enquiry - hull blacking & anodes

[Charles Logan]

Good afternoon,

 

I have just bought a narrow boat, a 58 ft one.

 

It needs new anodes and its hull blacking so i rang around for several quotes from hanbury wharf, JL Pinders and so on and the best one I found was at Worcester Marina, viking afloat on the worc & bham canal.

 

However, it does sound too good to be true so i wondered if any of you knew about their reputation?

 

They have quoted me £470 for 4 2.5KG anodes and 2 coats of bitumen.

 

dry dock is free, anodes half price and free pressure washing...

 

The guy on the phone seemed genuine enough, but since this is my first boat and im sort of new to the community, i was just looking for some advice...I dont want to spend money and find out its no good, especially since the boat cost me an arm and a leg and I have just travelled down from wolverhampton so ive never been there before either.,,.

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Charles.

[Smudge]

Good afternoon,

 

I have just bought a narrow boat, a 58 ft one.

 

It needs new anodes and its hull blacking so i rang around for several quotes from hanbury wharf, JL Pinders and so on and the best one I found was at Worcester Marina, viking afloat on the worc & bham canal.

 

However, it does sound too good to be true so i wondered if any of you knew about their reputation?

 

They have quoted me £470 for 4 2.5KG anodes and 2 coats of bitumen.

 

dry dock is free, anodes half price and free pressure washing...

 

The guy on the phone seemed genuine enough, but since this is my first boat and im sort of new to the community, i was just looking for some advice...I dont want to spend money and find out its no good, especially since the boat cost me an arm and a leg and I have just travelled down from wolverhampton so ive never been there before either.,,.

 

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Charles.

 

 

Hi Charles werlcome to the forum not being an expert in these matters, but i am taking our boat out of the water this year it is costing us £200 but that is with me painting it after they have pressure washed it .(i preffer it that way)If i need new anodes they will fit them for me for £150 so considering your quote is for the painting aswell it works out about the same

Edited May 15, 2009 by Smudge

[Charles Logan]

Hi Charles werlcome to the forum not being an expert in these matters, but i am taking our boat out of the water this year it is costing us £200 but that is with me painting it after they have pressure washed it .(i preffer it that way)If i need new anodes they will fit them for me for £150 so considering your quote is for the painting aswell it works out about the same

 

ah, so they are just charging you for the dock/crane and not any labour charge because you're doing it yourself...

[Albion]

Good afternoon,

 

I have just bought a narrow boat, a 58 ft one.

 

It needs new anodes and its hull blacking so i rang around for several quotes from hanbury wharf, JL Pinders and so on and the best one I found was at Worcester Marina, viking afloat on the worc & bham canal.

 

However, it does sound too good to be true so i wondered if any of you knew about their reputation?

 

They have quoted me £470 for 4 2.5KG anodes and 2 coats of bitumen.

 

dry dock is free, anodes half price and free pressure washing...

 

The guy on the phone seemed genuine enough, but since this is my first boat and im sort of new to the community, i was just looking for some advice...I dont want to spend money and find out its no good, especially since the boat cost me an arm and a leg and I have just travelled down from wolverhampton so ive never been there before either.,,.

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Charles.

 

I can't give you any advice about your possible contractor, but that does seem cheap. Make sure that it's magnesium anodes that they're going to fit and not aluminium (see M G Duff's website for more details http://www.mgduff.co.uk/) as I have known builders fit the cheaper aluminium ones instead of magnesium and they won't be as efective in fresh water. I've Googled some prices and have seen MD73 magnesium 2.5 kg ones <that seem to be what you require> at up to £108 EACH so just watch out for what they are going to fit.

Roger

[Moley]

(snip) best one I found was at Worcester Marina, viking afloat on the worc & bham canal.

 

They have quoted me £470 for 4 2.5KG anodes and 2 coats of bitumen.

That does sound reasonable, I just paid £8.50 / ft + VAT for blacking, inc. drydock, so I'd make that around £570 for a 58ft.

 

Anodes were extra, I got 4 x 2.5kg from Limekiln at Stourport for £90, but didn't pay much extra for them to be welded on. Theirs are magnesium, they have them cast to order.

[Charles Logan]

That does sound reasonable, I just paid £8.50 / ft + VAT for blacking, inc. drydock, so I'd make that around £570 for a 58ft.

 

Anodes were extra, I got 4 x 2.5kg from Limekiln at Stourport for £90, but didn't pay much extra for them to be welded on. Theirs are magnesium, they have them cast to order.

 

yes they are magnesium anodes...so we are okay on that one. Oh also i forgot to mention, they did say it was a ''deal'' intill July 30th...

 

so I guess thats why it seemed cheap..

 

I think i'll pay them a visit and check out the facilities they have to check on how credable they look.....

 

They are part of Alvechurch Boat centre, and upon further inspection they seem pretty huge...They have 11 marinas..

Edited May 15, 2009 by Charles Logan

[Charlie Breakfast]

Looks a reasonable and competitive quote to me.

However I would suggest checking ...

 

The blacking they use. I rate comastic ..but lots of views on this. Big price difference between different blackings and some are better than others. Whatever they use will need to be tested for compatability with what is already on there .

 

That they let the hull dry COMPLETELY after pressure wash.

 

That they let coats dry before recoating and launching....I might be being too pessimistic but in cool weather I would be wary of anything less than 18 hours between coats and then 18 hours before relaunching. Blacking manufacturer will give you drying times at different tempretures.

 

I have seen boats pulled out, pressure washed then blacked within the hour, blacked a second time at the end of the day and put back next day....I always thought that was probably a complete waste of time.

 

Cheers

Chas

[Keeping Up]

Check whether their price includes VAT.

 

I just had mine docked pressure washed and blacked (2 coats) for £6 per foot +VAT at Braunston. I didn't need anodes this time, 2 years ago a set of 4 cost me £145 +VAT when fitted at the same time as blacking. So if it had been 55-ft, that would have been £475 +VAT.

 

It sounds like a good deal, I'd go for it.

[onthecut]

Good afternoon,

 

I have just bought a narrow boat, a 58 ft one.

 

It needs new anodes and its hull blacking so i rang around for several quotes from hanbury wharf, JL Pinders and so on and the best one I found was at Worcester Marina, viking afloat on the worc & bham canal.

 

However, it does sound too good to be true so i wondered if any of you knew about their reputation?

 

They have quoted me £470 for 4 2.5KG anodes and 2 coats of bitumen.

 

dry dock is free, anodes half price and free pressure washing...

 

The guy on the phone seemed genuine enough, but since this is my first boat and im sort of new to the community, i was just looking for some advice...I dont want to spend money and find out its no good, especially since the boat cost me an arm and a leg and I have just travelled down from wolverhampton so ive never been there before either.,,.

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Charles.

 

Don't forget there's always the option of hiring a dock and doing it yourself. Yes -- it's a dirty, sh***y, horrible job, but at least you will know it's done to your satisfaction, plus you will have the chance of a really good look around the usually invisible parts of your hull and a chance to check over the prop / shaft / rudder.

If you go down this path, you can always hire in any specialist help (gritblasting, anode welding etc.). I always have this nagging feeling that too many 'by the foot' blacking jobs are done in the wrong conditions and with inadequate preparation. Last chap who followed me into dock when we had ours out last was doing so just six months after having had it 'professionally' blacked. (Please note -- I am not implying that applies to all yards, by any means -- but it is a significant risk at some). I've seen first hand where the man wielding the brush is still putting the last dabs on as they're opening the dry dock paddles.

 

Mike.

[Charles Logan]

Don't forget there's always the option of hiring a dock and doing it yourself. Yes -- it's a dirty, sh***y, horrible job, but at least you will know it's done to your satisfaction, plus you will have the chance of a really good look around the usually invisible parts of your hull and a chance to check over the prop / shaft / rudder.

If you go down this path, you can always hire in any specialist help (gritblasting, anode welding etc.). I always have this nagging feeling that too many 'by the foot' blacking jobs are done in the wrong conditions and with inadequate preparation. Last chap who followed me into dock when we had ours out last was doing so just six months after having had it 'professionally' blacked. (Please note -- I am not implying that applies to all yards, by any means -- but it is a significant risk at some). I've seen first hand where the man wielding the brush is still putting the last dabs on as they're opening the dry dock paddles.

 

Mike.

 

I understand where you are coming from.

 

I popped in yesturday to have a look...They said that they pressure wash the hull first, wait for that to dry completely and they said on a day like yesturday, it would have been left all day untill the next day. Then they put coat 1 on leave it untill the next day and then put on coat 2, and then the day after they take it out of the water. so 3 days in the dock all in all.

 

They do seem very very professional...well mannered and precise about what they do.

 

Think im going to go for it!

[onthecut]

I understand where you are coming from.

 

I popped in yesturday to have a look...They said that they pressure wash the hull first, wait for that to dry completely and they said on a day like yesturday, it would have been left all day untill the next day. Then they put coat 1 on leave it untill the next day and then put on coat 2, and then the day after they take it out of the water. so 3 days in the dock all in all.

 

They do seem very very professional...well mannered and precise about what they do.

 

Think im going to go for it!

 

So --- they wash it and paint it in the water and then take it out to dry ? (Sorry -- couldn't resist that )

 

Mike.

[ditchcrawler]

yes they are magnesium anodes...so we are okay on that one. Oh also i forgot to mention, they did say it was a ''deal'' intill July 30th...

 

so I guess thats why it seemed cheap..

 

I think i'll pay them a visit and check out the facilities they have to check on how credable they look.....

 

They are part of Alvechurch Boat centre, and upon further inspection they seem pretty huge...They have 11 marinas..

The dry dock at Bottom Lock Braunston is very reasonable. I don't have the bill with me but I was pressuer washed , 2 coats of black and 2 anodes last June. It is run by UCC.

[Pot Noodle Adventurer]

Underwater painters?

 

I think it was a typo error !

[FORTUNATA]

Blacking is easy once the hull has been blasted or cleaned up. You need to check it while it's being prepared in case any surface rust needs to be treated. I would also check the base plate as well. Make sure nobody blacks the anodes as I've seen this done more than once!! The anodes need to be both exposed to the water as well as bonded to the hull of the boat. As for blacking, a large brush and tin of bitumen paint and you're away. You can go over the weld seams later on with a smaller brush so all the side of the hull gets a good coat. Avoid blacking in damp, rainy conditions as sometimes boatyards do this when they have to simply get work done under pressure. Paint in dry, warm weather and the blacking will dio its job.

 

Good afternoon,

 

I have just bought a narrow boat, a 58 ft one.

 

It needs new anodes and its hull blacking so i rang around for several quotes from hanbury wharf, JL Pinders and so on and the best one I found was at Worcester Marina, viking afloat on the worc & bham canal.

 

However, it does sound too good to be true so i wondered if any of you knew about their reputation?

 

They have quoted me £470 for 4 2.5KG anodes and 2 coats of bitumen.

 

dry dock is free, anodes half price and free pressure washing...

 

The guy on the phone seemed genuine enough, but since this is my first boat and im sort of new to the community, i was just looking for some advice...I dont want to spend money and find out its no good, especially since the boat cost me an arm and a leg and I have just travelled down from wolverhampton so ive never been there before either.,,.

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Charles.

Edited May 19, 2009 by FORTUNATA

[lucypaddydog]

Enjoyed this post and found it very useful

 

Lucy

[Mary 1]

Good afternoon,

 

I have just bought a narrow boat, a 58 ft one.

 

It needs new anodes and its hull blacking so i rang around for several quotes from hanbury wharf, JL Pinders and so on and the best one I found was at Worcester Marina, viking afloat on the worc & bham canal.

 

However, it does sound too good to be true so i wondered if any of you knew about their reputation?

 

They have quoted me £470 for 4 2.5KG anodes and 2 coats of bitumen.

 

dry dock is free, anodes half price and free pressure washing...

 

The guy on the phone seemed genuine enough, but since this is my first boat and im sort of new to the community, i was just looking for some advice...I dont want to spend money and find out its no good, especially since the boat cost me an arm and a leg and I have just travelled down from wolverhampton so ive never been there before either.,,.

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Charles.

 

 

Don't use that shower. No matter how cheap it seems. We were moored there last year, We watched the guy who does the blacking, he was so tired, he kept missing large bits of the boat he was blacking in the dry dock, which is a metal holding container. Pay a bit more and get a good job done, and be ready to inspect the boat on finish.

Mary 1

[ferrandiere]

Hi, as we're just about to purchase our first narrowboat (in France) I've found these posts very interesting, as we need to check when our's was last blacked. We know that the anodes were replaced in 2006, so will probably get both jobs done this coming winter. It will be interesting to see how much the French boatyards charge! If anyone can recommend one on the Canal du Midi, we'd be very grateful.

 

 

 

Good afternoon,

 

I have just bought a narrow boat, a 58 ft one.

 

It needs new anodes and its hull blacking so i rang around for several quotes from hanbury wharf, JL Pinders and so on and the best one I found was at Worcester Marina, viking afloat on the worc & bham canal.

 

However, it does sound too good to be true so i wondered if any of you knew about their reputation?

 

They have quoted me £470 for 4 2.5KG anodes and 2 coats of bitumen.

 

dry dock is free, anodes half price and free pressure washing...

 

The guy on the phone seemed genuine enough, but since this is my first boat and im sort of new to the community, i was just looking for some advice...I dont want to spend money and find out its no good, especially since the boat cost me an arm and a leg and I have just travelled down from wolverhampton so ive never been there before either.,,.

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Charles.