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Going to view a narrowboat - advice?


EnglishRose

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8 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

I had a genset driven by an ST1. 3,000 rpm - incredibly noisy.

However, running a reasonable quality alternator shouldn't be impossible, so belay my previous comment.

(FWIW there was a thread on here a year or two back where the OP couldnt get a good enough alternator speed to charge their batteries - thus I thought it prudent to make a comment here)

On the genset the generator was presumably driven off the crankshaft. But on a marine ST the alternator will be driven off a pulley on the camshaft which rotates at half crankshaft speed. And you're not going to be running the engine at 3000 rpm either.  The upshot is that you need a large pulley on the camshaft to get reasonable charging. This is not always what is fitted.

Edited by David Mack
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7 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

I had a genset driven by an ST1. 3,000 rpm - incredibly noisy.

However, running a reasonable quality alternator shouldn't be impossible, so belay my previous comment.

(FWIW there was a thread on here a year or two back where the OP couldnt get a good enough alternator speed to charge their batteries - thus I thought it prudent to make a comment here)

Yes, its essential that the camshaft driven alternator pulley is the large diameter one at least 9'' dia, better still 10 or 12''.

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38 minutes ago, David Mack said:

On the genset the generator was presumably driven off the crankshaft. But on a marine ST the alternator will be driven off a pulley on the camshaft which rotates at half crankshaft speed. And you're not going to be running the engine at 3000 rpm either.  The upshot is that you need a large pulley on the camshaft to get reasonable charging. This is not always what is fitted.

of course - silly me!

36 minutes ago, bizzard said:

Yes, its essential that the camshaft driven alternator pulley is the large diameter one at least 9'' dia, better still 10 or 12''.

- If the OP ran the engine at 2,000 rpm and a 10" pulley he / she might get a reasonable charging rate.

Anyway 'twas an hypothetical suggestion as the question hasn't been posed.

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A boat is full of stuff that you cannot see and you can only guess at so look in the dark (and damp) corners, does it smell of damp? general neglect?, does the engine look as though its ever been looked at? does the owner look as if he knows what he's talking about (a lot really don't) , does the loo / shower smell cold and damp, is the floor soggy? Would you be happy to sleep in that bed, does it have fleas?  Nothing is perfect so look for the stuff that is not too good, water stains around windows and things are a sod to correct sometimes. Then say you'll think about it and walk away for a few days. After a few days you will be clearer as to whether you want to progress to a survey and an offer. Good luck.

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It's probably good advice generally but I wouldn't walk away from a boat that has a less than perfect engine bay. Mine is permanently wet due to the design of the cruiser deck and so very difficult to keep looking good. I look after my boat in most ways, but the engine bay is towards the last of my priorities.

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3 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

 

Don't tell the vendors that, and especially not the marina people.

 

3 hours ago, EnglishRose said:

Of course not, not going to buy something just for the sake of it. I probably worded my statement wrong on reflection. I just meant if we find any boat we actually want, we need to get it back before Hurleston closes not that we just want any boat and will rush in just to get anything!

 

No offence intended, and I didn't wish to patronise, but I thought it worth mentioning that some people nowadays are oblivious to the risks of sharing information (whether online or in person). The result is that nobody seems to be able to keep their gob shut counsel any more. 

 

 

 

Edited by Machpoint005
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19 hours ago, Karen Lea Rainey said:

Sales will slow down a little now the cruising season is coming to an end, poor weather, darker evenings and stoppages on infrastructure means you may be able to a good deal on the purchase price.

Sales did not slow down at all last Autumn, and most brokers were struggling to get enough boats in during the darker months. Stoppages and Winter have no effect on getting a good deal.

18 hours ago, PD1964 said:

You find a good time to buy is around Febuary/March, as a lot of boaters tend to put their boats on brokerage November with a high asking price. Brokers tend to give 3 month free moorings and normally there will be a few months license and insurance on the boat so the seller has nothing to loose, after 3 month and little interest the price tends to drop and lower offers are considered, as the owner does not want to start paying moorings, license and insurance as the Broker will not cover these and these have to be on the boat. Most brokers realise that it is difficult to move a boat at this time so may throw in a few months free moorings with the sale to butter it up or give you discounted moorings for a few months. So don't think you have to buy a boat quickly because of Winter stoppages.

Not correct.

Boats come to market throughout the year, there has been no visible November glut of boats for many years. No broker worth their salt would allow a boat with a daft high price to be listed for long, brokerages have to pay for every mooring they use in most cases.

Most brokerages will offer trade plates and licences can be refunded for full months left over, along with the fact that licences are no longer transferable to the next owner(except Gold licences and these expire at the end of each year).

Insurance must be maintained until completion of sale regardless of how long the boat is on sale.

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6 hours ago, matty40s said:

 

Not correct.

Boats come to market throughout the year, there has been no visible November glut of boats for many years. No broker worth their salt would allow a boat with a daft high price to be listed for long, brokerages have to pay for every mooring they use in most cases.

Most brokerages will offer trade plates and licences can be refunded for full months left over, along with the fact that licences are no longer transferable to the next owner(except Gold licences and these expire at the end of each year).

Insurance must be maintained until completion of sale regardless of how long the boat is on sale.

I never said there was a glut in November I said boaters put there boats up for sale then as a lot tend to give up boating then after their last season on the canals and most brokers don't put customers boats on Trade plates(license and insurance requirement is often a requirement in the Brokers listing agreement) they'll put their Stock boats on though, as they know the seller, like you say can claim the refund on un-used months. A broker like "New and Used"  do pay for the moorings off the Marina operator but a lot of Marina's provide a brokerage service and see this as a good way to make money, two slightly different types of Broker. Brokers do put boats on at inflated prices, as the more boats they have the better it looks, this is why you often see "reduced" after a few months. They want as many boats on their books as possible as potential buyers usually want to view a few boats on their visit.  All brokers are different, there's the used car salesmen type and there are the genuine boater type, the latter is worth their salt as you say not the former.

Edited by PD1964
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