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Looking To Buy First Time For Liveaboard


Dozee

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2 hours ago, peterboat said:

Same here which is why I said it would sell as a family holiday boat. I can see 35k if it survey's well, the kubota will run nearly forever, nice boat from what I can see

Are you, by any chance, the owner of this boat Peter? ?

 

 

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33 minutes ago, Dozee said:

Lots of varying opinions and thoughts here, sadly circumstances for me dictate a need for a roof over my head apart from the car in about 4 weeks or so, I do have a bit more money handy to get me started on a refurb, I have done houses before and have more than enough tools on hand and also work in the timber industry so get a very nice discount

 

Dozee

I fear your timescale is a bit tight.  You may be waiting 4 weeks just for the drydock to do the survey.  Then, when the survey throws up issues for haggling over, the seller may agree to do the remedy work before completion. 

 

For me, from offer accepted to moving on-board took over 2 months.

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2 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I fear your timescale is a bit tight.  You may be waiting 4 weeks just for the drydock to do the survey.  Then, when the survey throws up issues for haggling over, the seller may agree to do the remedy work before completion. 

 

For me, from offer accepted to moving on-board took over 2 months.

At the other end of the scale it usualy takes me a couple of days.I saw this and paid for it on tuesday or monday cant remember which and paid for it and went back and took it away on the friday. My first boat I paid and took away the same day as I saw it. At least its not mad like buying a house with damned solicitors involved :o

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Just now, doratheexplorer said:

For me, from offer accepted to moving on-board took over 2 months.

Just for balance, there is the other side of the coin.

 

Boat (private sale) was advertised on AD at 9:00am, 200 miles away from home.

Called and made an appointment for 1:00pm

Arrived, looked it over and by 1:30pm I'd paid cash and he was unloading his personal belongings.

By 2:30 I was singlehanded & on the way home with it.

SWMBO drove the car home and met me next day, with bags of clothes and food when a neighbour brought her to meet me.

 

 

BUT the big difference is I didn't have a survey, had cash in hand so was in a strong negotiating position.

 

You may have to wait 2 or 3 months to get a surveyor (due to the C19 lockdown backlog and the continuing Lockdown)

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1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Just for balance, there is the other side of the coin.

 

Boat (private sale) was advertised on AD at 9:00am, 200 miles away from home.

Called and made an appointment for 1:00pm

Arrived, looked it over and by 1:30pm I'd paid cash and he was unloading his personal belongings.

By 2:30 I was singlehanded & on the way home with it.

SWMBO drove the car home and met me next day, with bags of clothes and food when a neighbour brought her to meet me.

 

 

BUT the big difference is I didn't have a survey, had cash in hand so was in a strong negotiating position.

 

You may have to wait 2 or 3 months to get a surveyor (due to the C19 lockdown backlog and the continuing Lockdown)

Snap.

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2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Just for balance, there is the other side of the coin.

 

Boat (private sale) was advertised on AD at 9:00am, 200 miles away from home.

Called and made an appointment for 1:00pm

Arrived, looked it over and by 1:30pm I'd paid cash and he was unloading his personal belongings.

By 2:30 I was singlehanded & on the way home with it.

SWMBO drove the car home and met me next day, with bags of clothes and food when a neighbour brought her to meet me.

 

 

BUT the big difference is I didn't have a survey, had cash in hand so was in a strong negotiating position.

 

You may have to wait 2 or 3 months to get a surveyor (due to the C19 lockdown backlog and the continuing Lockdown)

There's no way you could have properly looked over and tested that vessel properly in half an hour.  Either you were taking a needless risk, or you were looking at a canoe.  Why the rush?

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1 minute ago, doratheexplorer said:

There's no way you could have properly looked over and tested that vessel properly in half an hour.  Either you were taking a needless risk, or you were looking at a canoe.  Why the rush?

I looked over mine in twenty minutes. Its a calculated risk after years of boat ownership. I cut the crap and told him I was buying that day and would pay immediately if I liked it. Boat was for sale at 58k I gave him 45K a stonking good boat and no surveyer would have got me that much off. Boat was worth 55 all day long but owner didnt want to suffer messers and wasnt skint so was happy with the transaction.

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9 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

There's no way you could have properly looked over and tested that vessel properly in half an hour.  Either you were taking a needless risk, or you were looking at a canoe.  Why the rush?

You can easily check the things that need checking in 30 minutes - its experience. Stuff like carpets, curtains and paint is just 'female fluff' and is irrelevant.

 

Hull engine and gearbox, is the gas heater and cooker working is pretty much all you need.

 

It was a 30 footer that was 'at the right price', I fitted a pram hood and SF stove and sold it two years later and made a profit even when including the cost of fitting a stove and the pram hood. I advertised it on this forum a week before Christmas, a young couple bought it on the 1st visit and a week or so later went off down to Brentford and started life as liveaboards. (They didn't have a survey either)

 

I kept in touch with them and they were quite happy - they only needed to put a new starter battery on it (but it was 10 years old) Everything else was fine.

 

If I hadn't bought it plenty of other would have done.

 

 

Nice little boat, dated but sound.

 

 

IMG_20130912_101839.jpg

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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Both my boats (both admittedly 5 years old only) were haggled for and bought within the week I found them. No survey as "young", but both had failed partial fitouts that were fully scrapped. It can be done, its just finding the right boat, in the right place,  at the right time.

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16 minutes ago, Ally said:

Both my boats (both admittedly 5 years old only) were haggled for and bought within the week I found them. No survey as "young", but both had failed partial fitouts that were fully scrapped. It can be done, its just finding the right boat, in the right place,  at the right time.

 

Hope you got a reputable firm to refit them for you ... ;)

 

 

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There is an older Mike Heywood on  ApolloD, it looks quirky, but it is in your price bracket, others wil advise on any likely suitable boats, but remember a broker is taking a commision, and often his commission is based on the asking price, not the price you offer.

Not all brokers are dilegent, they are working for the seller.

My advise if you are working full time and want to fit out a boat out on the cut is to buy one that has been used by a liveaboard, but be aware, marina based liveaboards are oriented towards 240 v and live on shorepower.

I think I like it's quirkiness, viewing recommended,, Manchester.

Edited by LadyG
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1 hour ago, Ally said:

Both my boats (both admittedly 5 years old only) were haggled for and bought within the week I found them. No survey as "young", but both had failed partial fitouts that were fully scrapped. It can be done, its just finding the right boat, in the right place,  at the right time.

Having  extensive knowledge is essrential if you go this way, at least ask on here before you makean offer.

Edited by LadyG
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4 hours ago, LadyG said:

Yes Peter, but you knew what you were letting yourself infor, OP is a novice he is , essentialy short of cash, this is a sinkpot for cash,

It would be OK as a summer holiday fun thing, but never ever a liveabourd, no not never.

It's more akin to a caravan than a boat.

Did you take a record of the opportunity cost of every hour, all the tols, the materials, , if you cost your labour at #£10 per hour and include all the time, including sweating over a computer, travelling costs, cost your transport at £2.. per mile, just how much did it cost,

Don't forget a skip hire to remove all internal furnishings, bed, sofa, partitions, trim, batteries, old fuel, fuel cleaning, servicing al existing stuff, replacing old redundant stuf with up to date stuff, all your work clothes,, I only did a part re-furb, and in one year I went through three pairs of used jeans and six T shirts,, there were new trainers, new tools, paint, painbrushes etc etc.

I increasc Ed the value of my boat within three months by £4K.

Another year on, and I've spent another £3k, That :£7K is direct costs, does not incude my labour.

Remember you may not be allowed to do DIY stuff or bring contractors on to a marina witbout the owner's agrement, ..and your neighbours may not be best pleased either.

Edited by LadyG
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5 hours ago, LadyG said:

Yes Peter, but you knew what you were letting yourself infor, OP is a novice he is , essentialy short of cash, this is a sinkpot for cash,

It would be OK as a summer holiday fun thing, but never ever a liveabourd, no not never.

It's more akin to a caravan than a boat.

Did you take a record of the opportunity cost of every hour, all the tols, the materials, , if you cost your labour at #£10 per hour and include all the time, including sweating over a computer, travelling costs, cost your transport at £2.. per mile, just how much did it cost,

Don't forget a skip hire to remove all internal furnishings, bed, sofa, partitions, trim, batteries, old fuel, fuel cleaning, servicing al existing stuff, replacing old redundant stuf with up to date stuff, all your work clothes,, I only did a part re-furb, and in one year I went through three pairs of used jeans and six T shirts,, there were new trainers, new tools, paint, painbrushes etc etc.

I increasc Ed the value of my boat within three months by £4K.

Another year on, and I've spent another £3k, That :£7K is direct costs, does not incude my labour.

I see you have edited your original post, however I will say again because you arnt listening it's a sellers market, the boat for very little could be made into a two berth with galley in the stern and a big saloon with stove at the pointy end.The op is confident of his ability to do the work so wont be paying others,  he is young and in desperate need so yes it's a great buy as long as hull/engine are ok

Edited by peterboat
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43 minutes ago, matty40s said:

....and have they finished yet...?

Happily I chose someone known to get work done on time, think they were only delayed on one launch through circumstances being against them. Phew, guess I've been lucky! ?

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1 hour ago, matty40s said:

Did you ever find out what Viv did with all the tack rags??

#tackragkingViv

Don't even go there! ?

52 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

Have you seen the cowboys they have fitting out their new "tiny" boat, dodgy geezers 

;)

yes, they're not the best are they? Only 2 power tools between them! ?

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3 hours ago, peterboat said:

I see you have edited your original post, however I will say again because you arnt listening it's a sellers market, the boat for very little could be made into a two berth with galley in the stern and a big saloon with stove at the pointy end.The op is confident of his ability to do the work so wont be paying others,  he is young and in desperate need so yes it's a great buy as long as hull/engine are ok

I understand Peter, wot I am saying , the OP must not go in to something without understanding what he is doing, he could lose a lot of money very wuickly if he rushes out and buys this boat, This is one of many boats available, he has to find a better boat, one that is not going to be a money pit, he is not a miilionaire.

This boat is very high risk, and is a caravan.

Op should make an appointment to visit at 12.00 am and turn up at 09.15if he is still interested.

Edited by LadyG
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10 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I understand Peter, wot I am saying , the OP must not go in to something without understanding what he is doing, he could lose a lot of money very wuickly if he rushes out and buys this boat, This is one of many boats available, he has to find a better boat, one that is not going to be a money pit, he is not a miilionaire.

This boat is very high risk, and is a caravan.

Op should make an appointment to visit at 12.00 am and turn up at 09.15if he is still interested.

Why is it not a good boat? Pinder have been building strong good handling boats for years, interiors are basic but robust. He might be able to haggle it down a bit but he might not,it really is a sellers market and boats are selling fast

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18 minutes ago, peterboat said:

Why is it not a good boat? Pinder have been building strong good handling boats for years, interiors are basic but robust. He might be able to haggle it down a bit but he might not,it really is a sellers market and boats are selling fast

Don't forget LadyG knows everything about canals, boats, the universe and everything. Her weeks of narrowboat experince are second to none.

Her choice of narrowboat is nothing to be proud of - how much have has she had to spend on it to get it usable (Electrics, plumbing, gas, BSSC)

How many times has it broken down ?

 

The problem is that folks new to the site don't know who has experience and knows what they are talking about, and who was in their situation a few weeks previously.

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On 03/11/2020 at 17:44, Dozee said:

Thats good to know, absolutely no chance of going that high, wish I could, I would book a full inspection/survey before parting with cash, am thinking to reverse the layout and reduce to 1 berth with more living space as I'm single, was thinking of offering 30k cash. Can still do viewings but with gloves on ect

 

Dozee

If you reverse the layout you're going to be sleeping in a greenhouse.

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