Where it all began...
Builders of top quality bespoke Steel Hulls and Sailaways
Founded in 2006, XR&D is owned and run by highly skilled boat builders, Garry Summerfield and Lee Wolosiuk, offering over 50 years of combined experience in the trade.
XR&D originates from R&D Fabrications, who Lee and Garry worked for from leaving school in 1986(Lee) and 1989(Garry) with both serving a 3 year City & Guilds apprenticeship in fabrication & welding whilst gaining skills in general fabrication and boatbuilding for Ray Denton the owner of R&D...
...Ray learned how to build boats at Hancock & Lane before moving up to Nottinghamshire setting up the business with Dave Clark which is where R&D was started in the mid 80's.
After Ray & Dave parted, Ray stayed in the same premises and carried on building shells, with boat building growing in strength, this became his main forte.
R&D was well known for building Narrow boats and Barges throughout the 80's and 90's before Ray retired in 2002. R&D was sold and Lee and Garry continued boat building for the company that took over till 2006 when suddenly the business was moved to Gdansk in Poland. During all the years of working together Lee and Garry always thought about the idea of setting up business on their own and so now both redundant made the risky decision to give it a go!
After many discussion's about what they would call themselves with "Sherwood Boats", "L & G Boatbuilding", "GarryLee Boats" and many other idea's for names.... Lee mentioned that since R&D had ceased trading back in 2002, people who we spoke to throughout the boating community often referred us to "ex R&D Lads" or that they had seen an "ex R&D boat on the cut" and so hence XR&D was chosen and Lee & Garry grew the business to what it is today !
In Our Workshop
"The XR&D shell is a cracking one, handsome looking and rich in detail..."
XR&D has gone from strength to strength in recent years and now has three generations of full-time boat builders on site creating top-quality built shells.
Lee and Garry pride themselves on being self sufficient with constructing their shell builds all in house using equipment and machinery such as 150 ton press brake for steeling bending/folding 3m guillotine for cutting steel Various types of plate rollers for shaping steel sections and plate Pillar drills, chop saws and band saws Gas and Plasma burning process.
- XR&D construct 3 shells at a time and build from 40' up 72' in length and from 6'10" to 14' in width.
- XR&D also make stainless steel water and toilet tanks to various shapes and sizes for both public and trade.
Made in England
We manufacture for trade and public from shells to sailaways.
