Hi,
My name is Kevin, and I am strongly considering buying a Dawncraft 25 as a weekend cruiser for me and my wife.
I have no prior boating experience bar a few trips on a friends narrowboat, but I have good DIY skills, plenty of experience roughing it on camping holidays and a lot of enthusiasm!
The boat in question is currently moored on the Leeds Liverpool canal, which I live a stones throw away from. I have walked past the boat a few times, it looks quite scruffy and unloved, the pram cover is ripped and full of holes, but otherwise intact. Having exchanged a few emails with the owner, he tells me it is a early 1980's build. He bought it as a project boat himself but could not find the time and now wants rid of it. It has a 8hp Honda Outboard fitted inboard, there are no electrics, some gas pipework but no cooker etc. Is has a 12 month mooring but this expires at the end of this month (December) . It is licensed to the end of February 19 and the Safety Certificate is valid until September 2022. he is asking £1500
I am planning to meet the owner next week and take a look inside. I have multiple concerns & questions.
I have read through the CRT website and my interpretation is that I would not inherit the mooring from the seller. Thus I would have a boat with no mooring, and i understand it is not easy to find one in my local area. With the amount of work I expect needs doing, It will likely be 1-2 years before its completed, thus should I try to find another local mooring? I have a large front garden which could accommodate the boat, thus should I have it lifted out of the canal and transported and parked in my garden to make the repair work much more convenient to undertake ?
Any pointers as to what I should look for when I get to see the boat? Any specific questions I should ask? Do boats have such a thing as a service history?
Thanks in advance
Kevin.