Name and fame

ChrisE

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As some of you know Rival Spirit has just completed an extensive re-fit. Several companies and their associated offerings have been outstanding and I'd like to publicly name and fame. I have no commercial interest in any of the companies:

West Solent Boat Builders for the overall refit and especially fitting the engine, painting the hull and installing the heater. Annie, Jim and Ken run the most friendly and effective yard on the Solent that I have encountered.

Datayacht for the electonics, Peter and his team went out of their way to ensure that all of the kit worked, even to the extent of polling up on the weekend to sort out some teething problems.

Dickinson's Newport heater, the pre and post sales support were as good as the heater is functional.

Brunton and their Autoprop, which really has put 3/4 knot on the boatspeed under sail and improved the hanlding under power

Beta Marine for the new engine which sips fuel, is quiet and starts when asked.

ACR of Florida for the EPIRB which, bought from a US chandler with US coding, was reprogrammed by return of post at no cost.

Ocean Rigging, of Lymington, for their work on the replacing the standing rigging, never has rigging looked so well founded.



And last but no means least the credit companies that have made the whole thnig possible!
 

pragmatist

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Well done Chris ! We shall look forward to seeing her in all her glory some time. Dickinson is the only one we share with you and have thought it great for the last 9 yrs (mind you it blew out last weekend with huge down draughts in a F8-ish - first time it's really thrown a wobbly).

Where are you taking her ?
 

ChrisE

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Thanks, off to the frozen north, Norway, next week, if the weather holds. The weather window that was looking promising this morning is looking dodgy tonight.
 

ParaHandy

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youse must be awfy hard tae please. i bet that lot are glad tae see the back of you!! ... two weeks ago, youse wuz complaining aboot ra easterlies keeping you tucked up in bed at ra auld folks home ...
 

Gin

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Re:- your comment on ACR EPIRB. can you tell me where and how you sourced the product and any hassles with importing(H.M. C & E in particular)

I found a McMurdo Fastfind Plus in the States at about half the UK price but after a grumpy exchange with the manufacturer here who adamantly refused to recode the item if I brought it in, (claiming I think that it is "illegal" to do so, which obviously is a load of tosh.) I decided not to proceed. Indeed I now refuse to buy Pains Wesses/McMurdo stuff as my only way of protesting- this is quite inconvenient when it comes to flares but bearable. It has just occurred to me that it was similar behaviour to protect the pricing policy here on Treasure Island(U.K.) that got Volvo and others into hot water with Brussels wasn't it?

Anyway I digress, if ACR is more cooperative and the product cheaper in the States I should like to buy there, so any advice would be welcome

Thanks
 

ChrisE

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Lookie here gramps, whilst I realise that your idea of weather windows have to be long enough to get you between your seat and the bar, some of us have got some serious sailing to do.

Think of all the trolls that I'll be bringing back.
 

ChrisE

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I bought an ACR aquafix which is an EPIRB with integral GPS for $699 from a online chandler (a google on the product name will find more than one, I see today that you can find them for $649). The product is FCC approved. We had to pay £60-ish for VAT on arrival.

When it arrived it was US coded, an email to the chandler gave me the customer service phone number of ACR in Florida who advised that I should sent it back. The postage out cost me about £5 and it was returned about 10 days later UK coded at no cost for re-coding or postage.

The service from both the chandler and ACR was first rate.
 
G

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Sorry to digress a bit - but re-coding etc. of EPIRBs

The sourcing of items abroad to gain price advantage and then ask the 'dearer' country to service / repair etc. is a common problem. A good example is on PC's brought into country by some dealers in Tottenham Court Road etc. - the warranty does not automatically follow and allow service by local agents .... it is back to the supplier .... the term is 'Grey Imports'.

I had a particularly wicked experience with a Bull Honeywell PC some years ago where I bought via Morgans Computers in all belief and deal that I was getting genuine article. The board subsequently failed and Morgans proved difficult to sort it out .... requiring ME to pay out shipping / and deposit in case my fault etc. etc. I of course said no. I contacted Bull Honeywell direct in UK and they said .... fine bring it in and we'll look at it and report - and if necessary make necessary repairs / replacement etc.
So of to their factory and deliver said item .... 30 mins later the engineer has bad news ... Sorry but we know exactly whats wrong .... its the disk controller on the board, but we cannot touch the machine as its a USA machine not for export and is part of a batch sold of to third party who then passed to Morgans UK. The warrantys and all stay with USA and are not transferrable.
BH were extremely sorry and gave me as much advise as they could and eventually based on their inmfo - Morgans collected the PC at their expense and returned my money. I went to Dan Technology and had fantastic service.

The crux is not the selling on or being USA sourced .... but that Warranties and service are not automatically covered outside of the sourced country..... unless specifically stated. McMurdo are the factory and you would think that service of their product irrespective of purchase location should be case .... but there may be a price differential because of non-extension of warranty allowing international service / coverage.

I do not want to give impression of being on McMurdo's or any other side .... but reporting a fact that happened to me and why ...
 
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