Neel 51

[Hobschel]

Hi everybody,

Neel seems to create a new tri. First boat is said to be ready in q4 2016...
I like the setup much more than the neel45, because it is much more open...
and the price 650K EUR seems to be reasonable for the volume of boat one gets.

i hope the build quality will be okay, saw some bad youtube movie about a neel 45...

Neel page:http://www.neel-trimarans.com
Some more info:http://www.bateaux.com

[HappyMdRSailor]

Welcome to CF Hobschel !

Somebody must have reversed the image as the port turnbuckle is in green...

I sure would like a pair for my boat though...

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Hobschel.

[Hobschel]

Thank you for the welcomes,

browsing around in this forum since months and i think it is very informative with a lot of helpfull people.

[Four Coconuts]

I watched those videos. They are so horrifying they should be rated R. I had to divert my eyes several times as I thought I was watching a horror movie. I had to search for "Neel 45 quality" to see them. Did they use Elmer's glue sticks and popsicle sticks to assemble? We're the engines mounted on Lego blocks?

[neel tri exp]

I am the owner of the boat (NEEL 45) shown on the youtube videos.
The problems documented on the videos are not the only problems.
They do however accurately depict the build quality of the boat and the complete lack of quality control in the build process. In my opinion, they say even more about the manufacturer/builder, the company management and the knowledge, experience and standards (lack thereof) of those involved in all aspects of the build. That said, I can't imagine how anyone in their right mind would ever consider ordering/purchasing a new model from NEEL. My NEEL experience clearly demonstrates the complete incompetence of the builder. After having built many boats of the same model they still didn't have their act together. I have communicated with other NEEL 45 owners who's boats shared many of the same issues uncovered and documented on my boat. Unfortunately, for the boat buying community, they are not anxious to share their issues publicly because they are "worried about the resale value of their boats". Yes, that is what I have heard from a few owners. The NEEL "sales pitch" is very cleverly crafted and is seems to appeal to first time boat buyers who are going thru the process of determining which boat is best for them. Monohull? Cat? Wow! A "cruising" trimaran is the best of both worlds! Well, perhaps in theory. But certainly not what I found in execution.

As troubling or perhaps even more troubling than the hull breach suffered on our first trip was the heater incident that occurred on our 2nd trip - our return sail to the NEEL factory for repairs. The heater was incorrectly installed and we were almost completely overcome by carbon monoxide. Heck! I could have done that in my garage. It certainly would have been cheaper than buying a NEEL! We were sailing north in the bay of biscay in early november. It was cold outside and we had the factory installed heater on. It was mid afternoon. I had just come on watch and was finding it impossible to stay awake. I was slapping my face a few times every minute to stay awake. I looked over at my other crew member and he was out cold (sleeping/unconscious). I had that thought you have when you are exhausted - "I'll just close my eyes for a minute, it will be ok". Except - I wasn't exhausted, I just couldn't keep my eyes open. I stood up from the nav chair, slapped my face a few more times and started pacing around the salon. As I passed over the "tech area" door (in the middle of the salon floor) I detected a very slight burning smell. I reached down and opened the "technical area" door. The entire hull beneath the salon floor was full of smoke!! I shook awake my unconscious crew member and grabbed a fire extinguisher. We didn't detect any flames so i didn't deploy it. We immediately shut every system on the boat down and opened all door and hatches to clear the interior of the boat. The webasto diesel heater had been incorrectly installed. The fresh air intake hose was never connected to the fresh air intake on the heater unit. The heater exhaust which daylights (exits) the boat near the top of the main hull, below the wing to the starboard ama ( so relatively close to the waterline in an area often flush with water in seas over 4') had taken in seawater. There was no sump installed in the exhaust line so it became plugged. The result? Diesel exhaust came out of the fitting where the hose attached to the heater unit. Diesel exhaust was coming out of the left side of the heater unit and being sucked into the fresh air intake on the right side of the unit. It was then being heated and delivered to the entire inside living area of the boat thru the corresponding duct work. - watch the corresponding video on youtube

When we arrived back in la rochelle, I personally informed eric bruNEEL of this incident face to face. He offered me a confused expression (which I would venture to guess all NEEL owners are very familiar with) and his #2 person gaelle, actually laughed aloud. Eric said "we will take a look at it". I contacted webasto, sent them photos of the installation and they confirmed the installation was incorrect. The surveyor said it was installed incorrectly and didn't comply with EU standards/regulation. NEEL insisted it was installed correctly however, a later date installed a sump in the exhaust line and extended the fresh air intake hose to the fresh air intake on the heater unit.

Unfortunately, this was demonstrative of my experience with eric bruneel and with NEEL. Many items on the boat were not installed per manufacturer instructions. Many systems were not checked - I don't think anything was checked! Of course, eric bruneel had claimed "tight quality control" and to have a "team of professionals" building NEEL boats. From what I hear, he continues those claims (and many more).

The hull breach on my boat could have occurred in the middle of the atlantic. Fortunately, it did not.

We were nearly overcome by carbon monoxide from the incorrect installation of the heater.

the boat hasn't sailed since it returned to la rochelle - where it sits today

In my opinion, eric bruneel should not be allowed to build boats and anyone who considers purchasing a NEEL needs a good wake-up slap! or 2 or 3

[LeeV]

Yikes! We may not have enough room aboard to compare, but it makes me appreciate my Corsair 36 even more!

I'll wish for you speedy repairs, and a return to sailing.

[Bleemus]

Originally Posted by neel tri exp

I am the owner of the boat (NEEL 45) shown on the youtube videos.
The problems documented on the videos are not the only problems.
They do however accurately depict the build quality of the boat and the complete lack of quality control in the build process. In my opinion, they say even more about the manufacturer/builder, the company management and the knowledge, experience and standards (lack thereof) of those involved in all aspects of the build. That said, I can't imagine how anyone in their right mind would ever consider ordering/purchasing a new model from NEEL. My NEEL experience clearly demonstrates the complete incompetence of the builder. After having built many boats of the same model they still didn't have their act together. I have communicated with other NEEL 45 owners who's boats shared many of the same issues uncovered and documented on my boat. Unfortunately, for the boat buying community, they are not anxious to share their issues publicly because they are "worried about the resale value of their boats". Yes, that is what I have heard from a few owners. The NEEL "sales pitch" is very cleverly crafted and is seems to appeal to first time boat buyers who are going thru the process of determining which boat is best for them. Monohull? Cat? Wow! A "cruising" trimaran is the best of both worlds! Well, perhaps in theory. But certainly not what I found in execution.

As troubling or perhaps even more troubling than the hull breach suffered on our first trip was the heater incident that occurred on our 2nd trip - our return sail to the NEEL factory for repairs. The heater was incorrectly installed and we were almost completely overcome by carbon monoxide. Heck! I could have done that in my garage. It certainly would have been cheaper than buying a NEEL! We were sailing north in the bay of biscay in early november. It was cold outside and we had the factory installed heater on. It was mid afternoon. I had just come on watch and was finding it impossible to stay awake. I was slapping my face a few times every minute to stay awake. I looked over at my other crew member and he was out cold (sleeping/unconscious). I had that thought you have when you are exhausted - "I'll just close my eyes for a minute, it will be ok". Except - I wasn't exhausted, I just couldn't keep my eyes open. I stood up from the nav chair, slapped my face a few more times and started pacing around the salon. As I passed over the "tech area" door (in the middle of the salon floor) I detected a very slight burning smell. I reached down and opened the "technical area" door. The entire hull beneath the salon floor was full of smoke!! I shook awake my unconscious crew member and grabbed a fire extinguisher. We didn't detect any flames so i didn't deploy it. We immediately shut every system on the boat down and opened all door and hatches to clear the interior of the boat. The webasto diesel heater had been incorrectly installed. The fresh air intake hose was never connected to the fresh air intake on the heater unit. The heater exhaust which daylights (exits) the boat near the top of the main hull, below the wing to the starboard ama ( so relatively close to the waterline in an area often flush with water in seas over 4') had taken in seawater. There was no sump installed in the exhaust line so it became plugged. The result? Diesel exhaust came out of the fitting where the hose attached to the heater unit. Diesel exhaust was coming out of the left side of the heater unit and being sucked into the fresh air intake on the right side of the unit. It was then being heated and delivered to the entire inside living area of the boat thru the corresponding duct work. - watch the corresponding video on youtube

When we arrived back in la rochelle, I personally informed eric bruNEEL of this incident face to face. He offered me a confused expression (which I would venture to guess all NEEL owners are very familiar with) and his #2 person gaelle, actually laughed aloud. Eric said "we will take a look at it". I contacted webasto, sent them photos of the installation and they confirmed the installation was incorrect. The surveyor said it was installed incorrectly and didn't comply with EU standards/regulation. NEEL insisted it was installed correctly however, a later date installed a sump in the exhaust line and extended the fresh air intake hose to the fresh air intake on the heater unit.

Unfortunately, this was demonstrative of my experience with eric bruneel and with NEEL. Many items on the boat were not installed per manufacturer instructions. Many systems were not checked - I don't think anything was checked! Of course, eric bruneel had claimed "tight quality control" and to have a "team of professionals" building NEEL boats. From what I hear, he continues those claims (and many more).

The hull breach on my boat could have occurred in the middle of the atlantic. Fortunately, it did not.

We were nearly overcome by carbon monoxide from the incorrect installation of the heater.

the boat hasn't sailed since it returned to la rochelle - where it sits today

In my opinion, eric bruneel should not be allowed to build boats and anyone who considers purchasing a NEEL needs a good wake-up slap! or 2 or 3

The video is confusing if I am looking at the same ones you mention. Just annoying jews harp music with no description of what we are looking at and tough to determine fully what went wrong. Is there a more informative video available?

[neel tri exp]

dial back the volume or mute. watch them on a computer. smartphones and tablets don't include the captioning.

[SV DestinyAscen]

How has Neel responded to your issues? Every boat can have issues, it is the fact of the industry - the difference is whether the company and dealer addresses the problems.

One would hope the small company that bears his name would be more Maine Cat/Seawind and less FP in its customer service.

[neel tri exp]

iPhone and iPad youtube apps don't support FLASH. the videos are annotated and evidently require an app that supports flash to view them. other iOS browsers like PUFFIN support flash.

[neel tri exp]

Originally Posted by SV DestinyAscen

How has Neel responded to your issues? Every boat can have issues, it is the fact of the industry - the difference is whether the company and dealer addresses the problems.

One would hope the small company that bears his name would be more Maine Cat/Seawind and less FP in its customer service.

every boat DOES have issues!

unfortunately, in my opinion, NEEL is run by Eric BruNEEL who spent most of his career (20+ yrs) at FP (fountaine pajot?). I have no experience with FP but, from your question it sounds like you think they are at the opposite extreme of what you would classify as good service.

a new boat with almost immediate HULL FAILURE and CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING and serious life safety faults are MAJOR ISSUES in my book. equipment not installed according to manufacturer instructions, systems not conforming to a CE certified/approved plan for that boat model, etc are SERIOUS ISSUES. toilets installed without a water supply, leaking water tanks, poor interior finishes, leaking roof are ISSUES . yes, all boats have issues

I found NEEL to be as evasive as possible when taking responsibility for "issues" on my boat.
Some issues have been resolved and some have not. Getting issues resolved require so much time, effort, aggravation and expense that I'm sure it will never have been worth it.

watch the associated youtube vids to get a feel for the SERIOUS ISSUES i refer to above

if you want to sail around the shallow pond behind your house, I would recommend a NEEL (if you can buy one on the cheap)

[beauris]

if i were you i would hire a french lawyer and abstain from publishing videos and airing your complaints on a public forum...not because of the resale value of the boat but because if they decide to bring the problem to court you've given them a lot of material to work with...


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[weavis]

Guys.

Not minimizing the obvious distress of the owner of the Neel, we think perhaps that CF is not the best place to air an ongoing problem that has legal consequences.

Im closing this thread pending Admin and moderators discussion.

[weavis]

So after a mod and admin discussion, the decision was to allow the thread to continue as the Owner of the vessel in question is posting his observations.

We ask only that respect is shown and facts posted only. We sincerely hope that a working solution to the issues are found as it is not putting a manufacturer in a good light.

Best wishes for a resolution!