Dutch steel boats!

LittleShip

LittleShip

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Why is it that the Dutch steel boats that are very popular over in Holland have not had the same following over here in the UK with the Displacement Enthusiasts! I'm not talking about the canal cruiser type but the ones that are CE marked B and C

Comparing prices of these boats and some of the other displacement boats that are sold in the UK there seems to be a vast difference in price, with the Dutch ones apparently being very favorable!

Anybody got a view on this!

Very interested to know!

Tom
 
I am seriously considering placing an order for a Dutch steel boat but as the UK price is some 15% dearer than Netherlands price, all things being equal, UK price may have a bearing on the dearth of steel boats in UK.
 
We took delivery of our Dutch steel boat in December 2005.
We have found her to be comfotable and extremely well finished - that's not just us but every craftsman that has been on board. The craftsmen were at our invitation for servicing etc.. At 11 mtrs by 3.65 beam she is quite large enough for the two of us yet able to accomodate 6 in comfort and more on the mooring.
With 262 hours recorded fuel works out at about 3 ltrs p h.
We have seen other boats of similar size with a lesser specification at a price on average 15% higher.
The attention to our requirements by the builders and overall workmanship was second to none. We would happily buy another.
Peejay
 
Very interesting. I am looking at a dutch steel. May I ask what type you went for and are so pleased with? Also would be interested in engine. Best wishes
 
Sorry,can't answer your question but we're now on our second one. The first at 14.5 x 4.2 was so roomy and even had a bath. Finish inside and out was unbelievably high and woodwork made Brooms look like a load of MFI tat. After years of British GRP, we're so glad we made the move. Perhaps the maintenance of steel holds some fears for people. it shouldn't - its what most of their cars are made of! The maintenance regime is different but no more onerous.
 
I think the importance of "The Badge" in the UK car industry rubs off in relation to Dutch Steel boats.

Having spent 2 years hunting a new boat in Holland I have found that its easy to be put off a viewing cos the boat has an unprounouncable name.

It dosen`t have to be Pedro / Stevens etc.

I have just concluded a purchase of a 45' steel cruiser (used) that will stay in Holland for the forseeable future.

£20 Easyjet, Winter mooring £300, 6000miles of waterways, and the boat cost £78k and is valued by a broker in the UK at £135k !!

I'm off Tuesday for my first cruise as owner
 
Leave it out, Mike. At this rate you'll have the place swarming with Brits. Better to have it, especially the costs, as a well-kept secret. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Good luck next week.
 
Thanks for the reply's so far........... please keep them coming!

If you don't want to post a picture of your boat on the forum could I ask you to pm me and I will send you an email address to send me a photo.

You have probably realised I'm looking at moving up and I don't want plastic, but there are just so many Steel boat manufacturers. Kid in a toffee shop comes to mind!

Tom
 
Have a couple of mates with ageing Pedros and they are now both looking at £10K bills for a repaint after approx 20 years. The rust INSIDE the hull is bad enough!

That alone would put me off owning anything in steel, they may be fitted out nice and maybe treated externally when new - but you dont have that expense with a GRP boat.
 
So steel boats get repainted after 20 years while plastic has to get its osmosis fixed. Seems a fair swop to me and at least the steel boat has an 'as new' external appearance for the money. Any internal rust, probably caused by condensation in a poorly insulated boat, should be treated on an on-going basis, bit like touching up on a car. My last boat, 18 years old when I sold it last spring, had no sign of anything inside. BTW an enquiry I made two weeks ago came up with a price of €7k-€10k to repaint a 13 metre boat, depending on the degree of preparation required. It seems many owners repaint before 'the 20 year mark' 'cos it works out cheaper overall.

Don't forget - there are more old steel boats around than old plastic ones! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Depends whose looking after them had steel boats for over 25 years with no probs. Once had a senior moment and reversed out of a lock with a big spring tide running this caused me to hit the lock side steelwork which dinted the upper side, filled and touched up and now unnoticeable. If it had been grp it would have holed it. Some years ago a Pedro was moored at Great Yarmouth when a coaster got it wrong and hit the side of it, it pushed the side in somewhat! It was sailed back to Pedro,s but it was cheaper to fit the bits into a new hull.
 
It is true that poorly prepared steel boats rust from the inside out. However a good quality steel boat will have been heavily epoxy coated inside and out and will then last as long as the coating isn't damaged. Pedros were never particularly high quality and I remember seeing one at a boat show with a tiny spray of water coming through a weld. As with everything you get what you pay for. In the UK many narrowboats are still coated with tar and oil based paints and as a consequence are rusty before their new owner takes delivery. Doing your own prep' a hull respray with two pack poly' shouldn't cost more than about 3K unless of course you go to a "specialist centre" instead of using your local highly experienced car sprayer who uses two pack on todays cars.
 
Steel -v- plastic (GRP) Old proverb - I'll let you hit my boat with a 14lb sledge hammer if you let me hit your plastic one with the same. I think the answer is quite obvious, locks are very hard. At sea plastic may be ok, you are not supposed to hit anything. On inland waterways you hit, or get hit occasionaly ( or if a bad helmsman quite often) My 46'0'' boat weighs nearly 30 tons may I breast up and lean on your plastic boat next time I come alongside....
 
Come off it PCUK I have bought 2 Pedro,s and never had a paint or weld problem,first one 10yrs and this 6yrs.The back up is also excellent from a family run company.They had Lloyds warranty on hull welding and fuel tank welding, you dont get that from a cheapy job.
 
But you've got to accept that the Pedro is the economy job, built down to a price. Still a reasonable boat and very good value for money. Bit like a Ford Mondeo really. Even so, a Pedro wouldn't be my choice (altho' I do have a Mondeo!!)
 
If money wasnt a prob. would have gone for Linssen, looked at Stevens but about same as Pedro but due to heavy markup from Boat Showrooms un competitive.Stevens in Holland are much cheaper but if your a Brit they wont sell you one.
 
We went to Succes Yachts at Markness via UK Agent. The engine is Vetus Deutz 140 HP. and the boat the 108 Ultra The company was taken over in September/October 2006 but have kept the name and models.
They are certainly worth a look but would suggest that you go direct.
 
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