Dodgy ‘professional’ builders – a WARNING

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Dodgy ‘professional’ builders – a WARNING

We would like to draw attention to the problems people have experienced by ordering their Wharram catamaran to be built by the ‘RB Power & Sailing’ yard of Raoul Bianchetti in Pattaya, Thailand. The first boat built was a heavily modified Tiki 38, of which the owner refused to take delivery and which since being launched in February 2009 has broken up at anchor. The second Tiki 38, which was being build for Warren Matthews, was removed from the yard last January for finishing in New Zealand, after the owner discovered serious deficiencies in the build. You can read about Warren’s experiences at: http://naturalhigh-adventures.com/warren-blog/2009/8/18/would-my-boat-ha... Practices like these are the reason for James Wharram Designs setting up Franchised Yards, where the owners can be sure to get a correctly built, high quality Wharram Design. RB Power & Sailing is NOT a franchised yard!

Franchised Wharram Yards are: Andy Smith Boatworks in Bohol, Philippines: http://www.andy-smith-boatworks.com and Boatsmith in Florida, USA: http://www.boatsmithfl.com 

Since this post was written in 2010, Seascape, also in Thailand, has been taken off our list of franchised Wharram builders as he failed to pay royalties for several Wharram cats he built, lied to JWD about his situation, and treated some of his customers in an abusive manner, leading to a serious dispute and courtcase.