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Why are ex hire boats more expensive?


Bob692

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We are looking first our first NB after years of hiring. An impression we have formed is the ex hire boats seem expensive compared to other boats on brokerage. Is there a reason for this or are they just trying it on? Perhaps a bit like ex hire car, might have high mileage but you know its been well maintained but could have been thrashed. Would appreciate any advice.

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Bob, they probably will have been regularly maintained (after all, no fleet operator wants to send out a boat which is in danger of breaking down, or whose fridge has packed up) but the "high mileage" part doesn't really apply to hire craft. Also, the paintwork, furniture and fittings will usually have been kept clean and smart.

So, to continue the car analogy, an ex-hire boat should be "in good condition for year".

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I guess because lots of boats are lived in they are even more 'used' than hire boats. Boat hire is largely seasonal and they are likely to be serviced and tidied up more regularly. An occasional use leisure only boat will probably fetch a premium compared to an ex-hire boat. 

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8 minutes ago, The Welsh Cruiser said:

I wonder, if these ex hire boats are so good, why do the hire companies get rid of them? They are organisations for making profit, after all.

A good question, WC. Some hire firms seem to keep theirs almost indefinitely - there re some veterans in, for example, the UCC and Calcutt fleets - whereas others appear to replace them every 4 or 5 years. Perhaps the more "upmarket" ones are replaced more often so that they can keep up well well-heeled customers' requirements, e.g. reverse layouts, granite-topped toilets, whatever. I really don't know.

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Some of them are sponsored. I think there is a tax benefit in replacing them especially if they maintain a high residual.

bit like the ghastly suv. People who cant afford them new  find them aspirational maintaining the used price, reducing the depreciation and hence least cost.

my current car 6 years old had 2 three year leases on it before i got it. It meant it had low miles full dealer services and the correct tyres. Course its not an suv...

They offered me a lease car 199 a month last time and tried to tell me that buying a 3 year old car on lease purchase was cheaper than a six year old outright purchase..

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37 minutes ago, Athy said:

A good question, WC. Some hire firms seem to keep theirs almost indefinitely - there re some veterans in, for example, the UCC and Calcutt fleets - whereas others appear to replace them every 4 or 5 years. Perhaps the more "upmarket" ones are replaced more often so that they can keep up well well-heeled customers' requirements, e.g. reverse layouts, granite-topped toilets, whatever. I really don't know.

 

The bigger companies that build there own boats like ABC build them for much less thsn an equivalent new boat would sell for.

 

They then operate it until it's resale value matches the build cost and sell it.

 

That way they don't lose much if any of its build cost and as you say can replace it with one fitted out with the latest gizmos and current fashion. 

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This is all good feedback. Thanks.........

Sounds like they will be quality boats in good nick but I guess with relatively high engine hours. I know as a hirer we were always told to run the engine for at least 5 hours a day to ensure the batteries were well charged as they don't know how sensible the hirers are going to be with lights, hair dryers etc. I suppose you have to include in the equation modifying the layout, IE removing extra beds etc. They are usually built to fit as many people in as possible often with very little salon space. Very few have a stove etc, and all will be pump outs. As usual "buyer beware"

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3 hours ago, Bob692 said:

This is all good feedback. Thanks.........

Sounds like they will be quality boats in good nick but I guess with relatively high engine hours. I know as a hirer we were always told to run the engine for at least 5 hours a day to ensure the batteries were well charged as they don't know how sensible the hirers are going to be with lights, hair dryers etc. I suppose you have to include in the equation modifying the layout, IE removing extra beds etc. They are usually built to fit as many people in as possible often with very little salon space. Very few have a stove etc, and all will be pump outs. As usual "buyer beware"

I skipper a boat with 40000 hours on the clocks. Never had the heads off yet.

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1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

I skipper a boat with 40000 hours on the clocks. Never had the heads off yet.

 

Yeah but that is probably a proper marine engine in a proper (large passenger carrying) river boat.

 

My experience of the types of engines typically used in Narrowboats is:

 

Mitsubishi 1.4 litre 4 cylinder 10,500 hours.

 

BMC 1.8 (built in Turkey) 13,500 hours.

 

Kubota (Beta 43) 25,000 hours.

Edited by cuthound
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For what it’s worth, we bought our 69 foot, 14 year old, narrowboat from ABC (or at least the boat’s sponsor) for 40k.  They were asking 45, so I thought I would chance a low offer, and was gob smacked when they accepted with no attempt to negotiate up.  We have spent a fair bit on her, but in the main this is stuff that makes her a good live aboard, so we were happy to start with a good, sound blank canvas, rather than accepting someone else’s interpretation of what a good boat looks like.  In the end we have got an excellent boat for less than 50k, and I am happy with that.

 

An additional benefit is that we regularly take her for pump out and fuel to one of their yards (although not the same one she was based at) and the yard hands are always so chuffed to see what we have done to her and they are willing to offer any advice and support that I need with little or no charge!

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