Newbie Boat Cautions

· First of all bought brand new, delivered from Beneteau factory 2014


· Because the dealer could not meet delivery date we had agreed on, had a surveyor do a look-over and trial before they delivered (I was in UK). It was a disaster. I would go through the work list but would not want to bore you, non ABYC batteries, leaks, the dealer slammed the boat into the slip, etc. And my dumb ass took delivery after correction.


· After delivery, things worked for a bit, but thing small things started going off, culminating in my having to lift the boat and replace crappy SW strainers for the HVAC, not a dime from Beneteau or dealer, year one, although documented extensively by HVAC factory system reps. Basically said sue me, I have legal staff, you don’t.


· Year two, a bunch of sub tier vendor issues, no dealer support as they are in Annapolis, told me they would cover local repairs but I need to coordinate and find, good luck with that… I am Hampton Roads, fix it myself, or spend hours on the phone with no documentation for a $100 part, and local guys are jumping to do warranty work they will never be paid for?.


· And so it goes, each and every year, latest is have an issue with satellite tv the Admiral demands, call three local dealers, don’t even give me a call back for an I pay, again spend hours fixing myself (thank God for Intelian tech support)


Lost a year to engine maintenance due to a stem shear on a hull valve and finding yard slot slot for a lift.




Latest, need a couple of parts for the windless, email Lewmar, no response, just asking for a part number, call, get a human, and a part number finally. The vendor is a scammer that cant deliver parts, website and no people behind it, but Lewmar won't ship the part because the only do wholesale.



Could have done an around the world on the QE2, and paid for her zincs and been money ahead.


Bottom line, boat sellers, manufacturers, system vendors, have a scam going and I was stupid to think there were honest, conscientious people involved, there may be, but they are scarce as a hen's tooth . There have been a number of local honest guys that turn wrenches, but the manufacturers and their reps are slimy scammers.


Good luck but I wish someone had told me what I was in for. I would have bought a $4.95 float, a $10 kiddy pool from Walmart, and some Gran Mariner with a sailor hat, hummed with Jimmy Buffet on my earbuds.

Exactly the opposite of my 2019 new boat purchase of a North Pacific 45. Can’t say enough about the boat and support from Trevor.

I'm the opposite of both. I bought a 50yo converted prawn (shrimp) trawler privately. The seller had done all the conversion himself about 20 years ago. Cursorary marine survey that I could have done a better job of myself. Mechanical survey said what you see is what you get: old, rock solid and bullet proof. I'm starting on a major internal refit now based on personal preferences not faults or mechanical need. I've stripped it to a floating steel box with an engine. My biggest surprise has been the lack of surprises: a couple of rusted non structural C channels and chaotic wiring. That's about it. Totally reasonable from a 50yo vessel that's had a few reincarnations.

When you hear of the heartaches and scams from sellers, brokers and surveyors, I've really lucked out. Unfortunately buying new doesn't seem to make the process any easier or better.

Commiserations. So glad, based on this and other stories, I stepped around a used ST42 2 years back.
I hope you can get it running right. Fortunately you have handy skills. Is the hull balsa cored Beneteau style?

It is normal for a lower priced boat to have lower priced equipment.

I just bought a 12 year old North Pacific with Trevor (owner of NP as the broker)
I feel like I just bought a new boat from him. He has fixed a couple of things at his cost, and his customer service and responsiveness is excellent.

Sad Story. I guess I am glad I'll never buy a new boat. Not for the reasons you cite but $$$

pete

Post 1 should have been in the humor thread, it would get more laughs.

I bought this 10-year old boat which had been boat barn-kept and had only 400 engine hours; so it was as close to NIB condition as I'll ever buy. It had every option you could get from the factory when it was new and shone like a new penny. Still, I spent three months getting it into the configuration I felt made it safe to go spend a night aboard at anchor and still be able to make it home the next morning. And access to just about anything is just about impossible because they built the hull, stuffed it with gear, and popped a top on it with no thought to future maintenance. If I had been building it, the darned thing would be half again as big as it is because I would be considering access. Then I'd have a boat bigger than I wanted.....

That's a whole lot of disappointment and loss, Fletch. I really feel for you. We had a similar experience with Great Harbour.

Like you, we learned that there is a dark and unethical underbelly to some in the boat-building industry, and really no financial recourse when one is preyed upon by said scam artists.

How are you holding up? You sound like you may be perhaps ready to give up boating. Please PM me if you want to vent further.

I believe that naming real names here on TF is a public service. Good for you for letting us know.

All the best from our home to yours,
Mrs. Trombley

rgano said:

I bought this 10-year old boat which had been boat barn-kept and had only 400 engine hours; so it was as close to NIB condition as I'll ever buy. It had every option you could get from the factory when it was new and shone like a new penny. Still, I spent three months getting it into the configuration I felt made it safe to go spend a night aboard at anchor and still be able to make it home the next morning. And access to just about anything is just about impossible because they built the hull, stuffed it with gear, and popped a top on it with no thought to future maintenance. If I had been building it, the darned thing would be half again as big as it is because I would be considering access. Then I'd have a boat bigger than I wanted.....

Click to expand...

Some years ago an article appeared in one of the boating industry mags in which someone from Mainship proudly explained how they produced boats inexpensively, efficiently and profitably. It was as you say - the systems were all standardized and pre-assembled, or assembled the inside of the bare hull. Then the liner was glassed in, systems connected and, voila, a running boat! It all sounded very smart and admirable from the manufacturing perspective. I did wonder, though, about future access for the second or third owners.

Blissboat said:

Some years ago an article appeared in one of the boating industry mags in which someone from Mainship proudly explained how they produced boats inexpensively, efficiently and profitably. It was as you say - the systems were all standardized and pre-assembled, or assembled the inside of the bare hull. Then the liner was glassed in, systems connected and, voila, a running boat! It all sounded very smart and admirable from the manufacturing perspective. I did wonder, though, about future access for the second or third owners.

Click to expand...

Mainship was probably no better or worse than a lot of production boat builders in this size range, but yes, I have cut a few holes in it to gain maintenance access.

I recently had the engine taken apart for maintenance used this time to gain access to the hard to reach areas. You do need to be a contortionist to access some areas.

rgano said:

I bought this 10-year old boat which had been boat barn-kept and had only 400 engine hours; so it was as close to NIB condition as I'll ever buy. It had every option you could get from the factory when it was new and shone like a new penny. Still, I spent three months getting it into the configuration I felt made it safe to go spend a night aboard at anchor and still be able to make it home the next morning.

Click to expand...

Even a brand new boat will come with a bunch of glitches that will take some time to experience and straighten out. A complicated new boat typically won't "peak" for at least a year.

I am lucky to be able to perform most maintenance on our boat myself, only lifting out and electrical/rigging work is farmed out.
Good thing too - First Mate and I could not afford to keep her if we relied and paid the Yard for service and work.
Our boat had been neglected by the first owner. He used it for two years and virtually abandoned it for four, leaving it on a swinging mooring in Cardiff Bay where the batteries went flat, the bilge pump did not pump and it became full of rainwater, almost to the galley sole by the watermarks.
We did buy it for the right price and put £10,000 Stirling aside to rectify faults.
There proved, after drying out, to be few: £1500 Stirling covered it.
Contaminated fuel - 600 litres of it - warped and stuck doors and drawers, badly faded woodwork in the pilothouse.
I know a guy who purchased a Beneteau Swiftrawler in Ireland.
It went back and his money was returned by the agent. It was badly built and the shaft seals leaked at high speeds.

He bought an Island Packet SP Cruiser - sensible chap!

Blissboat said:

Some years ago an article appeared in one of the boating industry mags in which someone from Mainship proudly explained how they produced boats inexpensively, efficiently and profitably. It was as you say - the systems were all standardized and pre-assembled, or assembled the inside of the bare hull. Then the liner was glassed in, systems connected and, voila, a running boat! It all sounded very smart and admirable from the manufacturing perspective. I did wonder, though, about future access for the second or third owners.

Click to expand...

I've seen similar things in other complex high priced equipment. When something like that is pointed out, the design or manufacturing engineer's response is usually "Don't worry, that [whatever] will never break."