Not all hire boats look nice....:

[Ray T]

It may be a hire boat but I would of thought a hire company would want to make a better impression of its fleet.

 

After all you only get one chance to make a first impression.

 

Many years ago before Chugalong took over Middlewhich boats we hired Willow for two weeks and it was an absolute shambles both inside and out so much so we curtailed our holiday after 24 hours, but never got any recompense. (Another thread a long time ago if anyone cares to search). So from my perspective if a boat has been neglected outside the chances are it will be on the inside as well.

 

I don't know if any of the nay sayers have ever hired a boat but at over £1,000 a week in many cases now, I would expect something reasonable.

Edited May 17, 2014 by Ray T

[nicknorman]

I'm with the OP. You pay lots of money, you expect something pleasant to be around, not something resembling a rusty tin shack. It's all very well saying "did you tell the hire company" but what would that achieve? - "Oh sorry sir, let us replace your boat with this brand new shiny one that we happen to have lying around doing nothing." Yea, right!

 

A complaint would not even be helpful to the next hirer, after all there is not really sufficient time to repaint the boat in a 6 hr turnaround time.

 

One would hope that a complaint might encourage them to reach a better standard next time, but since the issues were all plainly visible, if the company had any interest in presenting well-kept boats to its customers, improvements would have happened long ago.

 

Sorry OP the only solution is to vote with your feet, enjoy a cathartic moan on the forum and ignore the miseries on here who are bored and just looking for someone to pick on. At least you got to go boating, the miseries are stuck indoors and just envious.

 

Next time try to see the boat you are going to pay a lot of money for, in the flesh rather that photoshopped in a brochure.

Caveat emptor unfortunately.

[Keeping Up]

 

There are two ABC's out there and not connected.

 

Alvechurch Boat company is I believe the parent company of ABC Leisure and also have Anglo Welsh, Canal Time or whatever they call themselves now, Viking Afloat and a few others.

 

They also have Diamond Resorts and manage a few share boats.

 

As others have said they have got to big and lost their way.

 

I was a happy customer for many years.

 

I don't quite understand. Surely the two ABC's are very much connected. From their website: "ABC Boat Hire until this year was known as UK Boat Hire and formerly Alvechurch Boat Centres, it forms part of ABC Leisure Group a privately owned company"

[patty-ann]

Granted the pics of the boat are scruffy and rusty, but I am perplexed n puzzled why no interior shots if boat that bad. Also a very short coment to the query about the boat hirers response and no mention of cost.

Just condensing facts as i see them in thread.

Not my intent to judge nor criticise.

[Ange]

Granted the pics of the boat are scruffy and rusty, but I am perplexed n puzzled why no interior shots if boat that bad. Also a very short coment to the query about the boat hirers response and no mention of cost.

Just condensing facts as i see them in thread.

Not my intent to judge nor criticise.

Totally with you on that and would love to see pics of the interior. To to the OP - how was the inside of the boat? Surely the only thing that really matters was whether the amenities offered were as promised.

 

Hire boats get knocked about a lot, certainly when we were hiring we weren't looking for a prestigious boat with immaculate roses and castles when we picked it up - we were too overcome with excitement to even look at the exterior while we piled our possessions onboard and looked forward to our holiday. I honestly can't remember how shiny the exterior of any of our hire boats were because we were too busy boating.

 

On the other hand if the inside was manky I would remember - was it?

[Bettie Boo]

It may be a hire boat but I would of thought a hire company would want to make a better impression of its fleet.

 

After all you only get one chance to make a first impression.

 

Many years ago before Chugalong took over Middlewhich boats we hired Willow for two weeks and it was an absolute shambles both inside and out so much so we curtailed our holiday after 24 hours, but never got any recompense. (Another thread a long time ago if anyone cares to search). So from my perspective if a boat has been neglected outside the chances are it will be on the inside as well.

 

I don't know if any of the nay sayers have ever hired a boat but at over £1,000 a week in many cases now, I would expect something reasonable.

 

 

I'm with the OP. You pay lots of money, you expect something pleasant to be around, not something resembling a rusty tin shack. It's all very well saying "did you tell the hire company" but what would that achieve? - "Oh sorry sir, let us replace your boat with this brand new shiny one that we happen to have lying around doing nothing." Yea, right!

 

A complaint would not even be helpful to the next hirer, after all there is not really sufficient time to repaint the boat in a 6 hr turnaround time.

 

One would hope that a complaint might encourage them to reach a better standard next time, but since the issues were all plainly visible, if the company had any interest in presenting well-kept boats to its customers, improvements would have happened long ago.

 

Sorry OP the only solution is to vote with your feet, enjoy a cathartic moan on the forum and ignore the miseries on here who are bored and just looking for someone to pick on. At least you got to go boating, the miseries are stuck indoors and just envious.

 

Next time try to see the boat you are going to pay a lot of money for, in the flesh rather that photoshopped in a brochure.

Caveat emptor unfortunately.

I tend to agree with both Ray & Nick on this.

 

Hiring for a week is a lot of money, and I would expect a certain standard for that. Now the rust, dings and dents on the hull of the boat, the green algi and the fading castles & roses wouldn't bother me.

 

Actually, I spend very little time inside the boat when we are cruising, unless cooking. So yes, the stern is just as important as the cratch IMO. I would expect both to be to a standard to accommodate comfortable socializing if hiring.

 

If I know we've got a fair stretch of clear sailing ahead, I often pop up and sit on the roof with my legs dangling down into the back hatch, beside the hatch or on top of the back hatch is where Dave keeps his "stuff"; Nicholson's, tablet, radio, coffee / beer etc. (WB Trad stern) I don't think he'd be pleased if it was the pitted rusty mess shown in the OP picks.

 

I would be asking for a discount on my next booking and a guarantee that the next boat would be in much better condition for the social outside areas.

[Magne R]

I'm with the OP. You pay lots of money, you expect something pleasant to be around, not something resembling a rusty tin shack. It's all very well saying "did you tell the hire company" but what would that achieve? - "Oh sorry sir, let us replace your boat with this brand new shiny one that we happen to have lying around doing nothing." Yea, right!

 

A complaint would not even be helpful to the next hirer, after all there is not really sufficient time to repaint the boat in a 6 hr turnaround time.

 

One would hope that a complaint might encourage them to reach a better standard next time, but since the issues were all plainly visible, if the company had any interest in presenting well-kept boats to its customers, improvements would have happened long ago.

 

Sorry OP the only solution is to vote with your feet, enjoy a cathartic moan on the forum and ignore the miseries on here who are bored and just looking for someone to pick on. At least you got to go boating, the miseries are stuck indoors and just envious.

 

Next time try to see the boat you are going to pay a lot of money for, in the flesh rather that photoshopped in a brochure.

Caveat emptor unfortunately.

 

Just what I was thinking.

 

 

 

Some ask about the interior, it was old, but ok. We slept in the boat, ate at the pubs, was outside all day on the boat or off the boat.

[little duck!]

I also agree with the OP, one of the main aspects of a canal holiday is the time spent outside and if it is in the state shown in the pictures it is a disgrace that the hire company has the cheek to hire out such a run down boat for someones hard earned money. After all hiring is not a cheap option now. I would be severely upset if this happened to me. We learnt from our 1st hiring experience to check the boats out in person before booking, although practical the boat we 1st hired was literally falling apart inside, but then we spent most of the time outside cruising and eating so it didint bother us too much. After that we always went to see any boats we wanted to hire, but i know this is not always practical.

I must say if i got on this boat i would fret about it being reliable, after all if the hire company cant look after the general up keep what does it say about the rest of the boat? However thats my opinion and i would be asking for a big discount!

[paulstoke1975]

I wouldn't be too impressed if I paid then got a boat in that condition , I would of thought the outside condition is far more important than the interior,

[Flyboy]

 

There are two ABC's out there and not connected.

 

Alvechurch Boat company is I believe the parent company of ABC Leisure and also have Anglo Welsh, Canal Time or whatever they call themselves now, Viking Afloat and a few others.

 

They also have Diamond Resorts and manage a few share boats.

 

As others have said they have got to big and lost their way.

 

I was a happy customer for many years.

Anglo Welsh are not part of the ABC Leisure Group. I suggest you check the facts before posting misleading & incorrect info. on this forum.

[bottle]

I stand corrected and thank you.

 

So my source of info was incorrect and I will be more diligent in the future.

[jacko264]

I hope the boat we have hired this year is better then the one in the photos i will be very upset if its not .

we have paid a lot of money for two weeks [ its not the same company as in the photos ]

When we hire, we like to look after the boat like it is ours so the out side is just as important as the looks inside

 

We have also hired from Diamond Resorts and there boats are first class or was 3 years ago

Graham

[canals are us?]

I have to say it looked a mess. If I was hiring I would at least expect it to not have rust showing and at least painted in a simple design or offered at a discount. First impressions count.

 

We hired a Toyota Corolla for our holiday (Budget and arrived and went out to the car and the seats were dirty with stains!! Went back and complained and brought them out to showed them and for a bit extra was offered a 2 week old Alfa Romeo Julietta diesel. Loved it and very clean as you would expect! Quite liked the red Alfa.

 

James

Edited May 18, 2014 by canals are us?

[RichardH]

It does look a bit on the tired side but once again, people just assume that hire companies are made of money.

 

We are looking at taking the kids away for a weeks camping but rather than buy all the equipment, try it first.

 

I think the phrase is Glamping.

 

Typical prices for August - 400-500.

 

No diesel, no mooring, no call out engineer, no licence, no 2-3 hrs show on staff, no bedding, no towels, no pump out and I suspect significantly less depreciation oh and tents don't need painting.....

 

I think people need to reflect on the real value that hire offers.

[Machpoint005]

>>It does look a bit on the tired side but once again, people just assume that hire companies are made of money.

 

...

 

I think people need to reflect on the real value that hire offers.<<

 

If hire companies spent more money on tarting up the exteriors of all their fleet more often, the only possible result is an increase in hire charges.

Perhaps this particular boat happens to be reaching the end of its scheduled repaint cycle?

[NickF]

 

If hire companies spent more money on tarting up the exteriors of all their fleet more often, the only possible result is an increase in hire charges.

Perhaps this particular boat happens to be reaching the end of its scheduled repaint cycle?

You could argue that it would result in more bookings and hence more profit as customers book the boats that look the best!

 

I am hiring from Alvechurch in June, I hope the boat is smart but I know I will have a good time whatever it looks like.

[Toots]

I must admit that when I'm on my dad's boat I spend pretty much all of the time outside enjoying the surroundings and chatting to other boaters/walkers. It might be shallow but I'd really not be pleased with the condition of this boat!

[John Williamson 1955]

The hire company should have been aware of this thread since Monday morning when they came into work, and haven't responded yet. Maybe they don't read their e-mails. Make of this what you will.

[bargemast]

If the hireboat company shows photo's of their boats in this condition in their brochures, I don't think that they would get many (if any at all) clients.

 

A few scratches in the paint are maybe normal for a boat that has been hired-out before to other clients, but I think that this one is showing a lot of neglect, and by the looks of it, the boat hasn't had a high pressure cleaning out of the water for quite a while either.

 

If I would have paid a lot of money for a boating holiday, and was given a boat that looked this bad (on the outside) , I would ask them to give me a decent looking boat, or give me my money back.

 

If someone else is willing to accept the boat they've hired in this condition, it's up to them, but I wouldn't.

 

Peter.

[Naughty Cal]

When we hired on the Broads we usually hired right at the start of the season and the boats were always imaculate after their winter spruce up.

 

The last time we hired it was really late in the season and we were slightly disappointed with the condition of the boat but it has been out on nearly eight months if pretty much continual hire.

 

We didn't say anything that time as we knew it would be imaculate again come spring and being the end of season we got the hire cheaper.

 

Has the OP complained in writing to the hire company?

[Magne R]

After our holiday I mailed a brief complaint to the hire company. They said they are looking into it and will let me know.

[FidoDido]

After our holiday I mailed a brief complaint to the hire company. They said they are looking into it and will let me know.

I guess a lot of them have been hit hard by the recession and two summers worth of stoppages due to flooding or drought. Nonetheless, if the outside of the boat is in poor shape, you wonder what the maintenance inside is like too.. Not a good advert for the company, and also means customers more likely to look elsewhere next time. Not good business sense. If you are spending upwards of a grand a week, you expect something to be well maintained. I've noticed many of the hire companies have stopped reprinting or even blacking their boats regularly in the past couple of years. Customers will think its in decline, and move onto other types of holiday. A bit of investment in their fleet would reward them in the long term, IMO.

 

My tuppence..

[luctor et emergo]

To be fair to ABC, they have a lot of boats, many in excess of 10-15 years old. Their fleet on the K&A has immaculate, and tired boats in it. Same for the Angry Welsh fleet.

[Timleech]

It has the look of a boat which hasn't been touched since last season and quite possibly was not scheduled to be hired out yet, but maybe another boat had a major breakdown or they had a sudden rush of bookings so it was pressed into service before it was ready.

No excuse, though.

 

We had a couple come knocking on our door one day last summer, they had hired from one of ABC's various aliases, and rather than being given proper instruction on how to work locks etc told us that they were told to knock on our door and we would show them! I was in the middle of a meal so suggested they make other arrangements.

 

Tim

Edited May 21, 2014 by Timleech

[Paul C]

The OP still hasn't come back and revealed how much he paid for the holiday. ABC are one of the most expensive on "list" price, but also one of the most variable in that many different types of deals are out there to get a wide range of discounts. The hire boat industry has a wide range of firms from cheap to expensive - and thus one's expectation should match the price paid. I suspect he's paid an embarrasingly large amount for this hire boat, hence the nature of the complaint.