Olmec The Sad Saga

[LURCHER]

Well I have waited now for a decent interval and it is time to spill the beans on Mr Carter .

January 2005 I bought a 7m Humber in a poor state but with a nice 150 opti on the back after a few post on here seeking advice about retubing and generally ignoring most of it I opted to have the job done by Olmec in Dartmouth .
The boat was towed by me to Dartmouth and the deal was struck (£2000 + vat )to retube the boat in orange with a black nose.This was the same config as my previous boat and I liked it.
A few weeks later I returned to collect the boat which looked absolutely fabulous and I and family were so pleased. We then went off on holiday so no work was done on the boat for a few weeks . The weather improved and we moved the boat out of our barn into the sun to do some jobs on it . A short time after moving it outside I heard a hissing sound which I put down to a pressure relief valve letting off as the boat had been pumped up inside during the cold spell . Thinking no more of it I went in for lunch on my return to my horror I found the Nose section completely flat and on inspection a seam apart big enough to put my hand in ! I called Olmec and Ed was surprised and at first thought I was joking but I emailed pictures which convinced him. He arranged to pick up the boat straightaway and sort out the problem.
Off we went on a skiing trip where I spent a lot of time worrying and phoning Olmec to chase progress. We returned from skiing and the boat came back to us Ed having claimed it was a, bad glue and b, that he had redone the whole boat .
More work was done on the boat fitting consoles and electrics all done inside due to poor weather. At last the weather improved and we moved it out side again and within an hour the same thing happened with the added excitement of the internal baffles giving way on side . Back on the phone this time a little less understanding and very pissed off . Ed was difficult to talk to and did not know what to say or do he did offer to take off the tubes and refund my money which with hindsight I should have accepted , but I run a small company and sometimes things do go wrong so I insisted that he get himself sorted out and do the bloody job properly and I would stick with him .During this saga I had not said anything to anyone else as I felt he should have an opportunity to get it right .
His brother Andy picked up the boat and again it was worked in and returned to me with the assurance that they had redone the whole boat with all new fabric and glue.

By mid season various bits were flapping in the breeze and Andy arrived again to fix them . At the end of October I again contacted Ed to complain that more bits were coming adrift and would make arrangements to sort them out he assured me that he would send someone to fix them and I had the boat inside to be completely dry when they arrived , many phone calls unanswered and email unanswered later I made arrangements with a local guy Steve from Emsworh to come and fix them . He did a great job and was not too complimentary about the work he had to rectify . I paid Steve for his work and sent the bill to Olmec .The amount is still outstanding .

I would be grateful for constructive comments on where I go now as I am still finding bits lifting and have no real confidence in the boat . I don’t want to start another Leeway type slanging match I just need your advice which this time I will probably heed !

[ADS]

Its going to be like Christmas day for No Fear
Sorry to hear your in this position Lurcher, sounds as if a shite job was done, this is obviously cannot be tolerated although I know Ribraff/Olmec/Ed has done many a sucessful retube and some of his customers post on here and are very happy. I find it strange that he struggled to retube your 7m Humber, which is a relatively common' production model, not a one off. Im sure he will have something to say.

Hope you get it sorted.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by LURCHER

I would be grateful for constructive comments on where I go now as I am still finding bits lifting and have no real confidence in the boat . I don’t want to start another Leeway type slanging match I just need your advice which this time I will probably heed !

In my (limited) experience with boats, I reckon that once you loose confidence in a boat, you will not get it back until you have changed either the boat, or the entire problem. For example, I doubt you'd be happy taking your boat out in the sort of weather a 7m Humber should be able to handle, with this level of worry about the tubes.

It's a hell of a cost, but my ideal course of action (in this ideal world, where I own a brand new rib/yacht/dinghy/house!) would be to scrap the tubes, and get someone else with a long standing history, like Henshaws/Ribcraft etc, to do the tubes, as you will then have your confidence in the boat back. Pricey option though.

I doubt you will be able to recoup funds or have the problems sorted by Olmec, if it's been tried and failed, I doubt they would be up for trying again. As ADS pointed out, Olmec gets some good, and some bad press on Ribnet, and I doubt this newly public saga will produce sufficient reputation damage to encourage Olmec to sort the situation sensibly.

[Hugh Jardon]

my advice


if it was me, and the situation is as you describe it then get your money back, give mark at ribcraft a call and book it in there. Mine were done at ribcraft after much research and i am very happy

Ribcraft give a 5 year parts and labour warranty which is comforting

Ed is a great guy but if you have had all these problems and repeated repairs then something is just not right somewhere and if it was me i would have no faith that a retube or repair would last.

contact chris at henshaws, mark at ribcraft, Paul Tilly, the chappy whose name i have forgot at eurocraft but they are way up north so probably not viable.

pm me if you want email details of tubers

[paul tilley]

lurcher it may be possible to remove the tubes ,fit wider seam tapes over all of the seams and then refit the tubes in a proper manner so as not to cause any more problems .this would be expensive but cheaper than a complete new set of tubes .can you take photos of the problems . the legal aspect of getting your money refunded is best discussed privately between yourself and ed rather than on the forum

[LURCHER]

Paul
I would if I could get hold of him to talk to !

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by LURCHER

..I would be grateful for constructive comments on where I go now as I am still finding bits lifting..

Why, on earth, don't you go back to Humber and have a proper set of tubes fitted? A wiggly bit here and a wainey line there but, nevertheless, they make good tubes.

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by jwalker

Why, on earth, don't you go back to Humber...

Bear in mind that it's a long way to Hull from the south coast! A friend of mine commented, after done the round trip twice by thirsty petrol 4x4 to have some warranty work done, "The work may have been FOC, but it's cost me £1000 in fuel".

General comment on the tube problem: Oh dear.

Hope you get it all sorted, Lurcher.

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Bear in mind that it's a long way to Hull from the south coast!

About the same distance as it is from here I'd guess. Two around trips, about 800 miles(ish), say 25mpg (Empty or no trailer for two of them.). I make that about 125 kwid. Let's say £200 to cover other bits and pieces.

Your pal needs to get a better vehicle...

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by LURCHER

later I made arrangements with a local guy Steve from Emsworh to come and fix them . He did a great job and was not too complimentary about the work he had to rectify .

John, who is Steve ?

Pete