The Tarquin Trader Saga - Update

[Aardee]

Re: I am sympathetic with whats happened

Without wishing to know any details, are you the only party with a financial interest in the Trader??

 

[Bajansailor]

A positive plug for James Course

In addition to supporting Paul's campaign to have the reported defects concerning his new vessel attended to in a satisfactory manner by the Builders (this is not an unreasonable demand), I am also a firm believer in singing praises when they are due.

I just noticed in one of Paul's previous posts an email addressed to James Course at Tarquin. I am sure that there are not too many gentlemen in the marine industry with this name, hence I am sure that he is the same James Course who used to be Managing Director (I think - am not too sure what his exact job title was) of Northshore Yacht Yard until relatively recently.

Jamie was a year ahead of me at Southampton College of Higher Education 26 years ago - I was doing Naval Architecture, and he studied Yacht and Boat Design. I did not really know him, but I knew of him.

I am surprised by his defensive attitude re your emails (ie not replying) - all reports I heard of him while he was at Northshore were extremely positive, especially re after sales service on new craft. One of my former employers (when I lived in England - I moved back here 10 years ago) commissioned a brand new Southerly 135 from Northshore a few years ago, and he had nothing but praise for Jaime then - I think he project managed the construction of this vessel.

Certainly Jaime is a very experienced boat designer, builder and sailor, and he should know better than most folk how to build a boat that is seaworthy and strong enough to cope with the intended conditions that the said boat is designed to encounter, and to a quality standard as well.

 

[Gludy]

Re: A positive plug for James Course

Migh tI aslo add that whilst my boat was in pahes 1 of being repaired every week up until May 2006, I found that the work people at Tarquin were very good and the work they did for me was too a good standard.

I am not having a go at any individual, my contact with Tarquin is via their manager James Course and I man not getting responses to my emails/letters. Further most of the saga to date has taken place through him with for example denials of the shafts being out of line when in fact that were etc. Andy Ball will back me up on all that and it is well documented.

I have been writing to them all year, now in its 11 month - since July I have been asking for a response to the same email and although James has promised to fully answer he never has done so.

I can only conclude that the company policy is to tire you out on such issues. I certainly know that my experience is by no means unique.

My issue is with the company, not with individuals. The company has a clear legal responsibility that it is totally failing to honour - I think individuals should be left out of it

 

[Bajansailor]

Re: A positive plug for James Course

Fair enough Paul, I see your point - it would appear that Jamie has to answer to people higher up in the Tarquin hierarchy re the problems with your yacht.
I am sure that if the decision was solely his, he would have been as helpful as he possibly could be, and that this saga would have been resolved happily by now.

 

[Gludy]

Re: A positive plug for James Course

It is very difficult to explain to any third party how extreme this matter is and how exteme Tarquin are in failing to respond - it is beyond the bounds of normal behaviour.

When, for example, you discover that they are fiiting factory refurbished stereo units to new yachts and point this out - they actaully send a letter admitting it and defending it on the grounds the unit is still guaranteed. Given that passing off factory refurbished units as new units, is I think illegal, they show no shame nor apology. It is rare for someone to actually admit that offence in writing as it is rare for them to defend it.

It is rare for someone to tell us that the defective hob is not their problem it is down to SMEG - as if they as the supplier have nothing to do with it!

It is rare to present someone with a detAiled boat survey showing a multitude of faults from a qualified boat surveyor and have them not even respond to it.

It is rare to have a boat handed over without oil showing on a gearbox dipstick and no engine anodes etc left.

Even now when they are aware of this thread, the ostrich still keeps its head in the sand and I still have no response.

The only thing that is keeping me sane on this is the fact that once all the jobs have been costed and tarquin notified via the lawyers, I will get on and get the jobs done then sue them for the money. This will pretty well take the whole winter, a tyime when I would still be boating but during the boats first year I have had very little use indeed. My target is to get the work done by April 2007 some 17 months after the boat was originally delivered.

 

[Bajansailor]

Re: A positive plug for James Course

Paul, I see your point, and agree with what you are saying above, and I can only offer every sympathy, and wish you continued dogged determination to see this case through to the end. Good luck!

 

[DOK]

Re: I am sympathetic with whats happened

[ QUOTE ]
I do not believe that e mails such as the one above, or airing your grievences in public will help you in the slightest

[/ QUOTE ]

I disagree. As long as he is factual in what he says, going public is a powerful weapon for "the small guy" to use against a big company. Companies like this think that they can bully individuals into submission and I for one fully support anyone who is prepared to stand up against them.

 

[Elza_Skip]

Re: I am sympathetic with whats happened

Count me among your many supporters on the forum

I know that it is so easy to just give up and get it sorted yourself so your resiliance is an example to us all.

I just hope that you can get her sorted over the winter and just get back into boating

 

[milltech]

On the other hand a Trader has crossed the Altlantic and was written up in the magd some years ago

 

[Oen]

Gludy,

My experience is a few thousand miles on Traders, mostly on delivery.

Regarding the structural problem, the bulwarks started cracking in a startling and worrying manner, at a structurally weak point, with the cracks spreading down the topsides.

Other than that, Traders fail as passage-making boats because of (a) their appalling fuel economy, (b) the shocking ergonomics - in particular the lack of suitable hand-holds throughout, (c) the lack of any sea berths, (d) the all-electric galley (usually without any means of cooking at sea, ie no gimballed stove or pan clamps), with only one power source, (e) the fact that there is no bracing at the helm seats, (f) their tendency to roll and yaw in a most uncomfortable way when in any kind of beam sea... I could go on...

However, they are very fine boats for sipping G&T on in a marina, or trips round the bay in clement conditions. Why Tarquin insist on pretending that they are suitable for routine long-distance voyaging is beyond me.

 

[Oen]

I should have mentioned that bits of the furniture came apart too. Check what's attached to what with what before you venture to sea.

 

[Gludy]

I have just returned form the boat - an excercise that always gives me a bit more determinsation to get some justice.
Below is a copy of the email I have just sent to Trader. Some nice pics to ram home the points :-
-----------------------------
Attention James Course
Tarquin Boat Company

I have just returned from Ocean Deep and, whilst accepting that emailing you may be a total waste of time because you do not answer, do wish to inform you of the latest situation regarding the deformed flybridge windscreen.

As you are aware the surveyors report done just 4 days after I collected the boat from you among many dozens of major and minor faults with the boat detailed the deformed windscreen. The report show images of how the screen had been deformed in manufacturer, namely in applying the heat when curving it. Image 1 – deformed screen.

In addition when the boat was with you a windscreen bolt had come undone and you were asked to tighten it. It was no great surprise when I went onto the flybridge yesterday to find that the same bolt was missing – see image 2.

Image 3 show the crack that has now developed from the badly formed hole on the other side of the windscreen.

I did have a replacement bolt and washer and so tried to replace the missing bolt only to find the reason why it was missing – there is no female thread to actually thread the bolt into!!! This is why your own tightening did not work. Inspection of the other bolts shows how deplorably the screen is secured – Image 4 is of one of the bottom bolts that are at an acute angle forcing the washers into the Perspex – these cannot be tightened. I repeat most of the bottom row of bolts are fitted in this off centre manner.

You only reaction to the surveyors report was actually to make a verbal comment that there was no way you would replace the screen. I have yet to receive any formal proper response to any of the points in that report.

These images clearly show just how badly made and fitted this screen is – I am writing this email, which is being copied to the MBY forum in the probably vain hope that you will begin to respond. In any event it offer the boating public an excellent way of seeing the quality of boats that you build and then ignore the pleas to have corrected.

As some mention is made by yourselves in advertising and in some magazine reviews of your handcrafted woodwork finishes, I take the opportunity of showing three images taken this weekend of your incredibly poor quality of woodwork that you have failed to fix in almost a year now.

Image 5 show the plastic wood filler put into fill up the large gaps in the foot vertical stair handrail – this plastic wood does not even match and is not even finished off – just a botched job.

Image 6 show the quality of some of the veneer above the stair well.

Image 7 shows the quality of the blistering veneer under the bunk support on the bunk that cannot be used – you even agreed verbally that this bunk could not be used but have done nothing at all about it.

As you know, I have been forced to give in trying to get any response form you – your service is so bad that it truly surprises me that you are still in business. I hold out some small hope that this public shaming of you will at least get a response.

I am having to spend hundreds of hours preparing all aspects of the legal case against your company, the time for which I can never be repaid all because I made the silly mistake of trusting your company.

Should you fail to respond to this email, then I can assure you that more graphic examples of the poor quality of your product will follow so that all potential customers can see not only the quality of your product but the type of service you offer to those who spend close on £1m with you.

 

[Gludy]

Re: How do I get Trader (Tarquin) to respond?

After 11 months of banging my head against a brick wall with Tarquin, I really did think there was at least some hope of getting them to respond if I publicly posted my emails/letters to them. The message above states just one of about 60 outstanding problems that are very black and white issues. For example, how can any reasonable person argue against the problems and quality of the above message on the windscreen?

How can anyone just refuse to answer emails month after month?

How can anyone refuse to respond to a detailed survey report carried out by a qualified surveyor?

At the same time they are doing this they are trying to launch a new range of boats including the 64 and the new 41's including collecting advanced deposits last year on those new 41's.

I think the writers and editorial staff of the mags must be aware of this thread and the total frustration I have with this incredible head in the same attitude of this incredible company that has treated me like dirt. I only hope that this has some influence on how they cover their boats in the future.

My legal prep work is almost over and I will pursue it through the courts but I am disappointed just a touch because I had hoped that the making public of the recent correspondence with them would have resulted in some reaction but to date there is not a sausage.

Maybe they think that what form members think of them is of no significance? If that is the case they obviously think they can survive treating customers like me like dirt whilst they go about selling their new boats like the 64 which are higher priced than the much larger and better built Aquastar 65.

Has Anyone got any idea how I can get them to react and respond – am I missing something? Softly, softly does not work, expert reports do not work, public shaming does not work – so any ideas?

 

[DAKA]

Re: How do I get Trader (Tarquin) to respond?

[ QUOTE ]

Has Anyone got any idea how I can get them to react and respond – am I missing something? Softly, softly does not work, expert reports do not work, public shaming does not work – so any ideas?

[/ QUOTE ]

Really sorry to read of your continued hassle.


Just a thought which will need to be checked out legally first but seeing as you have accepted delivery and not rejected couldn't you choose several items and take them to small claims court.

Just because you claim for 5 separate items you still should be able to claim for another 15 separate items ?


You could end up with 100's of ccj's against them ?

 

[Gludy]

Re: How do I get Trader (Tarquin) to respond?

yes I could but that would be very time consuming and they as the dfendent could choose to have the claim heard locally near to Emsworth - easier to do one big hit but thanks for advice anyway.

I really would like to meet that chap who paraded up and down with the poster outside their boat at the boat show - my heart goes out to him.

 

[sarabande]

Re: How do I get Trader (Tarquin) to respond?

A passing thought, if Imay.

Do you have some software which tracks the delivery and opening of emails ? You may need to show proof of delivery.

Message Tag is one application, but BrendanS will give chapter and verse.

 

[itsonlymoney]

Re: How do I get Trader (Tarquin) to respond?

Incredible that a such a well known business could ignore its customers complaints and allow there product to come under such scrutiny. There must be a reason why they allowed it to go so far. Are they in trouble and just awaiting the inevitable ?

 

[DAKA]

Re: How do I get Trader (Tarquin) to respond?

I had repeated problems with people illegally parking in my car park (close to football ground).

I eventually took one to small claims court and charged them the displayed charge of £250.

Loads of hassle but the word got around very quickly and no more parking problems.

Any sign of a repeat offender and he gets the court ref quoted so they can check I do actually proceed to court and they pay the fee and dont return.

Not only will it waste a lot of your time but they too will get the hassle for a change /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[itsonlymoney]

Re: How do I get Trader (Tarquin) to respond?

Easy just click tools and "request read receipt"

 

[Hurricane]

Re: How do I get Trader (Tarquin) to respond?

Am I correct in thinking that Drumbeat is still for sale?
If so who does she belong to?
Could you legally "repossess" her until the work is satisfactorilly completed?
Reading between the lines you could be the final straw that takes them into liquidation.
Drumbeat might be an asset that could help.