62ft Bespoke

40 Years of Narrowboating – Now It’s Time to Build His Own

Our latest 62ft bespoke electric propulsion narrowboat is now entering the fit-out stage at Bluewater Boats – and this build is backed by more than 40 years of narrowboating experience.

The owner has been hiring narrowboats for holidays for over 40 years and, in early 2025, purchased his current boat. All those years spent aboard different narrowboats, followed by the experience of owning one himself, have given him plenty of time to put together a very definite list of likes, dislikes and ideas for what he wants from his own bespoke Bluewater narrowboat.
The result is a boat being designed specifically around the way he wants to use it – equally suitable for cruising and staying aboard on his own or enjoying the waterways with his extended family.

A Layout Designed for Family & Flexibility
From bow to stern, the layout comprises a bedroom, cross over walk-through bathroom, Pullman dinette, saloon, single dinette, galley and our increasingly popular second toilet/cloakroom at the stern.

The Pullman dinette provides additional seating and sleeping accommodation when family are aboard, while the separate single dinette creates another useful seating area.

The single dinette also serves another important purpose. Hidden beneath the seating are the boat's eight 200Ah Victron NG lithium batteries, making excellent use of space while keeping the substantial battery bank neatly incorporated into the fit-out.

Having a second toilet at the stern is something we have incorporated into several of our bespoke builds. It is a particularly useful addition when cruising with family or guests and means they don't necessarily need to walk through the entire boat to reach the main bathroom.

Square Stern, Remote Steering & Solo Cruising
For the exterior design, the owner has chosen our popular square stern, with built-in seating across the stern and along the port side, creating a spacious and sociable area for cruising and relaxing.

As the owner intends to spend time solo cruising, remote steering has also been incorporated into the specification. This gives him greater flexibility when handling the boat single-handed and means he isn't restricted to remaining at the main helm position at all times.

A 24V bow thruster, powered by two dedicated Victron lithium batteries, provides additional assistance when manoeuvring – particularly useful when cruising and handling the boat alone.

Electric Propulsion & Power
At the heart of the boat is a 15kW Torkmar electric motor, supported by a comprehensive Victron electrical installation.

The specification includes:

15kW Torkmar electric motor
8 x 200Ah Victron NG lithium batteries
6.5kVA keel-cooled generator
1,800W of solar panels
Victron 48V inverter/charger
Victron solar charge controller
Victron DC converters
24V electrical system
24V bow thruster
2 x dedicated Victron lithium bow thruster batteries

Remote steering for solo cruising
The combination of electric propulsion, lithium battery storage, solar generation and the keel-cooled generator provides a versatile power system designed around the way the owner intends to use the boat.

Shot Blasted & Two-Pack Protected
Before commencing the fit-out, the entire exterior of the hull, including the base plate, was shot blasted back to clean steel.
The hull has then been protected with a two-pack epoxy blacking system, providing a durable protective coating against corrosion.
The superstructure has also benefited from the shot blasting preparation before the application of a two-pack high-build primer followed by a two-pack finishing primer, creating a properly prepared and protected foundation ready for the final two-pack topcoat system later in the build.

Having our own shot blasting and painting facilities means this important part of the build can all be carried out in-house by our own team. From the preparation of the bare steel through to the final paint finish, we have control over the complete process.

Taking 40 Years of Experience into One Boat

This is exactly where a bespoke build comes into its own.

After more than four decades of hiring narrowboats – and now experiencing narrowboat ownership first-hand – the owner knows the features that work for him, the things he would change and the details he wants incorporated into his new boat.

Rather than adapting to someone else's idea of the perfect narrowboat, we can take all of that experience and build a boat around his individual requirements.

We have recently commenced the fit-out, so over the coming months this 62ft electric narrowboat will gradually take shape as the cabinetry, electrical installation, equipment and individual finishing details are brought together.

Come & See the Build in Progress
If you are considering having your own bespoke electric propulsion narrowboat built, you are welcome to arrange a visit to our workshop to see this boat during the different stages of its fit-out.

Seeing a narrowboat while it is being built gives you the opportunity to look behind the finished cabinetry and understand what goes into the steelwork, electrical systems, lithium battery installation and bespoke fit-out of a Bluewater electric narrowboat.

Please contact us to arrange an appointment to come and see the build in progress and talk to us about your own ideas.

Follow the Build
Keep up to date with the progress of this 62ft bespoke electric narrowboat via our Facebook page, where we'll be sharing photographs and updates as the fit-out progresses.

There is also a YouTube video showing the bespoke steelwork that goes into a Bluewater narrowboat, giving you a closer look at how we design and build our hulls around each individual owner's requirements.

Follow along as this latest Bluewater electric narrowboat goes from bare steel and an empty shell to a completely bespoke finished boat.