. Explain that you are not happy (although in fact in some sort of surrealistic way you actually are Happy), and get very agitated. (I should have said place small housebrick on floor next to you)
Pick up thing closest to you and throw it through showroom window, saying what a load of wan*ers they are and what a load of shite they speak, and how we live in effing England and we have probably already had the best part of the boating frigging season, and there failure to get their frigging act together has cost you something more precious than money, to be exact, time on your boat satisfied that all of your requirements that you have paid good money for not to mention your expectations that have been quashed................... are you getting my drift?

You will find that they usher you into showroom and start to behave very reasonably indeed. The " I am going to buy a bigger boat one day ploy" is useless.

Be totally unreasonable.

It is the only language that is understood. But you have to take it to the endth degree. No one will sue you or take you to court because the bad publicity would not be worth it. No, if you can really hang in there all your requirements will be met.

Cheers, don't mention it.

<hr width=100% size=1>CJ
chris@stone.uk.com


<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.stone.uk.com>http://www.stone.uk.com</A>

 

[Happy1]

I am hanging in there already, but as the result of advice on here, getting things done at last. I must say that it is dissapointing that I seem to be borrowing my boat from the dealer for weekeds away while my mooring at MDL lays unused. They had the boat all last week, I borrowed it for the weekend and then returned at very, very late on Sunday evening, well out of my way home. I found at Mercury that although my DSC radio had been fitted, they had not bothered to connect it to the GPS (they could have at least mentioned that, don't you think?) Then they connect it to the depth sounder that wines all day, I have to turn it off and revert to my handheld or I would go mad. At least Duncan found these things out for me, Oh! and another thing, the ignition cable was loose, the boat would not start at Mercury, Duncan found the fault and fixed it. He was rewarded with a discount on an extension speaker for his VHF from my on board Chandlery /forums/images/icons/wink.gif Less weight on my boat now /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

So things have not been going too well. I think I will give them an ultimatum, a deadline to finish it all or take it away get it done elsewhere and give them the bill. I have had to endure camping because of no camper canvas /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif and lost loads of use of the boat. It has only done 8 hours!! it has done more on the trailer!!

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[ccscott49]

With the problems you have had with this dealer, I would apply a lot of stern tube grease all over the boat, then stick it up the a...e of the manager of the brokers! If you are really peed off, dont bother with the grease! They are obviously complete tossers!

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[claymore]

Happy
Stop buying stuff and start using the boat. This way you will find out what you need and what you don't.
You cannot possibly recoup all you've laid out on stuff so you do need to hang on to this boat yet.
the other thing the forum has not been treated to yet is the post that begins
"Happy's Bad Sailing Experience" which enlightens all to the fact that you've been out, the whole family has been throwing up for hours, the engine blobbed, and you're thinking of taking up an offer on a Motorhome.
It will happen because almost everyone has to endure such tribulations at some point and all the tents and covers and extendable toasters in the world are not going to be worth a light then.
As far as the cover itself goes - this wouldn't have happened if you'd had more than 8 hours on the clock because you'd either have seen another boat with one on or you'd have had a better idea of what you wanted and would have therefore been in a stronger more knowledgeable position when ordering.

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
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[Tiger Rag]

Harsh but true words from claymore, take his and everyone else's advice stop buying new gear for a while and use your boat then and only then will you know what you need and will be able to explain to sales staff what you intend using it for, rather than pointing to a picture in a brochure and thinking "that looks great think I'll get one". On a more sympathetic note £600 seems to me outrageous for a bit of canvas that simply extends your sprayhood a little. I would be sorely tempted to stop the supplier before he goes drilling holes and bolting on brackets and ask (calmly) for your money back.

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[tcm]

C-j is totally correct. Going totally bonkers is the correct route. Every so often you can take a breather and say "i'm sorry for going bonkers, but thisis very annoying" and they say "that's alright sir i quite understand" and then the slate is wiped clean some more going bonkers, perhaps in the same meeting or at a later date.

Having said that, accurate ordering would have been better. But too late for that.

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[Happy1]

Cheers,

Have sent an e-mail telling them NOT to drill any holes until I go over and look at it. This Camper Canvas is a vital bit of kit and was bought with the boat, it should have been on it at delivery, but apparently the ship it was going to come over on was taken over by the US gvt to send stuff to Iraq. The Camper Canvas is required to extend the season and give a bit of shelter in the Uk to my young family, and make the odd weekend on the boat more comfortable. The accessories page in the Glastron brochure clearly shows an example of each type of cover, the Camper Canvas is shown as the large version on a GS249, it is only now that I find after ringing the parts dept in the USA last night that mine is not shown in the brochure, and is this small thing. The parts dept in the US admit that it should be shown. I nearly did buy the GS279 yesterday but unfortunately the one that has just arrived in the UK this week has just been sold, so I am forced to keep the present boat, you never know I may get used to it. I was offered the full price back on mine in exchange. I still think I need a few more hours experience before going bigger, and the opportunity to have a good look at what is about as it is serious money if you get it wrong.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Happy1]

How about me paying you to be my agent, you can be nasty sometimes, you may be useful in this situation /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Tiger Rag]

Re: Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens is credited with having said "The first rule of business - do other men for they would do you" ignoring the smutty innuendo are you really saying that this is the best approach, going in all guns blazing? Happy has seen the item he wanted in a (albeit slightly misleading)catlogue, agreed the price and paid up. I personally would calmly explain what outcome I wanted and would only slowly ratchet up the bonkergraph if no assistance was forthcoming or I felt the p##s was being taken.

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[Happy1]

Re: Charles Dickens

I must say my attitude has been to start softly and ratchet up, it is easier IMHO to increase the pressure than to have to back down. But it comes to a stage when all other options have been tried.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[longjohnsilver]

Send the boys in..............

Us big uns can be persuaded to throw a bit of weight about for a few beers, just one small problem, both Colins are absent and I'd probably drink more than £100 worth of beer ;-))

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[ccscott49]

Re: Charles Dickens

No good, got to go in all guns blazing! frighten the living shit out of them! You can always calm down, but getting mad later doesn't work, they wont respond, be a swine first, then with concessions from them you can get quieter/calmer, let them do the backing down, you are justifiably annoyed.

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[ccscott49]

Re: Send the boys in..............

No, I'm here, but Coliholic would make a bigger scene!! Where is the old bugger anyway?

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[tcm]

Re: Charles Dickens

Yes, fair enough. I was being a bit tongue in cheek.




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[Happy1]

Update

I contacted the dealership today, the engineer answered the phone, I asked him about my radio being wired to the depth sounder, and it not being connected to the radio. His reply was that he went to deliver a boat and that the salesman must have done it!! I am waiting for the manager to ring me.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[duncan]

Re: Update

please be precise - your radio is being interferred with by your depth sounder; they fitted both and should ensure that the installation avoids this.
On a 12 volt system everything is effectively connected to everything else somewhere in the system - I think

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[paulineb]

Re: Update

does he have a fridge = that can interfere with a vhf ?

<hr width=100% size=1>Pxx

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.paulinebeddoes.co.uk/php-cgi/gallery>The Perils of Pauline in Pics</A>

 

[Happy1]

Re: Update

Sorry I meant 'not connected direct to the battery' (as you suggested, and they agreed should have been done)

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>