The New Boat Company

[Ben2542]

Hi,

 

I have been around the forum for a couple of months now and it still astounds me how much useful stuff is in here - thanks to all for the contributions you make for newbies such as me.

 

We are thinking about a part-fitted sailaway from the New Boat Company (having looked at a few other builders), as they seem to be extremely good value for money, and I would be very grateful to hear from any previous customers of TNBC who might be willing to share their experiences.

 

Many thanks in anticipation ...

 

Ben

[rallyfan]

Got a feeling that their shells come from Europe (Poland?). That's not to say that there is neccessarily anything wrong with shells from abroad, but I, for one, would want to see my shell being constructed.

 

I was talking to a lady at the weekend who is awaiting delivery of a new 44ft narrowboat. I asked where it was coming from and she replied "China". Apparently it is being fitted out there as well as hull construction : Now that is bizarre.

[Yoda]

Got a feeling that their shells come from Europe (Poland?). That's not to say that there is neccessarily anything wrong with shells from abroad, but I, for one, would want to see my shell being constructed.

 

I was talking to a lady at the weekend who is awaiting delivery of a new 44ft narrowboat. I asked where it was coming from and she replied "China". Apparently it is being fitted out there as well as hull construction : Now that is bizarre.

 

I would be worried by the quality of the steel being used. The more slag and rubbish in it, the more it is likely to crack on welded seems and it will rust quicker.

[anhar]

Hello rallyfan

 

You said:

 

"Got a feeling that their shells come from Europe (Poland?). That's not to say that there is neccessarily anything wrong with shells from abroad, but I, for one, would want to see my shell being constructed."

 

This is inaccurate. It is only their Aqualine range that is built in Poland, and not just the shells, the whole boat.

 

The rest of their range is I believe UK built by Liverpool Boats.

 

regards

Steve

Edited September 21, 2006 by anhar

[rallyfan]

I stand corrected Mind you, I still wouldn't be too happy with my boat being built without me seeing it

Edited September 21, 2006 by rallyfan

[valrene9600]

These 44` boats from china. Read in press lately they were that size to fit into a container for shipping. Anyone got any links to who is selling them as i would be interested to know the price and spec. Just curious as i am happy with mine.

LES

[Ben2542]

As mentioned, the Aqualine Range boats are made in Poland, and apparently have received rave reviews. The rest of the hull range is made by Liverpool Boats, and fitted locally by TNBC.

[Christine]

We had a good nosey around the Aqualine boats at Beale Park. IMO I thought they were stunning - if you like the Penthouse suite look.

 

To me it just seems rather incongruous to have such glamour and glitz on the inside of these 'showboats' while slurping through the gloop of, say, a BCN canal. I don't want to have to take my boots off everyime I go inside. Give me a ‘proper’ boat anytime.

 

(edited because I had included an irrelevant quote. DOH )

Edited September 21, 2006 by Christine

[blackrose]

Hi,

 

I have been around the forum for a couple of months now and it still astounds me how much useful stuff is in here - thanks to all for the contributions you make for newbies such as me.

 

We are thinking about a part-fitted sailaway from the New Boat Company (having looked at a few other builders), as they seem to be extremely good value for money, and I would be very grateful to hear from any previous customers of TNBC who might be willing to share their experiences.

 

Many thanks in anticipation ...

 

Ben

 

Hi Ben, I was a NBC customer, whadaya wanna know?

 

My boat was built by Liverpool Boats but going direct was only a few hundred quid cheaper and meant that I'd have to wait longer. I also think you'd probably get better after sales with NBC rather than going direct.

 

I did have a few problems with their customer service people but they seem to have sorted that out now. They fixed the problems I had and also reimbursed me in full when I got my own welder in to fit items I thought should have been included.

 

LB is another story. Although I'm generally happy with my boat, you have to understand that they are working at the margins of profitability so sometimes their finishing can leave a bit to be desired. From what I've seen, the more basic LB sailaways (i.e. unpainted, unlined & unfitted), are generally better buys as long as you have the time and capability to do the rest of the work yourself.

 

By the way one of my neighbours has an aqualine and it looks excellent to me. In these days of globalisation I don't see any reaon why the Polish (or the Chinese for that matter), wouldn't be able to source the same quality steel as any builder here in the UK.

Edited September 22, 2006 by blackrose

[DHutch]

These 44` boats from china. Read in press lately they were that size to fit into a container for shipping. Anyone got any links to who is selling them as i would be interested to know the price and spec. Just curious as i am happy with mine.

LES

Ah, clever.

- 8ft wide container would fit it very nicely!

[Southdowner]

These 44` boats from china. Read in press lately they were that size to fit into a container for shipping. Anyone got any links to who is selling them as i would be interested to know the price and spec. Just curious as i am happy with mine.

LES

 

Hi,

 

here is link to Apsley Wharf Marina, Huddersfield, advertising Chinese boat for sale - don't know if they are sole agents and believe there were 2 or 3 versions available, so long as they can fit in the 45ft container. This one is £38k for 38ft cruiser stern. Expect Gary from Ledgard has had a look at them - what do you think of their build quality and spec. Gary? Anyone else seen them? Also advertised on Boats and Outboards website.

 

http://www.aspleywharfmarina.co.uk

 

select boat sales, select narrow boat (Chinese)

 

Neil

[Southdowner]

Hi,

 

here is link to Apsley Wharf Marina, Huddersfield, advertising Chinese boat for sale - don't know if they are sole agents and believe there were 2 or 3 versions available, so long as they can fit in the 45ft container. This one is £38k for 38ft cruiser stern. Expect Gary from Ledgard has had a look at them - what do you think of their build quality and spec. Gary? Anyone else seen them? Also advertised on Boats and Outboards website.

 

http://www.aspleywharfmarina.co.uk

 

select boat sales, select narrow boat (Chinese)

 

Neil

 

PS. Also noticed 44ft for £47k, fully fitted, with mooring available if required.

[AllanW]

Ah, clever.

- 8ft wide container would fit it very nicely!

Surely that should read 'velly ricely'?

 

Allan

[alan_fincher]

Hi,

 

here is link to Apsley Wharf Marina, Huddersfield, advertising Chinese boat for sale - don't know if they are sole agents and believe there were 2 or 3 versions available, so long as they can fit in the 45ft container. This one is £38k for 38ft cruiser stern. Expect Gary from Ledgard has had a look at them - what do you think of their build quality and spec. Gary? Anyone else seen them? Also advertised on Boats and Outboards website.

 

http://www.aspleywharfmarina.co.uk

 

select boat sales, select narrow boat (Chinese)

 

Neil

Sorry to stay , but sticking with the Chinese theme, for a bit.

 

Interesting to see who is actually marketing these.... I'd not seen them advertised since the initial news of them some months back.

 

£38k for 38 feet shows a ptretty firm determination to hit a £1000 / foot target price, (even if the longer boat works out slightly more expensive). I guess the latter is better equipped. (e.g. 240 voly shoreline, also back boiler mentioned only for this one).

 

A shame more details are not given, but I get the impression that the longer boat at least is a bit of a tight squeeze to be able to call 6 berth. Looks like they have probably gone for some kind of wetroom shower arrangement to save space, (although the shorter boat actually claims shower/bath - not pictured).

 

I also don't recognise that "cassette toilet" - certainly not the standard Thetford offering, is it ? (I wonder if you can buy spares for it in the UK ?).

 

It would be interesting to know whether they are only selling completed boats to a very fixed spec, or whether it will be possible to add them up with extras. Neither spec. mentions central heating, for instance, which seems to be on many people's "must have" list, these days....

 

Still if I were looking for new, compact & cruiser stern, (none of which I would be!), I'd certainly take a look, I think.....

[John Orentas]

A couple of years ago there was an article about these Chinese boats in Waterways World. I do remember that they were built to a very high standard with lot of what we would consider extras included in the price. I remember also that the internal woodwork was to an even higher standard with much use of 'solid' hardwoods.

[Trelawney]

Ah, clever.

- 8ft wide container would fit it very nicely!

 

 

Not only canal narrow boats, but a 39ft Pilot House motor Sailer designed to fit into a standard container and get shipped around the world instead of freighted as deck cargo. Container Yachts

[nipper]

I would be worried by the quality of the steel being used. The more slag and rubbish in it, the more it is likely to crack on welded seems and it will rust quicker.

 

 

I wouldn't be too quick to knock Chinese Steel.

 

The Harbour authorities around the Solent, including Cowes, are importing there Mooring Riser Chains from China.

Apparently, they just can't get the quality of Steel from the UK anymore!

 

So maybe one would get a better quality steel Narrow Boat too.

 

Nipper

[arlow11]

they look nice but still a little short,couldnt they make 2 20ft sterns and put them in a container then weld the extension on in the uk

[Gary Peacock]

Imported boats make very good business sense and this probably is also very good for the customer who is happy to purchase a imported boat. It wouldn't be fare of me to quote the costs of these hulls but I will say they are very attractive compared to the cost of building them in the UK.

 

The Newboat Co is a very slick set up in reality it is more about brokerage than building, the boats are very good value and I would say overall the Aqualine is probably the best value off the shelf boat on the market.

 

A lot of narrowboat builders accuse the companies who import boats of killing the UK narrowboat industry, but in reality most if not all of them would have done the same if they had the funding and business sense to do it.

 

At the present time the narrowboat industry is in a bad way but that is more down to the costs of manufacturing in the UK rather than being caused by imported boats.

[NB Willawaw]

Its interesting that nobody really has been able to directly answer the question.

None of the forum members appears to own an Aqualine boat (or if they do, they are not prepared to comment).

I saw the Sandpiper finished boat at Beale - this is built by Liverpool Boats - and thought the finish to be very good. I refuse to go on the Aqualine boats - its not that I know them to be bad boats - its just that I know where this is leading to.

I saw the same thing happen with UK small vessel shipbuilding in the late eighties and nineties.

The market will be gradually flooded with better VFM production boats from Poland, China, etc which will force the UK builders to concentrate on bespoke, higher end boats (this is already what is happening to some extent).

Eventually, the number of high end builders will be reduced to a minimal number of survivors and eventually, there will be a problem finding the trades to even keep their build quality up.

Once the majority of boats are built abroad, the UK supply companies will start to go out of business.

 

Just recently, there was a fuss because the Scottish Fisheries people chose to build their next fisheries protection vessel in Poland.

The yard in Glasgow who had built the previous 2 or 3 boats were crestfallen - it is quite conceivable that job losses might result from such orders being placed abroad.

Most of our island ferries are built in Poland - its not that we can't build them here - its just cheaper in Poland.

Its not about product quality or deliverytime - its about short sighted greed.

 

I work for a UK manufacturer who supplies marine equipment. We export 95% of our product, but we employ 300 people here in the UK. All our R+D is done here as is our manufacturing. We are under increasing pressure to transfer the factory abroad. We have an increasing battle to convince what UK shipping companies are left, to buy British product. They want to buy Japanese because they feel it is more reliable equipment. A little while ago, I took a call from one of these customers who was most indignant because we had shut an outlet down in his area. He bought from us 2-3 times a year. When will the British people start to make the connection between their spending habits and their paypacket.

We can't all work at Tesco's and in retail and service outlets. Somebody has to make something.

 

Sorry to rant on Ben - I just thought that sometimes it needs to be said as I think we get so obsessed with our own short sighted needs, we fail to see the bigger picture.

 

I remember one of the members singing the praises of the welding quality of the Aqualine boat. Shortly after that, his welder father was laid off. Suffice to say, he didn't buy an Aqualine boat.

I know that I am fighting a losing battle, but sometimes the fight is worth it anyway.

 

We are thinking about a part-fitted sailaway from the New Boat Company (having looked at a few other builders), as they seem to be extremely good value for money, and I would be very grateful to hear from any previous customers of TNBC who might be willing to share their experiences.

 

Many thanks in anticipation ...

 

Ben

Edited September 23, 2006 by NB Willawaw

[Guest]

Snip NBWILLAWAW

 

"We can't all work at Tesco's and in retail and service outlets. Somebody has to make something."

 

I agree with that statement 100%

[blackrose]

I refuse to go on the Aqualine boats - its not that I know them to be bad boats - its just that I know where this is leading to.

I saw the same thing happen with UK small vessel shipbuilding in the late eighties and nineties.

The market will be gradually flooded with better VFM production boats from Poland, China, etc which will force the UK builders to concentrate on bespoke, higher end boats (this is already what is happening to some extent).

Eventually, the number of high end builders will be reduced to a minimal number of survivors and eventually, there will be a problem finding the trades to even keep their build quality up.

Once the majority of boats are built abroad, the UK supply companies will start to go out of business.

 

Just recently, there was a fuss because the Scottish Fisheries people chose to build their next fisheries protection vessel in Poland.

The yard in Glasgow who had built the previous 2 or 3 boats were crestfallen - it is quite conceivable that job losses might result from such orders being placed abroad.

Most of our island ferries are built in Poland - its not that we can't build them here - its just cheaper in Poland.

Its not about product quality or deliverytime - its about short sighted greed.

 

I work for a UK manufacturer who supplies marine equipment. We export 95% of our product, but we employ 300 people here in the UK. All our R+D is done here as is our manufacturing. We are under increasing pressure to transfer the factory abroad. We have an increasing battle to convince what UK shipping companies are left, to buy British product. They want to buy Japanese because they feel it is more reliable equipment. A little while ago, I took a call from one of these customers who was most indignant because we had shut an outlet down in his area. He bought from us 2-3 times a year. When will the British people start to make the connection between their spending habits and their paypacket.

We can't all work at Tesco's and in retail and service outlets. Somebody has to make something.

 

Sorry to rant on Ben - I just thought that sometimes it needs to be said as I think we get so obsessed with our own short sighted needs, we fail to see the bigger picture.

 

I remember one of the members singing the praises of the welding quality of the Aqualine boat. Shortly after that, his welder father was laid off. Suffice to say, he didn't buy an Aqualine boat.

I know that I am fighting a losing battle, but sometimes the fight is worth it anyway.

 

Does this mean you similarly boycott all other Chinese & Asian made products? I imagine that must be quite difficult these days. You might find you've got quite a few "Made in China" items you were unaware of.

 

I agree with your general point about the the service industry in this country. Someone called it a "cappuchino economy" - everybody's got (or wants to have) their own business, with one company merely servicing the needs of another and nothing actually being produced. I don't understand how the wealth is created. Anyway this is well so I won't rant.

Edited September 25, 2006 by blackrose

[twoputtyrats]

We seriously looked at the Aqualine and very well built the showboat was too...

 

The advantage Poland has over China or to drag that one up again morroco is that it is in the EU and so there is a certain amount of legal cover in place as we have at least a level of harmonisation.

 

In the end up I managed to persuade the wife that we didn't want a linear apartment for our boat but rather something a little more boatlike, and that I really wasn't happy about having to make the final payment before we got the boat, and it was also a little too expensive for our wallet..

 

It looked a solid boat very well built with really good materials - less choice than we had from our builder and not in the layout we preferred, but I can certainly understand people being interested.

 

The other thing I preferred was as with mail order - I like to be able to go and bang on the door if & when things go wrong - our builder is 10 minutes from one of my firms offices..

 

Simon.

[weeble]

I agree with your general point about the the service industry in this country. Someone called it a "cappuchino economy" - everybody's got (or wants to have) their own business, with one company merely servicing the needs of another and nothing actually being produced. I don't understand how the wealth is created. Anyway this is well so I won't rant.

 

Reminds me of the old joke about two Antique Dealers marooned on a deserted island. One day one of them found an old chair washed up on the shoreline and from that day forward they both made a very respectable living.

[IAN A]

We got our boat from NBC earlier this year and had a boston widebeam sailaway plus and then had additional engineering work done at their Reading base (jimmie) - excellent work and they dealt with problems well. now happily (and comfortably) living on board. Would happily recommend them.