clipper marine

[Vjs]

yet another opportunity to slate clipper marine
my heads window and aft cabin window have both fallen out, the glue has come unstuck and the glass/plastic has separated from the hinges
when I spoke to clipper they just said "not our problem"
supposed to have a two year warranty on these boats, total waste of space as a company.
I have had the pleasure of turning two buyers off of clipper and they have gone to another supplier in devon, very proud of myself and still hoping clipper go bust and we can get a descent Bavaria dealer as the boats are superb 

[tiger79]

yet another opportunity to slate clipper marine
my heads window and aft cabin window have both fallen out, the glue has come unstuck and the glass/plastic has separated from the hinges
when I spoke to clipper they just said "not our problem"
supposed to have a two year warranty on these boats, total waste of space as a company.
I have had the pleasure of turning two buyers off of clipper and they have gone to another supplier in devon, very proud of myself and still hoping clipper go bust and we can get a descent Bavaria dealer as the boats are superb

Sadly, the dealer in Devon is turning out to be less than brilliant...

[Ripster]

Do you mean SWUK in Brixham?

[tiger79]

Yes

[Vjs]

that's not so good peter,
was hoping you would get a nice clean handover etc,
I did get your email about the decks but we were down on the south coast when you sent it, on the boat, she performed superbly and we love the boat more each time we do a descent trip, but I digress, do you feel like divulging the problems?   

[tiger79]

do you feel like divulging the problems?

Perhaps too early at the moment; let's just say they talk the talk better than they walk the walk.

I was told commissioning would take 7-10 days.  It's now 3 weeks since the boat arrived in Devon, and it's still not ready for handover.  And that's without fitting the Duradeck which Bavaria apparently forgot to install!

[Ripster]

Mine came through SWUK (some two-odd years ago now) and I have to say it was extremely well prepared and the many extras I had fitted were very well done and very well engineered into the boat.  Sure it was a bit late because kit didn't turn up or they had issues commissioning bits of it (for example, I had a BT fitted and it rained for two weeks and the glassing guy (Jamie Breeze - who is brilliant BTW if you need GRP work in Devon) couldn't finish the work that should have taken 4 days lift to launch back in!   But, I gave them the time and refused to take it unless it all worked properly.  At handover I had a well tested and well commissioned boat, even if it took a bit longer than anticipated to come.  A refreshing change from previous boats I have had, which were rushed, poorly prepared and had after sales issues for ages due to poor workmanship on aftermarket fitments.   I know one of the guys there quite well, if you PM me and you think it might help, I am happy to speak to him and pass on your concerns and feelings.

This is just my experience and things may have changed.  I have no connection with the business as such, except buying a new boat!

[tiger79]

Thanks for the offer, Ripster, but I'll handle the issues directly.  As examples of the issues so far, the boat was delivered without the Duradeck I'd specified, but the Duradeck panels were supplied with the boat for the dealer to retrofit.  Their appointed contractor proposed drilling multiple holes into the foam-cored fibreglass deck to hold the Duradeck down. I was concerned, and got a surveyor to advise me - he said no way.  So the retrofit was abandoned, and is now an outstanding issue.  The mast was dressed and then stepped, but the steaming light was pointing off to starboard, and the radar reflector I'd ordered in April wasn't fitted (because they didn't have the right one - they'd only had 3 months to sort that out).  The guys came on board to fit the heater ducting, and discovered that the box containing the ducting didn't have the insulation as well, so they couldn't complete it - the box had been on the boat unopened for at least a week, doesn't everybody check the contents of stuff when it's delivered, or is it only me?  The batteries were running low, so I asked them to plug the shorepower in - they hadn't got a shorepower lead, and started to look online to order one, once again they'd had 3 months to sort that out.  I'm less than impressed.  However, at the end of the day, I know that the boat will be fine and correct, and ultimately won't cost me a penny more, regardless of who I have to get to do the work professionally.

[Ripster]

Fair enough. 

That is not a good story   Things have obviously changed since I went through the mill.  Sounds like their eye is well off the ball here.  However, you come across as someone who will be sure to refocus them in one way or another!     Assume Duradeck is the Bav name for Plastic Teak?  I have looked into getting mine done in Flexiteak and not one person mentioned drilling anything, its bonded on.  Even the real teak I have in the cockpit and on the platform is not screwed on, its bonded.  Thing is, buying a boat should be fun and exciting, not worrying and hassle.  Genuinely disappointed for you and to hear a tale like this about them.

[Salty]

Referring back to Vjs original posting, if your boat was still within its warranty period at the time you made your complaint to Clipper, then you have a legitimate claim against them. Even after the warranty has expired there are circumstances where that claim still remains enforceable, and in my opinion you have the right to reject the boat as being unfit for purpose. The windows are part of the system designed to ensure that water stays out of the boat, and yours would not do that which makes the boat unseaworthy.
I've copied below some wording from one of the consumer web sites in regard to the Sale of Goods Act within the UK. It makes interesting reading and will point you in the right direction. Go for them Vjs.


In addition to the protection given to consumers by the Sale of Goods Act, manufacturers and retailers will also issue their own guarantees or warranties. The two are basically the same thing so for the purposes of simplicity we will refer to them as warranties. It is a myth that certain products (electrical products for example) automatically come with a 12 month warranty ? there is no legal obligation for shops or suppliers to provide them ? it is simply to enhance consumer confidence in their product and promote sales. It also provides them with valuable marketing information which is why you will need to register your product by filling in a card with your personal and purchase details in order to activate it.
Warranties are basically a commitment to repair or replace defective parts within a specified time frame (usually 12 months), although beware of any small print requiring the consumer to bear the cost of any shipping, labour etc as this runs contrary to the Sale of Goods Act which states that it is the seller?s (retailer?s) responsibility to ensure the goods are repaired or replaced at no cost, minimum inconvenience and within reasonable time. Previously there was some doubt as to the legal status of such documents, but European regulations have now confirmed that warranties are legally binding contractual obligations between the manufacturer, or retailer and the consumer for the time frame indicated.
The important point about warranties is that they should never seek to replace your rights under the Sale of Goods Act, and even after they have run out, you will still be protected by these statutory rights which can run for up to 6 years after purchase. Furthermore, you should never be referred back to the manufacturer at any point. Your first and only port of call in the event of a claim is always the seller or retailer. For further info on warranties and extended warranties, see our Guide.


Read more: http://whatconsumer.co.uk/is-the-guarantee-worth-the-paper-it%e2%80%99s-written-on/#ixzz3ALUmniHG
Follow us: @whatconsumer on Twitter | whatconsumer on Facebook

[Symphony]

Although you are strictly correct about rights under SOG, actually enforcing those rights is a different matter. You certainly could not reject a boat after 2 years just because the windows were leaking. To get them replaced, you either have to work within the terms of the warranty or show that the defect was there at the time of manufacture. It is not just a question of saying SOG applies - replace them.

Pursuing such relatively trivial matters through the courts is tedious and expensive, but the threat of  a Small Claims track action may well prompt a better response from the supplier. You have to show that you have given the supplier every opportunity to correct the fault and show that the parts are defective - not just wear and tear as there is always a reasonableness test to any claim. At the end of the day it is better to try and negotiate a settlement than try and use the law.

[Vjs]

Thank you all for your responses, lots of clever people on here
I went the legal route when we first got it and they ended up paying out over 4 grand on remedial work so although I got a good result it was not a pleasant experience and I'm not a very patient man,
I will now fix my boat myself and with the help of trusted workmen, this gives a bad me to all brokers not just clipper, the money we spend compared to the abysmall service we get is shocking,
There are no £5 notes falling out of my pockets, I work very hard for my money, as I'm sure many of us do, my choice to buy a new one was due to my experience of buying my 30 Bavaria 6 years earlier,
I will do all I can to put people off buying from clipper, I know there are people on here who speak highly of them, I'm not one, and as most people will tell you, you only sh#t on a Suffolk boy once
Happy sailing and I hope the boat is fixed up and ready to go soon Peter and I look forward to seeing it when you bring her home

[Vjs]

its all abit quite peter, any news?

[tiger79]

I took delivery last week, and brought the boat from Brixham to Brighton. Been in Brighton since, and my wife drove down for a few days on the boat (she hadn't seen it before). Off tomorrow to Eastbourne, then Dover or Ramsgate, and then Shotley on Sunday probably. The boat feels very stable at sea, as well as quick - those Farr people know a bit about hulls!

[Vjs]

that's good news
im happy that someone who has come from a halberg rassey thinks that they are good, safe, solid boats
we did dover to shotley in 9hrs, see if you can beat that!