Thinking about first NB. any thoughts on this ?

[TheBiscuits]

1 hour ago, Norm55 said:

They have kindly reccomended one and given me his details, but being the cynical person i am, I feel should get my own. 

 

Who did they recommend?  It might be sound advice!

[Norm55]

They reccomended Gerry Ridge of Ridge Marine Surveying.    Any one have any experience of him? 

[MrsM]

17 hours ago, Norm55 said:

Yep ?   subject to survey of course. A cheeky offer did it !    Thanks for all advice offered. I will keep you all posted as the story develops 

Many congratulations and good luck for the survey. I would go for a full survey for peace of mind(ish). But make sure you check as much as you can yourself - loo, cooker, heating etc etc.

[David Mack]

4 hours ago, Norm55 said:

Ok, so next thing is survey.  They have kindly reccomended one and given me his details, but being the cynical person i am, I feel should get my own.  Any reccomendations for good surveyor?   Boat is in Nantwhich, Cheshire.   I was also asked if it was hull or full survey i wanted, any thoughts ? 

Thanks again in advance. 

For someone in the northwest, Mike Carter, based in Northwich, has been recommended on the forum previously.

[Norm55]

Already e mailed him and can't do it, too busy 

[enigmatic]

On 05/12/2020 at 10:47, Norm55 said:

Ok, so next thing is survey.  They have kindly reccomended one and given me his details, but being the cynical person i am, I feel should get my own.  Any reccomendations for good surveyor?   Boat is in Nantwhich, Cheshire.   I was also asked if it was hull or full survey i wanted, any thoughts ? 

Thanks again in advance. 

I was happy with Steve Hand who's been praised on here before and does a lot of surveys in Cheshire. I'd get the full survey. Mine involved the vendor agreeing to pay for a newly reconditioned gearbox as well as a long list of BSS compliance stuff with gas and electrics.

[Norm55]

Full survey booked with Ricky Tropman but not till early January.  

[GRLMK38]

11 hours ago, Norm55 said:

Full survey booked with Ricky Tropman but not till early January.  

If non-DIY repair/maintenance work is recommended by the surveyor, please make sure you give yourself time to obtain quotes from competent workshops if you intend taking on the rectification work as part of a price negotiation.  There is a tendency for people to rush (or be rushed) at this stage to get the deal over the line and then discover the bills are bigger than they initially thought.

[Norm55]

Thanks for this.   I will take that on board.  

[Norm55]

Revisited boat yesterday and ran the engine etc. All working ok but engine hours not showing on rev counter. The boat is advertised with quoted low hours but is there further proof of hours available, for instance service book?  I need to be sure it is as low as advertised 

[Alan de Enfield]

8 minutes ago, Norm55 said:

................for instance service book?

 

A what ?

 

 

 

 

You maybe lucky and find an 'obsessive' selling a boat, but you will rarely find much in the way of any paperwork with an inland waterways boat.

Some people will religiously follow service / oil change intervals, others will do it when they buy the boat and then never again - relying on the leaks and regular 'top-ups' to do an automatic oil change.

 

Don't expect anything then you will not be dissapointed.

Edited December 9, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[Murflynn]

8 minutes ago, Norm55 said:

Revisited boat yesterday and ran the engine etc. All working ok but engine hours not showing on rev counter. The boat is advertised with quoted low hours but is there further proof of hours available, for instance service book?  I need to be sure it is as low as advertised 

any ex-hire boat will have very high engine hours unless the engine has been replaced. 

perhaps you could check on the engine's age if you have the serial no.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, Murflynn said:

any ex-hire boat will have very high engine hours unless the engine has been replaced. 

perhaps you could check on the engine's age if you have the serial no.

Our ex-hire NB had the same engine but had had the original + 2 other rev / hour counters fitted so the readings were meaningless.

Fortunately the owner was obsessive about paperwork and had kept records of the hours at each instrument change, the total records showed the engine had done over 10,000 hours despite the rev/hour counter showing 2000 hours.

When we bought the boat the 'handover' paperwork was a lever arch file about 6" thick full of receipts for everything.

 

The reverse could also be true - a new engine could be fitted and the rev/hour counter not changed resulting in an actual engine hours of (say) 1000 but the rev/hour counter showing (say) 13,000.

 

There isn't really any way of telling.

[Norm55]

Thanks all.  This is not an ex hire boat but advertised as low hours, i think around 700 without checking the add again.  Serial number suggests circa 2005 onwards.  I have found the online service manual.  Hour meter appears to be digital rather than analogue so am wondering if it can be rebooted.  Anyhow one for post survey  negotiations 

[Alan de Enfield]

28 minutes ago, Norm55 said:

Thanks all.  This is not an ex hire boat but advertised as low hours, i think around 700 without checking the add again.  Serial number suggests circa 2005 onwards.  I have found the online service manual.  Hour meter appears to be digital rather than analogue so am wondering if it can be rebooted.  Anyhow one for post survey  negotiations 

You could always ask the surveyor to include a 'machinery survey' which should (if it is done correctly) involve an oil analysis - this will tell you a lot about the age, wear and oil changes.

It will cost extra, but if it puts you mind a rest, is it worth it ?

 

Not all surveyors are capable of doing a 'proper' engine survey, some will just look at the paint and say 'it looks in good condition' so if you do want to have one, check he is capable of doing it.

Edited December 9, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[Victor Vectis]

What engine is it?

 

We have a Beta 43 with a Beta instrument panel and a digital hours counter.

 

Last winter was a wet one and dampness found its way into the cupboard behind the instruments. The hours counter didn't like it and stopped working but was fine and working again when things dried out.

By not working I mean the digital display wasn't displaying but it appears to have continued to count engine hours while it was sulking.

 

BTW:

What an excellent avatar!

Kind Hearts and Coronets is my favourite all time film (But The Ladykillers - the original Ealing version NOT the Cohen Bros remake) runs it a close second.

[ditchcrawler]

36 minutes ago, Norm55 said:

Thanks all.  This is not an ex hire boat but advertised as low hours, i think around 700 without checking the add again.  Serial number suggests circa 2005 onwards.  I have found the online service manual.  Hour meter appears to be digital rather than analogue so am wondering if it can be rebooted.  Anyhow one for post survey  negotiations 

If you buy it you may find out in mid summer as the digital displays often fail but come back when they warm/dry out. they still keep recording.

 

 

Edited December 9, 2020 by ditchcrawler

[peterboat]

36 minutes ago, Norm55 said:

Thanks all.  This is not an ex hire boat but advertised as low hours, i think around 700 without checking the add again.  Serial number suggests circa 2005 onwards.  I have found the online service manual.  Hour meter appears to be digital rather than analogue so am wondering if it can be rebooted.  Anyhow one for post survey  negotiations 

Unfortunately they fail my previous boat analogue 10k hours when it failed, this boat digital gave up the ghost at 1k hour's, I removed engine shortly afterwards and sold the lot to go electric 

22 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

You could always ask the surveyor to include a 'machinery survey' which should (if it is done correctly) involve an oil analysis - this will tell you a lot about the age, wear and oil changes.

It will cost extra, but if it puts you mind a rest, is it worth it ?

 

Not all surveyors are capable of doing a 'proper' engine survey, some will just look at the paint and say 'it looks in good condition' so if you do want to have one, check he is capable of doing it.

Oil samples can tell engine condition killers do one

[ditchcrawler]

6 minutes ago, peterboat said:

  

Oil samples can tell engine condition killers do one

Any idea of the cost, we use to do one every 6 months at work and send them to Caterpillar who made the engines. It was beyond me to interpret the results but I guess someone in the technical department did it

[peterboat]

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

Any idea of the cost, we use to do one every 6 months at work and send them to Caterpillar who made the engines. It was beyond me to interpret the results but I guess someone in the technical department did it

Its Millers and I am sure its online 

[ditchcrawler]

1 minute ago, peterboat said:

Its Millers and I am sure its online 

I wont do it, it would be something else to worry about

[Alan de Enfield]

22 minutes ago, peterboat said:

Its Millers and I am sure its online 

 

You are 'right' - it is ...........................

 

 

[cuthound]

3 hours ago, Norm55 said:

Thanks all.  This is not an ex hire boat but advertised as low hours, i think around 700 without checking the add again.  Serial number suggests circa 2005 onwards.  I have found the online service manual.  Hour meter appears to be digital rather than analogue so am wondering if it can be rebooted.  Anyhow one for post survey  negotiations 

 

This used to happen regularly on our shareboat.

 

Removing the rev counter and putting it in the airing cupboard for a fewcdays always cured it.

[NB DW]

The boat's been up for sale for a good while now.  I hope you worked that into the deal - especially as boats haven't exactly been hanging around recently.  I sold mine in the summer and haven't kept tabs on things much since, so maybe the market's cooled off. 

 

I've seen the boat in person too, I think it was actually made in Poland, and holds some sort of relation with Amber Boats.  And I did my diligence on the seller too.  I've no dog in the fight here but I'd encourage you to at least perhaps see what this forum throws up.  It was an interesting read and might help you make a more informed decision with your money may or may not be deposited.

 

Lastly, I came close to buying a replacement boat in the summer and spoke with Steve Hand.  He was hugely helpful and was well recommended on here too.  From memory the cost of a survey was £100 per foot.  Nantwich Canal Centre is supposed to be held in decent regard if you're looking for quotes on further work.  Or try Midway Boats just up the road.

 

 

[TheBiscuits]

1 minute ago, NB DW said:

From memory the cost of a survey was £100 per foot.

 

A tenner a foot would be more likely - six grand for a 60 footer sounds a bit enthusiastic!