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Overnighter to Salcombe, day sail to Plymouth, return!
Tecsew
- Thread starter john_morris_uk
- Start date
Bobc
Well-known member
Suggest you also get a quote from Nicky at NJO Sails at Shamrock Quay.
She did a brilliant job of my bimini, and it wasn't particularly expensive.
She did a brilliant job of my bimini, and it wasn't particularly expensive.
Praxinoscope
Well-known member
B****y Hell! That's more than I paid for my complete boat!
Charlie Boy
Well-known member
I’m an adherent of Crusader. They provided a great product at a great price. OK, it may not win the prix d’elegance at Cowes week, but it’s brilliantly functional which entirely fulfilled my requirements. Paul Lees was happy to travel to the East Coast (from Poole) too.
And, as has already been pointed out, these are all sacrificial items, their lifespan is mostly governed by the elements rather than heavy usage. So to expect an expensive item to last longer than a cheaper one made from the same material is unreasonable.
And, as has already been pointed out, these are all sacrificial items, their lifespan is mostly governed by the elements rather than heavy usage. So to expect an expensive item to last longer than a cheaper one made from the same material is unreasonable.
john_morris_uk
Well-known member
.
Sadly not economic for them to come up to Gosport. They are also so busy they are currently taking orders for delivery in August.
Blueboatman
Well-known member
Ouch indeed
A verified local independent always worth seeking out IMO
( We had 2 in Brighton for example )
If you find one who has actually cruised the windy wet north and the sticky bright tropics , you’ve struck gold !
EDIT: Forgot , tell them you don’t want to be redoing the sodding stitching in 5 years time either !?
A verified local independent always worth seeking out IMO
( We had 2 in Brighton for example )
If you find one who has actually cruised the windy wet north and the sticky bright tropics , you’ve struck gold !
EDIT: Forgot , tell them you don’t want to be redoing the sodding stitching in 5 years time either !?
john_morris_uk
Well-known member
Interesting. A comment from a competitor was that Tecsew make things that look beautiful and fit perfectly but one of the reasons is that they don't do a lot (if any) reinforcement. They explained that it's a lot easier to get something to look good if it hasn't got reinforcing patches etc. (This from someone I know and trust in the trade and who isn't able to quote for this job - so no side to their comment.)
Moonbeam
Active member
That is a completely ludicrous price, probably a covid inflationary induced one. Builder mate of mine always said if you don't want the work, give them a ridiculous price.... at least then if they say yes, you are quids in.
Covercare Covercare are based in Emsworth. We paid £435 inc VAT in 2012 for a new spray hood to existing frame on a Konsort. But I imagine they are snowed under like most which is why the prices are high right now.
Covercare Covercare are based in Emsworth. We paid £435 inc VAT in 2012 for a new spray hood to existing frame on a Konsort. But I imagine they are snowed under like most which is why the prices are high right now.
Cheeky Girl
Member
I got a cockpit cover from them just before first lockdown to join onto my existing Tecsew spray hood
Good quality but pricey. No one round about was prepared to quote for a cover only to add to the existing spray hood.
They all wanted to supply the whole lot which was more expensive than the cockpit cover only.
Good quality but pricey. No one round about was prepared to quote for a cover only to add to the existing spray hood.
They all wanted to supply the whole lot which was more expensive than the cockpit cover only.
Tranona
Well-known member
Find that difficult to accept. The main reason why Tecsew products look good is that they (John the owner) use a CAD programme for design and subsequent cutting of the panels and then only uses the best materials. When he designed mine we discussed all the details including reinforcing. No complaints after nearly 6 years and no signs of wear despite the sprayhood being up all year round and the cockpit tonneau for 5 months every year.
Not saying others can't achieve similar quality outcomes and it is well worth getting alternative quotes. Kemps are in Gosport and I have always had good work from them - although Rob was very complimentary about the Tecsew work when he saw my new boat! I think if the Tecsew hood had not been part of the package on the boat I might have looked elsewhere for the tonneau, but it was convenient and everything then matched.
john_morris_uk
Well-known member
I did wonder at the comment, but the person who made it is a very respected cover maker (but from another part of the country and so can't help me). They were commenting on examples of Tecsew items that they had seen in person.
Your description of how Tecsew measure and make things matches my experience so far. I met Owen who helped bring in the 3D scanning equipment and software that enables their CAD designs. It was him who came and scanned our boat and it was all very professional and I was confident that it was going to be a good fit etc. Sadly I can't justify their price. CJ Marine are coming in at about half their quote and if I take the boat down to Plymouth, Sarah at Ocean Canvas also comes in at a similar price. I have confidence in both companies and their products so sadly, Owens scanning efforts will be nugatory as I can't justify the Tecsew prices..
wizard
Well-known member
Had my Bavaria 37 sprayhood and cockpit tent done by Tecsew 5 years ago and still in excellent condition.
As Tranona says cad design and measured on site and adjusted as necessary to my satisfaction.
If I remember correctly mine was in the high £3000‘s back then!
At the end of the day you get exactly what you pay for.
As Tranona says cad design and measured on site and adjusted as necessary to my satisfaction.
If I remember correctly mine was in the high £3000‘s back then!
At the end of the day you get exactly what you pay for.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Was he sitting in your lounge, seemingly unwilling to leave even though it was well past your bed time,. Did he have a book full of bimini pictures & offering to phone his boss to see if he could get a reduced price-- subject to you placing the order there & then. Did he mention that you could have the starbd side done first & the port done free?
I expect he did the " drop a feather down the joint in the front of your existing bimini & the cockpit" test to show you how bad your old one was
Daydream believer
Well-known member
So how much more does a decent few M2 of cloth cost over a typical cloth. Presumably a CAD designed product makes it all much quicker to make so that should be cheaper. Leaving out patches on the basis of " we use a better cloth" is also a saving. Add in the saving of coupling laser cutting to the CAD in a way that is accurate, designed to waste less cloth & the cost should come down. So where is the extra cost?
john_morris_uk
Well-known member
Was he sitting in your lounge, seemingly unwilling to leave even though it was well past your bed time,. Did he have a book full of bimini pictures & offering to phone his boss to see if he could get a reduced price-- subject to you placing the order there & then. Did he mention that you could have the starbd side done first & the port done free?
I expect he did the " drop a feather down the joint in the front of your existing bimini & the cockpit" test to show you how bad your old one was
I recognise many of those sales tricks as I've suffered most them before...
Mrs M gets cross with me as I usually tell the salesman to forget the patter and just tell us how much. For some reason they don't like this approach as it's not in their training manual. No that wasn't what happened. An email enquiry led to the man coming to measure and the quote came through email.I've just chatted to another marine canvas fabricator. Firstly, they can't take on the work as they are completely snowed under. (Maybe if I get in touch in the Autumn it might be worth us driving the slack handful of miles to Gosport to fit your boat in as we might be quiet by then...) However, we got chatting and it turns out that he knows that Tecsew has invested something over £250k in this CAD gear so they've got to get their money back somehow. This particular canvas supplier also claims he finds it quicker and more cost effective to do the fitting the old fashioned way. (But perhaps he would say that?)
(I was reminded of the old adage of software and IT looking for a solution for a problem that isn't really there. On aircraft carriers a few years ago, they thought that the deck handling HQ could use an IT system with a big screen to show where the aircraft were. They quickly realised that a picture of the deck on a steel table with little outlines of the various types of aircraft cut out of wood and with magnets on them to keep them where you put them was simpler, and more cost effective and much easier to use. (New aircraft type introduced into service - just cut out some more bits of plywood and stick the magnets on them!). Look out of the window and check that the model of the deck matches what you can see in front of you and move the aircraft on the table as appropriate.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
There was me thinking that the idea of investment in technology is to drive down construction cost, or to extend manufacturing capability. NOT to increase output cost.
john_morris_uk
Well-known member
Boys and toys huh...
LittleSister
Well-known member
Sadly only for one afternoon (Hong Kong), and on that occasion absolutely torrential rain (could barely see the bow of the boat from the cockpit!) and violent winds were the main problem!
bitbaltic
Well-known member
Out of curiosity I had a look at the Tecsew website, just looking at the pictures of the boats on it I know I'm not in their league.
doug748
Well-known member
Me too. Could just about run to an Easy Rig Awning for 500 quid:
https://www.tecsew.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ERA-Brochure-web.pdf
Might not bother.
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