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Boatbuilders - Snog, Marry, Avoid


Martin_B

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Thanks everyone for your replies, all very useful. 

 

I did originally look for Liverpool Boats but soon realised that they had stopped trading but morphed into Collingwood, thanks for that lead and I will follow it up.

 

My £40k was a soft limit that I set myself for a used boat as having been browsing for quite a while now I realised that I would probably have to remodel the interior of most I fancied and I wanted a reserve to cover any issues with the aging hull.  I have to admit that over the period of time I've been looking that I've only seen 2 boats that really floated my boat and both were significant more expensive than £40k.  Perhaps I'm being too picky but this is a one off adventure with my pension pot so making the right choice is paramount.

 

For a Sailaway where the basic electrics and plumbing have been done means that I get a new boat where most of the time consuming stuff has been sorted and using the boat becomes much easier.  Fitting a galley and bedroom, making furniture and finishing off the electrics and plumbing is well within my scope and I'm well used to doing it so going for the additions option saves me from paddling around for 3 years in a 'work in progress' shell.  I'd be quite happy to then spend the reserve I had kept by for a used boat on the sailaway and looking at what I've seen so far then a little over £50k gets a quality shell, insulated, lined with hot and cold running H2O, fitted bathroom, diesel central heating and a solid fuel stove, all new and installed and with a warranty.

 

This has been really useful so thanks again to all who have offered advice.  Yesterday my list consisted of only two, Lymm and Orchard but I've now added Collingwood, Colecraft and XR&D Beacon.  Further suggestions and general comments always welcome.

 

Cheers

 

Martin

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I'm pleased to read that the thread has been helpful. Just one minor point: XR&D is a boatbuilder (named because it grew out of a former builder called R&D Fabrications). Beacon was a different company, co-owned by one of our members, and has now closed down.

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33 minutes ago, Athy said:

I'm pleased to read that the thread has been helpful. Just one minor point: XR&D is a boatbuilder (named because it grew out of a former builder called R&D Fabrications). Beacon was a different company, co-owned by one of our members, and has now closed down.

Hi Athy - thanks for the clarification 

17 minutes ago, JamesFrance said:

Aintree boats offer what you are looking for and their workmanship and delivery times are good.

 

http://www.aintreeboats.co.uk/specifications/

Hi JamesFrance - their options list is certainly comprehensive - thanks for this, I’ll order a brochure 

 

Cheers

 

Martin

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As far as I recall, the chap that fits out for Lymm Marina is Paul Taylor who used to be one of the partners of Sabre Narrowboats who fitted out our boat. His workmanship is excellent. 

Edited by pearley
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1 hour ago, Martin_B said:

My £40k was a soft limit that I set myself for a used boat as having been browsing for quite a while now I realised that I would probably have to remodel the interior of most I fancied and I wanted a reserve to cover any issues with the aging hull.

I guess I was lucky - found a 30 year old boat for under that budget (I had a similar budget to you, could have stretched to 50 but preferred not to) which I feel very little need to change much on. There are a few things I'd like a bit different, some are easy fixes given my skills, some don't matter that much. Also lucky with the hull - given the survey it doesn't seem I'll have any more issues with the hull than I might have on something much newer (or even brand new) - still counting my blessings that the boat with the fitout I wanted is so good on the most important bits (engine also seems very well cared for).

1 hour ago, Martin_B said:

 

For a Sailaway where the basic electrics and plumbing have been done means that I get a new boat where most of the time consuming stuff has been sorted and using the boat becomes much easier.  Fitting a galley and bedroom, making furniture and finishing off the electrics and plumbing is well within my scope and I'm well used to doing it so going for the additions option saves me from paddling around for 3 years in a 'work in progress' shell.

If you have the skills to do that yourself then it seems a very sensible option - personally it's not something I'd consider, I'd be happy doing all the plumbing and electrics from scratch, but whilst I probably could do all the fitting and furniture but it would take me years!

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4 hours ago, pearley said:

As far as I recall, the chap that fits out for Lymm Marina is Paul Taylor who used to be one of the partners of Sabre Narrowboats who fitted out our boat. His workmanship is excellent. 

Hi Pearley, that's good to know, the only guy I've had contact with so far is Chris who comes across as a decent and helpful bloke.

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1 hour ago, aracer said:

I guess I was lucky - found a 30 year old boat for under that budget (I had a similar budget to you, could have stretched to 50 but preferred not to) which I feel very little need to change much on. There are a few things I'd like a bit different, some are easy fixes given my skills, some don't matter that much. Also lucky with the hull - given the survey it doesn't seem I'll have any more issues with the hull than I might have on something much newer (or even brand new) - still counting my blessings that the boat with the fitout I wanted is so good on the most important bits (engine also seems very well cared for). 

If you have the skills to do that yourself then it seems a very sensible option - personally it's not something I'd consider, I'd be happy doing all the plumbing and electrics from scratch, but whilst I probably could do all the fitting and furniture but it would take me years!

Hi Aracer - one thing I've learned is that the age of a boat is no indication of it's condition. I guess that finding a good well cared for old'un is a combination of both luck and perseverance. I've looked at a few that were built in the 80's and 90's that were in better shape than quite a few built a decade later - I believe that when you see the right one for you then it stands out from the crowd and you have to take it home, bit like a 70's disco.

 

Not sure if anyone can confirm this for me or not but one old wise soul recently told me not to touch a boat built between 2002 and 2005 unless you could verify the quality of steel used in the shell - apparently something to do with low quality steel imports - is this common knowledge or just towpath gossip ?

 

Cheers

 

Martin

Edited by Martin_B
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47 minutes ago, mark99 said:

If a job takes x time on land it will take 3x on a boat!

That's something I'm very conscious of and wish to avoid or at least minimise - looking at how 'Journey with Jono' has progressed over these last couple of years clearly confirms the validity of your statement.

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2 hours ago, SUIGENERIS said:

Have a look at Nick Thorpe Boartbuilding. He has a website. Built ours and we are really pleased with it and all other owners we have met up with appear also well satisfied.

 

Cheers. Mick

Thanks Mick - I watched the Nick Thorpe build of YouTube's Chuggabug (aka Gary Captain Phillips) which I thought was a great advert for the builder so I guess my list is now getting longer..

 

Cheers

 

Martin 

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3 hours ago, Martin_B said:

Hi Aracer - one thing I've learned is that the age of a boat is no indication of it's condition. I guess that finding a good well cared for old'un is a combination of both luck and perseverance. I've looked at a few that were built in the 80's and 90's that were in better shape than quite a few built a decade later - I believe that when you see the right one for you then it stands out from the crowd and you have to take it home, bit like a 70's disco.

Just luck in my case - I'd only been seriously looking for 2 weeks, but I suspect that the reason my fitout on my boat fitted my specific criteria so well probably put off most other potential buyers, so it had been waiting for me! It's a Colecraft shell and I note the comments at the start of the thread - though also clearly been very well cared for.

 

Sorry going way OT, I just chipped in to point out that an aging hull doesn't necessarily means lots of expenditure (I'm far from an expert, but feeling very reassured by the survey - the surveyor's first words to me was that it was "surprisingly good", so I guess it's not necessarily the norm for an old boat!)

 

Good luck with your project - I'm sure it will be very fulfilling.

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