Middlewich, Colecraft, Tim Tyler

[beeailseebob]

Hello.

 

My partner and I, after much umming and aaahhing, have decided to buy a sailaway. So, having got our ideal spec together, (62' cruiser/semi trad, etc.) we have got in touch with several boat companies to see what they can offer and at wht price.

 

We need to be concious of price but don't want to buy a really cheap hull - we do want to figure build quality into our budget. we're still waiting for a couple of quotes to come in, but one company has come in at a really good price (Middlewich Narrowboats.) We are also keen on Colecraft and Tim Tyler boats

 

Does anyone have any advice on what questions we should be asking, or have anything to add on our choice of boat builders?

[charles123]

Hello.

 

My partner and I, after much umming and aaahhing, have decided to buy a sailaway. So, having got our ideal spec together, (62' cruiser/semi trad, etc.) we have got in touch with several boat companies to see what they can offer and at wht price.

 

We need to be concious of price but don't want to buy a really cheap hull - we do want to figure build quality into our budget. we're still waiting for a couple of quotes to come in, but one company has come in at a really good price (Middlewich Narrowboats.) We are also keen on Colecraft and Tim Tyler boats

 

Does anyone have any advice on what questions we should be asking, or have anything to add on our choice of boat builders?

 

 

Hi and welcome, probably lots of things to consider but here is my starter for 10

 

The builders name adds value and I have not heard of Middlewich Narrowboats, the other two are well known, stick with production boat builders any buiders that put out a small number of hulls wont have the money to spend on technology eg semi automated plasma cutters, you get a better finish with these

 

Next head hight, Tylers have good head height I dont know about Colecraft

 

Next style, some hulls look like bricks sharpened at one end, a good hull builder will have a distinctive style and that should not cost anymore than the brick style

 

Compare you quotes like with like, there may be detailing differences that may not be obvious

 

Relaibility, lead time, perceived solvency, risk, etc

 

Search the site I am sure there are many others on here

 

good luck

 

Charles

[beeailseebob]

Hi and welcome, probably lots of things to consider but here is my starter for 10

 

The builders name adds value and I have not heard of Middlewich Narrowboats, the other two are well known, stick with production boat builders any buiders that put out a small number of hulls wont have the money to spend on technology eg semi automated plasma cutters, you get a better finish with these

 

Relaibility, lead time, perceived solvency, risk, etc

 

Search the site I am sure there are many others on here

 

good luck

 

Charles

 

Thanks Charles,

 

Yes, we are happy with the idea of Colecraft and Tim Tyler, it's just that the Middlewich price is so competitve, I guess I'm looking to find anyone who knows anything about their boat building skills.

 

The point you made about small boat yards not having as much to offer on the technology side of things was something we hadn't considered - thank you for your feedback.

 

Anyone else out there who owns a Middlewich boat? Or knows anything about them?

[bottle]

Hi

 

Sorry cannot help on the Middlewich front but just to throw a couple more into the arena, Mike Christian and Jonathan Wilson.

 

Tim Tyler, Mike Christian and Jonathan Wilson are/were all relatives to each other.

 

To quote the Mike Christian advert in Waterways World, "Developed and built by the same team of experienced boatbuilders, who produce Jonathan Wilson and Tim Tyler bespoke shells.

 

They do sailaways as well.

 

Proviso: I do not have any connection whatsoever with any off these companys except my builder will be using a Jonathan Wilson shell to build my boat.

[Big John]

head hight, Tylers have good head height I dont know about Colecraft

 

No problem with Colecraft - I'm 6'5 1/2" and we specified 6'6" headroom - just mention headroom if you're tall and Sam or Dominic will feature that in.

[alan_fincher]

The point you made about small boat yards not having as much to offer on the technology side of things was something we hadn't considered - thank you for your feedback.

True,

 

But the H*x*n boats web site made great play of all the fabulous and expensive technology they had to build their shells. (Curiously, although I find they still have a web-site, it seems to be reduced to just a home page, with all such detail removed....).

 

Their "technology" didn't however seem to help the poor guy, Marc, who has had to take them to court to get the money to get all the faults rectified.

 

But none-the-less, I agree.....

 

In as much as you can be sure of anything in this business, names like Colecraft and Tim Tyler have built up a good reputation, and you are unlikely to get a bad shell from builders of this standing. Like the others who have replied, I've no knowledge of Middlewich. The fact that that is how people are responding would probably have an impact on second hand values, even if the product proved to be equal in quality to the other builders, unfortunately..... People seem to pay a premium for the easily recognised names. I gess it's not hard to understand why.

[allybsc]

 

Anyone else out there who owns a Middlewich boat? Or knows anything about them?

Hi,

I'm not sure how long Middlewich have been building boats boats, saw one of their new cruiser sterns when we went for our helsmans course, apart from the fact that someone had gouged a big chunk out of one side! it looked quite smart. We told Adam the manager that we were looking for a boat and he gave us a bit of a hard sell in the nicest possible way, I'm virus ridden and not feeling well so I'm struggling to remember details but the impression I got was that they were keen to please and get a good reputation, he did say that they use chinese shells in some cases.

We liked Adam Foskett a great deal, he runs the business for his father who builds yatchs on the south coast, he's fresh out of the Army (engineer I think) hard working and smart, he intends to make a real go of the business, his team seemed great too. The hire boat fleet is a bit tatty cosmetically but they have been concentrating on making them more mechanically reliable before tarting them up, sorry I couldn't be more help.

Regards,

Ally p.

[David Schweizer]

.....The builders name adds value and I have not heard of Middlewich Narrowboats, the other two are well known, stick with production boat builders any buiders that put out a small number of hulls wont have the money to spend on technology eg semi automated plasma cutters, you get a better finish with these......

I agree that Tim Tyler and Colecraft both make excellent boats, but to suggest that small yards should be avoided is rather misleading. For example Roger Farringdon, at Bottom Lock Braunston, is probably one of the best Builders of Traditional Full length hulls in the country, turning out less than half a dozen beautifully designed boats in a year. He does not use any fancy technology, but the finish is excellent.

[Hairy-Neil]

I agree that Tim Tyler and Colecraft both make excellent boats, but to suggest that small yards should be avoided is rather misleading. For example Roger Farringdon, at Bottom Lock Braunston, is probably one of the best Builders of Traditional Full length hulls in the country, turning out less than half a dozen beautifully designed boats in a year. He does not use any fancy technology, but the finish is excellent.

 

Middlewich Narrowboat is the trading name of Willow Wren Kearns Ltd, one of the longest established leisure boatyards on the canal system, being a spin off of the Willow Wren carrying company in the 1960's. That said, whilst the company is long established, the ownership/management of the company has changed in the last couple of years.

 

They are best known for their traditional character hire fleet rather than their boatbuilding skills.

[JonA]

You could look at Piper Boats, I bought a sailaway from them last year - no problems and reasonable build times.

[beeailseebob]

Hi,

I'm virus ridden and not feeling well so I'm struggling to remember details but the impression I got was that they were keen to please and get a good reputation, he did say that they use chinese shells in some cases.

We liked Adam Foskett a great deal, he runs the business for his father who builds yatchs on the south coast, he's fresh out of the Army (engineer I think) hard working and smart, he intends to make a real go of the business, his team seemed great too. The hire boat fleet is a bit tatty cosmetically but they have been concentrating on making them more mechanically reliable before tarting them up, sorry I couldn't be more help.

Regards,

Ally p.

 

Hi Ally,

 

That's useful stuff. I empathise with being virus ridden - I've just come down with something and found it really hard composing my initial email! I think mine's a "just finished my degree and now i've got time to be ill" illness!

[charles123]

Middlewich Narrowboat is the trading name of Willow Wren Kearns Ltd, one of the longest established leisure boatyards on the canal system, being a spin off of the Willow Wren carrying company in the 1960's. That said, whilst the company is long established, the ownership/management of the company has changed in the last couple of years.

 

They are best known for their traditional character hire fleet rather than their boatbuilding skills.

 

 

"traditional character hire fleet" I chuckled over this, in reality the fleet was clapped out for want of a better term, formica everywhere and 2 gal alluminium kettles that sort of thing, thats an opinion I formed some years back I dont know what they are like now. They used to vie with Simolda at Nantwich for rock bottom, they were funny because they advertised them as luxurious, and they might have been by 70's standards again I dont know what they are like now

 

Charles

[beeailseebob]

"traditional character hire fleet" I chuckled over this, in reality the fleet was clapped out for want of a better term, formica everywhere and 2 gal alluminium kettles that sort of thing, thats an opinion I formed some years back I dont know what they are like now. They used to vie with Simolda at Nantwich for rock bottom, they were funny because they advertised them as luxurious, and they might have been by 70's standards again I dont know what they are like now

 

Charles

 

 

Thank you everyone for your imput - I found it hard phrasing my question so as not to offend any one particular boat builder! I think my partner and I are seriously looking at the Tim Tyler option,; build times, quality and everything else taken in to account - we really like the company. The lead time for Colecraft was a bit too long, but they're fantastic boats, we live in a Colecraft at the moment.

[Hairy-Neil]

"traditional character hire fleet" I chuckled over this, in reality the fleet was clapped out for want of a better term, formica everywhere and 2 gal alluminium kettles that sort of thing, thats an opinion I formed some years back I dont know what they are like now. They used to vie with Simolda at Nantwich for rock bottom, they were funny because they advertised them as luxurious, and they might have been by 70's standards again I dont know what they are like now

 

Charles

 

Agreed on the Simolda comments, their motto was "The best for less"

 

I can only speak for Middlewich Boats old flagship, Maple, having hired it several times over the years. Granted its getting long in the tooth, but where else can you hire a deep draughted narrowboat with a boatman's cabin, a proper engine 'ole with a traditional engine, separate speedwheel and gear lever controls. It was built by Malcolm Webster too, a true craftsman, he who built the replicas, Saturn and Gifford.

 

Is a shame the new owners have changed the livery and dumped the authentic signwriting. They seem to want the fleet to be like every other outfit.

[NB Esk]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned Ledgard Bridge before now. Definately one of the better builders, maybe not the cheapest, (but as with all things, you get what you pay for)

 

Plus, with all the help they have given to the boat buyers, caught up in the H#r#n collapse, got to be worth considering..........

 

Best of luck, anyway..................

[Mick and Pauline]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned Ledgard Bridge before now. Definately one of the better builders, maybe not the cheapest, (but as with all things, you get what you pay for)

 

Plus, with all the help they have given to the boat buyers, caught up in the H#r#n collapse, got to be worth considering..........

 

Best of luck, anyway..................

 

Hi PB,

 

Yes I agree with your comments about LB's, we are one of the H#r#n survivors and LB's have been very helpfull and given us good advice with restart on building our boat. This assistance is most important to me because it looks like I could be taking the legal responsibility for the boat building myself instaed of H#r#n.

So if you are thinking of a good builder then you could give Keith or Gary a ring at Mirfield.

 

M & P.

Edited June 30, 2006 by Mick and Pauline