Ex-Member
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Posts posted by Ex-Member
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We spent nearly 2 yrs looking for 'the right' boat. At the beginning we had in mind exactly what we wanted, length, age , stern etc. but the more we looked the more compromise we made and some of them were very 'dodgy'. In the end we bought from a broker and, although the boat was older than we really wanted, it had had one owner from new. There were 4 A4 folders of documentation and photos from the day of commissioning to the handover. It included every letter/email and invoice (even one for a swatch of material) and also the boat, although a tad dated to some people, was immaculate inside. We met the owners, who could not have been nicer and so we bought it. Two days later there was a problem with the Invertor so, after contacting the owner for advice, they sent out an electrician who 'sorted' it. The broker had switched off the isolator underneath the flooring!!! We asked the electrician how much we owed, his reply? 'Nothing, and the previous owner said if it needs a new Invertor, put one in and I will pay' We knew then we had bought the right boat. Since then we have spent money improving the boat and replacing some things, our choice, and a year later we are still happy. We have met and spoken with loads of people who have their stories to tell, some good, some bad,some who bought the first boat they saw with no regrets and some with horrendous stories etc. People buy houses without surveys, 2nd hand cars without inspections and the same goes with boats although the latter seems a much 'looser' process. For what it is worth, and whilst I sympathise with your situation, I think you did exactly the right thing. If you do use the Small Claims Court there are loads of websites with useful information. If you do, and you win, and he doesn't pay within the time scale you have the right to send in the baliffs immediately, don't even hesitate!!!!!!
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On 6/16/2017 at 15:53, Robbo said:
Use these if you want/need to remove with out sand blasting; http://tercoo-rotating-blaster.co.uk/
Hi have you used this and if so to what effect? I have just had my boat blacked, although I am embarrassed to say so as the result is so bad (no names no pack drill) but needless to say I intend to redo it and fancy having a go myself. I have found a local DIY dry dock and, having used their domestic paints before, a company called Promain who sell just about every kind of paint domestic & industrial you can think of. (worth a look, some of their stuff is for oil rig struts etc) I want to get the surface down to bare metal and then paint it with a Zinc paint they sell which acts as a kind of Galvanic Isolator (Debdale wharf do a similar thing , look it up on Youtube but it is £4 to £4.5k. They then have a selection of paints under the name 'Jotun' which they have recommended and say it can last up to 15 yrs. Anyway first things first which is the best way to get the old layers of bitumen off??
On 6/16/2017 at 15:53, Robbo said:Use these if you want/need to remove with out sand blasting; http://tercoo-rotating-blaster.co.uk/
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Hi again........ just called in at Streethay Wharf for some diesel and one of the guys very kindly had a look at it for me. He said the coolant is fine, no problems but the PRV is definitely shot. He said that as I will be winterising the boat in a month or so just to carry on and change it then, rather than having to drain the system twice. He also offered to drill a hole through the hull for me on our return journey so I can run it through a skin fitting. So it looks like it should be Ok until then. Once again thanks for all the help & advice!!
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Once again, thanks for all the replies/advice.
I am pretty sure that the coolant problem is solved and that I probably contributed to it. The coolant was low but because the previous owner was using 'Blu Col' it was clear and because of where the plastic expansion tank is positioned I couldn't really see the indicator level so I think I did overfill it especially as, because I put Morris Blue in, I could see the colour and the excess was dripping into the tray below the engine. I have taken the advice & given it a couple of days & the level has not changed with no leaks. I have another metal expansion tank (about 20cm sq) which is (I was told) for the Mukuni heater and I think I overfilled that too!! Steep learning curve but at least I am admitting it and am learning!!
Regarding the PRV I have tried what the manual says, e.g. repeatedly turning it to release any grit/limescale but I think either the 'seat' has gone or indeed the whole valve. For the cost of a new one I think it worthwhile to change it especially as it will soon be time for winterisation. Although it is still filling the bottle the water is clear and there is no taste of anything.
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Ok thanks i am trying to follow this. The previous owner used a clear antifreeze/coolant which you can mix with any colour, either blue or pink, so I spoke with a helpful guy at Wharf Marina and he suggested putting in Morris Blue so I could then check. The water collecting in the bottle from the PRV is clear & tastes OK so I am now thinking it is two different problems. I am not losing a vast amount of coolant, when I check the header tank it is about an inch down so maybe that was a case of it was low and by topping it up it is now just normal expansion leaving the problem to be the PRV???
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Hi when I bought my boat the PRV valve drained into the bilge. The surveyor suggested it should go out of the hull via a skin fitting however, as it has been like that since new, I decided to leave it as is but collect the 'drips' in a 2ltr container. (personally I think this better than going through the hull as at least you can monitor the volume.... but that is for another discussion). Recently I have been losing coolant and the 2ltr bottle, which used to take days, if not weeks, to fill is now filling virtually overnight. I have turned the PRV valve several times to remove any c**p/limescale and for a couple of days it reduced the drip but it is now back to high volume.
I am guessing that the two are connected i.e. loss of coolant and increase drip so I plan to replace the PRV during winterisation unless anyone can advise me otherwise???
Thanks
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Just for the record, it is academic to me what I paid for my boat or what I may or may not get if and when I come to sell. I am very happy with my choice and the price I paid. I am not comparing it to house prices (which people usually expect to increase in value) or cars (which people usually expect to fall in value)
I was just trying to see how other people see the market at the moment as, I am sure, most boat owners keep an eye on it.
Years ago we bought a 1967 VW Campervan from America (on a well known auction site). Our neighbour had one and we thought it would be cool to buy one too. On a warm August Bank Holiday weekend afternoon, and I have to say having consumed a small amount of pop we pressed the 'buy it now' price of £20k. It arrived 3 mths later and was in incredible condition, as though it had just left the factory. The previous owners had collected every available piece of original VW bits and pieces plus other things of the era (like Coca Cola bottles/radio/camera etc) It took us a week to unwrap everything. The van was too good to drive really so we just went to meets and entered competitions (winning 1st prize in all of them). It featured in various magazines and was great to 'show off' but my partner hated it so, at the 50th time of asking, we agreed to sell it to a guy 8 mths later and asked a tongue in cheek £34k. He never drove it, or got in it, he just arrived with a bankers draft for £34k and asked to take over the storage unit where we kept it. Now, given the prices they fetch, I wish in some ways I had kept it but at the time it was (to me mainly) a great deal of fun and we were pleased with the price we sold it for. So I guess we were lucky but we never set out to make a profit. If any is that interested I will try and dig out some photos of 'Lola'
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Well I guess that is true At the time we bought we felt we had seen enough to know that, a) is was the one for us and
it was worth the price. I guess it is just like watching the housing market Just a general point really........
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We bought our nb last november and have not regretted it. The survey showed nothing and the valuation was spot on. We have spent a fair bit since, our choice, and are very happy. We do, however, keep an eye on the market and not only have we not seen anything we would have preferred to buy but what is available seems to be highly priced for what is on offer. What do others think of current prices, are they static, rising or just not enough choice around today?
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The OP originally asked what should they be looking for, having owned a boat for just under 12 months now our experience would say chuck out the lists of what you THINK you want & dont want, pay as much as you can, there is no rythe or reason as to what boats costs, get out there and LOOK LOOK LOOK, it is like a home you will know the right boat for you once inside her.
I would strongly advise you to have financial back up plans as in the plural not just the one to fall back on because what ever you think the running costs are they will be higher.
If you looked at the cost of keeping it afloat common sense would tell you no but we love it and you cannot put a price on that.
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The previous owner of my boat had it from new and was meticulous, money was not an object. He left me volumes of instructions for everything plus loads of extras & odds and ends including enough oil to do the last service. He used Morris Servol Performance Plus 15w-40 Premium Engine Oil, which I have no problem buying, but will I be paying over the top when there may be something else which is more than adequate? My engine is a Nanni Kubota 4.2 and uses the same oil for engine & gearbox.
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Went to Birmingham's Famous Rag Market when we were doing the BCN last month and bought 6mtrs upholstery fabric (which was Next seconds/end of roll) at £4.50 mtr (Next selling it at £80) Four reels cotton, 50 roll of piping cord......... Job done Bought some brand new curtains from a Charity shop (Dunelm Mill navy blue with blackout) for £7 to replace the two fitted cushions in for the bow....... just got to finish them off.....
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I ain't no expert but..... if it was 4yrs ago it might be construed as a 'verbal' agreement or contract then it's down to who said what to who. Depends if they want to be a***y about it. If it was me, I would send a registered letter then it can be argued you did the best you could.
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Personally I don't like it but then I am an anti social old groat. I always make it obvious, without being rude, that I don't want a picture taken. God knows where it might end up. To me it's a bit like people invading my personal space, which these days is about a one mile perimeter. Plus I think it should be polite to ask. I don't have to answer to anyone but fancy having your picture taken anywhere doing any thing, it ends up on Facebook or any other stupid site and the next day your boss calls you in and asks why you were on the Death Slide at Alton Towers when you said you were virtually dying and couldn't come in to work
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thanks for all the comments guys, having cruised at an average of 1200 revs I am getting 50% more from my fuel,,,it takes me twice as long but sine we have no timetable who cares!
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The barge is a delightful canal,,,,,,the locks are a pain not just heavy but awkward,,,wouldnt put me off using it again
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Many thanks !!! much more reliable than CART!!!!
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Good morning one & all
Does anyone who knows what the current height level is for passing under the M5, if all is well I will be going through tues/weds?
I sent an email to CART asking the same last Friday with no response so I will ring them this morning, wish me luck.
Cheers
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Ok I have done a few searches but couldn't find what I was looking for so apologies if this has been covered before. On this trip, compared to the one over Christmas, we seem to have used far more fuel than normal yet we have hardly used the Mukuni and we try to keep around the 2 mark on the rev counter. We have however, as previously posted, been using the Coventry Canal and had to stop at least 10 times to un snag the prop, everything from plastic bags and rope to a fully hoody complete with zip. Could this have affected consumption? The RCR did a full engine check before we set off, no problems, oil & water & stern gland checked each day. I read somewhere that 8 hours cruising = 10 litres of fuel. Does anyone have any comments/suggestions/opinions? Thanks
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We are moored in the basin and no complaints. Coventry itself is a mixture of historic buildings, St Mary's Guild Hall is stunning (free entrance and they let dogs in!!) and the ubiquitous shopping 'malls' but the centre is actually very clean and tidy, as were the towpaths along the canal, it is just the amount of rubbish actually in the canal which is impossible to avoid. When we moored last night I checked the weed hatch and the prop was again snagged, mainly with plastic bags, but there was also a certain item of ladies clothing which took more effort to untwine
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52 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:
No, but we do remember your deliberations at the time of purchase! How did it all work out? Are you pleased with the boat? Hope so, and it certainly sounds like you're using it!
Yes thanks, Thanks to the previous owners, who commissioned it, it is really good condition and we have no regrets. We have repainted the roof and it is booked in for blacking in July so it will brilliant after that. We are lucky in that we can use it whenever we want to for as long as we want so at the first sign of good weather, off we go!!!
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Set off last Friday for a two month trip heading towards Stafford initially (as booked on an RCR Course next weekend) but today decided to branch off and visit Coventry. Whilst we haven't had the boat long we have done a fair bit of cruising and I have to say I have never seen so much rubbish in a canal before. There is the ubiquitous foliage and tree trunks but, if they do introduce a 'return fee' on plastic bottles you could make a fortune. There was a section of a garden shed, a baby stroller (not sure if the occupant was still in it), bags of rubbish, furniture, at least two mattresses, a huge '2 for 1 Pub Meals' sign, wrought iron railings, a TV, loads of plastic boxes, toys, balls, containers etc even a dead dog!!! (If you have lost a small black and white Jack Russel type
) and quite a few things which were obviously from Canal Boats e.g. oil containers and blue toilet liquid bottles. There were a lot of houses whose gardens ran down to the canal and the amount of rubbish piled up and overflowing was dreadful. Who are these pigs who do this? We got snagged up but fortunately it was only plastic, though it took a good 20mins to clear it, and not pieces of metal. When we left our overnight moorings another boat left before us set off and just tied a few plastic bags filled with rubbish onto the 'dog bin' pole. I was going to say something but both he and his boat looked as rough as a B's A and he was built like a BS so I didn't. Now I feel guilty not doing so.........hence the rant. I am by no means perfect but it is a sad state of affairs.......
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We have just come back from 3 weeks on the boat, unfortunately not cruising, doing maintenance during which I removed all fenders (pp not rope) and cleaned them, first with bilge ex and then with heavy duty car wash. I left them to dry then washed them with 'clean and wax' and when they were dry I polished with a cloth and they came up brilliantly. If you just want to kill plant life/algae you can rinse them with a mild solution of household ammonia & washing up liquid.
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Our boat had the tiniest mixer bar you could imagine, 117mm centres, but with a TMV set at around 40degrees. I am replacing it with a standard thermostatic bar valve and I might move the TMV as the hot water to the basin gets really hot.
it was worth the price. I guess it is just like watching the housing market Just a general point really........
) and quite a few things which were obviously from Canal Boats e.g. oil containers and blue toilet liquid bottles. There were a lot of houses whose gardens ran down to the canal and the amount of rubbish piled up and overflowing was dreadful. Who are these pigs who do this? We got snagged up but fortunately it was only plastic, though it took a good 20mins to clear it, and not pieces of metal. When we left our overnight moorings another boat left before us set off and just tied a few plastic bags filled with rubbish onto the 'dog bin' pole. I was going to say something but both he and his boat looked as rough as a B's A and he was built like a BS so I didn't. Now I feel guilty not doing so.........hence the rant. I am by no means perfect but it is a sad state of affairs.......
Which camera
in General Boating
Posted
After a lot of research I have just bought an Olympus TG 4 (on sale at jessops for £269) I am just a 'point and click' photographer but this camera is amazing for the money and virtually unbreakable, even taking photos underwater. It also takes 'raw' pictures.
I really wanted the Nikon Coolpix P900, it has an 83x zoom. You can take pictures of the moon and 'Flat Earthers' swear by it but my partner said they would have me committed under section 29 so no hope.......