Barnaby Wilde

Thank you, nail hit firmly on head. On a recent visit to one particular marina/brokerage I formed the impression that several of the boats were so ridiculously overpriced that maybe they weren't actually for sale & just taking advantage of the free mooring . . . . You previously mentioned Rugby (amongst a few others), I do seem to be drawn to them, I like the video, I like the info & I especially like the fact that boats there seem to sell very quickly. Do you know if they actually turn boats away? Do they make the decision not to get invloved with the 'wrong 'uns' ??? I'm well aware of what I'm getting into so to speak. I know that I'm looking for a NB & I know that PRICE - PRODUCT - PEOPLE is far more important than being drawn to a paint job or a solid wood floor. I remember the first time I heard "a boat is a hole in the water into which you throw all your money" ?

We're fairly flexible with regards to the facilities of the actual boat, I think the essentials are pretty much covered by any boat but we have a list of what's desireable in a loose order of importance. The idea would be to cruise maybe 2-3x a year for 1-2wks to move the boat to different locations & then travel to/from the boat for long weekend breaks. Liveaboard is not a plan & is not an option. We have hired boats in the past & discovered that I would be essentially sailing single handed with the luxury of an onboard chef. What I'm struggling most with is how the boats are actually valued when put up for sale? Non of it makes sense to me & it is difficult to work out exactly why someone thinks . . . say a £500 recent paint job would add £5k+ to a boats resale value???

Eyup. I've yearned for a NB since watching Walt the cobbler & the ECP&DA restore the Erewash at Langley Mill as a 6yr old. Over the years I've come pretty close a few times, especially when I worked away from home, but somehow the final jump has always escaped me. Now, at the ripe old age of 53 & 3/4 I find myself semi-retired with lots of time on my hands. I've a missus who won't fly in no aeroplane, yet I still feel the need to travel, see things & get away from 'normal' just once in awhile. We've been booking holiday cottages 3-4x a year & take several weekend breaks in various parts of the UK, which is nice & enjoyable whatever the season, but you always feel like you're a guest in someone else's house. I'm no church mouse, but there is no way I can afford the £250k+ for the 2nd home I'd want to call my 2nd home. So, a NB would be ideal for us. We could winter moor it somewhere easily accessible & move it a new location a few times in the season during the 3-4x a year I feel the need to explore. It's either this or a caravan . . . ? Problem is I'm not a numpty, I'm hitting the very same signals that have traditionally prevented me from buying one before. We've looked at a few, she likes the colour of some & she likes the cleanliness of the kitchen layout in others. Me, I'm left wondering why is this boat asking £35,000 & that other one is £75,000 ? I know what I want in regards to layout & functionality, I know how much it would cost to build that steel hull from 10/6/4 & I know how much it would cost to line it & fit it out. But I still don't understand what is inside the head of a chap that is asking £75k for £200's worth of scrap metal & I will never understand why anyone would ever think that someone just about to spend 308yrs of their pocket money on a blurry photograph & the briefest of brief descriptions on t'internets is somehow their 'bitch'. Is buying from a broker (a reputable broker) my only option?