The Shame of Traders

[Gludy]

I have been contacted by a number of unhappy Trader owners that all seem to have two things in common - their poor treatment from Emsworth and their love of the Trader boat itself - if it was working Ok they all rate the boat highly as I do.

I have now reached the stage will the latest hydraulic oil problems plus the hacking into the glass fibre of the hull problems were I am truly struggling to have any faith in the boat at all. My faith in the ability of Tarquin to properly, honestly and openly repair some of the problems has also gone.

My boat has well over 50 problems left a number of which are to do with sea worthiness and I shall be sitting around this Easter without a boat.

My campaign now is for a full refund plus a return of all my direct expenses over the last 16 months. I have written to Tony Chappell on this - all this correspondence is being published:

Click Here

The shame is that the design and concept behind the boat is very good – all it needs is a better run business and it could be a real winner. From now on I am going to try and separate the boat from the problem – the real problem is Tarquin.

I apologise to Trader owners who may be suffering from this campaign of mine – I cannot let Tarquin hide behind their bad workmanship and service so as to continue their practices. In the long run, I hope it works out best for all of us.

 

[Nautorius]

Paul,

Again you have tried to be constructive on this and many other matters. If fortitude alone was enough you would have a great boat by now.

Is there a risk that Tarquin could go into Administration over this?

Good luck again, I will be following all of the details with interest.

Regards

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Gludy]

I am just telling the truth about the boats themselves. I can understand why people like them - the problem is lack of quality control plus how Tarquin treat their customers.

It is not in my interest fro Tarquin to go into administration, although I can see how that could help many Trader owners down the road.

Tony Chappell has a choice - face increasing advertising which will go well past the current TV matter which is progressing. I hope he realises this and does the decent thing to me. Yes I risk him folding before I can get such a refund.

The fact that this fine weekend coming I have no boat is a neon sign for anyone to see as an example of how little they think of customers.

I am not going to give in – so the path we take is up to him. Do as I am entitled to both legally and morally and he will never hear another word from me. Do not do it and I will not let go. Pressure will build and build to a point were I think I can get the truth of my experience out to every potential customer and he will not be able to paint me a nutter like he did that poor Trader owner who walked up and down with a placard outside Trader boats at the Southampton Boat Show.

I promise him that he has met his match. Every request I make about the boat is sound and reasonable. I am not in anyway acting unreasonably for a boat owner of new boat who has not been able to properly use it for 16 months!!!!

Many of the problems on the problem list now have been accepted by them for over a year and nothing done about them.

 

[Nautorius]

Fair Comment and I agree. 'Patience of a Saint' springs to mind.

I have just read the website and see how much time you are devoting to it! You are also factual and the tone seems harsh but fair.

Keep us posted, and would you accept the Squadron back (at current market Rate) as part of the Package? It would give you an immeadiate boat and may swing a deal for TC.

Another word of warning over your now prefered route (and very sensible!) I would be careful about doing a deal on your boat whilst the boat is at Emsworth. If they agree to pay and then before passing the cash over go into voluntary administration your boat may become bonded by the administrators until proof of ownership is finalised. This can and does take years and months! Best to have the boat elsewhere and only sail her back as the cash hits your Bank Account!

Cheers

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Gludy]

I am trying very hard to be factual - yes its often harsh because i canbbot tolerate the lack of response, lack of caring, intentional putting of water into the hydraulics etc. I think given all the circumstances of after 16 months not even having a boat for Easter - I am the calmest chap on this earth /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Do not woory I am covering the position ref the boat and ownership. I am too long in the tooth to fall for any messing about there.

 

[Pete7]

Put them into administration, take control of the company in lieu of debt and then sack him. All UK Trader owners breath a sye of relief and the reputation of the range is restored.

Pete

 

[Nick_H]

Here's a silly idea to get you on the water then. Your claim on Trader is going up by the week due to loss of use, and you're facing a boatless summer cos of their incompetence.

You'd need a solicitor to draft an agreement to make sure it didn't weaken your case, but why not propose that they loan you your old boat back (i think you said they haven't sold it), on the basis that you reduce your claim for loss of use from now on?

I can see some pitfalls in my suggestion, and the risk is they slow down even more on the work, but how much slower could they go? At least you'd have a boat for the summer

 

[Gludy]

I have to be careful - mymain focus is justice for myself. I cannot legally reject the boat and they know that - to do that would mean they could sell it without even paying me and then go bust.

On the other hand I can push in many ways, in fact just insisiting the boat is right, will in many respects almost be the same thing. There is a lot going on, so we shall see,

I have no interest whatsoever in going into boat building but iIMHO you are right- new owners would be able to quickly re-establish the brand and offer a decent level of service. They could have a Trader warrneted boat that was guaranteed etc.

Most used Traders are sorted boats nad many people get a lot of joy from them.

 

[Gludy]

A unique idea but at present I am pushing for a total refund and want to concentrate on that. Alsdo drumbeat has been left there 18 months and I doubt if even anodes have been repalced based on my experience so far.

Currently their cost are mounting by a lot per week in .... pressure is rising.

 

[ari]

[ QUOTE ]
My campaign now is for a full refund plus a return of all my direct expenses over the last 16 months. I have written to Tony Chappell on this - all this correspondence is being published:

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm certainly no expert on this, but isn't this tantamount to your rejecting the boat, which you were very keen not to do due to the weird way the law works and the fact that doing so transfers title back to Trader whilst you then sort out the dispute?

 

[Gludy]

No- I have not rejected the boat.

That would involve informing Tarquin that the boast was rejected and then abandoing her.

I have asked them to recitfy the situation by refunding me the full purchase price plus all my direct expenses involved with the boat for the last 16 months. They can, if they wish, simply say no or yes. The boat is in my ownership all the time.

 

[chuckaduck]

Paul some advice

Take your boat from emsworth straight away dont put up with any more sh11t dont let them try do deny you the right to remove your property take it somewhere and then persue for a refund while they have your property you are at risk If needed I WILL help you with this

 

[Gludy]

Its simply not practical to do that. trust me, I know what I am doing.

There is a lot more going on than I can say.

You might be amused by the new windscreen saga - they had it made but had it made to the faulty shape so that when they came to fit it, it would not fit without bending it and distorting it like the original!!!!! So back to the drawing board - that has taken 9 weeks!!!!! You- have to laugh /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif or maybe cry!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

I have sent a lot of very important emails today without a response. you can see them Here

 

[wynnstow]

Paul

I read your unfortunate experience with interest. You have obviously gone out of your way to try and 'help' Emsworth come to an all round satisfactory conclusion but without success.

You obviously like the boat but it's the aftersales and support which renders the boat unusable.

I had a similar situtaion in 2005/2006. I will not mention the name of the Broker or Boat manufacturer as like you we dearly loved the make of boat and it ended satisfactorily and we now have much enjoyment with our boat.

We bought our boat new. Without going into all the problems we had, we realised that the boat was unreliable and the boat manufacturer/engine manufacturer were starting to argue amongst themselves. Difficult a decision as it was, on the last time it broke down at sea we limped back to the Brokers berth and rejected the boat under the Sale of Goods Act as unfit for purpose and wanted full refund plus costs. We left the boat and said we would come back to start clearing it out.

We spoke to a very good Marine Lawyer via the RYA who advised us how to word the confirmatory letter to the Broker. The letter was sent by us not the Lawyer as like you we really wanted the boat sorted out once and for all and were still trying to keep all discussions on a friendly basis.

This action after nearly a year of well documented problems and promises that all had been sorted had a remarkable effect! Boat manufacturer (who was concerned about his reputation as they knew we would go 'public' with all the issues) and Broker finally sorted everything out after a further few weeks and a compensation package was agreed.

Would strongly suggest you go this route and if an RYA member speak to their specialist legal team first as this part all free.

Best of luck.

 

[Gludy]

Thank you for your post.

I have the best lawyer in the business advising me.

Because Tarquin have no real assets, if I reject the boat as you say, I risk losing it and the money i f they fold on me.

You can only do as you say with normal businesses that have enough assets and have some idea of wanting to preserve their name. So your route is blocked off to me otherwise that would have happened last year.

The boat has never been accepted by me - even now in April 2007 she is not seaworthy and there never has been anytime in her history without a major fault, albeit for a few odd days we thought things were sorted a trip would show otherwise.

I am trying to do the next best thing to that and its up to Tarquin where it stops. There are already things in the pipeline that will apply a lot of pressure on them. What I am seeking is perfectly reasonable and most boat builders would jump at the opportunity of total escape.

All I am doing is letting people know my story. It’s the truth and can all be proved. Yet if everyone knew it and then knew how Trader treat customer’s like myself; IMHO they would not buy a boat from them. So, in essence, its how far do they want to go.

The TV thing is already underway although Trader did have an opportunity to mitigate that and did not take it.

There are however other things in the pipeline – I shall not give in. I know I am talking in riddles but things are confidential. However, one day, the forum will know.

You know Trader have told people things like the keel was always structurally sound and that they begged me to take it all back to Emsworth. So I know others are getting very funny distortion of the facts. In fact the written documents show it was finally the 22nd December 2006 with a target departure date of 27th December 2006 before the actually answered and agreed the basis of the return trip.

I am also being told that what held the boat up for 6 months last year was my special electronics like the lead from the E120 to the TV!!!!!!!!! Total utter drivel.

I really do not want to do what I am doing I would much rather be out boating this fine Easter Weekend but I cannot and I will ensure a lot of people know that m the 17th month since the boat arrived I still cannot use it.

I would listen to any reasonable suggestion to solve the problem but at its heart the problem is that Tarquin sold me a rubbish boat and have then failed and failed and failed to honour their warranty obligations. I gave them ample opportunity of remedy and they have not taken it. So now I would like my money back please plus the well in excess of £100k expenses to date. That is what I am seeking and we shall see what happens /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif