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BMC 1.8


JRT

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I'm looking to buy a second-hand narrowboat and, for the time being, I've narrowed my search to three which I'll be viewing at the end of the week. One of these has a BMC1.8 engine and, as I plan to do most of the maintenance myself and it's an oldish design, I was wondering if I'll need imperial or metric spanners and sockets?

 

Also, one of the three has been blacked at the beginning of this year. Should I still get an out of water survey done if I'm thinking of buying it? In other words, can I rely on the fact that it's been blacked, perhaps professionally by a boat yard, that the hull is sound? Would they black a dodgy hull?

 

I'd appreciate any advice offered.

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1 minute ago, JRT said:

I'm looking to buy a second-hand narrowboat and, for the time being, I've narrowed my search to three which I'll be viewing at the end of the week. One of these has a BMC1.8 engine and, as I plan to do most of the maintenance myself and it's an oldish design, I was wondering if I'll need imperial or metric spanners and sockets?

 

Also, one of the three has been blacked at the beginning of this year. Should I still get an out of water survey done if I'm thinking of buying it? In other words, can I rely on the fact that it's been blacked, perhaps professionally by a boat yard, that the hull is sound? Would they black a dodgy hull?

 

I'd appreciate any advice offered.

You will need mainly AF spanners and sockets and maybe one or two BSF. Alternator might be held on with metric nuts and bolts though, if the alternator has been messed with a few times in the past.

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6 minutes ago, JRT said:

I'm looking to buy a second-hand narrowboat and, for the time being, I've narrowed my search to three which I'll be viewing at the end of the week. One of these has a BMC1.8 engine and, as I plan to do most of the maintenance myself and it's an oldish design, I was wondering if I'll need imperial or metric spanners and sockets?

 

Also, one of the three has been blacked at the beginning of this year. Should I still get an out of water survey done if I'm thinking of buying it? In other words, can I rely on the fact that it's been blacked, perhaps professionally by a boat yard, that the hull is sound? Would they black a dodgy hull?

 

I'd appreciate any advice offered.

Imperial.

 

If it is not a new boat, get a survey unless you know how to check it yourself, unlikely?

 

Oh yes. they would black a colander for money and say nothing, its just a job.

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Thanks guys. Much appreciated. Can I trouble you for some more advice?

 

3 boats, 3 engines. A Beta 38 powering 57ft with 6420 hours on it. A Beta 43, 52ft and 1700 hours and finally, a BMC1.8, 60ft, 6988 hours. All seem adequate and with not much to choose between the three of them.....if they've all been maintained to the same degree. Do you agree?

 

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49 minutes ago, JRT said:

can I rely on the fact that it's been blacked, perhaps professionally by a boat yard, that the hull is sound? Would they black a dodgy hull?

A couple of years ago there was a big argument between an owner and a boat yard.

Long story short.

 

The boat yard lifted it out for blacking,

They clenaed off the old blacking

Put on new blacking

Put boat back in the water.

Next morning the boat had dissapeared - It had sunk.

 

The well known boat yard had not noticed that scraping off the old blacking resulted in holes in the base. The 'Job experience' guys, painted it without noticing the holes.

 

Buying a boat is a huge risk - 'Buyer beware' was written to cover buying a boat. Reduce your risks by doing your due diligence, that includes having a survey if you do not have the experience to determine its condition yourself.

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You need a survey - boats can deteriorate rapidly as @Keeping Up found out with his boat.

The BMC 1.8 in our boat has done 11000 hours - it does not use oil or smoke. Spanners required are a mix of imperial AF and metric. You will also need a filter wrench - the oil filter is in am awkward place under the fuel filter. If it has a PRM hydraulic gearbox you will need an 18mm spanner for the filler/dip stick. You will also need some basic spares such as alternator belt, morse cable(s) etc. Plus some quick fix items like cable ties etc. The engine is a work horse.

Worth checking with any engine that the skin tank is big enough - the rule of thumb is 1ft2 of area for every 4hp so for a BMC 1.8 which is rated at around 38hp somewhere between 9 &10 sq ft. Less than this you may get overheating when running hard on rivers.

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Many of the Ownerships Shareboat fleet had BMC 1.8 engines.

 

Typically these had a life of 10-13,500 hours before replacement.

 

When I was working I often saw Kubota (the base engine Beta use) engine dupmers anddiggers with over 20,000 hours on them.

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Thanks everyone. It was a close run thing but the BMC engined boat just lost out to one with a Beta 38. So, I guess that's all metric? Both seemed good boats and I didn't select one above the other because of the engine. Just awaiting the survey now.

Oh and it's an out of the water full survey given that everyone pretty much said I'd be mad not to have one done.

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