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New build Widebeam


Joe London

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Hi, I am looking to commission a new build 70x12 widebeam. I am aware of the cruising restrictions due to its size. I live in London and intend on cruising the Thames, Grand Union and the K&A. 

 

I would like a very highly specked boat with all the bells and whistles. I want a fresh interior, not unlike a modern 5 star hotel suite. 

My specification (Air Con, Generator +++) will cost me well north of £200k. 

 

I am looking for a boat builder and would like some assistance from the boating community on this forum. I want a builder who has a good track record, a high quality builder, a firm that will stick to the build specifications, a firm that have the ability and willingness to be creative and have the capability to build my dream boat to a high standard yacht finish. 

 

Can anyone recommend a boat builder? 

 

 

 

 

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5 minutes ago, Joe London said:

Hi, I am looking to commission a new build 70x12 widebeam. I am aware of the cruising restrictions due to its size. I live in London and intend on cruising the Thames, Grand Union and the K&A. 

 

I would like a very highly specked boat with all the bells and whistles. I want a fresh interior, not unlike a modern 5 star hotel suite. 

My specification (Air Con, Generator +++) will cost me well north of £200k. 

 

I am looking for a boat builder and would like some assistance from the boating community on this forum. I want a builder who has a good track record, a high quality builder, a firm that will stick to the build specifications, a firm that have the ability and willingness to be creative and have the capability to build my dream boat to a high standard yacht finish. 

 

Can anyone recommend a boat builder? 

 

 

 

 

Johnathan Wilson,  he has that boat in his yard even as we speak it won best wide boat at Crick 

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To expand on my comment in Post 2, a boat this size will be fine on The Thames but will not be made welcome by all boaters on the K&A or the GU. It's too big.

 

You may well encounter significant resentment from other boaters at the space you take up and the slowness with which you will navigate. 

 

<Awaits incoming>

 

 

P.S. your budget strikes me as too small for what you describe. Yes £200k will get you a middle-of-the-range boat built but not a dream boat to a high standard yacht finish

 

 

Edited by Mike the Boilerman
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4 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

FFS

Are they still in business?

 

 

Colecraft , Jonathan Wilson,  Elton Moss, are all well established boat builders who now seem to produce more widebeams than narrowboats. 

 

There are others, some fairly new, who throw out boats which are basically floating flats, with no pleasing lines or quality. You are also at risk of some of these going under as the widebeam market seems to be hitting a plateau, or even the buffers. 

Get yourself to Crick boat show in May, most of the builders show boats off there.

 

 

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6 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

To expand on my comment in Post 2, a boat this size will be fine on The Thames but will not be made welcome by all boaters on the K&A or the GU. It's too big.

 

You may well encounter significant resentment from other boaters at the space you take up and the slowness with which you will navigate. 

 

<Awaits incoming>

 

 

P.S. your budget strikes me as too small for what you describe. Yes £200k will get you a middle-of-the-range boat built but not a dream boat to a high standard yacht finish

 

 

You are right Mike you have been on my boat which is great for where l am but not on the K&A

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Thanks for the non sarcastic comments. 

Why will my cruising speed be any less then someone in his 60x7 narrow boat? 

I will have 150 plus HP and should be able to move at the legal speed limit.

 

I have no intention of constantly cruising. I want the space for when I am moored up. I will cruise far far less then your average narrowboat owner. 

 

Mike: I did say I was looking to pay well north of 200k. I don’t see why a decent yacht quality interior should cost more then 25k vs the floating flats mentioned. Floating flats are 150k (Abode Widebeam). Adding another £50-£75,000 for my other upgrades. Engine, thrusters, gennie, air con, joystick etc. 

 

I have had a wonder down some of the canals and have seen a fair few Widebeams on the move. With a competent skipper at the helm I fail to see the issues. 

 

By all means please explain to me why I mistaken. 

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If you move a 70x12 widebeam with 150hp at the legal 4mph limit on almost any UK canal you'll be leaving a wake big enough to surf on, which is certainly against the CART byelaws and is likely to collect abuse from many boaters both narrow and wide...

Edited by IanD
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1 hour ago, Joe London said:

 

Why will my cruising speed be any less then someone in his 60x7 narrow boat? 

 

When the boat moves forward an equal volume of water has to move in the opposite direction from in front of the boat to behind it. The wider the boat, the more water has to be moved, and in a narrow channel, a significantly lesser cross sectional area of channel is available to carry that water. So the result is that the resistance to movement is higher, and the resulting waves are geater, both of which will result in a lower cruising speed. The same issue will not arise on the wider channel of the Thames.

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2 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

P.S. your budget strikes me as too small for what you describe. Yes £200k will get you a middle-of-the-range boat built but not a dream boat to a high standard yacht finish

 

The other thing is that even if you did get your high spec finish within that budget, which may be possible, I think you might find that muddy towpaths and the general rough nature of the canals wouldn't coexist well with the deluxe boat. Stick to the Thames and forget the canals and you'll be fine with the yacht finish and the size.

 

PS. I'd be interested in seeing some build pictures when you find a builder.

Edited by blackrose
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if you want to cruise up the river stort bridge hight is a problem we went upstream and used the wash to duck under the bridge tight by the lock pulling the water from the lock but going downstream had to cut off the wind generator suport bracket. The comfort of a bedroom 12 ft square no scrambling over your partener  the k&a was made for 14ft barges as is the Lee and Stort 

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10 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I now think you are here just to troll.

 

 

I wasn't completely sure, but as soon as the 150HP got a mention, I now agree.

If the OP really is intending to bring a 150HP 70 foot by 12 foot monster onto the GU or K&A, Gawd help us.

Please specify wheel steering, so you have absolutely no control of it as well - might as well go the full works!

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31 minutes ago, Wide boat man said:

the k&a was made for 14ft barges

 

Possibly true, but it has not been maintained for 14ft barges since re-opening 30 years ago.

 

Yes a 70ft x 12ft widebeam will fit through the locks just about, but you'd need to be pretty thick-skinned and selfish to take a boat that size cruising. The experience will be pretty stressful as progress will be so slow, you'll have a queue of faster narrow boats stacking up behind and constantly be having to squeeze past other widebeams moored in awkward locations.

 

:icecream:

 

 

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Also make sure the sides are a square as possible...with all that power you will easily get through bridgeholes...doesn’t matter that a few bricks get knocked out...the CRT pixies love doing repairs to infrastructure. 
 

Also moorings for that size of boat are plentiful in the south east...

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12 hours ago, peterboat said:

Johnathan Wilson,  he has that boat in his yard even as we speak it won best wide boat at Crick 

 

Having failed to sell it, presumably??!

 

 

That abomination with the diesel generator-powered electric drive, air con and all the CO2-belching stuff on board?

 

 

 

 

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6 minutes ago, Mike Adams said:

Why does anyone want a 70x12 boat for cruising? It will be a PITA almost anywhere you go on the english system.

Methinks he doesn't want the boat and specification for cruising - more as an inenexpensive home.

Best to keep it in a marina with a mains hookup with an occasional venture out. There are suitable marinas around, but space will be tight.

There are moves afoot to control unauthorised long term mooring on the Thames.

However, the cost of a marina berth - out of central London - is not hugely expensive when compared with London living...

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21 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Having failed to sell it, presumably??!

 

 

That abomination with the diesel generator-powered electric drive, air con and all the CO2-belching stuff on board?

 

 

 

 

It's a customer's boat cost half a million pounds and is going to the Thames 

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1 minute ago, peterboat said:

It's a customer's boat cost half a million pounds and is going to the Thames 

 

Yes I was thinking the OP has a pretty poor grasp of what high spec widebeams cost to build. 

 

 

3 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Its an obvious wind up chaps innitt.

 

Yes I think we all know this, but it's fun and it educates any real visitors with similar dopey ideas! 

 

 

 

 

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9 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

 

Corrected that for you there!

 

 

 

There are some 'long stay boaters' in  Thames marinas - the occasional venture out is to avoid residential status and for me - not to encourage them to actually go out....

4 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Its an obvious wind up chaps innitt.

Mebe not, as London prices rise "ad astra" folks are looking for alternatives. If 'you' work in London in a well paid job, property is still beyond reasonable reach and - being charitable (today) - I can understand what the OP is attempting. The challenge is he's a bit late in that area!

 

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