Aussie
Junior Member
Posts: 22
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Post by Aussie on Jun 26, 2017 11:34:54 GMT
Hi all,
I'm thinking of getting a new build. Anyone got any suggestions for a reasonably priced builder who does a nice job.
Thanks Peter
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Post by bargemast on Jun 26, 2017 11:51:53 GMT
Hi all, I'm thinking of getting a new build. Anyone got any suggestions for a reasonably priced builder who does a nice job. Thanks Peter You'll have to tell us more about what you want to have as a new build, narrow, wide, Replica Dutch barge etc. Peter.
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Post by Saltysplash on Jun 26, 2017 18:17:14 GMT
Also canal, river, tidal capability and length and and and and......
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Post by bargemast on Jun 26, 2017 20:23:29 GMT
Also canal, river, tidal capability and length and and and and...... And of course what you want the ends to look like . Peter.
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Aussie
Junior Member
Posts: 22
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Post by Aussie on Jun 29, 2017 8:07:10 GMT
Thanks,good points. We're looking for a narrowboat, canals mainly, only a river if we need to. Considering a semi trad, around 50 to 57 feet, reverse layout.
We're tossing up the options between new and second hand. We've been watching the second hand market online and the prices seem to be rising somewhat. We live in Australia and so looking (physically) at boats for sale is a real problem, and the logistics of finding the right second hand boat and buying it are very awkward.
We see problems identifying a good second hand boat, flying over to find that it's either sold or not as good as it looked online. How long to buy tickets for,transport, accommodation etc etc etc.
So we're wondering, if prices of second hand boats are rising, whether spending some more would mean we get a new boat without all the pitfalls of trying to buy from Aus, and we know when it's going to be ready rather than flying backwards and forwards trying to buy a second hand boat, possibly unsuccessfully.
We see, for example, nice looking boats by Aintree that could be worth considering, but don't know if there are others, similar, to consider. It's not urgent perhaps for the 2019 season.
Thanks for the help, cheers
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Post by Telemachus on Jun 29, 2017 8:41:31 GMT
Aintree make pretty good value boats, but they are at the lower budget end. You could look at Colecraft, they have been in business for ever and perhaps are the best of the 'mass producers".
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Post by lollygagger on Jun 29, 2017 11:01:22 GMT
No personal experience of buying new, but from talking to new boat owners I suggest you pay particular attention to the prep and painting. It's too common that new boat owners are faced with a complete bare metal repaint after 2-3 years, or even sooner. That is not cheap - £5-10,000 from what I can gather. Such a waste when a few days extra graft would have done the job properly originally.
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Aussie
Junior Member
Posts: 22
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Post by Aussie on Jun 29, 2017 11:15:46 GMT
Thanks for the feedback. I rang Colecraft but they're 2500 per foot so quite a bit out of our price range.
Telemachus you mention that Aintree are budget builders, so we're not expecting the world. But do you know if the basic quality is there? Provided the quality is reasonable for the price then we're happy to accept that we aren't getting a 100k + boat.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2017 11:48:18 GMT
Thanks for the feedback. I rang Colecraft but they're 2500 per foot so quite a bit out of our price range. Telemachus you mention that Aintree are budget builders, so we're not expecting the world. But do you know if the basic quality is there? Provided the quality is reasonable for the price then we're happy to accept that we aren't getting a 100k + boat. about the last topic i got involved in on CWDF canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/85684-watch-out-for-this-biggie/&Aintree and Collingwood would not get a penny out of me for their products - i have no axe to grind but having seen the standard of work in the flesh and online i'd try to stretch my money a bit further and/or look elsewhere. Pat Buckles work isnt bad pb-narrowboats.co.uk/www.affordablequalityboats.co.uk/ I know several happy owners with a Buckle boat and have looked over them on our slipway - way better quality than the LB stuff that we have in our club. Fox's build excellent strong boats, www.foxboats.co.uk/marina/boat-building/ they have had donkeys years experience building boats to stand the rough and tumble of life in hire! There is also Darke but i do not know anything abut them im afraid. www.dandbdarke.plus.com/darkepages/darke_boats_overview.htmlHTH
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Post by tadworth on Jun 29, 2017 13:11:53 GMT
Get written proof of the source of the steel they have used. Some low end boat builders have used imported low quality steel.
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Post by peterboat on Jun 29, 2017 13:16:54 GMT
I am in Johnathon Wilsons yard at the moment they produce good boats, Finesse seem to be producing good fitouts [new company time will tell] in the same yard. I would give them a whirl as in the boat world only the good companies have a waiting list, poor ones tend have build slots at short notice. The quality of the paint finish from what I have seen is very good car finish in fact
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2017 16:30:27 GMT
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Post by Telemachus on Jun 29, 2017 16:41:02 GMT
Thanks for the feedback. I rang Colecraft but they're 2500 per foot so quite a bit out of our price range. Telemachus you mention that Aintree are budget builders, so we're not expecting the world. But do you know if the basic quality is there? Provided the quality is reasonable for the price then we're happy to accept that we aren't getting a 100k + boat. Liverpool boats, Collingwood, Orchard are all from the same stable. Before I knew much about boat builds, we nearly bought an Orchard but so glad we didn't! Very shoddily built under the surface. I am not quite sure of the pedigree of Antree but I think it's a bit different (well, that's what they told me at Crick a few years ago anyway!). I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of fitout of the Aintree boat we saw at Crick, but of course it might have been a good'un for the show, and anyway it's difficult to see below the surface on a cursory walk-through. Ultimately if it's a cheap boat it's likely to be poorer quality. The perceived wisdom, with which I agree, is that it's far better to get a secondhand quality boat than a new cheap one. However I totally understand your distance predicament. But having a boat built is long winded and stressful and I'm not sure I'd want to be one the other side of the world. You might like to look at the tales of woe from your compatriots Tom & Jan: www.grannybuttons.com/files/Despicable%20Ben%20Harp%20Narrowboat%20Builders.pdfThey did eventually get their boat finished by another builder and have been happily cruising for 5 years or so. In fact I notice it's for sale at the moment. Buying second hand might still be the best option overall. Buying a new boat is not like buying a new car!
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Post by Telemachus on Jun 29, 2017 16:41:33 GMT
Oh snap - but I spent too long reading it again!
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Aussie
Junior Member
Posts: 22
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Post by Aussie on Jul 2, 2017 17:01:47 GMT
Thanks Gazza, I've looked at the websites and will ring them. Surprised to see that Fox still insulate with Rockwood. A little old fashioned I thought.
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