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Advice Please - Taurus nb


Olliebone

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:lol: Hi All

 

Although we have had a small nb (33') for 18 months we are still getting to grips with equipment/builders/et al and to all intents and purposes new to the game! We were extremely lucky when we bought our nb that she had been properly cared for-serviced etc - so although quite an old lady is sound and canalworthy! As we now realise we are committed to boating it is time to look for a slightly bigger boat and have begun to realise the importance of provenance! We know - whatever - surveys etc are essential - however, track record seems to be a real factor. We are going to look at a 45' Taurus built boat next week and although I have done a search of the forum to see if there are any comments on this builder -I can't find any (may of course be user error). I wondered therefore if any members had any information on this builder or anyone who had/has a Taurus built boat? I respect all the protocols around commenting on the work of others - but would be glad of any guidelines anyone can offer.

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With any boat more than a few years old, by far the most important factor is how well maintained it has been.

IMO (and in my experience) a well maintained 'ordinary' boat is a far better prospect than a badly maintained 'luxury' one.

 

:lol: The above quote is very true but it is also the truth that a well maintained boat by a very reputable builder will still command and fetch a premium over the as u put it Ordinary boat that has been equaly well maintained.

It is the same with virtualy all things.

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I was hoping somebody could identify this builder for you.

 

I must admit I've never heard of them, and they do not appear to have advertised widely in waterways magazinews.

 

However, Jim Shead's listing of boats reveal about a dozen boats built by Taurus Narrowboats, with lengths between 35 and 57 feet.

 

So it seems they are genuine enough, but did not build canal boats in large numbers.

 

Not a lot to go on, sorry.

 

Alan

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Thanks to Alan and everyone else for replies. Please keep them coming until next week! If nothing else I have solved the 999 hull power rating on Jim Shead's site (thanks Alan for your October reply to another member with the same query). Just posting the question has focussed our minds on things to look for/questions to ask outside the obvious - not just on the boat we are to view - but the many others we are likely to! :lol:

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  • 6 years later...

Hi

I'm new to narrowboats. I'm looking for my first live aboard. I'm interested in your post dated 2009 as I'm going to view a Taurus boat built in 2006. I was wondering if you bought the Taurus Narrowboat in the end. If you did what do you think of it.

I just had a lucky escape as I viewed a floating homes Narrowboat. The surveyor basically condemned the build quality hence I'm still looking for my first boat. It does not need to be Hudson or a Wilson as long as it is built properly and handles fairly well I'll be happy.

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Hi

I'm new to narrowboats. I'm looking for my first live aboard. I'm interested in your post dated 2009 as I'm going to view a Taurus boat built in 2006. I was wondering if you bought the Taurus Narrowboat in the end. If you did what do you think of it.

I just had a lucky escape as I viewed a floating homes Narrowboat. The surveyor basically condemned the build quality hence I'm still looking for my first boat. It does not need to be Hudson or a Wilson as long as it is built properly and handles fairly well I'll be happy.

 

Welcome.

Don't think you are going to get a response from Olliebone, I'm afraid, as he hasn't been on the forum since the last post above, more than 6 years ago!

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  • 3 months later...

Well the Taurus boat was surveyed. It was not a good outcome. The surveyor found the boat to be of a very poor build quality. The joins on the steel base plates were as much as 10mm wide and welded on the inside only. I pulled out of the sale and managed to get my deposit back. Hope this helps prospective buyers of Taurus narrowboats in the future.

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Well the Taurus boat was surveyed. It was not a good outcome. The surveyor found the boat to be of a very poor build quality. The joins on the steel base plates were as much as 10mm wide and welded on the inside only. I pulled out of the sale and managed to get my deposit back. Hope this helps prospective buyers of Taurus narrowboats in the future.

Apart from the welded join did the survey show other possible problems? How old is the boat? Ian.
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Well the Taurus boat was surveyed. It was not a good outcome. The surveyor found the boat to be of a very poor build quality. The joins on the steel base plates were as much as 10mm wide and welded on the inside only. I pulled out of the sale and managed to get my deposit back. Hope this helps prospective buyers of Taurus narrowboats in the future.

Some builders only weld the base plate from the inside/top, the plates are lined up with a small gap & the plate edges are ground at an angle of approx 45 degrees the plates are positioned leaving a 2mm gap & a series of weld runs are carried out until the weld is level with the top of the plate & the ground out"V" completely filled with weld A lot of builders/fabricators have no equipment capable of turning over a 35/ 70 ft x 6' 6" 10mm plate or possibly workshop space, so long as the first weld run fuses the sharp edge on the outside of the plate with the melting welding rod there is usually no problem.

Edited by X Alan W
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  • 3 years later...
On 10/02/2016 at 17:33, X Alan W said:

Some builders only weld the base plate from the inside/top, the plates are lined up with a small gap & the plate edges are ground at an angle of approx 45 degrees the plates are positioned leaving a 2mm gap & a series of weld runs are carried out until the weld is level with the top of the plate & the ground out"V" completely filled with weld A lot of builders/fabricators have no equipment capable of turning over a 35/ 70 ft x 6' 6" 10mm plate or possibly workshop space, so long as the first weld run fuses the sharp edge on the outside of the plate with the melting welding rod there is usually no problem.

Hi Alan, Are you essentially saying that there is a possibility the build of this "taurus boat" might actually be of decent quality? I think Taurus has changed their name to Victory Narrowboats. 

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On 18/10/2019 at 03:18, WalkerWalker92 said:

Hi Alan, Are you essentially saying that there is a possibility the build of this "taurus boat" might actually be of decent quality? I think Taurus has changed their name to Victory Narrowboats. 

Alan hasn’t posted for a few months so not sure if he will reply. He doesn’t make any direct statement about the quality of the Taurus hull. He was - correctly in my opinion - pointing out that the thickness of plates from which narrowboats are built can be properly welded from one side only. At face value the reported reasons why the surveyor cast aspersions on the quality of the hull are worthy of challenge. A correctly made single v butt weld in a typical baseplate would be close to the dimension quoted. I can only assume the surveyor was used to seeing double v butt welds in narrowboat baseplates.

 

JP

Edited by Captain Pegg
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