How do we find out who built it?

[Shazbat]

We have owned a small cruiser for over 3 years which is now up for sale as we have always fancied the idea of a narrowboat.

So have just spent the past few days on a hired narrowboat - to see if it is for us.

Have seen a narrowboat for sale in the local marina which is quite unusual (to us Newbies) in that it apparantly has a steel hull with a fibreglass superstructure, and all the windows are louvred. As newbies could someone please advise:

* should there be a plate somewhere detailing who made the boat / the year of manufacture etc?

* how does one go about organising a survey? And would a survey give an idea of the 'reasonableness' of the price asked (given that I've never seen another similar boat in any publications for comparison)?

* are there any particular pros / cons associated with this type of boat?

* any recommendations for financing purchase of narrowboats?

 

I'm sure we'll think of a whole load more questions soon, but these are the main queries we have at the moment.

 

Shaz

PS Am spending hours going through posts learning all sorts - love the site!!

[DHutch]

I dont know about all boats, but ours donsnt have any detail of when/where/who built it

- Surveys should tell you a lot about the worthlyness of the boat, but there are a look of cowboys out there, so you have you make sure you get a compentant one, prefrable with proper marine related qualifations

- A fibreglass top often reduces the resale on a boat, becuase there genually though to be not as good and "the real thing". Having sayed that if make the boat much more stable, as the C.G. is much lower (as the grp it much lighter)

 

 

Finally, WELCOME ABOARD!

- Feel free to post what ever and when ever you like, and dont be affaid to dig up an old thread if you have a question about it.

 

 

Daniel

[Shazbat]

Hello Daniel

Thanks for the response!

We did find it much more responsive than the hire boat - hubby drives but even I noticed how much easier it was to steer.

How does one find a reputable surveyor? Have I missed a link somewhere?

 

Shaz

Edited March 28, 2005 by Shazbat

[DHutch]

Tbh, ive never got a serveyor out my self, so im not quite sure where you'd start,

 

Anyone else?

 

Daniel

[David Schweizer]

We have owned a small cruiser for over 3 years which is now up for sale as we have always fancied the idea of a narrowboat. 

So have just spent the past few days on a hired narrowboat - to see if it is for us.

Have seen a narrowboat for sale in the local marina which is quite unusual (to us Newbies) in that it apparantly has a steel hull with a fibreglass superstructure, and all the windows are louvred.  As newbies could someone please advise:

* should there be a plate somewhere detailing who made the boat / the year of manufacture etc?

* how does one go about organising a survey?  And would a survey give an idea of the 'reasonableness' of the price asked (given that I've never seen another similar boat in any publications for comparison)?

* are there any particular pros / cons associated with this type of boat?

* any recommendations for financing purchase of narrowboats?

 

I'm sure we'll think of a whole load more questions soon, but these are the main queries we have at the moment.

 

Shaz

PS Am spending hours going through posts learning all sorts - love the site!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It sounds as if you are looking at an early ex-Hire boat buit by Harborough Marine

in the 1970's. They were quite distinctive and there are still a lot of them about which is a testimony to their durability, does it have quite a long upswept bow with a laticed steel foredeck, and quite a deep stern? if so it is almost certainly a Harborough job. If you can post a picture or link us to a site which has a picture it could easily be identified.

Edited March 28, 2005 by David Schweizer

[DHutch]

Remember there are several types of narrowboat.  Cruisers, traditional, semi-traditional and other variations so resist the temptation to look for a boat just like the one you hired, hiring and owning are very different.

 

Keep asking questions here, there are a lot of very experienced people here.

 

Deffonatly.

- with a hire boat, your going to be on there for a week, or maybe two, and they you go home will all you gear.

- its like the diffrence between you home, and a hired holiday cottage!

[John Orentas]

Hi Shaz.

 

I go along with everthing David has said, it is much too soon to be looking for surveyors and the like. Look at lots and lots of boats and study the For Sale adds in Waterways World and other magazines.

 

Don't dismiss ex hire boats, they were built to a good standard but they will be old, well worn, lot's of miles on the clock so they must be cheap, allow for needing to spend a lot of money on them.

 

A well looked after private boat is usually a better bet even though price for price it may be smaller, lower specification may-be even older.

 

Try to avoid plastic or timber cabins, they can be ok but may be very hard to re-sell, don't spend money on surveys until you find a boat you really want, it can be expensive.

 

Remember there are several types of narrowboat. Cruisers, traditional, semi-traditional and other variations so resist the temptation to look for a boat just like the one you hired, hiring and owning are very different.

 

Keep asking questions here, there are a lot of very experienced people here.

[DHutch]

AHHhhhh

- whats going on with the forum!!

 

Why is my post (which quotes john) above his!!!

 

Its this kind of crasyness that kills braincells.

 

Daniel

[John Orentas]

Daniel.

 

Might have been my fault, I was messing about with something I shouldn't have.

[DHutch]

I was messing about with something I shouldn't have.

 

That sounds omunus!

- JON, john broke it!

 

lol Ah well, nvm

 

 

Daniel

[Shazbat]

Hello all!

We've spent quite a few months thinking about getting a narrowboat [having to use up 2 weeks of holiday over Easter and being members of RCI, we decided to take the plunge and hire one to see if we could handle it], hubby has been getting the Waterways magazine regularly and we've had a good look at a fair few boats for sale in Sawley Marine (where the cruiser was berthed).

The boat we've taken a fancy to is a 1982 Harborough Marine - yes, ex hire! We love the layout with the saloon at the rear [though the L-shape seating converting to double bed has been removed] the passageway down the middle and 2 single berths at the front. And the windows make it very light and airy. For us it is the ideal layout.

The interior is very dated, but we are both practical people and would relish the challenge. It has a pump out toilet in a cross-cabin bathroom - the shower/basin are awful! We took a test 'drive' in it and it did seem to handle better than the hire boat.

The layout of the hire boat was similar, but there was a fixed double at the front with no access to the bow - which we didn't like. The kitchen was U-shaped with the corridor running down the side rather than through the middle - we wouldn't mind that but the middle corridor just made it all seem more 'open'.

We both like the idea of a cruiser stern but also a fairly long bow, which again, the Harborough has.

As has been said, I'm sure there are plenty more out there should this particular one go before we make our minds up - and as I said to hubby, if it goes before we get to it, it probably wasn't meant to be!

Shaz

[Liam]

Harborough boats can also be recognised by the "bull bar" type things on the front - which were used to protect the delicate fibreglass top. Check to see if it has these - of if there's any sign that it used to have them.

 

Many hire boats had these fitted, but going off what David said, I think it's easy recognised.

[David Schweizer]

Harborough boats can also be recognised by the "bull bar" type things on the front - which were used to protect the delicate fibreglass top. Check to see if it has these - of if there's any sign that it used to have them.

 

Many hire boats had these fitted, but going off what David said, I think it's easy recognised.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If I remember correctly, most of the Harborough boats which were fitted with Cabin bars were Anglo Welsh boats located on the Mon and Brec Canal presumably because of it's it's low bridges. I don't remember many on the Grand Union/LeicesterArm having them.

[DHutch]

I was just parosing the Uk waterways webring when i can across this site, which has a photo of a Harborough boat taken from an Anglo Welsh brochue.

 

 

Daniel

[Shazbat]

Liam

 

Someone at the marina mentioned the bars - and it does have 2 'tubes' obviously for posts of some sorts between the lattice steel foredeck and the 'well' at the bow! I said they'd do for a sunshade on the bow!!

 

Daniel

 

Have looked at this site but the layout is different - and this one has louvre windows.

Wish I knew how to draw on this forum!!

Imagine central double doors at stern, steps down into saloon with L-shaped seating (converting to double) to starboard [actually removed and replaced by freestanding armchair]. Walkway to port side veers to mid-line through kitchen (cooker/fridge to starboard, sink unit to port), then toilet to starboard with double doors, which each open across corridor, shower with curtain to port. Vanitory basin to port in rear cabin - wardrobe + shelved chest to starboard, then single berths each side with table (which presumably can slot between singles to form cross-cabin double). Central double doors to bow.

Make an estate agent of me yet!!

Would love to know where she travelled!

 

Shaz

[DHutch]

yes, but is it same shape on the outside, does it have that long, highfronted bow?

[tobytimothy]

Shaz

 

Do you know the name of the boat because I have some old brochures of Anglo Welsh & may be able to find a picture & some details on where it was based etc

[Shazbat]

Daniel

Yes, it has a long highfronted bow

 

Tobytimothy

It's called Claydon.

 

 

Shaz

[Stephen Sugg]

Daniel

Yes, it has a long highfronted bow

 

Tobytimothy

It's called Claydon.

Shaz

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That name rings a bell with me! I've hired quite a few AW boats in my time, and I wouldn't be surprised if that was one of them, if it was, the chances are it was based at Aynho as most of our earlier holidays were from there. I'll see if I can dig out a photo tonight....

 

PS taking a group of scouts along the GU this weekend in a couple of LNBP boats, if you see us, wave!

[Stephen Sugg]

That name rings a bell with me!  I've hired quite a few AW boats in my time, and I wouldn't be surprised if that was one of them, if it was, the chances are it was based at Aynho as most of our earlier holidays were from there.  I'll see if I can dig out a photo tonight....

 

PS taking a group of scouts along the GU this weekend in a couple of LNBP boats, if you see us, wave!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Just to add, I had a look through my photo's a couldn't find a picture of the relevant boat, I'm sure I've hired it though!

 

Regards

 

Steve