Sailaway builder advice

[Jessicaaviva]

Hi,

 

Looking for some advice/recommendations if anyone has had dealings with any of these builders?

 

I'm about to take the plunge and buy my first sailaway as a liveaboard and I've narrowed it down to XR&D, Colecraft and Soar Valley Steel Boats but it would be great if anyone can share their experiences or give me any advice! I've read a lot of good things about each and all of them on here but can't seem to find a comparison anywhere.

 

I've visited them all and each of them seem to operate quite differently but from what I know and have seen first hand they all seem to make fine, solid boats. I'm not so fussed about traditional details or excessive decoration, what I want is fairly simple, a 50ft cruiser that I can fit out myself, obviously the nicer she handles etc the better but I'm on a fairly limited budget so I'd rather just get the best shell possible for the money and one which will hold its value if ever I decide/need to upsize/sell.

One other question, as Soar Valley can grit-blast but XR&D say they can't, how crucial is this before using epoxy paint or can I wait until she needs blacking again in a couple of years and get it done then, as this is what XR&D have recommended?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Jess

[system 4-50]

I bought my sailaway from Colecraft and am well pleased with it. I would strongly recommend that you visit them and discuss any concerns you have and see their works.

[peterboat]

Gritblast at the beginning saves a lot of pain and expense at a later date! also investigate zingering the boat, again will save a lot of expense at a later date

[GoodGurl]

not had a boat built by them but i have seen a few boats that soar valley have built, both in a finished product and at various levels of build and i am impressed with the work they do, some are really bespoke and stand out from the crowd.

[Chewbacka]

We bought a sailaway from Colecraft giving then the basic spec and then worked with them to get what we wanted.

Built to Hull with engine and sprayfoam insulation.

Very pleased.

 

Just as an aside make sure you budget for getting it from their works and into the water, this is probably not included in the price even though it is a sailaway.

[Ally]

We built on xr&d hulls all the time. On time, trustworthy, flexible if you want anything a bit different, great little company.

[patty-ann]

As above, initially I looked to getting sailaway from Colecraft but when I began to cost out it soon became clear couldn't go down that route..the dreaded VAT bumped prices up considerably and also although you can pick n specify costs creep..However I was very impressed by their set up and walked around their yard.

Just ensure before you buy you work out budget.

[Chewbacka]

Make sure your final spec is fairly detailed in so far as items required to get your quote. The detailed layout is not required for a quote you will use for comparing between boatyards.

 

For example -

the style (portholes or square windows), size and quantity.

Side hatches - steel (best) or wood and quantity

Bracket and fuel take off point for webasto boiler

Insulation - spray foam or DIY.

Front & rear doors - steel or wood

Width of door openings - if you want to get anything large into the boat like a washing machine

Engine - type (eg Beta 43 and size and number of alternators. - In our case we took the standard little alternator for battery charging and had 2 domestic alternators, rather than one big one. Costs a bit more, but does mean that if an alternator fails then we still have 50%. I also don't like to run alternators etc at max output for any length of time.

 

I also had a skin tank on both sides of the swim as we are often going up and down the River Severn which can work the engine hard for a few hours at a time and I wanted to be confident that we would not overheat.

 

As I was fitting it out in an insecure mooring, Colecraft welded some lugs onto each door/hatch so I could lock it up with padlocks.

Later took the lugs off with an angle grinder.

 

If you don't specify these sorts of things when they quote they will charge extra for them - which is only fair as it does involve extra time etc.

 

When I got mine Colecraft also supplied the lining plywood and bulkhead block board - oak finish and stacked it inside the boat. You can negotiate this if/when you order.

 

You will also need a tiller arm (which I had wrongly assumed came as part of a sailaway) as well as ropes, fenders, mooring spikes/goat chains etc to stop it floating away when it goes in the water.

[linnit]

Another heads up for XR&D..They built my shell exactly how I requested..took detailed pics of everything they did as it progressed..e mailed me 1st if any of my requests wouldn't work so we could achieve a work around between us...welcomed my near weekly visits!!..All in all a pleasant working relationship..well done lads?...All pics of build were up on they're website

[matty40s]

If XRnD build it, get it delivered to Debdale after line out, grit blast and zinger it there, no need to worry about corrosion for a long time then.

[Athy]

Is a "zinger" a West Country vocalist?

[PaulD]

Soar Valley use 5mm for roof and sides. Very good welding and all panels straight. Will accomodate any special requests with good advice about what works. Very happy with my Soar Valley sailaway.

 

Paul

[pquinn]

Is a "zinger" a West Country vocalist?

Well one of the definitions from the urban dictionary has it as being a ''person who makes love to an electrical outlet''. You live and learn!

[BargeeSpud]

We went with Colecraft for "Tillytubby" & the quality & service was excellent, although you do need to think very carefully what you want them to add to the basic build & tot up all the "extras". Even those you might think should be included, might not be, so detailed clarification should always be sought. Don't be afraid to raise anything with them that you're unsure of, Colecraft are brilliant at dealing with that sort of thing.

 

There are a couple of extras worth considering as you're living aboard, double the sprayfoam layer for the roof, sprayfoam is usually a 25mm thick layer, & get the underfloor insulation, they both make a huge difference & are cost effective.

 

Talking of sprayfoam, when you take delivery & before you do anything else, get a can or 2 of expanding foam from screwfix (product No. 83897) or Toolstation (product No. 85137) and fill in any gaps that will naturally be there due to shinkage or being slightly missed. Concentrate your efforts in corners & under box sections,especially under the gunwhales, in fact treat anything you're not sure of. It's tedious, but worth the effort & you'll reduce your condensation risk markedly.

 

Another tedious tip is to insulate all exposed screw heads where the battens have been fixed to the steelwork. I used a special paper cut into squares & stapled, but I'm sure you can use anything that will insulate a cold metal surface from warm air.

 

Another "extra" is the Hempadur blacking & primer thats also worth having as the they are a 2 pack system that bonds to the steel, so it won't deteriorate quickly in case you have to leave it a while before you apply your final paint job. I would recommend having the shot blasting though.

 

I guess most of the above would apply to any of the top names of builders, so it will boil down to your budget, desired quality, but most important, who you feel most confident dealing with.

 

Good luck, I'm sure you'll make the right choice that suits you and enjoy the exciting experience of watching you boat materialise before your eyes!

[Athy]

Well one of the definitions from the urban dictionary has it as being a ''person who makes love to an electrical outlet''. You live and learn!

Wow! Socket to me!

[pquinn]

Yes! It came as a bit of a shock !