Boat for sale review

[Mick in Bangkok]

Good morning from Bangkok,

I have had my eye on this boat for some time and have been watching the price come since July 2018 to a more reasonable sum. The boat itself quite ticks my box’s but as I have never bought a boat before I am very interested in what other form members think of her as a full time cruiser and also the current asking price.

https://www.apolloduck.com/boat/brinklow-boats/131800

Regards Michael

[Boater Sam]

Only criticism I can make is that the Squirrel stove is in the wrong place, better more centrally in the saloon and better on Port side, saves knocking the chimney off in trees ( we cruise on the right in the UK )

A lovely boat with a fabulous pedigree, go for it. Be quick it will sell soon.

[MtB]

7 minutes ago, Boater Sam said:

Only criticism I can make is that the Squirrel stove is in the wrong place,

 

The only criticism I have is that godawful cratch cover, ruining the appearance of the boat. 

 

Stove position is fine. Same as in my boat!

 

Agree otherwise, a bargain, Grab it quick if you want a shiny boat by a top flight builder. 

 

 

[Boater Sam]

Don't be put off, Mike hates all cratch covers and thinks that because his stove is in the wrong place too , all boats should be the same.

Hurry up, I'm thinking of making an offer myself.

[Alan de Enfield]

The only criticism I have is that godawful lump of metal (allegedly an engine), take it out and fit a decent modern engine and it'd be a nice boat.

 

Deduct the scrap value of the engine and grab a bargain.

[Boater Sam]

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

The only criticism I have is that godawful lump of metal (allegedly an engine), take it out and fit a decent modern engine and it'd be a nice boat.

 

Deduct the scrap value of the engine and grab a bargain.

Don't be put off, Alan likes underfloor Japanese  engines only. There is absolutely nothing wrong with an economical Gardner engine that will last for ever with a bit of care and makes a fabulous sound. They do take up a lot of space in the workshop area but look lovely polished up.

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The only criticism I have is that godawful lump of metal (allegedly an engine), take it out and fit a decent modern engine and it'd be a nice boat.

 

Deduct the scrap value of the engine and grab a bargain.

 

I agree, and to help out the OP I'll give him £100 for it, and I'll even take it out carefully for no charge, ready for the new buzzy thing recommended by Alan to go in. 

 

 

[Naughty Cal]

I guess it all comes down to personal taste but I think that interior is horrible!

[matty40s]

I would even buy you a Japanese buzzy thing and install it if you gave me that awful lump.?

Frogmore is a cracking boat  the owner was OCD in a mark99???? type of way with his Gardner. It steers beautifully and looks good.

I did think it was vastly overpriced originally, now it's a lot more palatable.

[Athy]

A hansome boat (once the cratch has been removed) from a highly reputed builder, and with a lovely engine rebuilt by a highly reputed vintage engine specialist.

One caveat: Gardner Parts no longer support the L2 range, so parts may not be available off the shelf, except perhaps from people like Redshaw's, and may be expensive.

[Neil2]

Interesting that the boat has been on the market for 10 months, what was the original asking price?

[Mick in Bangkok]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The only criticism I have is that godawful lump of metal (allegedly an engine), take it out and fit a decent modern engine and it'd be a nice boat.

 

Deduct the scrap value of the engine and grab a bargain.

 

The engine room and engine and back cabin is what I like best about the boat, the is the gold nugget included in the boat, I guess each to thee own.

39 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

Interesting that the boat has been on the market for 10 months, what was the original asking price?

It was 107K in July last year then reduced in January to 97K and now at the existing asking price.

[Neil2]

8 minutes ago, Mick in Bangkok said:

 

It was 107K in July last year then reduced in January to 97K and now at the existing asking price.

I agree it's at about the right price now but you can't blame the owner/broker for trying to get a six figure sum for it - how much would it cost to build a boat like that these days?

 

Nonetheless, as you see from other comments it isn't to everyone's taste and if you talk to brokers they say BMC trads are the hardest narrowboats to sell.  You do need to bear that in mind, especially as you say you are new to boat ownership.  

 

The length would be a negative factor for some, as would be the draught but it kind of goes with the territory.  Personally I wouldn't go near a boat with a three foot draught these days but as they say, YMMV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Richard10002]

I can’t believe a 65ft boat has ended up with such a tiny saloon. Given that that is where you would spend a lot of time, it is going to feel very cramped.

[Athy]

6 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

as they say, YMMV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do they? What do they mean when they say it?

[TheBiscuits]

Just now, Athy said:

Do they? What do they mean when they say it?

*Sigh*

 

Your

Mileage

May

Vary

[Alan de Enfield]

5 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

The length would be a negative factor for some, as would be the draught but it kind of goes with the territory.  Personally I wouldn't go near a boat with a three foot draught these days but as they say, YMMV.

Whilst C&RT may have an aspiration to dredge the canals to 1 metre - are there actually many (any) that are ?

 

(The River Trent is allegedly dredged to 2 metres (6' 6") but I regularly 'bottom out' with my 4' 6" draft)

[Athy]

6 minutes ago, Richard10002 said:

I can’t believe a 65ft boat has ended up with such a tiny saloon. 

I can't see a plan or a list of measurements in the advert. I'm not sure that it's "tiny"; its problem is those hulking great chairs which take up too much space. Bench seats use the space much better, and would doubtless make the saloon look bigger.

2 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

*Sigh*

 

Your

Mileage

May

Vary

I don't think so - that would not make sense in the context. And why "sigh"?

[starman]

Any particular reason why you’re buying a 65ft boat and limiting your cruising opportunities - personally I wouldn’t want to be unable to use northern waters like the L&L. 

BTW I’ve seen the boat and it’s a handsome beast - the fitout is incredibly detailed and might be OTT for some tastes. But it’s beautifully done and of course the shell is top class. 

PS we went everywhere in our 3ft draught tug - at times it was a challenge but it was all doable. 

Edited May 5, 2019 by starman

[Mick in Bangkok]

18 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

I agree it's at about the right price now but you can't blame the owner/broker for trying to get a six figure sum for it - how much would it cost to build a boat like that these days?

 

Nonetheless, as you see from other comments it isn't to everyone's taste and if you talk to brokers they say BMC trads are the hardest narrowboats to sell.  You do need to bear that in mind, especially as you say you are new to boat ownership.  

 

The length would be a negative factor for some, as would be the draught but it kind of goes with the territory.  Personally I wouldn't go near a boat with a three foot draught these days but as they say, YMMV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is food for thought thank you for your reply, I did not notice the deep draught. I guess the popularity of this type of boat would be a benefit when buying but a burden later when time to resell. 

[Boater Sam]

I have a dislike about dinettes, they take a lot of space. I would prefer to eat in the BMC. That would free up a lot of space in the saloon..

 

My boat draws 2'10" to under the skeg which has been cut down by half to reduce the stern steering on shallows and it seems to go anywhere.

[David Mack]

19 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

 Personally I wouldn't go near a boat with a three foot draught these days but as they say, YMMV.

 

I have been boating on narrow boats with 3 ft draft for more than 25 years. While we do touch the bottom from time to time, and can't always get close to the bank, I think I can count the number of times I have got seriously stuck on the fingers of one hand. It really isn't that much of a problem.

[Mick in Bangkok]

8 minutes ago, starman said:

Any particular reason why you’re buying a 65ft boat and limiting your cruising opportunities - personally I wouldn’t want to be unable to use northern waters like the L&L. 

BTW I’ve seen the boat and it’s a handsome beast - the fitout is incredibly detailed and might be OTT for some tastes. But it’s beautifully done and of course the shell is top class. 

No canal experience to speak off but I was of the mind with a live aboard that day to day comfort would out weigh some canels not available for cruising

[Neil2]

6 minutes ago, Athy said:

Do they? What do they mean when they say it?

Hee hee.... I put that in just for you Athy...  Sorry, it's one of those shorthand Americanisms.  Car manufacturers in the US apparently indicate what mpg you should expect from each vehicle but it's qualified by the phrase "your mileage may vary" ie your experience may be different.  (In light of the Volkswagen scandal it's taken on a new significance...)

 

I've been spending too long on a transatlantic forum I'm afraid.

 

 

 

 

 

  

[Athy]

1 minute ago, Neil2 said:

Hee hee.... I put that in just for you Athy... 

 

 

 

 

 

  

How kind - but why for me in particular?

I'm afraid that the abbreviation is irrelevant in this case, as the boat's fuel consumption was not under discussion.