East West Marine

[jonk]

I have seen quite a few East West boats for sale at very reasonable prices, as far as I can tell. I believe they are made in Poland and finished here in the UK? They appear to have 12mm base plates and they look fine, but what sort of finish do they have - is it a case of 'you get what you pay for' or are they really good value for money? Has anyone any firsthand experience of of one of their boats?

I have tried the search engine but could not find anything relevant - perhaps I have missed a thread?

Thanks,

John

[starman]

I have seen quite a few East West boats for sale at very reasonable prices, as far as I can tell. I believe they are made in Poland and finished here in the UK? They appear to have 12mm base plates and they look fine, but what sort of finish do they have - is it a case of 'you get what you pay for' or are they really good value for money? Has anyone any firsthand experience of of one of their boats?

I have tried the search engine but could not find anything relevant - perhaps I have missed a thread?

Thanks,

John

 

I believe they're made in China – there is a website here. I've seen one or two of the boats;they look ok but don't you always get what you pay for? If it's what you can afford, fair enough but personally I wouldn't want to bang another nail in the coffin of the struggling British narrowboat building industry if I could avoid it; I think we've exported enough manufacturing abroad already.

[Grace and Favour]

East West Boats are a UK business owned by the Dundee Group - a company based in Dundee (!) and operating a property portfolio, a Firework Importers, (from China) and property rentals.

If one judges the quality of their merchandise by the quality of their website, then I suggest they are given a wider berth than a Dutch Barge

[Lady Muck]

They are so budget they couldn't even afford anyone to proofread their website!

[Nightwatch]

I know nothing of them except the normal sales ads of them on sites like Whilton Marine, they always seem to have one for sale.

 

Personally I wouldn't touch one with a 'barge' pole. No particular reason, just doesn't appeal.

 

Martyn

[Athy]

There was, I think, a thread about them a few months ago. I saw one during the summer - it was so strikingly different that I asked the owner what it was and got the story of the company. Apparently they have a standard 44 foot length as this will fit into a sea container. I've forgotten how they get the longer ones here. They look very low slung - I assume that the use of a thick baseplate allows them to use less ballast and thus build the floor lower.

I did not go inside but the outside looked at least interesting. I'll wait till they introduce their tug design with laised foredeck and tlad engine, I reckon.

EDIT: just had a look at the web site but could find no prices; I guess they must be at the budget end of the range (Splinger?) or it would not be worth importing them.

Edited January 3, 2010 by Athy

[alan_fincher]

The "almost square" boxy cabins frankly would be enough to put me off.

 

Apart from whether they are actually at more risk in bridge holes or tunnels, (and they look like they are), to my eye they are really unappealing.

 

It seems to be that the vast majority of these are being bought as permanent live-aboards, rather than as boats to be seriously boated in.

 

It seems a decision may have been made by the designers that internal space at head height is more important than a perfect cruising boat.

 

People in the business whose opinions I respect have indicated that despite a very glossy looking finish, the underlying quality of the internal fit-out is very poor, but I have not been inside one to judge myself.

 

A remarkable number do seem to be hitting the second hand market, considering they have only beeen being sold for a very few years. This may just be people finding out that living afloat is not what they expected, though, rather than specific difficulties with the boats.

[Bob the welder]

The "almost square" boxy cabins frankly would be enough to put me off.

 

Apart from whether they are actually at more risk in bridge holes or tunnels, (and they look like they are), to my eye they are really unappealing.

 

It seems to be that the vast majority of these are being bought as permanent live-aboards, rather than as boats to be seriously boated in.

 

It seems a decision may have been made by the designers that internal space at head height is more important than a perfect cruising boat.

 

People in the business whose opinions I respect have indicated that despite a very glossy looking finish, the underlying quality of the internal fit-out is very poor, but I have not been inside one to judge myself.

 

A remarkable number do seem to be hitting the second hand market, considering they have only beeen being sold for a very few years. This may just be people finding out that living afloat is not what they expected, though, rather than specific difficulties with the boats.

hi from the website pixs the in side looks good but thats the pixs . rest of spec looks fine to. engine.shires. P.R.M. box.the tumblehome will be a problem. seen a lot worse think of the one built at maesbury. you did not say the price .BOB

[Ally]

budget is budget, you get what it says on the tin! Whilst these boats may be fine for someone using it occassionally over the summer months, I doubt they are geared up for liveaboard/cc'ing use at that price.

IMHO they are ugly....but that's purely my personal opinion!

If you can possibly stretch the budget to have a british built boat, please do so....old or new....try and give the local lads (& lasses) a break.....god knows we need some support from the boating public!

[Athy]

Very altruistic, Ally - but you and I both bought boats built by an honest, reputable and financially stable builder, Mel Davis. You only have to look through the back pages of this forum to see some of the horror stories inflicted by "local lads and lasses" on the trusting boating public. At least a buyer of an East West knows that he's going to get a whole boat for his money.

Still have not seen prices of these boats - information, anyone?

[alan_fincher]

Still have not seen prices of these boats - information, anyone?

It's ot hard to find (list) prices of new or second-hand East West boats.

 

Several brokerages just take new stock boats to a fairly standard spec, and market them.

 

Whilton have done so for several years....

 

Current offerings, (new boats)

 

39 foot £42,950

44 foot £46,950

57 foot £59,950

57 foot (demonstrator, but with bowthruster) £59,950 (reduced from £64,950).

 

(That would seem to value a bowthruster at £0, but that's a different debate!).

 

One often sees these prices discounted, so £1000 per foot for a new boat is probably achievable by negotiation.

 

Second hand they currently only have

 

44 foot (39,950 - under offer).

 

Claimed as 1 year old, on the face of it that looks £7k less than the price of same length new, even before bartering.

 

One thing I don't understand is description of engine as "Yanmar Shanks". I thought the "Shanks" was a budget Chinese engine launched with some flourish by Barrus, but about which not a lot has been heard since. Surely it's the Barrus SHIRE that is based on Yanmar - I didn't think the SHANKS was from the same base engine at all. Does anybody know, please ?

 

I would have thought the Shanks is a less well tried canal boat engine, and a bigger unknown than those based on Kubota, Yanmar, Misubishi, etc, but modern engines are not an area where I have any greatr knowledge, I'll admit.

 

Or, on Apollo Duck

 

East West 44 foot

 

(That one says Barrus SHIRE engine.

 

East West 39 foot

 

(Also Barrus Shire, and with a pram cover over the back).

Edited January 4, 2010 by alan_fincher

[Athy]

It's ot hard to find (list) prices of new or second-hand East West boats.

 

Several brokerages just take new stock boats to a fairly standard spec, and market them.

 

Whilton have done so for several years....

 

Current offerings, (new boats)

 

39 foot £42,950

44 foot £46,950

57 foot £59,950

57 foot (demonstrator, but with bowthruster) £59,950 (reduced from £64,950).

 

(That would seem to value a bowthruster at £0, but that's a different debate!).

 

One often sees these prices discounted, so £1000 per foot for a new boat is probably achievable by negotiation.

 

Second hand they currently only have

 

44 foot (39,950 - under offer).

 

Claimed as 1 year old, on the face of it that looks £7k less than the price of same length new, even before bartering.

 

One thing I don't understand is description of engine as "Yanmar Shanks". I thought the "Shanks" was a budget Chinese engine launched with some flourish by Barrus, but about which not a lot has been heard since. Surely it's the Barrus SHIRE that is based on Yanmar - I didn't think the SHANKS was from the same base engine at all. Does anybody know, please ?

 

I would have thought the Shanks is a less well tried canal boat engine, and a bigger unknown than those based on Kubota, Yanmar, Misubishi, etc, but modern engines are not an area where I have any greatr knowledge, I'll admit.

 

Or, on Apollo Duck

 

East West 44 foot

 

(That one says Barrus SHIRE engine.

 

East West 39 foot

 

(Also Barrus Shire, and with a pram cover over the back).

Those prices look competetive. Barrus describe their Shanks range as "Quality engines at an affordable price"; they offer a 2 year warranty on them, so they must have confidince in their product.

[Gary Peacock]

A word of caution Barrus marinise Yanmar engines in the UK, just because a boat is fitted with a Yanmar or Mitsubishi industrial engine does not make it a Barrus product.

[PaddingtonBear]

I would say that if they only offer two years they DON'T have much confidence in their engines. Would anybody on here be very happy if their engine only lasted two years - I think not!. It also would be nice to know what is covered by the guarantee - the usual line is "Guarantee void if you have started it"

[alan_fincher]

I would say that if they only offer two years they DON'T have much confidence in their engines.

But which, (if any) of the mainstream suppliers of modern narrow boat engines would offer you a proper warranty of in excess of 2 yeras ?

 

(That's an honest question - I don't actually know the answer).

 

You'd not be happy if your car engine blew up after two years and one day, either, but unless you pay for an extended warranty, few would be covered by default after that time, surely ?

 

Can you buy an extended warranty package on a new boat engine ?

 

Generally East West boats seem to claim to have Shire engines it seems - so I don't know why the one I pulled out says Shanks. In view of the standardised nature of these boats, one might have expected little variation, unless they have switched from one to the other at some point ?

[Athy]

As the standard warranty on many goods lasts one year, I think that a two-year warranty implies that they have confidence in the product: as a rule of thumb things tend to last twice as long as their guarantee period or even longer.

Their web site does say that they use the Shanks engine - odd name, come to think of it, does it mean that if you buy one you'll have to travel on shanks' pony? Or maybe it just fits in with the strange names given to far Eastern cars: what the heck do Jimny and Justy mean?

Edited January 5, 2010 by Athy

[deletedaccount]

Their website is appalling, but then again most boat builder websites are just as bad.

[alan_fincher]

Their web site does say that they use the Shanks engine - odd name, come to think of it, does it mean that if you buy one you'll have to travel on shanks' pony? Or maybe it just fits in with the strange names given to far Eastern cars: what the heck do Jimny and Justy mean?

Fair enough....

 

Although certainly brand new ones advertised by Whilton say shire....

 

Example boat (Acrobat document)

 

To me "Shanks", as in "Armitage Shanks" is a name I see emblazoned across pub urinals, so would not be my first choice name for a boat engine either.

[carlt]

To me "Shanks", as in "Armitage Shanks" is a name I see emblazoned across pub urinals, so would not be my first choice name for a boat engine either.

As they are, yet again, producing cheap crap that the brits are willing to buy, maybe they're just taking the piss.

[churchward]

Fair enough....

 

Although certainly brand new ones advertised by Whilton say shire....

 

Example boat (Acrobat document)

 

To me "Shanks", as in "Armitage Shanks" is a name I see emblazoned across pub urinals, so would not be my first choice name for a boat engine either.

Or....

 

it could mean Shanks as in "Shank's Pony" ie it will break down so often you will spend most of your time walking!

 

I have had a look round one of these at Wigrams Marina and I though the inside was quite smart although you will indeed find better quality fit-outs for sure. It does have a 12mm bottom plate although could mean nothing if the steal quality is not that good.

 

We shared a few locks with one once coming down from Stoke Bruerne and it went well enough along with us. I am not too keen on the slab sided look of the boat though. The other niggle is the front door handle if you have seen one it's huge and just looks out of place on a boat.

 

They are aimed of course at the cheap end of the market and superficially they look reasonable value to me although I wouldn't buy one.

Edited January 5, 2010 by churchward

[capnthommo]

As the standard warranty on many goods lasts one year, I think that a two-year warranty implies that they have confidence in the product: as a rule of thumb things tend to last twice as long as their guarantee period or even longer.

Their web site does say that they use the Shanks engine - odd name, come to think of it, does it mean that if you buy one you'll have to travel on shanks' pony? Or maybe it just fits in with the strange names given to far Eastern cars: what the heck do Jimny and Justy mean?

Maybe they're a sub-division of Armitage-Shanks, the well known manufacturer of certain items of specialist porcelain ware.

That would be diversification, wouldn't it?

cheers

nigel

Edit: Oops, sorry Mr Fincher, must learn to read the whole thread before posting [red face]

Edited January 5, 2010 by capnthommo

[Athy]

Maybe they're a sub-division of Armitage-Shanks, the well known manufacturer of certain items of specialist porcelain ware.

That would be diversification, wouldn't it?

cheers

nigel

Edit: Oops, sorry Mr Fincher, must learn to read the whole thread before posting [red face]

So it's a bog standard engine?

[Madmark62]

I find it amazing that there are all these replies, mostly derogatory, yet no-one has first hand experience of them!

 

I have been aboard one, moored in the same marina as us and apart from the ugly door handle, I found the whole boat to be very nicely done. The owners certainly think it was a very good buy and it handles well too, but having said that I am a fairly new boater and I readily admit that I am not an expert.

[alan_fincher]

I find it amazing that there are all these replies, mostly derogatory, yet no-one has first hand experience of them!

Fair comment as far as interior quality, but you don't need to have been in one, or boated in one, to be able to say that the cabin is unusually "boxy" or square, do you ?

 

A picture will show you that.

[Madmark62]

Fair comment as far as interior quality, but you don't need to have been in one, or boated in one, to be able to say that the cabin is unusually "boxy" or square, do you ?

 

A picture will show you that.

 

No, I agree that the shape is not to everyones liking, but as the saying goes, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

I am not a fan of the old Harbrough Marine boats, but I know someone that absolutely loves them, same with Springers, I like those for some strange reason.