Frequently Asked Questions

The most common questions asked by potential buyers and existing customers that we speak with and meet.

Why Do Sea Otter Use Aluminium?

Using aluminium ensures that Sea Otter boats require minimal hull maintenance. They do not require re-blacking or anodes and so no time has to be spent rubbing down or repainting. Keep your boat clean and it should look as good as new 20 years down the line. Buying a boat made of aluminium may cost more than a steel boat, however you will rapidly find that the money saved by buying a steel boat will eventually end up being spent repainting and re-blacking your boat which in the long term will mean it would have been cheaper to buy an aluminium boat.

Doesn't Aluminium Dent Easily?

If our boats were made out of pure aluminium then the answer would be yes, as pure aluminium is very soft. At Sea Otter, we construct our boats from marine grade aluminium alloy. A common example of an alloy is stainless steel, which is an alloy containing chrome. The aluminium alloy we use is marine grade BS5083. BS5083 is known for it’s exceptional performance in extreme environments and is highly resistant to attack by both seawater and industrial chemical environments. BS5083 also retains exceptional strength after welding. The same alloy is used in the construction of the majority of working boats, e.g. fish farming, RNLI, fast navy vessels, fast ferries as well as rail cars, vehicle bodies, tip truck bodies etc. Owners of craft made of this alloy appreciate the strength, lack of maintenance, and longevity of the material. The popularity of using aluminium in boat construction is highlighted at the European workboat show where 85% of the boats are made from aluminium alloy. Can 85% of professional boat using people really be wrong?

What Happens When A 60' Hire Boat Hits An Aluminium Boat?

As with any other well-constructed boat, you will bounce. If a sharp point of contact is made then there is the possibility of your boat being dented, however any direct collision between heavy metal boats is going to cause some sort of damage. In a collision, the elasticity of your boat material will heavily impact the damage sustained. Aluminium has three times the elasticity of steel under impact, which is why it is used in the construction of armour plating.

Doesn't Aluminium Rot Away?

If the correct grade of aluminium is used then this will not be an issue. At Sea Otter boats we use marine grade aluminium, which is designed for marine applications. This ensures that rotting and corrosion are not an issue, which in turn prolongs the life of your boat.

What Is The Difference Between Normal Aluminium And The Marine Grade Aluminium Alloy Used By Sea Otter?

Marine grade aluminium is a far higher quality than normal aluminium. As mentioned previously, the marine grade aluminium used by Sea Otter is known for it’s exceptional performance in extreme environments and is highly resistant to attacks from both seawater and industrial chemical environments. The marine grade aluminium used by Sea Otter also has a working life of around 100 years, which makes for a lot of boating!

All Boats Suffer Electrolysis! I Know Aluminium Boats Have Electrolysis!

Think about Sir Isaac Newton's famous statement, "Every reaction has an equal and opposite reaction". Electrolysis is an electro-chemical reaction. Consider the fire triangle of 'Fuel', 'Heat' and 'Oxygen'.

In building the hulls we use only the finest marine grade aluminium alloy. There are no dissimilar metals in contact with the hull below the waterline. All stern gear runs through a phenolic cutlass bearing. The stainless rudder and stock run through MDPE bearings. Any below-the-water-line fittings that may be dissimilar are fitted with a polyurethane gasket. Non of these conduct electricity. Because there are no dissimilar metals we do not create a battery effect. Thus we remove the electricity component and electrolysis cannot occur.

What About Electrolytic Contamination From Other Boats?

We fit an isolating diode on the earth circuit. Also a "phase fault indication LED" is fitted on the consumer unit. A dangerously and incorrectly wired up marina or adjacent boat will accelerate corrosion on all boats, including fibreglass where metal parts are immersed.

How Does Electrolytic Reaction Compare With A Steel Boat?

A steel boat can be classed as a virtual chemistry set. Steel (of all types, grades and manufacture): stainless; phosphor bronze; manganese bronze; magnesium anodes and every other component in the engine. All of this provides perfect conditions for an electrolytic reaction. We have just one material, the excellent marine grade aluminium alloy, which ensures negligible electrolytic reaction.

How Does Salt Water Affect The Boats?

Put quite simply, Sea Otter boats love salt water! The aluminium alloy creates it's own protective coating against salt water by the oxidisation process. This speed at which this process works is increased due the the make up of salt water.

How Does Bacterial Contamination Affect The Boats?

Even in a poor canal, there is enough oxygen to allow the metal to oxidise. Sea Otter boats are designed so that our ballast tanks are open to the water and allow free passage to keep the water suitable fresh.

Is The Boat Built Completely From Aluminium Or Is The Top Fibreglass?

Sea Otter boats are built completely from marine grade aluminium. The top of the boat is built from the same aluminium alloy as the rest of the boat's hull.

How Good Is The Corrosion Resistance?

The corrosion resistance of a Sea Otter boat is second to none. Aluminium corrodes a lot less than a steel hull, even when left unpainted. This means there is no need to immediately re-touch scratches or to re-black the bottom of the boat. Our boats are painted for decoration only whereas steel boats must be periodically re-blacked in order to try and slow down the hull rusting through. In it’s defence, aluminium naturally forms a thin layer of aluminium oxide, which is incredibly resistant to corrosion.

How Do You Get Paint To Adhere?

The hulls are first de-greased, abraded and then de-greased again. We use acid etch primer, high build undercoat and at least 2 topcoats. Our boats are painted in a climate controlled state of the art paint booth. Steel boats are typically brush painted (on top of mill scale and frequently rust).

What Happens When I Scratch The Boat Down To The Bare Metal?

It will remain bright and shiny until you choose to touch it up. In 15 years we are still yet to repaint a narrowboat.

Do The Boats Require Annual Blacking?

Sea Otter boats do not require annual blacking however it is up to you if you wish to do so. All paint on a Sea Otter boat is purely to make it more aesthetically pleasing. We recently moved one of our boats that had been in continual use for eight and a half years without re-blacking and it was as good as new underneath. In contrast, had this been a steel boat the damage would have been terminal. If you like the look of a Sea Otter unpainted then you are more than welcome to have it supplied unpainted if you wish!

I've Had A Landrover And The Alloy Dissolved Into White Powder...

2 things here: 1) serves Landrover right for inventing Bermabrite which never really did the job 2) they fastened the Bermabrite to galvanised steel frames to create a battery effect. Had Landrover used a proven alloy like the one used for Sea Otter boats then they would never have had this problem!

How does the plating compare with steel? Typically 10:6:4

Steel boat constructors use a heavy base plate:

• For ballast

• Because they are flat bottomed and the edges wear away and it is going to go rusty and pit, they figure that the thicker it is the longer it will last. As most steel boats are wet bilged it is being attacked from both sides.

• At some stage it will need re-plating and the thicker the material that is left the easier the repair will be.

• They rely on the heavy plate for structural strength.

At Sea Otter our plating thicknesses are:

Sea Otter boats are v-bottomed and so we do not suffer edge wear. We do not rely on the plating thickness alone for strength and our V-Bottom ballast tanks are constructed like an egg box with baffles. This makes them dramatically strong. Our hulls are likewise properly framed.

Will The Roof Take My Weight?

Yes. The aluminium alloy used is extremely strong and so will easily take your weight.

Why Are Sea Otter Boats Expensive?

When compared with steel boats of similar specifications, Sea Otters are only slightly more expensive. Most of this extra cost covers the extra expense involved with building the craft of aluminium alloy, a feature that represents a wealth of saved money and time in maintenance. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for and with a Sea Otter boat, quality comes as standard.

How Much More Expensive Is Aluminium Over Steel?

The shells are approximately twice the price, but because Sea Otter is able to realise economies of scale, the finished product is only slightly more expensive than an equivalent quality steel boat. One must also bear in mind that aluminium alloy offers savings on maintenance costs such as lift outs and hull blacking. Aluminium alloy boats also retain their value far better than their steel equivalents. This ensures that you will get a good resale value on your Sea Otter.

Can I Get Finance For My Boat?

Yes, marine finance is readily available. Please feel free to contact ourselvses or our agents to discuss finance.

What Is The Re-Sale Value For A Sea Otter Boat?

The track record of second hand Sea Otter boat selling is superb. Our agents say we outstrip the competition on price retention and also on speed of selling. We feel this is a good reflection on the high quality boat that we provide from the offset.

Why Are The Beds In A Sea Otter Boat So Small?

Sizes of beds vary from boat to boat. We are happy to accommodate requests for larger beds along with any other requirements you may have when ordering your boat.

Can I Design My Own Boat?

Sea Otter provides standard layouts that have proven to be most popular over time. We are happy to accommodate any ideas that you may have yourself, although you should note that large changes might cause a delay in delivery and an increase in cost to meet the requirements of extra design and custom production time.

Can I Fit Out My Own Boat?

Sea Otter will supply a boat finished to any stage of completion. This allows you the opportunity to fully fit out your own boat.

I Would Like A Stove And Loose Lounge Furniture, Is This Possible?

Yes, this is not a problem.

I Have A Mobility Problem Which Makse It Difficult To Get On And Off A Boat. Can You Help?

Sea Otter have a long experience of owners with disabilities. They are expert at making modifications which will enable you to enjoy your boating for many years. Please feel free to talk with us or our agent about this matter.

Are Sea Otter Boats Really Trailable?

Yes. The 22', 27,' and 31' 14hp version can be trailed by their owner or by Sea Otter. The 31' 21hp version and 32' Mid-Cockpit cruiser can be trailed by Sea Otter. Read more about this in our narrowboat page.

What If I Don't Have A Suitable 4 x 4 To Trail My Sea Otter, Or Have A Sea Otter That Is Too Big To Trail?

Sea Otter boats offers a competitively priced boat moving service. Please contact us if you require further details on this.

What Are The Advantages Of Water Ballast?

The water ballast system takes on extra ballast in the water. This makes the boat more stable in the water. When removing the boat from the water, once out of the water the ballast drains out which makes the boat considerably lighter allowing the smaller Sea Otters to be trailed behind a large 4 x 4. The water ballast can also serve as a mud box for the cooling system if raw water/heat exchanger cooling is specified.

How Does The Ballast Water Get In And Out? Does The Water Shift Around?

A hole in the bottom of the boat allows water to enter, and a vent allows the air to escape. The water does not move about because there are baffles in-between the base of the boat and the water tank which stop the movement of water. The tank is also full and so water movement is negligible.

What Happens When The Water Freezes?

The ballast tanks are vented at the front and open to the water in the base. The bottom fill/drain hole is a minimum 24" below the surface. It is unlikely that water would ever freeze to this depth. If it did so then it would be a gradual process and the large drain would cope.

Are The Boats Lighter Than Steel Boats?

When Archimedes leapt into his bath he displaced his own weight in water. We do the same and take on more weight in the form of ballast. The 31' for instance weighs 2.8 tonnes (dry weight) + 1.5 tonnes water ballast = 4.3 tonnes. Same as a steel boat of the same size. Pro rata our 51' barges displace 22 tonnes.

Where Can I Get A Sea Otter?

Please visit our contact section for further details.

Where Can I Get A Better Feel Of The Boats And See One Afloat?

All of our agents offer demonstrator boats. Your local agent may not have the specific model in which you are interested, but will still be able to show you a Sea Otter of a similar type. This will allow you to gain an appreciation of Sea Otter's style and build quality. If you wish to know who your nearest agent is then please don't hesitate to contact us.

Can I Live On My Sea Otter?

Of course. Our boats are also available with permanent double beds if desired. Live aboard status needs to be addressed in build, i.e. additional ventillation etc.

Do They Have A Shower, Toilet, Hot Water Etc.?

Yes.

How Is The Water Heated?

Using waste heat from the engine cooling system whilst the engine is running, by the heating system if radiators are fitted, and by shorepower immersion heater.

How Long Does It Take The Water To Heat Up?

About two hours of running, preferably under load, should make the water hot enough for two showers.

How Many Can Sleep On The 26' Narrowboat?

Four: three and a bunk.

Is There A Passenger Limit For My Sea Otter?

Yes, it is stamped on the plate by the stern rail, and should not be exceeded under any circumstances. All CE marked boats are licensed for a given number of people. This is traditionally the sleeping capacity, as more than just stability is an issue. The boats fixed fresh air ventilation has also been calculated with this number of persons in mind.

Aren't The Engines A Bit Small?

Because of the physics involved, a displacement boat has a maximum speed regardless of how big the engine fitted is. If an oversized engine is fitted then it will be permanently idling at inland speeds. This will make the engine more smokey, less efficient and will cause long term damage.

Does The Engine Draw Water From The Canal To Cool Itself?

On most boats the engine has a closed circuit cooling system, which is cooled by the coolant being passed through a tank mounted on the hull. The tank itself is kept cold by being in constant contact with canal water. It is possible to fit raw water/heat exchanger cooling if specified. This method is sometimes best suited to larger engines.

With raw water / heat exchanger cooled engines, cooling water is drawn from within the main ballast tank hence minimising the chance of weed problems within the water strainers.

Could I Cross The English Channel In My Sea Otter Boat?

We recommend that classification 'D' vessels go over the channel by road trailer. Class 'C' are okay, but pick your day. You must at all times observe the "Coll Regs" and have successfully undertaken RYA training to at least "Day Skipper" standard.

All our Dutch Barges are RCD Classification "C".

How Long Will My Paint Last?

The predicted life of our superstructure paint is 25 years, as the 2 pack paint is baked on in our atmospherically controlled booth. The usual scuffs and grazes will not require immediate touching up like our steel brethren.

The boat bottoms are painted in epoxy black, and can be recoated at any future time with any proprietary hull black paint.

Any paint on Sea Otter boats is purely cosmetic.

How Secure Are Sea Otter Boats?

Sea Otter boats have metal doors. This makes them a lot safer than many other boats .

What Is The After Sales Service?

Your handbook will give you details of the requirements for engine servicing. Sea Otter will carry out this at a competitive price, or you can arrange for the servicing to be done by a manufacturer's approved mechanic.

Where Can I Keep My Boat? Is It Easy To Find Moorings?

Your dealer will help you find a mooring.