New boat

[maby]

So, you handed over just shy of £300k for a new boat but you never bothered to look at engine access prior to purchase?
You wont share the manufactueres name on this forum but you want to talk to members here about it? Why? You either declare the manufacturer and others with the same boat can maybe assist you or you stop posting. Which one is it?
For those considering a similar boat from the same manufacturer the name of the manufacturer would be very useful so they are warned. Why the reluctance to expose. If you are correct you have a strong case against the manufacturer.

I think that this is a little unfair on both counts. When we bought out new boat, about eighteen months ago, the salesman certainly did lift the companionway access door and we admired a brand new, shiny and spotless engine in its bay. I think I would have noticed access issues of the severity that the OP seems to describe, but I certainly did not inspect every single component for access - I took it on trust that a major manufacturer would not sell a boat on which it was impossible to change the oil filter!

Regarding identifying the manufacturer, that may not be possible at this stage, at least. Our previous boat failed - disasterously - at less than five years old. We were going through some pretty intensive negotiations with the manufacturer to get it rectified as quickly as possible, with a minimum of cost and disruption to us. The threat of bad publicity is a valuable negotiating tool - if the OP splurges the manufacturer's name across forums like this at this early stage, he's lost that threat to a large extent.

 

[FlyingGoose]

Intresting to OP I have a boat with an Engine Bay in the bilges and when I got her I did not inspect the engine in any great detail , then when I did I could not access the Belt , I found this wierd as the Engine must have had it changed over its 40 years , but there was defo no way to do it , after checking forums some people had to cut an access panel to this part on the engine from stairs leading to front of Boat, But as I knew nothing about this Engine I got a Marine Engineering company to come and fully service the engine and check it all over , I asked about the access and why , he knew eaxclty what to do and it was as simple as removing some botls and no problems To be fair this guy had done his apprenctice on these engines
Moral of the story , have a proffesional look at it to make sure there is a problem before chopping into your boat
(Perkins 4236 Belt facing into bulkhead with no hand room)

 

[geem]

I think that this is a little unfair on both counts. When we bought out new boat, about eighteen months ago, the salesman certainly did lift the companionway access door and we admired a brand new, shiny and spotless engine in its bay. I think I would have noticed access issues of the severity that the OP seems to describe, but I certainly did not inspect every single component for access - I took it on trust that a major manufacturer would not sell a boat on which it was impossible to change the oil filter!

Regarding identifying the manufacturer, that may not be possible at this stage, at least. Our previous boat failed - disasterously - at less than five years old. We were going through some pretty intensive negotiations with the manufacturer to get it rectified as quickly as possible, with a minimum of cost and disruption to us. The threat of bad publicity is a valuable negotiating tool - if the OP splurges the manufacturer's name across forums like this at this early stage, he's lost that threat to a large extent.

So all you guys with new boats are happy to cover up major failings in these boats such that these AWB manufacturers carry on producing sub-standard products? I know of one major cover up by Jeanneau of a failed rudder installation. I have discussed it on this forum in the past. If more people were aware of these failures the manufacturers would either sell less boats or produce better quality products.
To me there seems to be a new breed of yachty. One who thinks when he is buying a new boat its like buying a new car. Presumably somebody who spends £300k on a boat isnt likley to be sitting in a south coast marina for the next 10 years. They may have aspirations to set sail across oceans or at least sail for the Med. What happens when things go wrong? Unlike the new car breaking down, you cant phone the AA and expect rescue. You need certain skills. Those are either the abilty to sail without an engine or fix an engine problem. Most owners of modern complex cars wouldnt consider lifting the bonnet to sort out a problem and rightly so. Most parts under a modern car are unrecognisable from a similar car from 15 years ago. Boats are not like that. You need to be able to work on them yourself. I have met lots of new breed sailors who cant change an impeller on the generator. If the inlet pipe gets blocked with weed they have no idea what to do. If they have an electrical fault they wouldnt consider getting a multimeter out and tracing the fault. They wouldnt even own a multimeter. I feel that if people had the skills to carryout boat maintenance, find and rectify faults, etc they may have spent more time considering what boat they need in the first place. The ones that were impossible to maintain simply wouldnt sell. Its a similar story with deck fittings that are imposible to access from inside due to none removable headlings. Deck fittings will leak one day. One day you will need to get to them. Dont let manufacturers get away with it!

 

[greeny]

Just get the supplier/manufacturers involved. Ask them the question. They need to resolve this for you. Whatever it takes. I don't understand why you have not done this yet. Or maybe you have and it's something else you're not telling us. It is clearly their responsibility to supply a product fit for use.

 

[KellysEye]

>access to impeller impossible , access to main belt impossible

If both of those are too close to a bulkhead then you could cut a hole in it big enough for access it won't affect the integrity of the bulkhead.

 

[maby]

So all you guys with new boats are happy to cover up major failings in these boats such that these AWB manufacturers carry on producing sub-standard products? I know of one major cover up by Jeanneau of a failed rudder installation. I have discussed it on this forum in the past. If more people were aware of these failures the manufacturers would either sell less boats or produce better quality products.

I didn't say quite that - my point is that getting serious manufacturing defects fixed on a boat can be a bit of a delicate political process and the threat of bad publicity is a valuable tool in getting the manufacturer's attention. There may be other people involved - including some working on your side who may stand to suffer if you make too much noise about the process. In our case, we no longer have the failed boat, we have another new boat that we absolutely love, at least one completely innocent party stuck their neck out to help us arrive at a good conclusion and, if I make too much public noise about it, I could make life a bit difficult for that party. My initial inclination was to splash it all over the internet and give the guilty parties as much bad publicity as possible, but I reluctantly had to accept that doing so would harm us and, potentially, people that were helping us.

I have, however, made sure that I warned others who were in danger of having similar problems to us - and I would like to think that our experience has contributed towards at least one owner having a better outcome than he might otherwise have had.

To me there seems to be a new breed of yachty. One who thinks when he is buying a new boat its like buying a new car. Presumably somebody who spends £300k on a boat isnt likley to be sitting in a south coast marina for the next 10 years. They may have aspirations to set sail across oceans or at least sail for the Med.

...

In the current market, I'm not sure how safe a presumption that is. A hell of a lot of new boats hardly seem to leave the marina. Ours was close to £300k, is eighteen months old and has been out of the marina for about 40 hours. It has been heavily used over those eighteen months - as a floating cottage. I don't think we are particularly unusual - the majority of thirty to forty foot boats in the marina seem to be used in much the same way.

 

[PeteCooper]

Just get the supplier/manufacturers involved. Ask them the question. They need to resolve this for you. Whatever it takes. I don't understand why you have not done this yet. Or maybe you have and it's something else you're not telling us. It is clearly their responsibility to supply a product fit for use.

+1
The boat is 4 weeks old - far better to contact the dealer or builder than post cryptically on here.

 

[maby]

Just get the supplier/manufacturers involved. Ask them the question. They need to resolve this for you. Whatever it takes. I don't understand why you have not done this yet. Or maybe you have and it's something else you're not telling us. It is clearly their responsibility to supply a product fit for use.

Looking at the original post, I get the impression that this is an issue that has only just become apparent and the OP is beginning the process of seeking resolution - canvassing opinion here on how best to approach it. He is quite right to do so - a new boat costing £200k or more is a significant investment and there is an inevitable "snagging" process - unless he is aiming to try to return the boat for a full refund, he does not want to destroy the relationship with the manufacturer and/or dealer so early on. Hopefully, he will get the issues resolved to his satisfaction and may be able to tell us a bit more in the future.

 

[doug748]

......

I have, however, made sure that I warned others who were in danger of having similar problems to us - and I would like to think that our experience has contributed towards at least one owner having a better outcome than he might otherwise have had.
........

I agree with all you say. The thread is about helping the OP with his problems on delivery, not DIY tips on how to change alternator belts or a Punch and Judy show concerning new boats.

I am sure any tips you have for dealing with the problems will be most useful to him, as you have been there.

 

[cloud7]

So, you handed over just shy of £300k for a new boat but you never bothered to look at engine access prior to purchase?
You wont share the manufactueres name on this forum but you want to talk to members here about it? Why? You either declare the manufacturer and others with the same boat can maybe assist you or you stop posting. Which one is it?
For those considering a similar boat from the same manufacturer the name of the manufacturer would be very useful so they are warned. Why the reluctance to expose. If you are correct you have a strong case against the manufacturer.

At the boat show I was shown access via a floor panel , I find your comments very offending

 

[dunedin]

At the boat show I was shown access via a floor panel , I find your comments very offending

So was the engine access seen by you as adequate when shown at the show? Is this floor panel not fitted on the boat supplied?

 

[PaulRainbow]

I think that this is a little unfair on both counts. When we bought out new boat, about eighteen months ago, the salesman certainly did lift the companionway access door and we admired a brand new, shiny and spotless engine in its bay. I think I would have noticed access issues of the severity that the OP seems to describe, but I certainly did not inspect every single component for access - I took it on trust that a major manufacturer would not sell a boat on which it was impossible to change the oil filter!

Regarding identifying the manufacturer, that may not be possible at this stage, at least. Our previous boat failed - disasterously - at less than five years old. We were going through some pretty intensive negotiations with the manufacturer to get it rectified as quickly as possible, with a minimum of cost and disruption to us. The threat of bad publicity is a valuable negotiating tool - if the OP splurges the manufacturer's name across forums like this at this early stage, he's lost that threat to a large extent.

I have to agree with pretty much everything you've said in this thread. :encouragement:

Demands that the OP reveal the manufacturer are totally uncalled for. Knowing the manufacturer doesn't make any difference to the help the OP has asked for.

 

[cloud7]

I have to agree with pretty much everything you've said in this thread. :encouragement:

Demands that the OP reveal the manufacturer are totally uncalled for. Knowing the manufacturer doesn't make any difference to the help the OP has asked for.

Can I just thank you for your professional assessment of the situation , in such situations you have negotiating tools , ( not naming boat at present ) a number of your posts have been very reassuring and I thank you very much , the process is under way , I how have a engineering report advising me I do not take the boat to sea , the boat remember is 4 weeks old .

 

[FlyingGoose]

Can I just thank you for your professional assessment of the situation , in such situations you have negotiating tools , ( not naming boat at present ) a number of your posts have been very reassuring and I thank you very much , the process is under way , I how have a engineering report advising me I do not take the boat to sea , the boat remember is 4 weeks old .

Without sounding off at you , this is the first thing that should have been done(EGINEERING REPORT noT come onto these forums ) and then take it up with the manufactureing company ,
Rather than coming onto the forum to tell a problem and with holding all that information.
If this was a major flaw and could happen to some one else there is an argument that you should tell people about it , you have nothing to worry about in regards to publicity, you have your consumer rights !! end of Story and warranty !!! . you have freedom of speech and if what you say is factually true:encouragement: then you have nothing to worrry about from a Marquee company.
It feels that this thread was a wind up to get the usual arguing about cyberspace.
4 week old boat , desgin flaw , contact the builders, see what they say, then get independant report from Quailified Engineer , then if nothing else legal action (Do not come onto public forum with Ghost story about ghost boat and ghost problems as no help can be given) IMHO