Looking for Advice/Criticism of My Liveaboard Plan

[noone]

3 hours ago, The Welsh Cruiser said:

Mostly simple pleasures, although will admit to an odd glass of strongish stuff to get through life

 

I love the idea of a wind turbine but wouldn't buy another one. They are expensive for the little energy they produce. The odd time though, moored in an open place, November or December gales, no engine running for a few days. Call me simple, but that gives me pleasure

Just after posting this,two land based friends arrived with the gift of fresh,home rendered beef dripping!?..That will be my simple pleasure for a while!...The lard moves in mysterious ways!!..?

[Trousers]

On 10/10/2020 at 19:50, Alan de Enfield said:

You have no idea to what standard the overplating was undertaken - was it a quick 'bodge' to get it sold after a previous bad survey ?

Who did it ? Was it Fred from the corner garage who welds new sills on cars at the weekend ?

Has it been surveyed again by a qualified surveyor to comment on the standard of welding ?

 

I would rather pay £10k- £15k less for a boat that needed overplating and choose a known 'good' welder with many such jobs under his belt and have it properly done under my control.

Thanks Alan, that's really useful. So, if you have two similarly aged boats at the same price and one has overplating that should do nothing to influence which seems like the better prospect? (pre-survey of course)

 

On 11/10/2020 at 08:32, Murflynn said:

so you may be able to raise 31k and you propose to buy a boat for possibly 27k.  

there are dozens of threads on this forum, some very recent, explaining the real costs of getting a boat on the water legally and then running/maintaining it. 

and don't forget the need for a decent contingency fund when things go slightly awry.

 

if you travel the waterways you will find many abandoned and some half-sunk boats littering the canals and rivers ............. please be realistic with your costings and don't join the heartbreak brigade.

Thanks for the response Murflynn. As Alan replied my thinking is to leave some money aside to remedy the terrible choice I make when buying a boat (as well as for insurance, licensing etc.). Do you think its better to basically put everything you have into making sure you get absolutely the best boat you could possibly afford? I can see the logic in that - but feel for a novice like me it doesn't leave much margin for error.

 

 

On 11/10/2020 at 09:08, LadyG said:

I can't comment on whether you will like your new lifestyle or not, if you intend to buy a boat to travel, something like Abel's Ark, see sort of interesting on youtube will be available, (new engine, simple interior, fairly short, but with permanent bed.

I have found that singlehanding is quite tiring, and speeds are slow, as in 2 mph being the new normal, rather than the 3 to 4 mph I anticipated.

For myself, buying a good hull ( well respected builder) , my boat is much admired for it's lines, and this is important for me. I hope to sell at a small profit once the restoration is complete, fresh paint job inside and out, new fridge (£600!), just sayin'.

Spending £4k in year one would be not unusual, I have put in four new batteries (£700), and 525 watt solar panels (£600), paint + materials (£950), a Victron inverter for my phone and laptop.

 I did not use the cheapest options as my own skills are limited. Having work done at a Boatyard will be expensive, so best to buy something which has no major work requirement.

Travelling regularly you will find electricity management much easier, and you may want to look at alternator charging. A happy boat has happy batteries, and a solid fuel stove (diesel stoves are available)

 

Thanks Lady G, I shall bear that in mind when planning my routes.  £4k a year sounds very doable for me, so that is good news. 

 

On 11/10/2020 at 13:52, Leggers do it lying down said:

If you haven't already...read the recent threads "Newbie" and "possible liveaboard".

If you don't know much about boat maintenance,you will either learn quickly or spend lots of money on the inevitable repairs/refits.

Its not so much fixing things that can be the problem,its finding AND getting to the damn thing!!

C.E. marked boats are more expensive,but are fitted to a higher standard and should have paperwork showing all fittings,wiring diagrams,plumbing gas etc and where they are fitted/run.

A non C.E. marked boat is fitted to a lesser standard (Boat Safety Cert).,basically D.I.Y....Stuff can be fitted ANYWHERE.?

 

If you can ignore the litter on the towpath,and all the plastic rubbish floating in the water....you will see some lovely sights!!.?

 

B.ring

O.ut

A.nother

T.housand

Thanks Leggers, I have been doing as much reading as possible - thanks for the recommendations. I will certainly try and get a boat with a deent history of work done so I at least know where I am with things.

 

On 11/10/2020 at 16:16, The Welsh Cruiser said:

Regarding 3/ I bought my boat 7 years ago. 35ft 1998 hull £18K. I wouldn't describe myself as strapping but like you, had limited diy knowledge. First, living on a boat does not have to be expensive. OK unexpected things happen at times which can lead to expense but unless you're faced with replacing the engine or plating the boat the cost shouldn't be a disaster. The worst thing in my 7 years was having to have the engine taken out and the top end rebuilt, the piston rings had gummed in their grooves. This cost just under £800. Including this, licences, fuel, coal, gas etc. plus various upgrades I did myself including solar panels, wind turbine, full external repaint and various internal joinery projects my annual cost has averaged under £2K. I said I didn't have much diy knowledge, it was more or less essential to gain this knowledge. This forum and one called Thunderboat were both helpful, as was YouTube, and a great deal of patience.  

Really appreciate the feedback, I am actually not that strapping (more of a beanpole really haha) but have a decent ability to pick things up and work things out. That's really assuring and also pretty impressive. I'll e sure to check out the Thunderboat forum.

Thanks to everyone else that has posted so far as well, I have read every word and its all been really useful (even the inevitable tangents haha). Cheers!

[blackrose]

On 11/10/2020 at 08:32, Murflynn said:

 

if you travel the waterways you will find many abandoned and some half-sunk boats littering the canals and rivers ............. 

 

Perhaps the OP could pick up an abandoned boat for next to nothing? I've seen a few half sunk (and fully sunken) boats on my travels, but how does one distinguish an abandoned boat from one that's just not been maintained. It might look abandoned but we all have different levels of what we deem fit for purpose and it could be someone's pride and joy. I've seen people on some right piles of crap that I'd only consider fit for scrap, but they seem to be enjoying themselves.

[Trousers]

20 hours ago, Goliath said:

It can all be done  
 

Depends on your standard of living ?

 

Do you want the washing machine and microwave, jacuzzi, toaster, electric blanket, granite worktops and such like or heat the boat with just a stove and run everything off 12v and keep it basic with a simple lay out. 
 

I got myself a great boat for £20,000. 
Still doing it up after 8, coming up 9 years. 
 

It is a cheaper way of living with a wonderful freedom to explore England and a bit of Wales. 
 

As far as over plating goes ?‍♂️
I got plenty on mine. 
Still doing well. 
But DO get a good survey. 
I think I spent £750 on a full survey. 
 

Nice one Goliath. You seem to have done a great job in selecting a boat at the end of the market I'm looking to enter in at. I'd be interested to know you selection criteria when choosing a boat and how you ranked the respective features of the boats in regard to importance. I'll certainly be going for a full survey haha

[Murflynn]

2 hours ago, Leggers do it lying down said:

Just after posting this,two land based friends arrived with the gift of fresh,home rendered beef dripping!?..That will be my simple pleasure for a while!...The lard moves in mysterious ways!!..?

save the jelly for me please.   

[noone]

14 hours ago, Murflynn said:

save the jelly for me please.   

Bring yer own bread!??

[noone]

35 minutes ago, Leggers do it lying down said:

Bring yer own bread!??

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

17 hours ago, Trousers said:

Nice one Goliath. You seem to have done a great job in selecting a boat at the end of the market I'm looking to enter in at. I'd be interested to know you selection criteria when choosing a boat and how you ranked the respective features of the boats in regard to importance. I'll certainly be going for a full survey haha

I chose this one simply because;
 

It looked how I thought a boat should look. ?
It had everything on it that I would need to live and travel. ?(it was fully kitted out, there was nothing I needed to do, it was all dated, 1980’s I think, but I thought I can update as and when )

It ‘felt’ right when I was inside it. That is it felt like a boat and not a caravan or lifeless shell.  It had character. 
It was within my budget I had £30,000 to spend, to include surveys and craning, insurance and license, BSS and some left for fixing any early problems that might come up. 
It was a good size (48’) for travelling all the system. 


The survey said it was a good boat and pointed out some minor bits of work which I new I’d manage myself. 
Yes, it had (has) patches of over plating. Some over plating is welded and some riveted, the survey said it was good. 
But it did need the bottom over plating though. 
I went halves on the overplating (kind of).

The yard said it’d be £4000 on top of the £19000 asking price. So I offered £21000 if they’d include the over plating in that. 
 

prior to this I’d looked at a fair few boats in several places around the midlands and quizzed boaters in person to learn something about what I was looking for. 
 

Ironically about a year after buying Goliath I discovered a slightly damning review of it on this forum. So I’m glad I didn’t see it prior to buying or it may have put me off. 
 

At the end of the day, I think things are only worth what you’re willing to pay. 
I was itching to travel so I took a calculated risk, and luckily things turned out ok. 

I had a look on appolloduck yesterday and there’s all sorts within your budget.

 

Good luck. 

 

 

 

 

[dmr]

1 hour ago, Goliath said:

I chose this one simply because;
 

It looked how I thought a boat should look. ?
It had everything on it that I would need to live and travel. ?(it was fully kitted out, there was nothing I needed to do, it was all dated, 1980’s I think, but I thought I can update as and when )

It ‘felt’ right when I was inside it. That is it felt like a boat and not a caravan or lifeless shell.  It had character. 
It was within my budget I had £30,000 to spend, to include surveys and craning, insurance and license, BSS and some left for fixing any early problems that might come up. 
It was a good size (48’) for travelling all the system. 


The survey said it was a good boat and pointed out some minor bits of work which I new I’d manage myself. 
Yes, it had (has) patches of over plating. Some over plating is welded and some riveted, the survey said it was good. 
But it did need the bottom over plating though. 
I went halves on the overplating (kind of).

The yard said it’d be £4000 on top of the £19000 asking price. So I offered £21000 if they’d include the over plating in that. 
 

prior to this I’d looked at a fair few boats in several places around the midlands and quizzed boaters in person to learn something about what I was looking for. 
 

Ironically about a year after buying Goliath I discovered a slightly damning review of it on this forum. So I’m glad I didn’t see it prior to buying or it may have put me off. 
 

At the end of the day, I think things are only worth what you’re willing to pay. 
I was itching to travel so I took a calculated risk, and luckily things turned out ok. 

I had a look on appolloduck yesterday and there’s all sorts within your budget.

 

Good luck. 

 

 

 

 

Many people on this forum say that over-plating is a bad thing, but does this apply when its done with rivets ? ?

[Murflynn]

16 minutes ago, dmr said:

Many people on this forum say that over-plating is a bad thing, but does this apply when its done with rivets ? ?

I don't know, but surely in order to "overplate the bottom" you would have to turn the boat upside down  ...................................   actually that is a better idea than it sounds because any welder would prefer to avoid overhead welding.  

 

.....................  but should it be called "underplating the bottom" ?

 

 

 

 

..............   just askin'  

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

7 minutes ago, dmr said:

Many people on this forum say that over-plating is a bad thing, but does this apply when its done with rivets ? ?

I’m no expert but when you’re on a budget you can’t afford to be over picky. 

Would be great to be able to afford to have sections removed and refitted in new steel.

 
I have a hull survey every 4 years and expect any defects to come to light. 
 

There’s a lot of talk about what happens if it’s not done correctly. 
But I’ve had the boat coming up 9 years and I’m still afloat so it must have been done correctly. 
The riveted over plating on the bow in several places must be over 70/80(?) years old. 
 

I would have thought twice about investing £150,000 in a knackered old over plated hull. But £20,000 on a lovely ‘characterful’ hull is a bargain ?

3 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

I don't know, but surely in order to "overplate the bottom" you would have to turn the boat upside down  ...................................   actually that is a better idea than it sounds because any welder would prefer to avoid overhead welding.  

 

.....................  but should it be called "underplating the bottom" ?

 

 

 

 

..............   just askin'  

Bradley workshop has a dock where boats could be turned. 
 

But no, the welder just welds by lying/crawling under the boat.