Narrowboat Engineering

Swanley Bridge Marina offers a full range of professional marine engineering services from its purpose built workshop situated on the Llangollen Canal.

Danny has twenty years experience welding and examples of his work include both the canal boat trailer and the narrowboat jig here at the marina together with the workshop and DIY sheds which he also fabricated.

Full boatyard facilities and all work is carried out to a high standard.

Slipway

Full length 100m slipway extending from a 35m diameter turning circle which allows for the launch and retrieval of a 70ft narrowboat by our unique narrowboat trailer. This allows for transport to our boatyard repair facilities or our DIY sheds for your own dry dock repairs and out of water surveys.

Welding

The engineering team can carry out everything from minor welding repairs to major hull restorations. A specialist narrow boat jig has been built by Danny in the workshop to facilitate that major repairs are done professionally and accurately. Whole sections of replacement hull or large bottom plates can be constructed independently on the jig and the boat gently lowered into position using the overhead gantry. The jig properly supports the whole length of the boat at a safe and convenient height for welding to take place. This ensures that all welding on your boat is carried out to the highest possible standard. The jig being perfectly level also ensures that any rudder repairs can be carried out at a true angle.

Services include full hull plate re-plating

• New bottom plates
• Side plating
• Counter plates
• Rudder trunks
• Weed hatches
• Hand rails
• Anode replacement

Narrowboat Overplating / Hull Replating / Bottom Plating

Hulls of a certain age are required by insurance companies to have a full hull survey which can be arranged, metal wasting and pitting can be a problem and may have to be overplated before they offer comprehensive cover, we can offer a full professional overplating service from just a new base plate, side plates or everything under the waterline like counterplates, weedhatches and ruddertrunks. We can also offer a full fabrication service for alterations to suit your personal needs.

Stretching / Lengthening

Those people who what more space but don't want to sell their boat, we can offer a full stretching service including cutting and welding in the new section, joinery work gas and electric and finish painting.

Sterngear

The sterngear and propeller are one of the most important parts of your boat as they drive your boat along in the water but can be a weak link for allowing water into your boat, they are a service item and can become worn. We can replace worn stern tubes and shafts, we can weld in new bosses for the stern gear to allow for true engine alignment or we could change your sterngear for a different type altogether. Bowthrusters aide manoevrability in the water and can be fitted to most hulls, we can offer a bow fitting service including welding in a new bulkhead where space allows.

Hull Blacking

Swanley Bridge Marina provides a full pressure washing and hull blacking service. After seeing the condition of many boats we recommend blacking every two years including the bottom. This will ensure that your boats hull remains in pristine condition and that corrosion does not take hold reducing the thickness of the bottom plates. Due to our superior boat handling facilities we are one of the few boatyards that can safely complete a full hull blacking.

25 ton hoist

A 25 ton hoist within the workshop allows a 70ft narrowboat to be safely lifted from the boat trailer to a suitable position for repair. No strain is placed on the boats super structure or keel because four separate hoists are used for independent lifting. The main lifting points are spaced out twenty feet along the length of the keel to remove any problems associated with the boat flexing. Each hoist lifts at ninety degrees from an overhead gantry, so no pressure is applied to the cabin whilst lifting.

The workshop hoist can also be used to unload a narrowboat from an HGV trailer to our narrowboat trailer for launch on the slipway.

Note: Lifting narrowboat's incorrectly can result in damaging the superstructure and keel.

Testimonials

"Dear Danny & Eric,

What a fantastic job. The new stern gear and tiller works really well. Increasing the length of the prop shaft has made such a huge difference. Our engine now cruises at 1100 revs instead of 1700, thus saving diesel and engine wear. True to your word the cost was on budget. We certainly have no reservations on recommending you to all our boating friends. Once again fantastic job."

Bill & Eileen

NB: New Dawn

"Further to our resent communication I would confirm that I am still afloat on Thistledous. All the works that were carried out have worked out very well. The overplating of the bottom was a result of the required 20yr insurance survey. As the bottom was being done I decided to extend the front of the boat in the cratch area ahead of the front doors. This gives me a full 8ft front deck with substantial storage underneath. Whilst the boat was cut and open a stainless steel water tank was installed.

Side doors to the kitchen were also on the menu list. I have carried out all the fit out works myself, including any preparation internally. This was all pre-agreed with Danny before slipping the boat. I am very happy with all the works as carried out and all the little details that were done by Danny have stood the test of time.

In addition Danny solved a long standing problem relating to constant wear in the stern tube. He identified that the engine mountings were the wrong type and had been for years. I can confirm that replacing the mountings and changing the stern tube arrangement is working very well.

I hope Danny is still keeping the local doughnut shop in business."

Regards

Tom Thelwell

NB: Thistledous

We are located between Ravensmoor Bridge 6 (Wrexham Road) and Swanley No 2 Lock on the Llangollen Canal.

For further information contact Swanley Bridge Marina on: 01270 524571.