mick1964

Thumbing through Waterways world earlier and noticed one of his ads,great to see he is back and trading again. The cut will be a richer place now his fab skills have returned.

Ally Yes, I agree there is a risk to the builder which is why I mentioned the possibility of a third party holding account for bespoke orders. The customer would deposit the money with a third party (maybe a regulatory body or similar) which would protect the builder from a disappearing customer. If the builder had fulfilled their side of the contract by building the boat to specification then the builder would get their money. Most boats are not terribly bespoke though, as most builders seem to build to a set pattern, and so I would have thought there should not be too much problem in modifying the boat for the next customer. It is a concern I think that boat builders are building boats costing up to £100K, a considerable sum, and yet are still claiming to be a "cottage industry" and unable to bear the loss of even one bad customer. If I were a boat builder I would be furious at the damage these builders are causing to the whole industry and would be actively suggesting ways to reassure customers that their money is safe. An independent regulatory body would be one way (an effective body not one which is effectively a trade organisation). I would also not be very happy with suppliers who seem to have no qualms about continuing to supply these people (and they know who they are) with shells, parts etc. It is interesting to note Dominic's comment that Trading Standards do not seem very keen to deal with this issue and I wonder why that might be? Ellie

PLanning to go through to the Thames tomorrow from Newbury. Does anyone know the latest on Padworth Swing Bridge? I had heard that it was open again but have just read on KAcanalTimes that it is closed until further notice Anyone in situ with up to date info? Thanks OK ignore last message - its open. :-)

bath narrowboats,also charge £5 per cassette ! they were'nt taking my pi** ! drove it up to Dundas and still quids in

cause we're a bunch of w@nk@rs !

Hi everybody, Happy New Year. I have to replace my batteries, at the moment I have 4 x 110amph batteries. Does anybody know if it would be possible to increase the amphours eg 4x 125amph or 4x 135amph using 110amp and 50amp alternators (160 amp total)? Would my alternators be up to the task? Any advice appreciated. Thanks Mick

Yes I confess I did let my batteries go flat once or twice when I was in hospital suffering from a very serious illness (from which I have now made a stirling recovery). Hence the solar panels should I relapse. You are probably right, I should go cheap. Thanks for the advice Mayalld.

Thanks for your replies. Yes I do live aboard. I don't use much power - I never put the telly on!I use power for central heating pump and water pump, fridge in the summer (I turn it off in the winter) plus small amount for led lights and radio. I now have solar panels trickling charge back in. Batteries have gone flat in the past but the solar panels keep them pretty well topped up now. So maybe I should go for cheap ones? Mick

I have to replace my batteries soon. Can anybody recommend a particular brand? I have been looking at Elecsol 110AH as I understand they are good for 1000 cycles. Can anyone verify this? Its quite a large outlay so I want to make sure I get something decent.

I will PM you the number of the chap who took my boat down the Trent for me, I paid £200 to take it from Bluewater Marina to Newark on Trent. Mick

"thefts of/from boats are very rare" how do you know that? any stats ?

im on the k and a too, your more than welcome to come along and have a look, pm me if you'd like to.

Just another niggle

The boat was on their hardstanding for eight weeks and had already been put back into the water when we collected it. (Incidentally it was put back in facing east when we had said several times we were heading west. Why were we not surprised. ) The proposal to remedy the work was to lift it, black the waterline and put it back in the water all on the same day.

Maybe not individually, but cumulatively they amounted to a job done without care or pride. Coupled with the rudest attitude I have ever come across, it's no wonder I, (and I know I am not alone) feel aggrieved. Mick

I couldn't agree more Paul!! Mick

I was being charitable! The only other explanation is that bad work is done there as a matter of course. Mick For clarity these are the problems: Blacking- rust came through after 8 days Fenders left scattered all over the yard Fender hook broken Interior mats left covered in oil and had to be thrown out Wooden trim left off and not re-fixed Galvanic isolator sited in inaccessible place Mess from installations, woodshavings etc left on the worktops and on the floor. Not indicative of a company which takes pride in their work. I have worked in the building trade for 28 years and neither I or any of my workforce would walk into a customer's premises without laying dustsheets all the way through, and I would certainly always clean up afterwards. ps. with the exception of the blacking all the work was done by the owner! Mick

Been trying your phone constantly over the past two weeks. First it was engaged and now it is unobtainable. As for wanting something for nothing all we wanted was a reasonable job for the money and you did a poor one knowing you were going bust - and presumably from your post you are doing a pre-pack to shake off your creditors and re-opening? If you are really sorry maybe you could give me a refund when you open up again. Cheers for now Andy. Mick

We expected the blacking carried out by Reading Marine to last more than eight days before showing patches of rust coming through. Maybe that is unrealistic? Maybe previous work carried out by them has been high standard however their current reputation on the Kennet and Avon as we have now discovered is not very positive. I suspect they knew they were on the skids and stopped caring about the standard of their work.

we had exactly the same kind of long relaxed meeting, no pressure applied, small deposit (£500) with severn valley boats. all the build slots were booked up for 12 to 18 months also, sound familiar ???? we paid the deposit, a few weeks later he was on the phone asking me for the first stage payment of 28k, we hadn't even discussed what he was going to build for us !!!! it didn't take alot to work out what was going down at severn valley boats. rmc had a full order book this year and into next ? and at the boat show a couple of weeks ago,persumably to generate more work and they still go under? if i were in the mire the last thing i would have done is to appear desperate, it doesn't instil confidence.

Ally you have clearly never used reading Marine Company. Their workmanship and customer service is dreadful. We know we are not the only ones to have had trouble with them. Good riddance to another cowboy company. I have just paid them £1200 for shoddy work which I now have to pay someone else to have done again. I cannot comment on Crown, if they are a decent company then my commiserations. I only hope, as I posted on another thread that this is not another Severn Valley Boat Company scenario with people losing large stage payments. But to some extent the industry itself is to blame. The narrowboat industry is a mess. It is unregulated and full of unscrupulous traders. Companies go bust and then start trading again as Severn Valley have done. Presumably suppliers contiue to supply. The Marine Federation does nothing. I think it is about time the decent builders out there (I am sure there are some) got together and set up a new trade organisation of quality companies. C'mon boat builders - what thoughts have you got for sorting out this industry? In our experience you have had a lucky escape!! Research your chosen builder VERY throroughly. Good luck, it is a minefield having a new build commissioned as we have discovered. There are many people who have lost substantial sums of money to builders in what is nothing more than a ponzi scheme. You come in near the end of the life of the company then you lose your money. Mick

I think the information that RMC have gone may be true - been trying to get hold of them since Saturday and only getting the answerphone. If anyone has any info about this it would be appreciated. Hope it wasn't another Severn Valley situation where people lost their stage payments. I know they did go to the boat show a couple of weeks ago. As I have said before - this industry is a nightmare and needs a serious clean up. Mick

Yes, Reading Marine Company, Aldermaston Wharf. looks like we won't be getting our money back after all..... Not surprised if they have as they were not remotely interested. If you hear any more can you please post here or pm us? Thanks Mick and Ellie

Hi Andy Yes there was a problem with pitting (not heavy) caused by electrolysis, we both knew that when it was sat on your hardstanding for the best part of two months. That is why the boat should have been prepped properly as opposed to just blasting it with a hose. The fact is that the rust reappeared within a week as it was never dealt with in the first place. Your proposed solution to take it out the water, paint the waterline and put it back in on the same day is ludicrous. (The rust willl be back through on the same day!) Still waiting for you to return my phonecall of a week ago!!!!!

I couldn't possibly comment.