Clearwater boat shell

[Neil Smith]

Hi all,

 

I have just spoken to Laurie at Clearwater boats about building me a shell as he has a slot soon.

does anyone know how good they are.

 

Regards Neil

[Alan de Enfield]

If its the same one (Bleasby Nottingham) Their website intimates that they dont make shells :-

 

We only use high quality shells for our canal boats.

Edited June 28, 2014 by Alan de Enfield

[blackrose]

If its the same one (Bleasby Nottingham) Their website intimates that they dont make shells :-

 

We only use high quality shells for our canal boats.

I haven't been on their website, but the quote you've posted doesn't intimate to me that they don't make shells.

 

Your reading seems a bit unusual. To me the quote means that they only use high quality shells in their boats (as opposed to low quality shells), not that they don't supply shells.

Edited June 29, 2014 by blackrose

[Alan de Enfield]

Having a post-graduate degree in Marketing (and many years employed as a marketeer) maybe my reading of adverts and websites is a little "coloured".

 

If you do something and are good at it then you blow your own trumpet, if you "buy something in" then you dont always say so 'directly', unless it is from one of the premium builders, and adds 'value/quality to your product.

 

We only use high quality shells for our canal boats. Implies to me that they USE high quality shells, not that THEY manufacture them.

 

If they manufactured them 'in-house' why not say so, - something like "we manufacture our shells to the highest standards"

 

Not knowing the company, maybe I am doing them a dis-service.

Maybe they could/should look at re-writing some of their web-site.

[Arthur Brown]

Ask the question of your chosen trader(s). Have you yourself made this hull? From my reading of chat with builders and others, the metalwork is usually done in one place and the fitting out by another firm in another place, and it is possible for an end user to buy a hull from it's builder and do a self fitout.

[blackrose]

 

Maybe they could/should look at re-writing some of their web-site.

 

Perhaps they could to avoid this kind of ambiguity. I see lots of websites every week that could do with re-writing.

[Neil Smith]

I spoke to Laurie the owner and he told me he is a joiner and does the fitting out and 2 of his lads are fabricators who build the shells so I will have a look round when I go up Nottingham to his farm where they are made.

 

Regards Neil

[kevinl]

If you go to Jim Shear's boat list and put Clearwater in as the boat builder all you get is this:

 

Canoe Built by Clearwater Algonquin - Length 4.26 metres ( 14 feet ) - Beam 0.91 ( 3 feet ) hull colour RED . Registered with Broads Authority number 19437 as a Rowing. Last registration recorded on Sunday 17th May 2009.

 

Bit curious as Apollo Duck doesn't list any of their boats for sale either but there is one here

 

http://www.cheapboats.org.uk/narrow-boats/25-foot-narrow-boat/

 

Nice bow

K

[mark99]

 

 

Bit curious as Apollo Duck doesn't list any of their boats for sale either but there is one here

 

http://www.cheapboats.org.uk/narrow-boats/25-foot-narrow-boat/

 

Nice bow

K

 

Double planked compound curve sir?

 

or just a steel wheelybin cut into quarters?

[Alan de Enfield]

Maybe they are making a hull ?

 

If you look at the website the only photos seem to be of a 25 foot boat (and one of a square 'houseboat')

 

It is a bit 'shapeless' isnt it ?

At just over £1000 per foot they are not much different to some of the beter known names.

 

www.clearwaterboats.co.uk

[greenboater]

Hi all,

 

I have just spoken to Laurie at Clearwater boats about building me a shell as he has a slot soon.

does anyone know how good they are.

 

Regards Neil

Hi Neil, Would like to know if you went ahead with this boatbuilder as I am thinking of ordering mine - if so how was the build experience?

[Neil Smith]

No I went with paul widdowson as his shells are far better with very nice detailing and scroll work at about the same price,

 

Neil

[alex19]

Hi all,

 

I have just spoken to Laurie at Clearwater boats about building me a shell as he has a slot soon.

does anyone know how good they are.

 

Regards Neil

hi neil i have had a boat half a boat made by laurie lavender and i am have to take him to court and i can honestly say he is a very bent business man if you could let me no were the shell is being build it would be helpfull he used a john white boat builder on mine . check him and his business partner on company house.

[Neil Smith]

I was only going to have a shell built but decided against it as when I looked at a shell he was fitting out the welds looked bad as did the lines, so I then looked at xr&d and paul widdowson, they were far superior and not much to choose between them for quality but I went with paul as I got a better deal.

I never got to see where Clearwater shells were built only where he fits them out.

 

Neil