Fenmatch narrowboats

[Mark R]

Hi all,

 

Can anyone provide any insight into Fenmatch boats. I've taken a look online and within this forum and I suspect they were makers of narrowboats for hire? I'm potentially looking at one that is dated from 1989. Is there anything I should be aware of?

 

Yours,

 

Mark

[Tonka]

27 minutes ago, Mark R said:

Hi all,

 

Can anyone provide any insight into Fenmatch boats. I've taken a look online and within this forum and I suspect they were makers of narrowboats for hire? I'm potentially looking at one that is dated from 1989. Is there anything I should be aware of?

 

Yours,

 

Mark

Where were they based. Got a feeling a friend of ours had one built by them around that time. It had a Russel Newberry engine fitted and windows which opened outwards. Had to be careful in locks

[Mark R]

1 hour ago, Tonka said:

Where were they based. Got a feeling a friend of ours had one built by them around that time. It had a Russel Newberry engine fitted and windows which opened outwards. Had to be careful in locks

 

Hi Tonka,

 

I'm afraid I don't know where they were based. I couldn't even confirm about the windows as it's literally a shell at the moment.

 

Mark

[David Mack]

There's 50 matches to Fenmatch on the canalplan boat listing, but nothing on Companies House, so I suspect they ceased trading years ago.

For a 1989 boat, how it has been maintained and its current condition are far more important than its original build.

[magpie patrick]

I have a vague memory that Fenmatch were based on the Warwickshire Avon, possibly Evesham. I think they did some wide beam river cruisers as well as narrow boats. One of the river cruisers was reviewed in "Canal and River Boat" - early 80s? 

 

Not a name I've heard for quite a while though. 

[alan_fincher]

4 hours ago, magpie patrick said:

I have a vague memory that Fenmatch were based on the Warwickshire Avon, possibly Evesham. I think they did some wide beam river cruisers as well as narrow boats.

 

Well done that man!

 

From The Inland Boat Owners Book

 

Quote

Fenmatch: Evesham-based production narrowboat builder from later seventies until early nineties - many for hire use.

 

[John Brightley]

4 hours ago, magpie patrick said:

I have a vague memory that Fenmatch were based on the Warwickshire Avon, possibly Evesham. I think they did some wide beam river cruisers as well as narrow boats. 

Correct Patrick, they were at Evesham and did build a few wide beams as well as narrow boats. Most of the boats they built went into hirefleets but I think they did make a small number for private owners. They seemed to build quite a lot of boats in a relatively short time.

[David Mack]

Quite a few of the Fenmatch boats on the canalplan boat listing have names with an Arthurian connection (Camelot, Guinevere, Galahad). Was there a hire company that named their boats like that?

[Mark R]

Thanks for your comments guys, gives me a little history regarding the builder. I'm assuming no one has any experience of build quality?

[John Brightley]

2 hours ago, Mark R said:

Thanks for your comments guys, gives me a little history regarding the builder. I'm assuming no one has any experience of build quality?

Fenmatch boats were mid-market at best. As David Mack said above, because of the boat's age and the fact that it's just a shell now, the original build quality is much less important than the quality of the recent overplating/ replating. 

[Mark R]

Having spoken to the vendor it’s just had a new base plate (6mm), it was surveyed within the last year and a 6mm base overplated. There was extensive work done in the stern too as can be seen.
 

Here’s a link to the advert. https://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/fenmatch-58-cruiser-stern-for-sale/731667

 

Mark

[alan_fincher]

2 hours ago, Mark R said:

Having spoken to the vendor it’s just had a new base plate (6mm), it was surveyed within the last year and a 6mm base overplated. There was extensive work done in the stern too as can be seen.
 

Here’s a link to the advert. https://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/fenmatch-58-cruiser-stern-for-sale/731667

 

Mark

 

Perhaps I'm just no longer in touch with such things, but to me £23K for an over-plated 34 year old shell sounds insane.

[Tracy D'arth]

1 hour ago, alan_fincher said:

 

Perhaps I'm just no longer in touch with such things, but to me £23K for an over-plated 34 year old shell sounds insane.

Its not cheap but for a well reconstructed shell with a tidy good 1.5D BMC motor, already stripped out, its not massively over what boats are going for.

I am surprised that so much has already been spent on it to date though.

[Mark R]

1 hour ago, alan_fincher said:

 

Perhaps I'm just no longer in touch with such things, but to me £23K for an over-plated 34 year old shell sounds insane.

 

Hi Alan, thanks for your comment, I'd be interested to see if that was the general consensus, it's obviously more than just the shell itself but see where you are coming from.

 

1 minute ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Its not cheap but for a well reconstructed shell with a tidy good 1.5D BMC motor, already stripped out, its not massively over what boats are going for.

I am surprised that so much has already been spent on it to date though.

Hi Tracy. Thanks for your input, were you able to get an idea of the quality of workmanship from the photos?

[Tracy D'arth]

3 minutes ago, Mark R said:

 

Hi Alan, thanks for your comment, I'd be interested to see if that was the general consensus, it's obviously more than just the shell itself but see where you are coming from.

 

Hi Tracy. Thanks for your input, were you able to get an idea of the quality of workmanship from the photos?

Not sufficient to give you any confidence but for the work to be carried out at all there must be some pride in the job which is always encouraging.

[Alan de Enfield]

4 hours ago, Mark R said:

Having spoken to the vendor it’s just had a new base plate (6mm), it was surveyed within the last year and a 6mm base overplated. There was extensive work done in the stern too as can be seen.
 

Here’s a link to the advert. https://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/fenmatch-58-cruiser-stern-for-sale/731667

 

Mark

 

 

Are you saying it had a NEW 6mm base plate fitted and was then overplated with 6mm steel ?

Or :

 

It had a new base plate fitted ?, or

The old base plate fitted with a 6mm overplate ?

 

There is a huge, huge, difference between having a new baseplate and overplating the old base plate.

[Mark R]

8 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

Are you saying it had a NEW 6mm base plate fitted and was then overplated with 6mm steel ?

Or :

 

It had a new base plate fitted ?, or

The old base plate fitted with a 6mm overplate ?

 

There is a huge, huge, difference between having a new baseplate and overplating the old base plate.

 

Sorry I probably wasn't clear there. I believe he had the old base plate overplated by 6mm steel.

[Tracy D'arth]

1 minute ago, Mark R said:

 

Sorry I probably wasn't clear there. I believe he had the old base plate overplated by 6mm steel.

Of course, to remove a baseplate totally would be a near impossible job. Any thicker steel than a 6mm over-plate may run into freeboard problems.

[Tim Lewis]

8 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Of course, to remove a baseplate totally would be a near impossible job. Any thicker steel than a 6mm over-plate may run into freeboard problems.

Old baseplate removed for new one to be installed 😀

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Tim Lewis

[Tracy D'arth]

4 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

Old baseplate removed for new one to be installed 😀

 

There is a big difference in working on a hull with knees and a more modern tin box which relies on the baseplate for dimensional stability.

As you well know!  Brave though to cut out the whole lot, keelson as well, in one go.  And no temporary bracing either.

[Alan de Enfield]

24 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

Old baseplate removed for new one to be installed

 

The proper way to do it - not an 'overplate bodge'.

[Tracy D'arth]

6 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

The proper way to do it - not an 'overplate bodge'.

Your opinion Alan, but not what most can afford to do or find yards willing to do it.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

1 hour ago, Tim Lewis said:

Old baseplate removed for new one to be installed 😀

 

Great photo. 
Have you any showing the process of taking off the old plate?

Would love to see some.  

Edited May 22, 2023 by Goliath

[Alan de Enfield]

41 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Your opinion Alan, but not what most can afford to do or find yards willing to do it.

 

Not just my opinion, but as you say, if you can only afford an elastoplast then that's all you get.

[Peanut]

For this project boat, “sailaway.”  Due to the extensive structural work undertaken, shouldn't this boat have a Post Construction Assessment, before being sold? And again when completed? Dons tin hat.