dor Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 (edited) I've just been reading the review of Phoenix in Canal Boat. Am I the only person to think it is one dog-ugly lump of a boat? The designer/builder seems a bit put out that he can't get the £200,000+ that he wanted for it, but even allowing for the expensive yacht/cruiser-styled fitout, I suspect he has arrived from a different planet. If you had this sort of money to spend you could buy just about anything you wanted in the way of a narrowboat, and it even gets you into Sunseeker territory. I can't see the yottie types being attracted to it, nor can I see the NB fraternity wanting to be seen in something so gross. Please tell me this is not the future of narrowboats. Edited October 11, 2006 by dor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamanx Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Its for sale at a mere 170k http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=48522 I have to say I like it. Why not theres room enough for all kinds of boats. This is very expensive and its probably really state of the art, and why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Orentas Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 It's featured in this months Canal Boat, 180K in there. A cross between a mud boat and a juke box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david and julie Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 It may be different, but the spec's nothing really out of the ordinary these days, its also well over priced. The stern looks as if it would be awkward to get on and off too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHutch Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Have any of you actally been on it? I have, and i have to admit, if i had the money, it would make a very nice second boat! Its well built, well designed, and well spec'ed. - Its very diffrent, its a really interesting boat to see. You can defforntaly see the yacht influence. But also that they guy has really applied himself to the task of adapting it to suit the canal. - I would surgest that anyone thinking about fitting out a narrowboat should atleast make an effort to see it. It really does open your mind to whats possable. Very nice boat. But is it worth £200,000? - Proberbly not! But full credit for the guy for the concept, design, and implmentation. Daniel They also use the same paints as we use on emilyanne! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allybsc Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Beautifully done but not to my taste, as to the price...are you 'aving a larf??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHutch Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=4630 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 It's hard to imagine a much more poorly designed stern for canal use, frankly ! I'm also thinking of all that speculation that went on about the Alweras incident, and people insisting how you should avoid getting alongside the tiller, in case it ends up pushing you in. It looks like the only way you are SUPPOSED to get on and off this is by squeezing past the tiller, and on to that low platform at the very back. So if the tiller does take a swing and push you as you are going through that narrow gap, you have a good chance of being tipped over those low "lumps" on either side of it. I don't just think it's horrible, I'm afraid - I actually think it looks heaps more dangerous than something "conventional". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHutch Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 It's hard to imagine a much more poorly designed stern for canal use, frankly ! Ah, but have you actally been on it? It works suprisingly well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moley Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 But is it worth £200,000?Probably not! But full credit for the guy for the concept, design, and implementation. Go for it Daniel, he's only asking £169,950 now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 I think is it ugly aprat from the back end and the interior. IM sure like anything if you are aware of and dangers on a boat you can avoid them. Over priced though by about 70 grand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy-Neil Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 (edited) Its a camel.............. a horse designed by a commitee, like a reinvention of the wheel for the sake of it, its totally unnecessary. The narrow canals are of interest because of the 200+ years of heritage. The working narrowboat evolved over a short period to be the best design for the job. That is a compromise between maximum load carrying capacity a 70 foot x 7 lock gave and minimum living space they could get away with, basically somewhere for the crew to lay down. Modern pleasure boats developed from this being originally converted work boats and later purpose built. With those, basically the cheaper the build, the poorer the asthetics, the harder on the eye. Boaters are mostly conservative in their views, anything else just doesn't fit with most people's aspirations of what a narrowboat should look like, . If its your ideal boat then of course, yes, go ahead and build it. However, if this has been built on spec with the hope of making a buck or two I think the builder/subsequent owners are likely going to find it will always be hard to move on. Edited October 11, 2006 by Hairy-Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Orentas Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 The Canal Boat write up by the editor Kevin Blick, after being quite complimentary about the builder he stated that - "There are areas where welds and edge's haven't been ground off to a tidy enough finish" Doesn't sound like a 170K boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 At the end of the day (now abbreviated to the acronym ATEOTD), it's still just a narrowboat. For that sort of money I'd want a brand new fully fitted replica Dutch barge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHutch Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 ... "There are areas where welds and edge's haven't been ground off to a tidy enough finish" Yeah, and the paints a bit rough! - I asked them about it, apprently it was airless sprayed a bit heavyly. He said there not really happy with it. The steel work isnt quite polished to the stupid extent some modern NBs are, but its not at all bad. Very neetly welded. Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Orentas Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Yeah, and the paints a bit rough! - I asked them about it, apprently it was airless sprayed a bit heavyly. He said there not really happy with it. The steel work isnt quite polished to the stupid extent some modern NBs are, but its not at all bad. Very neetly welded. Daniel I think I would want it a bit better than "Not at all bad". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Peacock Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Building concept type boats with your own money is risky it's much better to spend the customers on such projects. A number of years ago there was a very swish "concept" style narrowboat at a show for a large amount of money, about 3 years later it appeared on the market for next to nothing as a bare shell. Apparently it proved impossible to sell and over subsequent years was cannibalised for all it's expensive goodies until eventually the builder decided to just loose the whole embarrassing thing. It wasn't a bad boat but it just wasn't what the consumer wanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Building concept type boats with your own money is risky it's much better to spend the customers on such projects. A number of years ago there was a very swish "concept" style narrowboat at a show for a large amount of money, about 3 years later it appeared on the market for next to nothing as a bare shell. Apparently it proved impossible to sell and over subsequent years was cannibalised for all it's expensive goodies until eventually the builder decided to just loose the whole embarrassing thing. It wasn't a bad boat but it just wasn't what the consumer wanted. Yeah, let's cannibalise it! That gas hob in the galley looks nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Personally I do like it, however it is overpriced ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 As the waterways become more expensive and exclusive, people will want more exclusive craft - and £170k is still cheaper than a cottage in cornwall. The current NB designs have got a lot of potential to evolve more leisure focused features - like the GRP cruisers with the slide back roofs and large windows. There is no stopping progress. Matt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHutch Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Building concept type boats with your own money is risky it's much better to spend the customers on such projects. A number of years ago there was a very swish "concept" style narrowboat at a show for a large amount of money, about 3 years later it appeared on the market for next to nothing as a bare shell. Apparently it proved impossible to sell and over subsequent years was cannibalised for all it's expensive goodies until eventually the builder decided to just loose the whole embarrassing thing. - It wasn't a bad boat but it just wasn't what the consumer wanted. Was that Miss Conduct then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Bet its dead easy to catch a stern like that on lock sills (specialyif your used to trads) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lymmranger Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 I would be very scared to cruise £170,000 anywhere near to bridges, locks, trees, banks, other boats errmmm - have I forgotten anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callum Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 (edited) We had a sniff around this boat at the IWA Fest. I'm ambivalent about the very end stern 'step' since I suspect that it will be below most canal sides, however I though the seated cruiser stern arrangement very good for sociable boating - less claustrophic for seated passengers than a semi-trad imo. I also liked some aspects of the interior fit, the padded walls (oh how I miss my jacket with the really long sleeves....!), the false ceiling and in particular the large skylights with the integral blinds. However, as has been pointed out previously the electrics and oily bits were all very standard fair and in no way 'state of the art' as you might have been led to believe by some of the hype. Consequently I also struggle to see how the current price tag comes about. I rather suspect that their use of a 3rd party super-yacht fitters adds significantly to the bill. Whilst I think the complete package as it is falls rather awkwardly between the canal and yacht worlds, I do think there are some nice ideas and features that would work very well on a more traditionally styled narrowboat. Edited October 11, 2006 by Callum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeburkitt Posted October 14, 2019 Report Share Posted October 14, 2019 So i now own Phoenix 58 having bought her 18 months ago from the first owner in Chester. She's still fairly much as she was. We've changed the bed layout in the front to accommodate a larger mattress and installed a TV in the bedroom. Work wise we've had to put a new set of gel batteries on board, led interior lights, full service etc. She had been given a full 2 pack paint job before our ownership. 90% of people we meet are complimentary about her with others preferring a more trad type boat. We love the rear seating area as we've had loads of days out with family etc and not found the tiller to be problematic. The front is very poorly designed for lock use and so i've had to design two 3 meter long rubber protectors for the front or we'd have no paint left at all. We now have her moored in Birmingham and next year intend to take her to Oxford and the Thames. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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