Age of a Colecraft Hull

[John Barnet]

Does anyone know how to tell the age of a Colecraft hull? I'm interested in a boat, the owner is not sure how old the boat is but thinks about 18 years, all a bit vague. He has owned it for the last four years. He changed the name though.

[Malarky]

They are robust boats; over engineered if anything, so the design hasn't changed much, and also they are happy to alter things for diffrent customer quirks, so the style changes very slightly and somewhat randomly. I would suggest getting pictures of the gas locker hatch, doors, handrails and tiller attachments, and see if Colecraft can come up with an answer. I think you'll find that boats built before then had a fairly thin coat of grey primer, almost negligable, but there is nothing to say the fitter did not paint it themselves with the same after delivery

The other option is to use the engine as a guide if apropriate.

[John Barnet]

Does anyone know how to tell the age of a Colecraft hull? I'm interested in a boat, the owner is not sure how old the boat is but thinks about 18 years, all a bit vague. He has owned it for the last four years. He changed the name though.

 

Thanks for the pointers Malarky, I will give them a try.

[bridgit]

If their is a registration no. you will be able to find out when it was registed. That might help.

[alan_fincher]

If their is a registration no. you will be able to find out when it was registed. That might help.

Yes,

 

But if it's a BW registration plate, it only implies date of latest registration on BW waters. If it has spent time registered on non BW waters, then the date suggested by it's current BW registration can be much newer than it's build date. (My brother's old working boat, built in the 1930s, now has a BW registration implying first registered about 1995).

 

On the other hand, if a BW registration plates suggest registration 18 years ago, you can be confident it is at leat 18 years old, (but may be older).

 

Might not the steel thicknesses used help age the boat ? I'm sure like every other long standing builder Colecraft will have started using thicker steels, in line with latest trends, at different points over time.

[John Barnet]

Yes,

 

But if it's a BW registration plate, it only implies date of latest registration on BW waters. If it has spent time registered on non BW waters, then the date suggested by it's current BW registration can be much newer than it's build date. (My brother's old working boat, built in the 1930s, now has a BW registration implying first registered about 1995).

 

On the other hand, if a BW registration plates suggest registration 18 years ago, you can be confident it is at leat 18 years old, (but may be older).

 

Might not the steel thicknesses used help age the boat ? I'm sure like every other long standing builder Colecraft will have started using thicker steels, in line with latest trends, at different points over time.

 

Thanks Alan

 

On the point of the registration, do you know if the number remains constant if the name of the boat changes?

[denboy]

Thanks Alan

 

On the point of the registration, do you know if the number remains constant if the name of the boat changes?

reg no stays the same regardless of what you call it

[alan_fincher]

reg no stays the same regardless of what you call it

Absolutely.

 

 

I would have said BW only truly "know" the boat by it's registered number, not it's name.

 

But why then, when we passed through locks on the Severn, or at Foxton or Watford, were lock keepers recording the boat's name, not it's registered number ?

[bottle]

John

 

Have a look here, http://www.jim-shead.com/waterways/boats.php, you can search by name and/or registration.

 

Not foolproof but may give some idea.

[Big COL]

Does anyone know how to tell the age of a Colecraft hull? I'm interested in a boat, the owner is not sure how old the boat is but thinks about 18 years, all a bit vague. He has owned it for the last four years. He changed the name though.

 

Hi John

 

ColeCraft almost certainly will, probably from memory. They stretched my first boat which was 10yrs old from 47' to 60' Sam remembered it, even recalled the sign written picture of an otter on its back. As Malarky said "they are very robust boats" after ours had been stretched it berthed next to a brand new Colecraft, it was a mirror image, so design wise nothing had changed in the 10 yrs between their builds. Give ColeCraft a ring ask for Sam or Dom Cole. Please lets us know how you get on.

 

All the best

Big Col

[Dominic M]

Big Col's advice is spot on. Sam and Dom Cole are very helpful, and Sam seems to have an encyclopaedic memory of all Colecrafts they built. However, many of their shells were sold as as bare shells or part fitted to "sailaway" spec so whether they would remember that I would doubt. Do you know who fitted the interior?

 

If there is no HIN No (stamped on the swim under the weedhatch deck lid) then it probably predates June 1998.

 

In my experience Colecraft shells are durable - I have handled the sale of several from the late 1980s/early1990s and they come through a survey with glowing reports as regards the state of the hull. Not that that should dissuade you from having this one surveyed. You never know and it would be worth it for peace of mind.

 

If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

 

Dominic

Edited August 17, 2008 by Dominic M

[John Barnet]

Hello All

 

Thanks for all the above advice, I'm going back mid week to view the boat armed with camera and note book this time.

 

Will post the outcome.

 

John

[Dominic M]

Hello All

 

Thanks for all the above advice, I'm going back mid week to view the boat armed with camera and note book this time.

 

Will post the outcome.

 

John

Stick a few interior shots on this forum when you've done and we can play, "Guess the fit out"