SILVER BLAZE

What a great site so many replies so quickly thank you all, gives me more things to consider.

Good to hear, thanks for that. A face book page i didnt know that, wow thanks, i will check that out.

Its not straightforward this buying your first boat is it i am finding, i think a lot more research and communication with experienced boat owners is called for, hence why i joined this forum and already i am taking note and thinking i need to change my strategy, i was hoping the boat i buy would be the only one i ever own and that i would leave it to my family, well that was the plan.

I will check out those threads, alas the reason for me thinking a new boat is i am totally useless when it comes to D.I.Y and at 62 i am impatient to get out there cos suddenly i look around and i have livelong friends popping off. I suppose really the best scenario for me would be an 18 month old boat or something like that which had been de-snagged and no V.A.T to pay but they seem to sell almost immediately when they come up. Right now to read those threads you mentioned.

I am looking to be a first time buyer of a narrowboat having only hired over the years. I am seriously considering buying a brand new 40'-0" Aintree beetle and have recently visited their workshops, can anybody who owns one or knows of any pitfalls on this boat as in for example is it under powered or the electrics are poor, whatever, i just need some advice being a novice and dont want to put down a small fortune on something which is a pup. I wont be a liveaboard more just a weekend cruiser and a few times where i may leave the marina for 2 or 3 weeks a few times a year. Ripon marina where i am thinking of berthing it you have to transit the river ouse to get to the main canal network and thats why i am concerned about power. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, oh and has anybody had any problems or heard of any with Aintree boats in their dealings with them.