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andreavanduyn · 30-03-2016, 05:47

As a former cat racer I found the answer to what boat to buy for my family.

SAFER ; FASTER and sexier than a catamaran.

Your opinions?

tp12 · 30-03-2016, 05:52

Why safer? What Cats have they been sailed against to show they're faster?

andreavanduyn · 30-03-2016, 06:05

ARC with 5 hours to the next 50' catamaran......impressive is it not

tp12 · 30-03-2016, 06:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by andreavanduyn

ARC with 5 hours to the next 50' catamaran......impressive is it not

In a rally for cruisers? No, it means nothing without a whole lot of further information. Do you have any of that information?

barnakiel · 30-03-2016, 08:14

I have been onboard twice. I was only mildly impressed. Would not buy one.

She looks fine at the dock and anchored. Very sexy.

I will try to google out a youtube promo where I really stopped liking the boat.

PS You can buy a s/h formula 50 tri and convert. End up with a faster (but not as spacious) a boat.

b.

barnakiel · 30-03-2016, 08:21

If you like living sailing on your ear in benevolent lee conditions of a tropical island ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkwBLSn3aeg

Too rolly, too soft, for me (judging from the deck of a small monohull).

b.

Stumble · 30-03-2016, 08:36

I am a big fan of the design, but recently there have been some serious questions about build quality show up. It was only one owner, and I haven't seen a Neel in person, but the issues he relayed were substantial and the video was quite damning.

If buying new I was seriously consider a performance bond that the hull pass survey or you get your money back. Then have a serious detailed survey done before accepting the boat.

A lot of small builders have turned out a lemon from time to time, and maybe it was a fluke, and I hope so. But it would concern me.

Edit: here are the videos https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCL3U8Bq7xNpww_bvVfDH5sQ

I would point out that while there is a lot of questionable build practices listed here ther were only two critical ones. First was a poorly installed ladder that lead to massive down flooding, and second a poorly installed heater.

Obviously the water damage was quite extensive, but the failure was singular. If exeserbated by poor bilge pump design.

ranchero76 · 30-03-2016, 11:02

Yea, that case can ruin NEEL's reputation for good. It would be OK if manufacturer would apologize, fix ALL the damage, improperly installed/manufactured things (as found by surveyor) and change construction to avoid any issues in the future. But apparently NEEL refused to deal with most of the issues, leaving buyer on its own. I'm not sure if there's someone else willing to be treated like this after spending few hundreds of thousands.

ranchero76 · 30-03-2016, 12:24

Watched that build quality video again. It's simply unbelievable. It's just project boat (and BIG project), not brand new boat by any measure. There are east indians building houses in the area where I live. They well known for doing not best quality work. But there's NO WAY they could get away with anything like this. NEVER! I just don't understand how in the world thing like this can happen? Owner was blind when he accepted the boat? How company can survive after case like this?

Stumble · 30-03-2016, 21:09

It isn't all that unbelievable. Every yard turns out a lemon from time to time. What really concerns me about NEEL is the responce to the issue.

There is a reason that new boats should be surveyed before the last payment is made. They all come with a punch list. In this case that list just should have included a minor problem that resulted in major damage.

andreavanduyn · 01-04-2016, 07:32

We learned that in Slovenia some people are having a tri 40' in the planning...... Reason we are trying to learn about the Neel 45' and what to expect from such design.

Exiting is that tri's are faster and safer as no pitching and capsizing when not designed for crazy racing...

Would love my family to enjoy speed and have a glass of wine at the same time in comfort and safety and win a local race without the need for crew ; our son can do it with us 2.

Why are there no tri's apart from this Neel 45' to be found.?????

paxfish · 01-04-2016, 08:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by barnakiel

If you like living sailing on your ear in benevolent lee conditions of a tropical island ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkwBLSn3aeg

Too rolly, too soft, for me (judging from the deck of a small monohull).

b.

Bizarre video. Dunno if the captain is unsure how to sail it, or if it just prefers wallowing. Is the motor running at high revs at the 2:14 mark?

andreavanduyn · 01-04-2016, 08:41

Center hull stirs up a lot of water; planing ?

She is big and still fast; we love the idea especially as cats in high winds can pitch or capsize when pushed.

Is this going to be the new market for touring / serious cruising families?

We think so