About - A brief history
Norton Canes Boatbuilders, run by owner Graham Edgson, continues an unbroken tradition of canal boat building on the site originally occupied by Yates Bros. since 1846, at the current Northerly limit of the
Norton Canes Boatbuilders were established in 1986 when proprietor Graham Edgson took over the business from Malcolm Braine. Malcolm began building boats in 1966 and acquired a reputation for producing fine looking craft often with steel hulls and wooden cabins. Whilst working for Malcolm, Graham progressed with the addition of steel superstructures and was working as Malcolm’s foreman up until the opportunity arose to run the operation himself due to Malcolm’s retirement.
For the last 20 years Graham and his team have applied their engineering and fabrication skills to produce traditionally styled canal boats of fine lines, sweet curves and exquisite balance.
The Norton Canes shell is the ultimate base for the ideal narrow boat built with care and meticulous attention to detail seldom achieved by other boatbuilders.
Norton Canes Boatbuilders enjoy an enviable reputation for building boats of impeccable pedigree and is able to offer a complete range of services from steel shell building and repair to coach painting and sign writing for the discerning boater.