JillD

You have so hit the nail on the head!! If they had just one person employed full time to oversee quality control, it would save so much heartache. Also save them so many after sale visits and frustrated customers.

I agree. One of our boats particularly needed a bespoke spec. (apologies to the experts out there if that is not the correct term..) . but I would definitely recommend to anyone to buy a second hand boat about 2 years old so that it's 'teething troubles' are fixed. In fact, our close friends are looking to buy a narrowboat and that is exactly what we have recommended to them.

Thanks. I'm sure you are right. The reason it cost so much to fix the gauge is: The cost of the gauge plus the fact that Burscough had built the toilet back wall over access to the gauge, added the toilet cistern and then sealed the granite over the top. Getting access to the wires was the difficult bit.

Thanks Bee

Oooo. Pardon me. Thank you for your guidance

They were built pretty much at the same time. And yes, if we did have a row, we could both storm off at 4knots per hour in the opposite direction... We did not pay cheap prices for our boats and sadly, the problems were not evident immediately.... My partner and I ordered the build of two 70ft widebeams which were delivered to the Thames in January and April last year (2017). As they claim, Burscough Boats do seem to build good steel foundations for their boats (unless there are more surprises to come...). While the boats look lovely, the experience of dealing with Burscough to address issues caused by their rushed workmanship has had a devastating effect on us as well as robbing us of time and quality of life. So many of these have been down to bad installation and lack of attention to detail, including gauges incorrectly installed, fuel leaks (50 litres on one occasion), a failure to secure the generator in the stern, and the rear fender fitted so it impeded the rudder. To go into detail of just one example of many: For months after delivery of our boats, we had to live in what I can only describe as a sewer. The most unbearable smell was all caused by wrong fittings, lack of gaskets and washers and nothing sealed properly. Despite visits down from Burscough, they did not fix the problem so we had to find someone who solved it but at our (considerable) expense: financially and in terms of time. The latest.. although not really the latest, given that the systems have never worked properly on both boats, is that we are without adequate heating on either. Burscough just failed to respond. We have had to instruct an independent accredited firm to step in and help solve the problem. One boat is sporting a borrowed fuel pump and the other has issues caused by Burscough failing to install it properly.. When the heating failed on one boat, the first fault diagnosed was the fitting of the wrong size pipe connecting the Webasto heating system. To compensate, Burscough merely fitted an extra jubilee clip. This clearly wasn't good enough or to the manufacturer's specification, and the water from the heating system leaked out. This was fixed by the local dealer but water is still disappearing. He found a second leak at the back of the kitchen cupboards requiring the units and possibly the granite to be removed in order to reach it. Burscough have not fitted an inspection hatch on either boat. A report prepared by the local dealer revealed that the system had been badly damaged as a consequence of Burscough's faulty installation. Burscough have been contacted by email and phone on numerous occasions requesting them to dis-assemble the units to allow the second leak to be fixed and to make good the system (either by replacement or having a main dealer repair it to manufacturer's satisfaction). It should be Burscough dealing with this, but they aren't. Worse, they aren't enabling the matter to be addressed. This issue has been going on since before Christmas. I appealed to them yesterday sending them photographs of our boat in the snow.....no reply. The weather has worsened; the marina has frozen solid with half an inch of ice. You might suggest that we bring in outside contractors and then claim the cost back from Burscough. But it took them two months to settle a £180 bill we initially paid for a gauge they had incorrectly fitted. The heater problems will be considerably more, and a glance at Burscough's accounts and financial history suggest that recourse to law might not result in repayment regardless of judgment. The thing is, we are not alone. We have been in discussion with three Burscough customers who acquired their boats immediately before or after us, and they have been enduring similar traumas. We would be interested to hear from other owners. All new boats have teething problems, but what we have endured are a consequence of Burscough's workmanship (!) and a failure to honour their commitments. JillD

My partner and I ordered the build of two 70ft widebeams which were delivered to the Thames in January and April last year (2017). As they claim, Burscough Boats do seem to build good steel foundations for their boats (unless there are more surprises to come...). While the boats look lovely, the experience of dealing with Burscough to address issues caused by their rushed workmanship has had a devastating effect on us as well as robbing us of time and quality of life. So many of these have been down to bad installation and lack of attention to detail, including gauges incorrectly installed, fuel leaks (50 litres on one occasion), a failure to secure the generator in the stern, and the rear fender fitted so it impeded the rudder. To go into detail of just one example of many: For months after delivery of our boats, we had to live in what I can only describe as a sewer. The most unbearable smell was all caused by wrong fittings, lack of gaskets and washers and nothing sealed properly. Despite visits down from Burscough, they did not fix the problem so we had to find someone who solved it but at our (considerable) expense: financially and in terms of time. The latest.. although not really the latest, given that the systems have never worked properly on both boats, is that we are without adequate heating on either. Burscough just failed to respond. We have had to instruct an independent accredited firm to step in and help solve the problem. One boat is sporting a borrowed fuel pump and the other has issues caused by Burscough failing to install it properly.. When the heating failed on one boat, the first fault diagnosed was the fitting of the wrong size pipe connecting the Webasto heating system. To compensate, Burscough merely fitted an extra jubilee clip. This clearly wasn't good enough or to the manufacturer's specification, and the water from the heating system leaked out. This was fixed by the local dealer but water is still disappearing. He found a second leak at the back of the kitchen cupboards requiring the units and possibly the granite to be removed in order to reach it. Burscough have not fitted an inspection hatch on either boat. A report prepared by the local dealer revealed that the system had been badly damaged as a consequence of Burscough's faulty installation. Burscough have been contacted by email and phone on numerous occasions requesting them to dis-assemble the units to allow the second leak to be fixed and to make good the system (either by replacement or having a main dealer repair it to manufacturer's satisfaction). It should be Burscough dealing with this, but they aren't. Worse, they aren't enabling the matter to be addressed. This issue has been going on since before Christmas. I appealed to them yesterday sending them photographs of our boat in the snow.....no reply. The weather has worsened; the marina has frozen solid with half an inch of ice. You might suggest that we bring in outside contractors and then claim the cost back from Burscough. But it took them two months to settle a £180 bill we initially paid for a gauge they had incorrectly fitted. The heater problems will be considerably more, and a glance at Burscough's accounts and financial history suggest that recourse to law might not result in repayment regardless of judgment. The thing is, we are not alone. We have been in discussion with three Burscough customers who acquired their boats immediately before or after us, and they have been enduring similar traumas. We would be interested to hear from other owners. All new boats have teething problems, but what we have endured are a consequence of Burscough's workmanship (!) and a failure to honour their commitments. JillD