Dutch Bargee Man

Andy, I make no bones about the fact that I am white with anger at the quality of engineering and level of care we experienced with Pickwell and Arnold (it took 47 months and many thousands of pounds to make Hawthorn safe). I am also in regular correspondence with two other owners of their boats - one of whom is at least as angry as I am, while the other is far from happy but having to watch his blood pressure for health reasons. I have also spoken to other P and A owners who, while not as angry as the above, are not as happy as they expected to be. It is a real shame because there is no denying that they build a good looking and strong shell but, as far as I am concerned, the good news stops there. Given that you have one of their boats and appear to be happy with it this might not be what you want to hear and you may not wish to continue this thread ( it seems likely that what I have been through will be in the public sphere in the near future anyway) - I am more than happy to discuss this with you through private emails if you prefer. Regard Giles.

Hi Giles Sorry to hear about your problems regrarding your exhaust system, i too just recently have the same problems, ironically they sound identical . My problem was the boat builder did put the pipe in at 2.5" and it seemed i had three different diametre of pipe cobbled together to try and make a full one????. Perhap!s they where just lying around the workshop on that day, What happend to my engine after this shoody effort was put together was it blew the injectors due to a volume of back pressure in my Gardner so that they ceased to atomise correctly so i had lot!s of unburnt fuel, which in turn led to high volumes of carbon soot build up!s "Mucky Stuff indeed" . I was the only boater in the pub looking like a panda with orange lips until i realised what was giong on and got Walsh!s out . people kept thinking i had simply come in fancy dress. I know have replaced my total exhaust system with the correct "4 the recommended size and belive if or not it work!s like a new one,"Giles my engine sound totally different now like the sound of an irish throabred rather than flactulance from sombody! behind. "Phew who would trust boat builders???????.