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Utu Gongoozler

Utu

Posted
Posted

Same builder (no, sorry, same fitter), different boat. So it's happened to at least two people. Worth knowing, no?

 

There are at least four affected people including myself (nb Waiouru). Dank of db Trudy-Ann, the owners of the boat ahead of ours (boat isn't to specification, failed it completion safety examination, and is full of defects). Finally, there is the poor person after us who has paid Ben Harp in full for his shell but Ben Harp hasn't paid the shell builder (highly unlikely he ever will!). This customer has lost all his money!

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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

A Ben Harp appears to have an account on the forum, he has a right of reply either here or on the other thread...........

Perhaps we should hear it?

 

indeed...

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international_boatbuilder Engager

international_boatbuilder

Posted
Posted

I came across this blog. nb Waiouru

 

I make no comment.

 

port%252520side.jpg

It's a great shame that guys and girls in the industry know who the \/\/ankers are, there is a network out there of decent and honest boat builders.

Unfortunately we can't tell the man in the street about these criminals and if we could it would be seen as sour grapes or such like. Particularly when someone would pop up and sing the praises of the builder that was being maligned to the detriment of the person trying to warn the public.

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Ark Right Community Regular

Ark Right

Posted
Posted

I came across this blog. nb Waiouru

 

I make no comment.

 

port%252520side.jpg

 

It never ceases to amaze me, the amount of people who put their trust in boat fitters who are "wonderful joiners/ cabinet makers" call them what you will. Their level of finish bla bla etc.

These are the boat fitters wishing to live the dream, creating beautiful hand crafted solid wood interiors.

Nothing at all wrong in that, the flaw in the plan is these masters of all things grown from trees think they have the engineering and electrical expertise to produce a fully finished boat.

It is fair to say that 85 % of the input to a boat is the woodwork, however get the other 15 % wrong and its 100% crap.

Its not just the like of Harp who fall into this category, there is at least one long established fitter who goes for wow factor for their interiors but the boats don't work. Thorough research is the key to sourcing a good boat builder/fitter. A real pointer is to determine how quickly the boats change hands from the original owners.

A

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kitman Community Regular

kitman

Posted
Posted (edited)

A Ben Harp appears to have an account on the forum, he has a right of reply either here or on the other thread...........

Perhaps we should hear it?

Yes, there has been absolutely no word from Ben Harp regarding any of this....

 

 

Edit: spelling

Edited by kitman
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WotEver Veteran II

WotEverDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

Yes, there has been absolutely no word from Ben Harp regarding any of this....

Considering he hasn't been online here since Nov 20 2007 11:09 PM I guess that's not surprising.

 

Tony

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Ally Influencer

Ally

Posted
Posted

Well there has never been one of our boats sold on to date (except my own....I'm just hard to satisfy lol!!) after8 or 9 years of building.

Tony....didn't realise it was that long!! that does explain it, shame though.

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larkshall Experienced

larkshall

Posted
Posted

As there appears to be an increasing number of builders defaults, perhaps the trade should get involved, as frankly the whole of the boat building trade is getting rubbished. I think every month there is a thread on here about finding a 'good builder' The implication being that most are rubbish or even worse dishonest. There needs to be a robust trade guild with teeth. Which could include things like mandatory holding of all purchasers payments in 'escrow accounts'. Othere here could easily think of the more technical issues.

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DustyDave Collaborator

DustyDave

Posted
Posted

I hope the shell builders stop selling their shells to proven dodgy fitters. I know the shell builders have a business to run but it can't do them any favours to be associated with the likes of Ben Harp. As well as that it's only a matter of time before a dodgy fitter will fail to pay for a shell so the shell builder will end up out of pocket sooner or later.

 

It's easy to give advice on what other people should or shouldn't have done after it's happened. If you haven't been 'done' by somebody before I think you're lucky. It's so easy to get caught out these days. With no official paperwork for boats I think we all take a chance when we hand over money for a boat(whether it be new or second hand).

 

Dave

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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

I hope the shell builders stop selling their shells to proven dodgy fitters. I know the shell builders have a business to run but it can't do them any favours to be associated with the likes of Ben Harp. As well as that it's only a matter of time before a dodgy fitter will fail to pay for a shell so the shell builder will end up out of pocket sooner or later.

 

It's easy to give advice on what other people should or shouldn't have done after it's happened. If you haven't been 'done' by somebody before I think you're lucky. It's so easy to get caught out these days. With no official paperwork for boats I think we all take a chance when we hand over money for a boat(whether it be new or second hand).

Dave

 

I don't disagree - but you do hear about more problems with dodgy builders than dodgy brokers or about somebody that has bought a boat privately and it turns out it wasn't the sellers to sell and the like. I would take a lot of convincing about a builder before I would hand any money over.

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kitman Community Regular

kitman

Posted
Posted

Why not alert him to the thread?

 

Tony

If he doesn't know already that his reputation is being torn to shreds on the internet then I'm sure he will be alerted in due course. Maybe then he will have something to say. I will not be contacting him for comment, I'm not a journo!

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