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Overpriced boat?


Mark O'Connor

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Hi there,

I've found a boat I quite like the look of but I'm inclined to think it's overpriced, I'm new to boating and could do with any thoughts on this. 

It's a 1980 hancock & lane, advert here- https://www.apolloduck.com/boat/hancock-and-lane-70-traditional/614148

 

No overplating that I can see, but also no recent survey. What were Hancock & Lane like as builders? Does this seem like a fair price?

 

Thanks,

Mark

 

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4 minutes ago, Mark O'Connor said:

I've found a boat I quite like the look of but I'm inclined to think it's overpriced, I'm new to boating and could do with any thoughts on this. 

I would tend to agree, but it will probably sell in London for that price.The no recent survey would concern me. Do you know when the last survey was?

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13 minutes ago, Mark O'Connor said:

There's no mention of the last survey and the seller is taking their time to get back to me, I wonder if a boat that old is likely to need any work on the hull at some point? 

Thank you for this advice, all very helpful

Our 70 footer is 1983, a recent survey gave it an ok bill of health hull thickness wise. I expect it will need overplating at some point in our ownership.

 

A lot will depend on what maintenance has been undertaken on the hull during its lifetime,frequency of hull painting, type of protection (probably bitumastic type)applied, anode effectiveness and whether it has been connected long term to a 240V shoreline, with associated galvanic protection installed etc.

 

Unfortunately, there is only one way to find out for sure.....survey from a reputable surveyor (and that isn't always a definitive answer).

Edited by rusty69
spling
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Interior looks in good condition, but only one photo of the exterior and no detail of hull condition etc. Engine is said to be BMC - presumably 1.8 or 2.2 on a boat of this length. These are getting a bit elderly now, but they were widely used and spares should still be readily available.

As you are a newbie you really should have a survey of the shell, engine/gearbox and equipment. A survey is not a 100% guarantee that every problem will be found, but should at least give you more confidence that the boat is probably OK (or not). Any faults found would be grounds for a price reduction. Although you do run the risk of being 'gazumped' by someone offering more without a survey.

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55 minutes ago, Mark O'Connor said:

Hi there,

I've found a boat I quite like the look of but I'm inclined to think it's overpriced, I'm new to boating and could do with any thoughts on this. 

It's a 1980 hancock & lane, advert here- https://www.apolloduck.com/boat/hancock-and-lane-70-traditional/614148

 

No overplating that I can see, but also no recent survey. What were Hancock & Lane like as builders? Does this seem like a fair price?

 

Thanks,

Mark

 

If you do buy it you will need to have a survey for the insurance anyway so if you intend to 'put a bid in' have a survey anyway, it could save you a LOT of money.

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1 hour ago, Mark O'Connor said:

Hi there,

I've found a boat I quite like the look of but I'm inclined to think it's overpriced, I'm new to boating and could do with any thoughts on this. 

It's a 1980 hancock & lane, advert here- https://www.apolloduck.com/boat/hancock-and-lane-70-traditional/614148

 

No overplating that I can see, but also no recent survey. What were Hancock & Lane like as builders? Does this seem like a fair price?

 

Thanks,

Mark

 

You could probably get newer at that price, indeed we paid that for our 2005, 69 footer, although she was advertised for 5k more and we haggled down.  But ours was ex hire, and much blander inside, that does look a pretty boat inside.  Guess it’s the old adage.  You pays your money, you takes your choice!

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I would be concerned about what the material is behind the stove. It should be an insulation board. Did this boat start life as a wooden top and then have it replaced with steel? It looks expensive for a boat of that age _ i would want to haggle even before a survey was completed.

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3 hours ago, rusty69 said:

I would tend to agree, but it will probably sell in London for that price.The no recent survey would concern me. Do you know when the last survey was?

I don't think many owners get regular surveys of their boat so why would no recent survey concern you?

 

In fact, from what I've seen here, even if they do have one, the resounding response from here would be to not trust it with a barge pole, and suspicion as to why it had one :) 

 

I tried to get one, for my own peace of mind, when I was out of the water in September, but enquiring as to availability in July was too late, so it didnt happen.

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6 minutes ago, Richard10002 said:

I don't think many owners get regular surveys of their boat so why would no recent survey concern you?

 

In fact, from what I've seen here, even if they do have one, the resounding response from here would be to not trust it with a barge pole, and suspicion as to why it had one :) 

 

I tried to get one, for my own peace of mind, when I was out of the water in September, but enquiring as to availability in July was too late, so it didnt happen.

 

Except it is 40 years old, and, with a few exceptions, (assuming it is comprehensively insured), most insurers would require a hull survey every 5 to 7 (ish) years.  So whilst maybe "not recent", it is quite likely some exist.

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12 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

 

Except it is 40 years old, and, with a few exceptions, (assuming it is comprehensively insured), most insurers would require a hull survey every 5 to 7 (ish) years.  So whilst maybe "not recent", it is quite likely some exist.

Not disagreeing. However, I'm not sure I would mention an 8 year old survey, (in my case), in an advert selling my boat.

 

As has been suggested only a couple of posts above:

 

 " if you didn't engage the surveyor and pay for it yourself it means nothing. Only an idiot trusts a sellers survey."

 

I don't completely agree with that, but the principle is about right, and is what many people would think, or how they would be advised.

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It depends on circumstances.

 

Buying historic boats as we do is a specialist thing, and there are a few well know surveyors that people regularly use.  As the last boat we bought had been surveyed fairly recently by the surveyor I would have chosen had I had a survey, there seemed little point in paying again for another survey.

I paid a small amount to transfer it into my name, so the surveyor's indemnity insurance applied to our ownership.

 

I would not be so gung ho it I were buying a 40 yerar old boat from Whilton, and they had had it surveyed by somebody they retain to do their surveys!

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/11/2019 at 21:17, ditchcrawler said:

If you want to see an old boat bought without a survey watch The chateau  https://www.channel4.com/programmes/escape-to-the-chateau/on-demand/68507-005 and how they decided where it needed patching

I have just watched that prog. I thought the hull testing was 'interesting'...................but the patching up work looked good...........

  • Haha 1
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