Sailaway recommendations (Basic shell) Midlands area

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

 

but many marinas will not allow major work on a boat moored alongside others who will inevitably be disturbed by power tools, dust, hammering, blokes carrying 20 sheets of 8x4 along the shared pontoon, not to mention the string of expletives regularly created by self-builders when they get it ever-so-slightly wrong.  

 

Correct.

 

It was expressly forbidden in the T&C's of both marinas we moored in.

 

Boats from the marina could regularly be seen on the towpath just outside having work done. Which creates the issue of getting power for power tools with folk having to resort to a genny.

[Murflynn]

3 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

It's all relative isn't it. Colecraft are good boats, but compared to some top end builders they're a budget builder. I used to help a neighbour with his lined Colecraft, putting in skin fittings, etc, and to be honest although I could see a few bits that had been done to a better standard than my Liverpool Boat sailaway, there wasn't all that much in it. The sprayfoaming was just as bad as mine but the steelwork was a bit fancier.

 

My Scouseboat sailaway had very few problems and the quality of welding and grinding smooth (without excessive use of fillers) was fine.  Nothing wrong with the lines of the boat except I would have liked a slight upturn at the stern - when the boat was trimmed to be slightly higher at the bow the stern looked a bit "weak".

 

LB were budget boats because they had a huge turnover and benefited from economies of scale.

 

.........................   Mind you, they did build my 57ft boat with a length of 61ft - luckily for them they had not cut out the windows when I visited the yard, so they had to start again and put "my" hull into stock awaiting a buyer.

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

just outside

 

If 'just outside' is just outside - a long shoreline ?

1 minute ago, Murflynn said:

LB were budget boats because they had a huge turnover and benefited from economies of scale.

 

 

But didn't they go bust, when alloy wheels became the norm and no one was using hub caps any longer ?

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, system 4-50 said:

Professional sprayfoam is done by contractors, and If I was doing it again, I would not let them leave the site until I has checked it over much more thoroughly than I did last time.  I used 13 large cans to fill the gaps and holidays they left. The cans of course are nowhere as good as the professional stuff.  They were contracted by me not Colecraft so it was my lack of oversight.

I don't see Colecraft as budget builders, they are not cheap!!  If you want them to build a high-end boat for you they can and they will, at a high-end price.  I have no experience of crap builders so I can't make comparisons, but I have had very few quibbles with what I got.  I asked for a cheap-end boat but the result did not feel cheap.

What do I like about my Colecraft?

1. I like the shape.  Solidly practical, no narrow snout.  Minimal banana-ing, as specified by me 'cos I think its ugly.

2. Solid build throughout.

3. Shaped well deck so that it drains to the scuppers.

4. Lots of strakes - because I don't worry about the boat's feelings as I clatter into and out of locks etc.

5. Good size gunnels - I haven't slipped off yet.  I asked for narrow ones and they strongly recommended against, which advice I accepted.

6. Large cruiser-deck drainage channels.  I normally have a dry bilge unless I do something stupid.

7. Tiller height set for me and its perfect.

8. Tiller arc such that it is impossible or very difficult to catch it on eg lock walls.

9. Well reinforced cabin side walls. No waving.

10. All welds nicely finished, no fine angles for rust to start in.

11. Fantastic 2 pack paint covering supplied as a base coat rather than a grey primer as some supply.  It has lasted very well where my top coats have worn off!

12. Epoxy not bitumin blacking.

13. Manouvreability: excellent.  Cruising is comfortable.

14. Good-size top bearing on the tiller.

 

Less good:

1. The steel bow locker hatch does not come anywhere near sealing.  This is clearly by design, but I would like it water-tight. (it is not a gas locker.)

2. Roof rail (standard cylindrical type) snapped due to uneven thermal expansion when the boat was half in the sun on a frosty morning.  It was easily repaired but it was obviously left in tension when built.

3. Deck board can rattle.  Haven't had time to find a cure for this occasional problem.

4. The throttle/control is in the traditional place, but I don't like it there! For some positions of the tiller I can't reach it.

 

And they were a pleasure to deal with as I started fitting out in their yard so I shall continue to sing their praises.

I was lucky, my hull builder told them he wouldn't give them any more work until they fixed mine. It was sprayed in his yard the day before it was delivered to me. I used a small square of plywood with a thin nail driven through it to act as a depth gauge to check it. Some of the boats I see look very thinly coated.

[Tracy D'arth]

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

I was lucky, my hull builder told them he wouldn't give them any more work until they fixed mine. It was sprayed in his yard the day before it was delivered to me. I used a small square of plywood with a thin nail driven through it to act as a depth gauge to check it. Some of the boats I see look very thinly coated.

I became very discouraged with 2 foam spraying firms. The coverage was patchy to say the least, often far too thin and with silly over thick parts which had to be cut back a lot.

I also found poor adhesion to the steel/paint in many places.

The fumes off spray foam as it outgasses are harmful and can take months or even years to disperse fully.

 

I went onto use Kingspan very carefully fitted and well sealed with aluminium tape and then an anti condensation polythene film to exclude the air over the lot. I don't know how the insulation values compare but my efforts must be better than badly applied foam.

[Up-Side-Down]

9 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I think you will need to revise your budget up to £30k to £40k.

 

Even the 'budget' economy builders like Colecraft are £30k + VAT + Delivery for an unlined, sailaway hull with engine.

A Hull (and nothing else) is around £17k + VAT + Delivery

 

On top of those prices you have things like £610 + VAT for lockers, £1k + VAT for a hatch, £260 + VAT (each) for windows, scroll down and look at the additional prices.

 

PRICE-LIST-CUSTOMERS-FEB-2021.pdf (collingwoodboatbuilders.co.uk)

 

I think Colecraft might be a bit insulted to be put in that category Alan and I'd heartily agree with them. And no, I don't own a Colecraft hull, just recognise quality when I see it. In fact I'm looking at one right now moored in front of me and, although 25 years old +, it's a great looking hull with smashing lines.

[Slim]

43 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

 

but many marinas will not allow major work on a boat moored alongside others who will inevitably be disturbed by power tools, dust, hammering, blokes carrying 20 sheets of 8x4 along the shared pontoon, not to mention the string of expletives regularly created by self-builders when they get it ever-so-slightly wrong.  

Well, in those days marina's were recreational not covert residential. Out of a notional 250 berths perhaps 7 or 8 were liveaboards and one of those was the on site boat fitter complete with shipping container workshop. To the best of my knowledge in the 15 years I was there there wasn't a single complaint about my activities. My greatest complaint of them was that they would  keep dropping by to talk and drink tea or beer. To say nothing of them dragging me off to the pub. As for expletives I'll admit to the occasional one. ?

[peterboat]

7 hours ago, Slim said:

When I bought the shell they had a workshop on, I think, a farm.  It was Dad (Arthur) his 20 year old son and his 15 year old. Sitting there with a chipped mug of tea I asked if I could see a set of plans to get an idea of construction. Arthur grinned, picked up some chalk and roughed out a diagram on the concrete floor. He was insistent that he built out of British steel to 10:6:5:4 . The 5 is the cabin sides. The style may not be as fancy as some but structurally it's substantial. He also gave myself and a couple of friends the run of his workshop one weekend so we could slap a coat of paint on to give protection prior to a proper paint job.

Different locations but Arthur rings a bell was he down near West Stockworth?

[Slim]

1 hour ago, peterboat said:

Different locations but Arthur rings a bell was he down near West Stockworth?

Yes I think so.  Don't know the geography of that area but he took me for a short trip on his NB. 

[mrsmelly]

8 hours ago, Slim said:

I think that apart from Peterboat you're the first to ever recognise the builder (Arthur) 

 A good friend had one of Arthurs shells, I went to the farm with him to pick it up. Not the most beautiful thing but built like a tank a very sound boat. It was in 1991 and we moored at Thorne t the time, bluewater ?

[peterboat]

1 minute ago, Slim said:

Yes I think so.  Don't know the geography of that area but he took me for a short trip on his NB. 

My mate Keith an ex working boatman knew him well me vaguely, his son was a very good boatbuilder