Boatreviews

[Sailfree]

J D Powersurvey do their car surveys by asking owners of certain cars /age to contact them. Surely YM could nominate a different boat each month asking for owners to contact them. YM could then send out a standard questionaire, then in a later edition publish a summary of the owners views and experiences including the manufacturers replies to any shortcomings or problems. I have in recent years bought 2 new boats and would have welcomed such information especially if it included what "extras" the owners found good as many headline prices for production boats are only say 70% of the final sale price. Like many purchasers of new production boats it was my first big boat and with £100k on the line I had to find ways to overcome the absence of information based on actual owners experience. I always like to read articles based on actual experiences rather than opinions especially as in this forum I have often read strong opinions often detrimental to production boats but nearly always written by people who imply that they would never be seen dead on one.

 

[FlyingSpud]

I think the problem you would find is that none would tell the truth. Say you have just bought a brand new Thingumybob 36, horror of horrors, the boat is a real pig, it leaks, the build quality is crap and it sails like a brick. Are you going to tell everyone that, so that you can’t sell it except at 50% of what you paid for it? Of course not, you’re going to say it’s the best boat going and everyone should have one.

With cars, there are so many that one or two reports of defects are not a problem, they also cost a lot less than new boats in general so people can afford to be a bit more honest

 

[pvb]

What happened to \"Contact the owner\" idea?

Didn't one of the mags (was it YM?) have a scheme some years ago where owners could list their contact details so that potential buyers could get in touch for info? Presumably it died due to lack of interest, but it would be relatively easy to set up again on a website.

 

[jamesjermain]

Re: What happened to \"Contact the owner\" idea?

It is called Second Opinion and is still going strong

JJ

 

[pvb]

It\'s pretty well hidden, though...

Found it eventually, James, but it's pretty well hidden!

Why not link to it in the "Buying a boat" section? How about having an online database of owners who are happy to comment?

 

[jamesjermain]

Good ideas

Both good ideas. The service is not promoted as well as it might be, I agree. The problem with putting service on the web is that many of those on the list have not given consent for the names to be used in that way.

JJ

 

[pandroid]

But most boats have 'niggling' things wrong with them which many people WOULD be happy to talk about. Besides, once you've sold the pig, THEN you would talk about it...... (I know I would)

Wanna talk about my last boat?

 

[FlyingSpud]

You may have an idea here - a write up on your old boat – but you would have to be sure the guy you sold it to never read it or you could have a quick trip down to the local County Court for Misrepresentation

(someone who sailed on the Medway in the 60’s with their dad – are you sure you are not me?)

 

[pandroid]

Oops - you could be right. I'd like to state here and now that my previous boat was everything I represented it to be......(whatever that was...)

And yes, I am actually you. Talking to oneself is a bad habit.