Visit our Popular Forums

Tri · 31-01-2016, 13:59

Looking at youtube I ran into this channel:

"neeltrimaranexperience"

In various videos they report about "hull failure", "deadly heater installation" and other apparent quality issues.

Sad to see and understand because I can imagine what drove the people to post the videos.

jdazey · 31-01-2016, 14:30

That sure changes my opinion of Neel Tris. Despite the very modern styling, we considered buying a Neel because it is one of the very few large tris available. This sure makes me appreciate the outstanding build quality of the boat we did buy.

Spindoctor · 01-02-2016, 11:46

I would be very curious to hear from other Neel 45 owners as to any problems. The severe delamination/ hull separation and build issues look like they might be a 1 (horrible) time experience with this hull?

What I would like to see addressed by other Neel 45 owners is all of the "minor" issues that a surveyor found on this same boat (see link below) that seem like they would be repeated build errors on all of the other Neel 45s? Thinks like the battery switches not in proper locations, black water tank and pumpout not proper, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6fbhARgFXI

Do all Neel 45s have these issues?

Polux · 01-02-2016, 17:59

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKGZj2Nmea0

Scary!!! Obviously a very pissed owner. I knew that the boat had a badly designed interior and that the quality of the interior was low but never imagine that in what regards safety and structural built the boat had so many problems.

I would like to hear more owners regarding built quality. One Neel 45 was hard sailed on the last ARC, beat all cats, including some two much more expensive Outremer 51 and finished in one piece.

Well that 90ft Oyster that broke to pieces some months ago also made the ARC and back before broke, so that means not much, but at least it did not broke just after some hundreds of miles

Tri · 02-02-2016, 23:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdazey

That sure changes my opinion of Neel Tris. Despite the very modern styling, we considered buying a Neel because it is one of the very few large tris available. This sure makes me appreciate the outstanding build quality of the boat we did buy.

What boat did you buy?

jdazey · 02-02-2016, 23:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tri

What boat did you buy?

A Chris White Voyager 48 built by Lonestar Multihulls.

Tri · 03-02-2016, 00:10

Thats a great boat. :-)

Polux · 03-02-2016, 02:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdazey

A Chris White Voyager 48 built by Lonestar Multihulls.

How that compares regarding price with the Neel 45?

brownoarsman · 03-02-2016, 04:12

Thanks for sharing this. I was pretty taken with the Neel at the Annapolis boat show (cat living on a tri)! Not looking to buy one anytime soon, but was certainly planning to charter one. Looks like that might be the safest option!

Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

SV.Louna · 03-02-2016, 05:01

That is really sad as we were considering this as our next boat looks like a custom build when we do and it won't be from this company

Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

jdazey · 03-02-2016, 14:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polux

How that compares regarding price with the Neel 45?

Our boat was built in 1995, so a direct price comparison would be difficult without consulting Chris and Lonestar Multihulls. Given that it's now 20 years old, some refitting is in order as well as some items that we want for the sailing we plan to do (hydronic heater among others). We'll likely have $400K in it by Spring. OTOH, it's a really nice boat

Tri · 03-02-2016, 21:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownoarsman

Thanks for sharing this. I was pretty taken with the Neel at the Annapolis boat show (cat living on a tri)! Not looking to buy one anytime soon, but was certainly planning to charter one. Looks like that might be the safest option!

Looking at the videos and problems I am not sure If chartering is safer.

mcarling · 03-02-2016, 22:36

A new Chris White Atlantic 47 built by Alwoplast is about $1M.

Polux · 04-02-2016, 02:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcarling

A new Chris White Atlantic 47 built by Alwoplast is about $1M.

That's what I suspected, a Neel 45 costs less than half and the same quality is not to be expected but I would expect that most of the difference was in finish and on the interior.

This case can be one of a boat particularly badly made, a lemon, as they are called on the auto industry. I see that they are available for charter and probably if they all were that bad they would not be doing charter.

Contrary to what many people think one of the more demanding task for a boat is doing charter. The boat will be used (and abused) 5 times more than a "normal" boat. For those that eventually think of buying one the best information will be obtained chartering one and have a long talk with the charter operator, that probably will have other multihulls doing the job.

They will be the ones that will be able to provide the more accurate picture about the boat, its maintenance and problems.