Boat Builders

[n.b.Goldie]

Thanks to all in advance,

 

I have a 36ft trad but now need a bigger boat. Having formed an 'emotional attachment' to my little boat i do not want to sell her or have her stretched and have decided to have a 36ft butty built to use as my utility room, workshop, coal/wood store and spare occasional accomodation.

 

Never having had a boat built before I have no idea which builders would be good to approach or what a reasonable/realistic price should be for a 36ft butty shell.

 

All advice will be gratefully received - even if you think its' not a good idea!

[alan_fincher]

I'd have thought most builders offering anything a bit more than standard off the peg boats could probably handle.

 

There's nothing complex about a butty shape - the back end's are often remarkably like a boat's fore end, (hence so many real butties sterns used to form the bows of new motors).

 

Only the rudder element is very different....

 

(Before the purists shout me down, I know there are subtle curves, etc, but most modern butties, such as hotel boats, don't really have these sophistications - to my eye, at least!).

 

However.....

 

1) If it has anything approaching traditional swims at each end, at 36 foot, there will not be much between the swims. Stability may be an issue, but presumably no more than with your current boat.

2) 36 foot "motor" + 36 foot "butty" sounds like 72 foot when on cross straps, but longer by virtue of fendering on each. That sounds horribly close too, (or over) the limits of many nominally 70 feet locks, so cruising the two together on narrow canals may be "interesting". (Of course if you don't intend to take it with you when you do such a trip, this would be less of an issue).

3) Can your current boat's engine cope with the doubled up weight of a tow, (if that's your intention ?).

4) Even with a discount for an unpowered boat, licence-wise this could be a very expensive way of owning 72 feet.

5) Far more lost space than if you owned a single 70 footer.

6) Two BSCs to worry about,

7) Two insurances

8) Probably far more expensive to dock and black 3 * 36 foot than 1 * 70 foot.

9) Etc, etc....

[Neil TNC]

Thanks to all in advance,

 

I have a 36ft trad but now need a bigger boat. Having formed an 'emotional attachment' to my little boat i do not want to sell her or have her stretched and have decided to have a 36ft butty built to use as my utility room, workshop, coal/wood store and spare occasional accomodation.

 

Never having had a boat built before I have no idea which builders would be good to approach or what a reasonable/realistic price should be for a 36ft butty shell.

 

All advice will be gratefully received - even if you think its' not a good idea!

 

An internet boater mate had a very similar set up (Thorn and Persephone). He had great fun with his pair. I know that R&D built a similar pair a long while back.

Go for it and be different!...we can't all go around in 60ft "clone" narrowboats.

I am sure thet X R&D would jump at the chance of carrying on the tradition of building anything the owner wanted (they did make a tug with a drop down side, where you could drive a ford Fiesta into a "garage"...then there was the twin screw narrowboat for the bloke that was worried about breaking down on the Tidal Trent...)

Just google for XR&D.

 

Thorn and Persephone

Edited February 15, 2009 by Neil Arlidge

[mrsmelly]

Thanks to all in advance,

 

I have a 36ft trad but now need a bigger boat. Having formed an 'emotional attachment' to my little boat i do not want to sell her or have her stretched and have decided to have a 36ft butty built to use as my utility room, workshop, coal/wood store and spare occasional accomodation.

 

Never having had a boat built before I have no idea which builders would be good to approach or what a reasonable/realistic price should be for a 36ft butty shell.

 

All advice will be gratefully received - even if you think its' not a good idea!

 

Hi

 

Give pinders a ring I have dealt with them a couple of times if they cant build it no one can they will build u a submarine or a seagoing yact or whatever u want. Also 36 feet plus 36 feet wont wash on some of our canals you will end up in the preverbial sh one t I wpould likely stick with about 32 feet, but sounds all like an expensive option to me.

 

Regards

 

Tim

[bottle]

I was going to make a reply but Alan beat me, see post #2

[n.b.Goldie]

An internet boater mate had a very similar set up (Thorn and Persephone). He had great fun with his pair. I know that R&D built a similar pair a long while back.

Go for it and be different!...we can't all go around in 60ft "clone" narrowboats.

I am sure thet X R&D would jump at the chance of carrying on the tradition of building anything the owner wanted (they did make a tug with a drop down side, where you could drive a ford Fiesta into a "garage"...then there was the twin screw narrowboat for the bloke that was worried about breaking down on the Tidal Trent...)

Just google for XR&D.

 

Thorn and Persephone

Thanks for the photo of Thorn & Persephone, I saw them out and about some while ago, it was them that put the thought into my head.

 

Do you know who owns them now, would your internet boater friend 'empty his head' in my direction?

 

Alan_Fincher makes some very valid points, clearly I have much research to do!

[Ex- Member]

(they did make a tug with a drop down side, where you could drive a ford Fiesta into a "garage"...

 

I saw the photos of that build on their office wall, great stuff

[robkg]

Thanks to all in advance,

 

I have a 36ft trad but now need a bigger boat. Having formed an 'emotional attachment' to my little boat i do not want to sell her or have her stretched and have decided to have a 36ft butty built to use as my utility room, workshop, coal/wood store and spare occasional accomodation.

 

Never having had a boat built before I have no idea which builders would be good to approach or what a reasonable/realistic price should be for a 36ft butty shell.

 

All advice will be gratefully received - even if you think its' not a good idea!

I am biased having bought two shells from him, but I can recommend Roger Fuller. I know that he has built at least one butty before along with many other variations in design.

He is based in Stone, Staffs.

[bottle]

Here is a totally off the wall thought. I expect it has been done.

 

Build the second shell to fit at the front of the existing, the stern of the front shell would have suitable 'V' shape to take the bow of the original.

 

Edit: tick fingerz.

Edited February 15, 2009 by bottle

[Guest]

Here is a totally off the wall thought. I expect it has been done.

 

Build the second shell to fit at the front of the existing, the stern of the front shell would have suitable 'V' shape to take the bow of the original.

 

Edit: tick fingerz.

Very clever idea that. No problem steering I imagine.

[andywatson]

Thanks to all in advance,

 

I have a 36ft trad but now need a bigger boat. Having formed an 'emotional attachment' to my little boat i do not want to sell her or have her stretched and have decided to have a 36ft butty built to use as my utility room, workshop, coal/wood store and spare occasional accomodation.

 

Never having had a boat built before I have no idea which builders would be good to approach or what a reasonable/realistic price should be for a 36ft butty shell.

 

All advice will be gratefully received - even if you think its' not a good idea!

 

Grimsby, a historic FMC butty is for sale at £24k on the Warwickshire Flyboat Co website....

[Liam]

And a full length unconverted Star class butty is for sale at Harral Brokerage in Northwich for around £17K.

[alan_fincher]

Grimsby, a historic FMC butty is for sale at £24k on the Warwickshire Flyboat Co website....

 

 

And a full length unconverted Star class butty is for sale at Harral Brokerage in Northwich for around £17K.

 

Call me a spoilsport, but if the OP's current motor is only 36 foot, it may not have a power plant suitable to haul over 70 feet of working boat around the system.

 

But I think I have spotted a cunning plan to saving money on putting Sculptor back into good order! If that butty Liam has identified is completely sound, it might be cheaper to graft most of it on to Sculptor as a new front end, rather than repairing it's current hull. (Particularly if they'll take an offer well under the £17K).

 

Before anyone tears me to shreds, I'm not serious - honestly!

[Liam]

If that butty Liam has identified is completely sound, it might be cheaper to graft most of it on to Sculptor as a new front end, rather than repairing it's current hull. (Particularly if they'll take an offer well under the £17K).

 

Sacrebleu! You can't go chopping old boats around!

[RiverRat]

We can't speak too highly of Ray Collis at Trent River Boat Handling.

 

www.trentboathandling.co.uk/index.php

 

Stewart MacLennan

[bargeeboy]

I Can

 

I do have a josher butty stern end that I could mate a new fore end to!

[Ally]

I'd second XR&D.....good builders and passionate with it!

[Rogerh]

I'd second XR&D.....good builders and passionate with it!

 

I'll definitely third that, seeing as they did a great shell for 'Windsong'