Buying a Piper

[brown]

Hi folks, my first post hope you can help. I've been looking at NB's for a while to use as a live aboard, I wasn't planning on buying for a while and was going to look and learn as much as I could in the mean time. However my partner and I have found 1 we really like the look of but don't know enough about it to make a decision. It's an '89 60ft David Piper Trad in what looks like reasonable condition,

-The worst looking part is the vetus engine(looks like a perkins to me), it's very oily is this normal? the whole engine compartment is sooty black,

-The wiring is a bit suspect most 12v with block connectors bodged in everywhere,

-The toilet which is a pumpout doesn't look like it's been used in an eon, could there be any problems through lack of use?

-Both sliding roof hatches front and rear have leaked a bit damaging the interior roof slightly, doesn't look like a big deal to me. They're made of marine ply and look fairly easy to replace, could it have done a lot more damage than I suspect?

-Are Piper hulls usually fairly sound? Are they thick?

 

We're going for another look at it and a trip out on it, what are the best things for me to be looking out for?

 

If anyone can help I'd be very grateful.

Thanks.

[bottle]

Hi and welcome

 

The standard answer is get it surveyed

 

From the description I would be very suspect, engines should be clean, if it is as you say I wonder when it was last serviced.

 

Block connectors, whilst OK, be suspicious why there are so many (lots of bodges repairs )

 

Leaks always do more damage than expected

 

I have no knowledge of David Piper but someone on here will

[John Orentas]

Hi Brownie.

 

David Piper boats enjoyed a very good reputation for many years, almost cult status at times. In a sense they were probably the first of the modern narrowboat but the reputation was a result of the good standard of fit-out rather than the steelwork which strangely did not move with the times, although a high standard of fabrication the design with high gunnels became rather dated and the builder stayed with 6mm hull baseplate thickness long after others had begun to standardise on heavier gauge.

 

As for your other observations, sad neglected boats are very much part of the waterways, but you must try and see through that, in fact it may well mean that the boat has done very little work in it's life. A bit of rust here and there is easily remedied and a dirty engine is not the end of the word.

 

Much better than a tarted up well knackered ex hire boat, make sure you see it running and take an engine man with you next time if you are not one yourself, don't accept any excuses for a non runner, surveys can be very expensive and of limited value but thats your decision.

[Chris J W]

I'm with Bottle and John on this. I've heard a lot of good things about Piper boats, and heard they can be exceptionally good value.

 

If you're prepared to put a bit of TLC into it then get her throughly surveyed, get a reasonable bit taken off the asking price, and then pamper her till she's ready to set off.

 

(However, though, as John said - they do have a bit of a cult status, and fellow Piper owners could keel-haul you if you make too many changes! !)

[Maverick]

Me too. Piper boats are great and if its been a bit neglected by the previous owner I'm sure you'll soon get it into shape.

 

Get a good shell with a decent engine (nowt wrong with a vetus) and anything else can be sorted.

 

Edited to say. on recent new boats pipers leave a small bit of the baseplate protruding each side at the rear and shaped to form a little step. Excellent idea if you full in and need a step up. As the rear is rounded this does not protrude out further than the sides so isnt any problem.

Edited August 16, 2007 by Maverick

[brown]

Thanks for the replies guys, very interesting. We will be getting a full survey done. I have found a Piper club online and your right they do have a cult status, I will however be doing a bit of chopping and changing. Mostly the bathroom and bedroom, I'll leave all the Piper trademarks in place though.

We've been out on it at over the weekend and it ran well and was suprisingly easy to handle considering it's 60ft and it was very windy. We are currently negotiating a price subject to survey.

 

Cheers Brown.

[Chris J W]

Thanks for the replies guys, very interesting. We will be getting a full survey done. I have found a Piper club online and your right they do have a cult status, I will however be doing a bit of chopping and changing. Mostly the bathroom and bedroom, I'll leave all the Piper trademarks in place though.

We've been out on it at over the weekend and it ran well and was suprisingly easy to handle considering it's 60ft and it was very windy. We are currently negotiating a price subject to survey.

 

Cheers Brown.

 

Great news! Let us know how it goes.

 

Chris

[richardf]

I once bought a DP boat when I was younger and thought I knew all I needed to know about boats. Ended up with a complete new bottom!

Whilst rare, there are a few DP boats about that were used as hireboats (particularly on the Llangollen) - mine was one of them. The result of each 'corner' being dragged onto the shallow bottom during mooring up and setting off had worn it away - apparently it's a common problem with ex hireboats in the area. But mine was much older thatn that.

They always used to have wooden handrails (and doors) on their trad boats I believe - mine certainly did.

I think someone was quite correct, they had a sort of cult status - but the reality was that there were other better boats around.