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April 12, 2009
Prana is Launched (Allegedly)
We took delivery of our new Beneteau 40 last July, later than promised by the dealer. It took them 3 weeks to commission the boat, and then when they said she was ready for us, we took her back to the dealer twice to fix issues. Even after that, some of the very issues we reported were still giving us problems. Late in the summer after our 10 day sail around Long Island Sound, we reported new problems to the dealer. None of these issues were earth-shattering, but it was the lack of customer service that we found troubling.
He stopped responding. I know I can be demanding sometimes, but a demanding Canadian is like a sheepish American. I contacted Beneteau's customer service department and was assured that they would follow. A month and several emails later, nothing was happening. Exhausted with my efforts, I wrote a letter to the manufacturer, the President no less. He called me two weeks later, and recommended that we take the boat back to the dealer and let him fix our issues. We had already signed a contract to haul the boat for the winter in Stamford, and grudgingly negotiated our way out of that contract. We agreed to haul for the winter at the dealer. This would give him the whole winter to resolve our issues.
As spring approached, Chis and I set to working on the various things to get ready for launch. Two weeks ago, she was ready. We contacted the dealer and asked him to launch her for Easter. He agreed, weather permitting.
I went to see her Wednesday, expecting at the very least to find the corroding through-hull for the HVAC system replaced, but the dealer had barely touched her. And he said she wouldn't be launched by Easter. He said it wasn't the warranty issues that was the problem, it was the logistics of moving the other boats to get us in. Asking why the warranty issues couldn't be addressed while she was in dry dock, I got no response.
Friday morning I received an email from the dealer advising that Prana would be launched that afternoon. I advised him that this was great news, and we would be there Sunday to move her to Stamford. I got a simple response. "Please call me".
In an exchange of emails and voicemails, it became quickly obvious that while the boat was in the water, not all of our issues had been addressed. He would need a couple of days.
We were in the midst of planning a weekend in Miami, which we postponed to the following weekend so that we can move Prana to Stamford on the 18th. My last email to the dealer said just that. Which means he has exactly 5 days to get her done.
I have asked him for a list of the issues that will not be addressed by then, to which I have received no response. I'm sure there will be some. He's had four months to resolve these issues, and in some cases, over six months. He's been on my case to do some extra work on the boat, which we have flatly refused. I don't think he realizes that we do all of our own boat work.
The sailing season is upon us, and Chis and I spent some time over dinner last night considering where we will plan to sail this summer. It will be busy, busy, exploring the nooks and crannies of Long Island Sound. And possible a trip up into Buzzard's Bay, Martha's Vineyard, and Cuttyhunk. We are going to see her tomorrow, not that she is (allegedly) in the water.
Posted by dave at April 12, 2009 09:04 AM