Poor Quality New Boats

[NiceNarrowboat]

An update on an old topic.

 

Many of you know the saga of nb westwood built by Maesbury, and the trials and tribulations of Pirate, who, although initially pleased with his boat, then went on to describe his horror and anger when not long after taking ownership of it, found a number of serious defects with his boat. Maesbury threatened to cease trading should Pirate continue his legal action against them, and the owner of the company, Barry Tuffin, went bankrupt.

 

Many of you won't know the saga of another narrowboat built more recently by Maesbury, and the trials and tribulations of a more recent narrowboater, who, although initially pleased with their boat, have been writing to me for over a year of their increasing horror and anger, when preparing to take ownership of it, found a number of serious defects with their boat. Maesbury demanded they pay the remaining 4K of their boat, which they didn't. Then ceased trading and Barry Tuffin has declared himself bankrupt again.

 

They are now having to sue the administrator to get their boat and pay the 4K just to recover a boat that is poorly fitted out.

 

If you're thinking of getting a boat build, please, please, please take care.

[Gary Peacock]

The take care bit is very good advice, nearly every case I know of involving people unfortunately loosing money could have being avoided if folk had done their research or stopped and considered the situation when things didn't quite "ring right".

 

I am sorry to say that it is very easy to separate boaters from their hard earned money and many boatbuilders have very little morals in exploiting this.

 

It used to scare me how hard nosed business people who in their own business new far better would want to hand over money without first discussing what was in place to protect those payments!

[Tim Doran]

I will say that Liverpool boats cut a few corners on my lined sailaway but the New Boat Co who I went through, eventually put these problems right and I must have had about £700 reimbursed for work I had done and then NBC did a job under warranty that probably would have cost £600 + dry dock if I'd had to pay for it. I also managed to black the boat at the same time so that was a bonus.

 

I'm happy with the outcome and if it is possible to love an inanimate object then I love my boat.

 

The black water that Pirate experienced dripping through his lining reminded me that during my first winter I noticed some small black stains on my lining where the walls met the ceiling. By the time I saw them the stains were dry and I wiped them off with the green plastic abrasive side of a wet washing up sponge. They never recurred and I've had it very hot in here this winter & during that last cold snap. I'm assuming it was either somthing on the other side of the lining or a bit of condensation running down the back of the roof struts - is this normal?

 

Is your boat lined with oak or oak ply? If so is it double faced (ie oak both sides), if so is it touching any bare steel including screws?

 

If it is then it might be tannic acid caused by a reaction between oak and steel. For this reason brass, stainless or gold/yellow plated screws should always be used and steel covered with paint.

 

Tim

[Lady Muck]

The take care bit is very good advice, nearly every case I know of involving people unfortunately loosing money could have being avoided if folk had done their research or stopped and considered the situation when things didn't quite "ring right".

 

I am sorry to say that it is very easy to separate boaters from their hard earned money and many boatbuilders have very little morals in exploiting this.

 

It used to scare me how hard nosed business people who in their own business new far better would want to hand over money without first discussing what was in place to protect those payments!

 

I can imagine that boat builders are not happy about the advice we give on here about buying second hand as your first boat.

 

Well, I thought I knew it all and had thoroughly done my research before I bought secondhand. Truth be known, you are really not going to 'know boats' until you've lived with one for quite some time (be it liveaboard or holiday boat).

 

I know if I were to commission a new boat now, it would be very different to any boat that I'd have commissioned before I bought this one.

[Gary Peacock]

I can imagine that boat builders are not happy about the advice we give on here about buying second hand as your first boat.

 

Well, I thought I knew it all and had thoroughly done my research before I bought secondhand. Truth be known, you are really not going to 'know boats' until you've lived with one for quite some time (be it liveaboard or holiday boat).

 

I know if I were to commission a new boat now, it would be very different to any boat that I'd have commissioned before I bought this one.

 

A while a go I wrote a list of questions to find out if a boat builder knows what they are doing.

 

When one fairly well known boatbuilder failed to answer the questions asked by a potential customer he then went on to ring me with various threats etc.

 

So no boatbuilders do not like the information on this website or being caught out by potential customers asking the "right" questions.

 

Actually I think I have had about half a dozen threatening phone calls over the years.

[Chagall]

A while a go I wrote a list of questions to find out if a boat builder knows what they are doing.

 

When one fairly well known boatbuilder failed to answer the questions asked by a potential customer he then went on to ring me with various threats etc.

 

So no boatbuilders do not like the information on this website or being caught out by potential customers asking the "right" questions.

 

Actually I think I have had about half a dozen threatening phone calls over the years.

 

 

Would you be happy to share that list of questions again please?

[WotEver]

Would you be happy to share that list of questions again please?

 

I sent a PM asking for the very same thing