Sally Grim

Thank you everyone for your input - it is very much appreciated. It´s very confusing trying to get an understanding of everything, both the technical aspects, and which arrangements will work out. The more I read and google, the more bewildering it is. And budgetwise also. We have looked at some boats in real life, and so many on the internet. Does this process involve the budget going up, and the requirements going down, for everyone?

If there´s no photos of the bathroom in the ad, is that what I should expect?

That is quite the opposite of what I imagined - thank you for pointing that out! As to cassette/pump out - I was really trying not to go there.

Thank you, it was very helpful!

I´ve googled and researched pros and cons with pump outs and cassettes - but there is one practical aspect I can´t seem to find an answer to. If we go for a boat with a pump out, and perhaps only use the boat once a month parts of the year - do we need to have a pump out each time we leave the boat, even though the holding tank may only be half full? If we leave it with contents till next month, will we get a problem with smell when we return? And will the contents "set", so it will be hard to get it out the next time? My apologies for asking an indelicate question, I hope no one is reading this whilst having their lunch.

Doesn´t the tent come off? We certainly don´t want it. Edited for bad English.

The middle one looks almost too pristine. It is blackened and have service last month, isn´t that a warning sign? What is the advantages of a built in generator? We will be using the boat for holidays and weekends for the next ten years.

Our budget is ideally that. But it looks like narrowboats are increasing in price, so I was afraid we needed to up that quite a lot. I have searched this forum for brokers. So ideally of course I would like to buy from ABNB of the two, but unfortunately it is the seller that chooses the broker....

Yes, that would explain it. Thanks for unravelling! A very naive question: is a G.Reeves a good hull?

We´re still searching for our first boat. We are more and more disillusioned about how much we should budget to get a decent boat in good running condition. I´m concerned we need to double our original budget. Lately we´ve only been internet browsing, but have seen some boats which looks good in the photos. I´ve had a lot of good advice from you folks before, may I run a couple of more boats by you? This one is on budget, but it´s been for sale at Whilton for some time now. Any idea of why it isn´t selling? https://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/used-narrowboats/details/3875.aspx And then the ones above our budget: This one looks quite lovely - but maybe a bit expensive given that it is from 1999? And it lacks a stove, and perhaps some storage? http://abnb.co.uk/boat_pages/3137web/3137abnb.php?BoatID=3137 And this one, longer than we looked for. And why does it say G.Reeves, when canal plan says Aynho Dock Services? http://www.abcboatsales.com/boat-sales/honey-b/ Greatly appreciate your opinion on these ones. Sally

On the Anderton Lift website it says that hire boats need the permission of the boat company. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/museums-and-attractions/anderton-boat-lift/boaters-area We're doing the Cheshire ring this summer, so I've been gathering information....

Perhaps a silly question, and probably something you have already considered, but.... Did you move a lot of your heavy stuff onto the back half of the boat? Did you rip ut and remove things from the front half of the boat? (Edited for typo)

Yes, I have seen some of the threads here about Whilton. And I have been doing a lot of research on apolloduck. But many boats for sale have no pictures of the engine at all, (but lots of the interior). Why is that, is that a bad signal? The engine seems such an important part of a boat.....

It would be very reassuring to see records like that from previous owners. If we buy through a brokerage, should we expect them to have copies of those records to show us? We thought that buying through a brokerage would make an easier process, as we are not confident with the ins and outs of buying in England. But it certainly would be nice to meet the previous owner, to get an impression of him/her, and to be able to ask about the boats history. Cant´t have it both ways, I guess. Edited to say: Thank you for being so kind and understanding, and answering my newbie questions!

But I don't want this painted rosy red - we need to learn how to avoid at least the obvious fallpits. And at first we also thought that we should look for a nice, clean engine/bilge area. But then we saw so many boats at the brokers, where oil had leaked into the bilge, that we wondered if we had been unrealistic about it.

I 'm sure we can manage to change oil and oil filters regurlarly, that's not a problem. But what about the rest of it? I want an engine that doesn't break down in the middle of Blisworth Tunnel..... Would a LPW/LPWS need a lot of TLC? And - how do I put this - what sort of engine hours should one expect/look for? Or is that to ask about the length of a string?

Thank you, everyone, for your input and good wishes. I guess that this boat needs to come down a lot in price, and that we need to keep our heads cool when looking at boats. Not easy! It's very confusing looking for a boat. We've spent a lot of time on apolloduck. The nice ones are also quite expensive (what a surprise... ) We viewed a few trads, and I still think I would like a little more room at the stern,. Even though it means layering up for cruising in cold and wet weather.

That´s very valuable information, Alan. Neither my husband or myself knows much about engines. We need to learn with time. Perhaps a boat with a Beta would be an easier choice? We will be using the boat for holidays and weekends. As it would be mostly just the two of us, we are thinking cruiser stern or semi-trad.

That´s a fair point about a solid fuel stove, we would like one. Is it complicated and/or expensive to have one fitted? The polystyrene was actually one of the points we were wondering about. Is the difference between sprayfoam and polystyrene very significant? We hope to be cruising in all seasons. Have tried a week in October, in pouring rain, so I have an inkling of how cold it can be. Still loved it, though!

Thanks, Gareth. Then my husband´s opinion on the price is not far off ....

Thanks, Athy! Yes, we were onboard, and not unexpectedly she was more tired than the pictures make out. We didn´t get to drive her or even start the engine. We didn´t ask, as we still thought we would like a boat with less upgrading needed. Hiring, we have only used pump out toilets before, so that not a deal breaker either way. We would at least need a new cooker (the existing is perched on a box), and a new seating arrangement, and to throw out the old armchair and sofa. We also feel that the price is a bit more than we would expect from a boat this age and state, good to have a second opinion on that.

After some years of hiring, and a little bit of madness (living in Scandinavia), we have come to the decision that we want to have our very own narrowboat. So we went for the obligatory trip to Whilton and Venetian, to look at boats available. We didn´t have too many criteria and "must-have´s", but were simply looking for a boat that doesn´t need a lot of work, a boat that seemed well looked after. And...... the boat that remains in both our minds, is this.... https://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/used-narrowboats/details/3837.aspx Obviously in need of a lot of interior work. But what does the most knowledgeable forum think - should we run away, or could this be a good starter boat if we update the interior?

We´re more or less in the same place as you, except that we´re living in Norway..... After 4 years of hiring, we´re in the process of starting to look for a boat of our own. We also thought a lot of buying a share in a boat, but finally rejected it because we felt that it would restrict our flexibility to much. Both regarding to which weeks and also which weekdays you can take the boat out.

We´re doing our best to do the sums, but are a bit unsure as to what to reckon with as extras and what is part of the monthly payments. But that is depending on the syndicate, I guess. Would about £300/share, as Steven quoted, be a normal level of winter maintenance extra, or will it usually be less/more?

It´s really interesting what you say, Kevinl and Top Cat, that one or some members do the actual management on a privately managed boat. We haven´t considered private management before, because we would´t be able to do our bit, and then I would end up with a really bad conscience. Is it really OK to leave that to the others and just turn up and have our holidays? We set out to be quite flexible and willing to compromise in this venture, we will partly do this to learn. (As well as having more narrowboat holidays than we would if we were hiring, of course!)