Phil_B

Ok, well you've answered what I wanted to know in this topic so we'll end it here. Thank you all for your responses, some were very helpful I have no further comment to make.

Care to enlighten me seeing by your statement you lay claim to superior knowledge.

In truth though is there that much down to the hull or is it more the weighting inside the boat - off centre water storage tanks/cylinders/heavy items etc that make the boat list and or shift weight awkwardly when moving? Large water tanks with a lot of water sloshing around or too light on thd bow, etc.

Thanks Richard, it's good to know and see the pics also. I quite like thE bow on their boats so may be worth a visit to get an idea of price.

If your not on a computer doing the design then it is not 'computer aided'. So yes it IS all about computers, you can't do it without one.

You know it is short form for 'Computer Aided Design' the hint is there that it is all about computers, lol.

Do you know how disrespectful it is to be told that your carefully detailed CAD drawings will disrespected and insult given in the form of a fag packet drawing. We have seen from one poster on here how his own measured drawings were disrespected and he ended up getting something not quite what he asked for. Like it or not time moves on and so does developments, some people can move with the times others can't. It doesn't necessarily have to do with age, some older folk can be more on top of developments than younger people. A lot of the time it is down to ignorance and not wanting to learn.

Do their boats handle well?

Sure but I'm guessing most boat builders know that if you get less in size then less is the price, i.e that it is driven more by customer perception of what they would be looking to pay by size than the actual economics behind it. I'm guessing the reason you state is why less boatbuilders are openly building the smaller narrowboats. That and a fair amount of customers go for the longer boats anyway.

Thanks Athy, I've looked at their website and they seem fine. So they may be worth a look when the time comes. They also seem to do some deep bow wells so may be ok. I've looked at Colecraft also and they seem to do a few deep bow wells judging from their website pics. I kind of like the look of Colecraft bows a little more than Reeves. On another thread someone said that Reeves would have no problem doing other bows and are open to what the customer likes. My only concern is that both Colecraft & Reeves might get a bit pricey even for a hull/sailaway. I dont mind a few quid more but dont want to pay lots of money either. Anyone bought a hull/sailaway of them of recent? Looking on the Collingwood website, they give the price of their widebeams. A 40ft is 20k for hull only so I'm guessing a narrowboat that is less width and a bit shorter would be less, perhaps 16-18k for hull only. So perhaps a sailaway about another 10k on top perhaps I'm thinking. http://www.collingwoodboatbuilders.co.uk/range/widebeam/

Any idea on the other boat builder that does it? I'm also thinking that I may be interested in a 'eco hull'. I'm not really an environmentalist but I think they look quite nice and if it saves on fuel so long as it would not cost loads more to build. Again though I would also want the low bow deck.

What about sitting/crouching on thE side of the boat and lowering yourself in? Any good?

Ah, I see what you mean Alan, surprising. Yes when you explain it like that I guess seats are surprisingly high, not far under a two foot step down/jump into a space with little room for run on from the momentum. Let's hope the boat builder won't take offense to me asking for a built in step

Thanks Ray, are the seats too high to use as a step?

Yeah, I knew the water tanks would have to go from there. It's a sacrifice I would prefer though. I think the only place left is under the bed. I will only use the central part to keep the boat well balanced. I will raise the bed level a little to allow a slightly larger tank and will be content to accept I won't be able to carry a log of water I think.

Thanks Alan, that's handy info to know. Thought it would run out somewhere but wasn't sure where. Guessing the stern tending to be lower then it would make sense to pipe it in that direction.

I think you're taking this all a little too seriously.

Thanks Richard, yeah I'm getting the distinct impression that even uttering the word 'customisation' would put them in a tailspin and the price skyrocketing. I'm thinking I'm better off just stating it's the standard I'm after with a few additions. The additions are nothing real radical, there pretty straight forward really, basic design on external seating style, low floor level at bow, etc. My only other thought is to get the boatyard to do the basic boat then get someone else to add the additions on after if it would be cheaper and easier that way do you think?

Your not telling me anything I don't already know. This info can be gleen of the internet in an afternoon. I know what I am doing. Sorry if we are not all the same but I don't really care. I'm quite happy to be different and others can remain with their nose out of joint

Yeah I was wondering if they might be talked into doing a smaller one. I'm now starting to think maybe get the boat done in Poland. I don't usually like to go that way but I'm thinking if they are a bit more open minded and the price is decent thenough it could be the way to go. I'm not willing to be dictated to what I will or won't have.

The same stupidity exists in the Architecture industry. Architects that see no reason to move on in computing software technology. Same result, they are overwelmed with work - not because they have too much but because they are moving too slowly. If the above boat builders moving with the times they would be able to complete more boats quicker. They would not be struggling to keep up. They would have increased profits. They would be able to get the steel plates machine cut from thd CAD files. I can see why many don't if they are in there 60s & 70s, they themselves know they only have so much time left so personally it's not going to be worth their bother and effort moving from something they have grown up with.

Thanks, but your post highlights my fears of the industry being antiquated and not keeping up with the times. I think the 60-70 year old boys are the ones I'm going to want to stear clear off. They are very unlikely to understand what I want at all I think and it would be a pain for both of us. I certainly will visit some boat builders in the near future. At the moment though from looking online I'm thinking sailaways.net may be the best place to look at first for me. They at least have a focus on using CAD as per their website which also seems to want to reach out to the client which gives me a good first impression I think.

It's how it works in ever other industry I have come across. Why should they have it all on their terms. The only other lot I can think of that work without the above are gypo's and I hope we all know what you get if you get them to tarmac your drive, lol.

It's just a question of scaling up from the scale drawing. So either 1-50 or perhaps easier for them 1-100. Measurements in old money could be used if it suited them. Essentially we are just talking about overall height and everything above the hull here. The hull they do to their design so long as it comes in at near enough 34ft. Can't be that difficult to build to 34ft give or take an inch can it? Seeing as they are such craftsmen.

Exactly Tony, glad to see there is someone who knows what I am going on about In your case you specified how you wanted the handrails for a reason, same would be for me if I commissioned a new build hull. If the end job resulted in me being dissatisfied I would have not paid, they would either do the job again right or go without payment. I'm sure any court would support me in such a situation. No I really do think I am going to have to be careful in who I chose. Boatyard's such as the one you went to for your work Tony would do my head in. I can't believe they did that after you went to all the effort and consideration of producing dimensioned set of drawings for them.