Possible Boat

[EnglishRose]

So we viewed a narrowboat today being sold privately which we have made a tentative offer on subject to survey. It's a small midway 265 with Beta Marine 12.5 engine two pack epoxy in 2019, a Beta Marine 12.5 engine, 2 pac epoxy on Oct 2019 after sandblasting and BSC til Feb 2025. 12v electrics, LED lighting, new batteries this year and solar panel linked to batteries. Gas oven and 12v fridge and a 4 berth. It has no overplating and the hull has been well maintained but there is no survey.12v fridge, oven, log burner etc. Doesn't have a separate shower but has a shower hose built into sink so can be used like a wet room/water draining.

 

There is no survey as the owners had it 3 years ago and have now purchased a bigger boat. They didn't have a survey as they knew the previous owners and history of it. They had it out of the water shortly after and had it inspected but this was verbally by a boatyard and has 2pac applied and generally upkeep done, engine has been serviced regularly and it's really well presented.

 

I know there are downsides to small boats namely overplating which isn't recommended for a 26.5ft so I guess this makes it even more important to have a survey. Is there other downsides to a small boat I should be aware of?

[Alan de Enfield]

23 minutes ago, EnglishRose said:

Is there other downsides to a small boat I should be aware of?

 

They tend to be very small - one of the biggest bug bears is the need to (usually) have to put the bed down each night and put it away in the morning. It sound like nothing, and for say one night on a staurday once a month it isnt, but go away for 2 weeks or 2 months and you'll be dreading going to bed, When you buy a boat that you have to do it it begins to grate and gets under your skin, it digs away at you until you wish you'd never bought the boat.

Ask me how I know.

 

I do not know that particular make of boat but at 26 foot, when you take the bow off, and the stern off I doubt there is much more that 15 feet of actual cabin to fit in beds, bathroom, kitchen and lounge.

 

Found this - yes it put-u-up beds horrid ........................

 

 

 

 

Is it a diesel engine or a petrol outboard ?

 

As an outboard pwered boat you need to consider where you are going to source petrol - there are very very few marinas or canal side suppliers of petrol (the legislation is too complicated) so you will need to moor up and walk to the nearest town / village and find a petrol station.

By law you can only carry a maximum of 30 litres in your boat so you will be looking for petrol on a fairly regular basis (if you are doing some cruising) A good map package on your phone will help.

 

The other thing to bear in mind is that an outboard motor has an alternator that is designed to ONLY recharge the starter battery. There will not be enough charging capacity to keep a domestic battery properly charged so you will be very limited on 'domestic electricity' unless you have alternative charging sources (Generator ?)

Edited July 16, 2021 by Alan de Enfield

[EnglishRose]

13 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

They tend to be very small - one of the biggest bug bears is the need to (usually) have to put the bed down each night and put it away in the morning. It sound like nothing, and for say one night on a staurday once a month it isnt, but go away for 2 weeks or 2 months and you'll be dreading going to bed, When you buy a boat that you have to do it it begins to grate and gets under your skin, it digs away at you until you wish you'd never bought the boat.

Ask me how I know.

 

I do not know that particular make of boat but at 26 foot, when you take the bow off, and the stern off I doubt there is much more that 15 feet of actual cabin to fit in beds, bathroom, kitchen and lounge.

 

Found this - yes it put-u-up beds horrid ........................

 

 

 

 

Is it a diesel engine or a petrol outboard ?

 

As an outboard pwered boat you need to consider where you are going to source petrol - there are very very few marinas or canal side suppliers of petrol (the legislation is too complicated) so you will need to moor up and walk to the nearest town / village and find a petrol station.

By law you can only carry a maximum of 30 litres in your boat so you will be looking for petrol on a fairly regular basis (if you are doing some cruising) A good map package on your phone will help.

 

The other thing to bear in mind is that an outboard motor has an alternator that is designed to ONLY recharge the starter battery. There will not be enough charging capacity to keep a domestic battery properly charged so you will be very limited on 'domestic electricity' unless you have alternative charging sources (Generator ?)

 

13 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Is it a diesel engine or a petrol outboard ?

 It's a diesel engine a Beta Marine. To be honest it's a four birth and and we could probably keep one area up as a fixed bed. It's a leisure boat for us and having had a camper previously where we had to make up a bed each night and travelled around for it for a longer period of a week this doesn't worry us.

[EnglishRose]

36 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Found this - yes it put-u-up beds horrid ......................

 

Similar layout but the front has the dinette with table can put into the middle or have two singles/doubles. The rear has a settee that can be pulled out into a double and it also has a woodburner.

[Tracy D'arth]

These are a lovely small boat, sounds well maintained and in good order. You didn't say how old it is but well kept it do you well. If the price suits, enjoy your boating.

 

I think the heritage is Mike Sievewright of Middlewich.

[EnglishRose]

10 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

These are a lovely small boat, sounds well maintained and in good order. You didn't say how old it is but well kept it do you well. If the price suits, enjoy your boating.

 

I think the heritage is Mike Sievewright of Middlewich.

 

It's 1999 and yes you are right we have already touched base with Midway and they confirmed it's likely to be one of Mike Sivewright.

[EnglishRose]

Can anyone advise of a surveyor that is close to Cheshire? 

 

Also any where it can be pulled out of the water. It seems that Preston Brook Marina is closest to the boat but they don't do craning out.

 

 

[MrsM]

It sounds lovely and plenty of people manage to put up beds in campers and caravans without too much trouble. I think this becomes more of an issue as one gets older - our last caravan and motorhome both had fixed double beds but we managed for many years without. Good luck. However much you trust the vendor and wish to speed things up please do not skip the survey, especially if this is your first boat.

[EnglishRose]

3 minutes ago, MrsM said:

It sounds lovely and plenty of people manage to put up beds in campers and caravans without too much trouble. I think this becomes more of an issue as one gets older - our last caravan and motorhome both had fixed double beds but we managed for many years without. Good luck. However much you trust the vendor and wish to speed things up please do not skip the survey, especially if this is your first boat.

 

Yes we will look into a survey. We made a very low offer which was declined so we certainly won't be spending a large amount of money without a survey.

[Tracy D'arth]

Try Wincham wharf, Tom. Helpful guy  Or Lymm marina?

[EnglishRose]

4 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Try Wincham wharf, Tom. Helpful guy  Or Lymm marina?

 

Mike Carter who comes highly recommended on here possibly can't do it (he left me a voicemail earlier) but he may know someone who can.

[EnglishRose]

Ok, so although the boat is a Midway 265 it was built by David Piper not Mick Sivewright. Should this be something to worry about as a Piper boat?

[matty40s]

Piper was of a similar quality to Mick. Piper boats are still going but predominantly producing monoliths now.

https://www.piperboats.com/

[NB DW2]

I had a Midway 235.  I met and spoke with Steve Batty of Midway Boats and he brokered mine when I came to sell it.  I'm fairly sure mine was of 10/5/4 or 8/5/4 construction, as mentioned by Steve.  Might be worth checking out beforehand. 

[Alan de Enfield]

30 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Piper was of a similar quality to Mick. Piper boats are still going but predominantly producing monoliths now.

https://www.piperboats.com/

 

Is that since 2001 ?

 

 

[Tracy D'arth]

4 minutes ago, NB DW2 said:

I had a Midway 235.  I met and spoke with Steve Batty of Midway Boats and he brokered mine when I came to sell it.  I'm fairly sure mine was of 10/5/4 or 8/5/4 construction, as mentioned by Steve.  Might be worth checking out beforehand. 

I don't know this boat but the standard for later ( around 1986 on ) David Piper shells was 8-6-4mm

[NB DW2]

1 minute ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I don't know this boat but the standard for later ( around 1986 on ) David Piper shells was 8-6-4mm

Mine was a 1997 and we think a Siveright.  I know it was definitely of thinner construction and I was very lucky come survey time.  There were 2mm pits found but the new owner agreed for for them to be filled using this:

 

https://www.westsystem.com

 

It had polystyrene insulation and a gas fridge.  The latter I would look to change if it hasn't been already.

[MrsM]

It sounds like a great boat that has had lots of TLC but the current owners didn't get a survey and it's anyone's guess when the last survey was conducted (at least 3+ years ago). I feel your frustration re: the difficulty booking a lift-out and survey, but buying without is a risk (not to say that some surveys aren't of dubious quality). You are good for the next 8 years in terms of getting insurance but be sure that you can afford to take the risk that the boat might need more work than you expect. Buying at a good price will obviously help mitigate this risk as others have said. Very best of luck.