Canal Angels has just received yet another communication relating to the practices of Peter Askey's JP Marine UK Ltd, who now trade under the name Taylors Boatyard in Chester.It appears that Peter and Yvette Askeyhave both left a trail of unhappy customers and employees from the South East all the way to the North West. Taylors Boatyard were invited to respond, but as usual nothing has been received:
"I used to do engine contract work for JP Marine in the south east. I have seen how the business was run first hand, and when I asked about survey work I was told I could "buy my credentials" which at the time i thought was very suspect. I have since completed a and passed a course run by north west kent college and Lloyds Maritime Academy costing me several thousand pounds. I was party to seeing him lose the plot although he never noticed me observing this. I also noticed his inability to meet a dead line, and they seemed to take on work they knew nothing about... They boasted they could tackle anything as long as it came with a book of instructions, the fact they are trading under an existing name is cynical and underhand, I'm glad I have nothing more to do with them".
Canal Angels has now launched our Youtube Channel. Our first report summarizes the recent attempted narrowboat hull repair by Taylors Boatyard and Dry Docks in Chester, trading as J P Marine UK Ltd. There is commentary after 30secs or so, and we'll try and tidy the whole edit up soon!
It's worth noting that this video was filmed directly AFTER the vessel failed its weld test by independent professional marine surveyors. Taylors Boatyard then flooded the docks and pushed the boat into the canal system with all the defects evident in the film and the report still not rectified.
If you have an interesting repair video, why not send us a link?
Have you received substandard work to your canal narrowboat or other vessel? Would you like to commend someone for great workmanship?Contact Canal Angels
Let Canal Angels know and we'll post your reviews. Read other posts on this blog to discover some major pitfalls you could encounter as soon as your boat enters a dry dock. If you have a horror story similar in nature to the Chester couple's boat at Taylors Boatyard in Chester, share it here
CA are in receipt of a communication from British Waterways to a couple who received substandard work to their narrowboat vessel carried out by JP Marine "Surveyors" operating from Taylors Boatyard in Chester. Sarina Young of British Waterways states:
"BW does not have a copy of Pete Askey’s Marine Engineering Qualifications or those of his welder"
This rings alarm bells as British Waterways are effectively not vetting tenants of their leased dry docks and premises...possibly throughout the entire waterways system. The communication goes on to state:
"British Waterways’ relationship with Taylors Boatyard is solely as a landlord."
The couple paid JP Marine £6,000 cash and spent £12,000 renovating the interior
Surely BW have an obligation, at least a moral obligation, to ensure the safety of waterways' users utilising their premises, leased or otherwise. It is alarming to say the least they are willing to permit unqualified, un-vetted traders to operate from any of their premises and place waterways users in harms way.
British Waterways have been invited to respond...
The narrowboat concerned now lies at Swanley Bridge Marina in Nantwich where the couple in our long saga have now had a further survey by a qualified marine surveyor (independent from Swanley Bridge Marina). The survey results confirmed the poor standard of workmanship carried out by JP Marine UK Ltd who operate from Taylors Boatyard Chester
If you visit the "Taylors Boatyard" website (click here) you'll discover that not only does this operator fail to use it's own trading name at the head of the site, but relies on the historical reputation of a boatyard long since ceased trading.. it also fails to display it's own company name correctly which can be found (in very small print) at the bottom of their website. The site states "Copyright 2011 JP Marine" at the bottom, yet companies house records show JP Marine recently changed its name to JP Marine UK Ltd.
So is this the first time this operator has found itself in hot water?
Changing trading names and moving around the country seems to be a very
suspicious practice indeed. More alarmingly, despite our rigorous efforts to locate Peter Askey on any formally accredited register of Marine Surveyors, and requesting proof of the same from British Waterways, to date there is no evidence of this, yet the company website boldly claims otherwise. Read the other posts on this blog for some useful hints on performing background checks...
Taylor's boatyard was established in 1913 and moved to a site in the Dee
Basin slipway, Tower Wharf, in 1917. In the 1970s, the firm was taken
over by David Jones (Boatbuilders) Ltd. Most of the vessels built by
J.H. Taylor and Sons were canal craft, but the firm also built fishing
boats, including salmon boats for use in the Dee estuary. Unfortunately this solid reputation is now tarnished. Contact Canal Angels
Rt Hon Vince Cable, Secretary Of State received news of the behaviour and practices of cowboy boatyard operators JP Marine UK Ltd operating out of Taylors Boatyard in Chester. We will bring you the latest news as it unfolds.
Taylors Boatyard is the historical name of a once highly reputed boat yard in Chester in the Northwest UK. The boatyard and dry docks are presently leased by limited company JP Marine, who advertise themselves as "Marine Surveyors & Engineers" and perform welding to narrowboats and other vessels in the Chester area without any formal qualification or certification by any accredited professional marine body in the United Kingdom. Contact Canal Angels
MP Mark Tamim has represented the couple's plight to Parliament after they were left homeless outside Taylors Boatyard in Chester after their vessel was deemed un-insurable as a direct result of works carried out by JP Marine UK Ltd.
Taylors Boatyard is the historical name of a once highly reputed boat
yard in Chester in the Northwest UK. The boatyard and dry docks are
presently leased by limited company JP Marine, who advertise themselves
as "Marine Surveyors & Engineers" and perform welding to narrowboats
and other vessels in the Chester area without any formal qualification
or certification by any accredited professional marine body in the
United Kingdom. Contact Canal Angels
Marine Saga continues: Taylors Boatyard Chester has conceded to release the vessel taken from our unhappy couple. The couple are now making arrangements to have their boat craned out at Telfords Warehouse and taken to another boatyard where they have no choice but to strip off all the steel plates and begin the job all over again with professionals. The couple have just released the following statement:
"There is no website in existence we know of that is is either the
intention of generating revenue, or targeting any "long standing
boatyard" connected with this matter. The name of the boatyard indeed was a HIGHLY REPUTABLE boatyard who's name the present occupiers are utilising to their own ends. Furthermore, the name JP Marine itself exists in other countries, the legitimate owners of which would no doubt be very unhappy their reputation is being tarnished in the same way. The operators JP Marine UK Ltd are not long established, and if you do your homework, you too will discover this limited comany has changed it's name very recently. This limited company also does not put its OWN NAME
to the "work" they perform. They use the name of this most reputable historic boatyard on their own website and their high-vis jackets, and the
signage outside. I challenge anyone to find the real company name
(you'll find it in very small print on ONE PIECE OF COMMUNICATION if you look very hard.. Now, does that sound like an honest way to go about business?"
Thank you to everyone on Canal World Discussion Forum for raising the profile of this case, despite obvious censorship practices (there are clearly many unregulated 'industry professionals' using this forum and nepotism is rife among users and moderators). Despite this, here is the most valuable response we have received on this matter, obviously from a professional:
"Our advice to anyone contracting services in the marine industry or
seeking advice from any forum is simple: At this point in time ANYONE
can self-appoint themselves as a "marine surveyor" or a "marine
engineer" or indeed even a "boatyard" or "boatbuilder". Do your
homework. Ask for testimonials. Ask to see PROOF of current membership
of accredited organisations before you let them near your boat. Ensure
your contract with them has timelines for completion of any work and
include this wording in your contract "time is of the essence". Above all, ensure your surveyor is independent from the boatyard to avoid a massive conflict of interest"
Any
reputable boatyard or boat repairer will be happy to provide all of the
above, If they refuse, don't touch them with the proverbial barge pole."
Canal Angels would like to contact a couple who recently had their suitcase generator stolen when moored at Taylors Boatyard next to the dry dock in the Chester canal basin. The couple were burgled in broad daylight...while they were still aboard the boat. Contact Canal Angels
An ex-worker from Taylors Boatyard in Chester has stepped forward to lift the lid on JP Marine UK Ltd who lease the boatyard from British Waterways. The Chester City Council Health & Safety Executive has been notified (complaint 415192), as well as the manager of the Boat Safety Scheme, Graham Watts.
Canal Angels has just received news of a couple who are to lobby parliament for a change in law after an unscrupulous boatyard operator rendered them homeless and breached the Human Rights Act, they claim. After receiving sub-standard work to their narrowboat home, the couple tested the works conducted by JP Marine UK Ltd at Taylors Boatyard dry dock in Chester, which was verfiried as having "significant defects" by independent marine surveyors Inspection Consultants Ltd (Incon). They are now preparing to lobby parliament for a change in the law which fails to recognise their live-aboard narrowboat as a dwelling home affording them the same rights as bricks and mortar home owners and caravan owner-occupiers. A local MP is working with the couple in their plight to recover their home, and bring charges of alleged criminal damage against Taylors Boatyard operator JP Marine UK Ltd after they denied the couple access to their home and placed it in a state of peril. This was after the couple had paid the boatyard £6,000 for "works". In a statement by the couple:
"the consequences of the actions of Taylors Boatyard have far reaching consequences for the operator, as well as serious ramifications for all those who presently live on board a watercraft, be it a narrowboat, dutch barge or GRP cruiser. Boatyard operators in the UK have the power to take possession of your home without consent, evict you, impound it and deny access to all possessions...even your clothes, something even court appointed bailiffs cannot do. All this happened as the police stood by and watched, as it would appear they have no law to act upon and are powerless to prevent it....housing can affect a person's life, health and life chances, which is why the right to respect for a person's home is in the Human Rights Act ".
Welds up to five rows wide riddled with defects
According to Peter James Askey of JP Marine UK Ltd "steel narrowboats are not fabricated to the standards of coded welders". Well his certainly aren't. Full details soon.
Visible Holes in the botched welding which were painted over
Peter James Askey- Director JP Marine UK Ltd refutes the findings of tests carried out by Incon claiming "steel narrowboats are not fabricated to the standards of coded welders"
Another distressed customer at Taylors Boatyard Moorings and dry dock Chester leased by JP Marine has contacted us. We'll bring you full details shortly. In the meantime, another unhappy customer has just advised that Peter and Yvette Askey have unlawfully denied access to their narrowboat home and placed it beyond their reach last Friday. The customer is taking the matter to the criminal courts and seeking an injunction to prevent these rogue traders operating outside of the law. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY
If you've fallen victim to an unscrupulous boatyard owner, received shoddy service or had a dodgy repair, contact Canal Angels now and we'll warn others
J P Marine: Unbelievable. Outrageous. Alleged Criminal Behaviour by Peter & Yvette Askey at Taylors Boatyard Chester
These are the only words we can articulate which demonstrate the actions taken by J P Marine today, according to news just in. Between 4pm and 5pm whilst an unhappy customer visited the launderette, Peter & Yvette Askey flooded the dry dock and pushed their boat out onto the canal AFTER the customer had provided conclusive proof from independent surveyors, Incon, that their welding was sub-standard and leaking. They have now denied the customer access to their home, leaving them without clothing, no access to medication, contact lenses, eye glasses and all other personal effects. Peter & Yvette Askey of JP Marine have rendered the customer homeless...on a Friday evening, with lawyers on the weekend break, and police who are powerless to intervene. We tried calling JP Marine to comment, but the phones were not being answered.
Our unhappy customer has reported to Canal Angels there is no sign of JP Marine UK Ltd....and they are no longer accepting calls from other potential customers either on their advertised landline or mobile
Holes clearly visible. The customer caught Peter Askey daubing red oxide paint on the welds to fill all the holes
Plates being tacked on before the MIG welder was deployed. Picture by Canal Angels
It's 4am on the morning JP Marine at Taylors Boatyard have threatened to flood the dry dock and asked the customer to leave in a boat that's full of holes- holes that JP Marine have put in their boat. They have advised us they are in a hotel in Chester (The Coach House next to the town hall which is superb).
After Inspection Consultants Ltd (their independent surveyor) re-visited the site yesterday and confirmed "this was the worst welding they has ever seen", the unhappy customer went to their lawyer and served written notice on the boatyard that should they flood the dock that it would constitute criminal damage. They also informed the police of the situation and lodged a complaint with Trading Standards.
According to Incon, it will cost between £6,000 and £7,000 to rectify the damage JP Marine at Taylors Boatyard had caused, which was roughly what our unhappy customer had already paid them. All the welding needs grinding out and starting again- this time with a competent welder. When unhappy customer asked Incon if they could commission them to oversee the project if JP Marine rectified the problem, they advised "there's simply no point" if they did the same thing again with their own welder. Let's hope they now see sense and bring in qualified people to complete the job.
The customer states that he probably looks stupid, as in hindsight he really should have had independent surveyors from the outset. But when our unhappy customer proposed bringing in Incon for the survey at the start of the project, Yvette Askey reportedly assured them confidently that her husband Peter Askey was a qualified marine surveyor. We have not been able to verify this claim. "He has also been present each day throughout the re-plating process and personally overseen everything his welder John has done...even helped him cutting out the steel and lifting it into place. So who's the stupid one, do you think?" said the couple.
Our Unhappy customer advises us they're now preparing themselves for a proposed flooding at midday today.
Lights are now back on, and in the early hours this morning the unhappy customer finally received the hull survey they had paid JP Marine for 2 months ago. What is clear from the survey is Peter Askey placed an "urgent recommendation" to address the proximity of the well deck scuppers (deck drain) to the waterline. An "urgent recommendation" as defined by themselvesmust be done urgently, preferably before re-floating and certainly before any use is made of the vessel.
Why then would the same surveyor say he is refloating it before this is done, and why has he cut holes in the new steel in exactly the same location as the holes he states are below the minimum recommended level ??
The answer is obvious- he has a queue of narrowboats waiting to get in the dry dock to line his pocket and doesn't care that he may potentially flood and sink one customers' home in the process. Time to get the experts in to stop him!
Our unhappy customer now reports that Peter Askey has also now just put in writing he thinks the weed hatch is too low- even more reason not to float the boat !
Dodgy: One of the 9 purposely cut holes on the baseplate
Next Photo: The poor customers home when JPM floated it prematurely. Water was coming onboard so they drained the dock and it took 30 minutes for the water to stop gushing through all the holes in the baseplate and sides, and a full 2 days to stop dripping !
Floated prematurely and taking in water
note the (new) proximity of the gas locker drain to the waterline. You can just make out the deck drain hole which is now virtually on the waterline if you look closely- and this was with an empty water tank!
The next pic shows where it was before they started work:
After returning to the Chester moorings dry dock last night, our unhappy customer discovered all the lights had been cut in the dry dock making access to their home extremely dangerous. Nevertheless they negotiated the 15ft drops, numerous steps and wobbly ladder in the pitch blackness. They then dropped Peter Askey a very polite email once they had clambered on board requesting he took a look at the problem the next day. Better than waking him up in the small hours to check it out, right?
The dry dock with lights out. You can just make out a rolled up package on the top of the boat on the
bottom left
>> FFWD to Sunday morning, 9:15 am. The unhappy customer was rudely awoken by thunderous banging on the hull. After donning a dressing gown, they peered gingerly through the cratch cover to see what all the commotion was. The customer was greeted by a growling, bouncing thug swearing at them..yes, you guessed it, Peter Askey was on the rampage, "You have to send me an email to turn the f*****g lights on !!?? I want you out of this f*****g dock now !"
What an awakening. The customer had no choice but to dial 999 as the man was clearly imbalanced. Who knows what he may have done? The Cheshire police attended and advised him a more civilized approach would keep him out of jail.
So that was that, or so the customer thought. After the police had gone Peter Askey and wife Yvette were back to disconnect the power supply and deliver a letter, the contents of which I will divulge in the next installment...
Incon are due again within 24 hours to survey the hull damage. Our Unhappy customer had to check into a hotel in Chester due to lack of power, and the dock lights still out. The incident was reported to the Chester City Council Health and Safety Executive ref 101000415192
Sheer drop with cables, ropes and wooden planks adding to the lethal obstacle course
Inspection Consultants Ltd (Incon) a highly reputable testing facility were drafted in to perform testing on welding carried out by JP Marine over the last 7 week period on our unhappy customers' boat. The result?: quote: 'SIGNIFICANT DEFECTS - REJECT"
The unhappy customer informed Peter Askey at Taylors Boatyard Moorings and dry dock immediately and requested a meeting to discuss how he intended to rectify the numerous problems. The response: None I'm afraid. Very poor. Very poor indeed. Something was amiss...and our unhappy customer was about to discover what the next evening.... Contact Canal Angels
