Buying First Narrowboat - 62"

[ChinnC100]

Hi All...

 

Hope you are all well?

 

Looking to buy my first narrowboat, it will be my partners 2nd. He had a Liverpool Boats, cruiser stern. 

We have been on a few holidays since he sold it in 2012, after a job offer in NZ, however that fell through. 

 

At the moment, after Covid-19 it is very much a sellers market at the moment, with very few good quality and cared for boats on the market. 

 

We have looked at the usual agency websites, such as Apollo Duck, and also contacted a number of Marina brokerages in the UK, as well as visited a few very nice craft in Leicestershire. 

 

Would anyone recommend any sites, or specific marinas with good craft at the moment? Specifically Semi Trad, or Trad.

 

Thank you  

 

 

[PCSB]

Boats are selling fast still. Here are a few sites that may help, may be worth registering your interest with them

https://newandusedboat.co.uk/used-boat-search/

https://rugbyboats.co.uk/

https://www.abnb.co.uk/boats-for-sale/boat-sale-grid

https://www.aqueductmarina.co.uk/brokerage/second-hand-boats/

 

There are quite a lot tbh, google is your friend here

[noddyboater]

If you want a proper traditional boat try Sarah Edgson at Glascote Marina.  She sells quality, not quantity. 

[mrsmelly]

8 minutes ago, ChinnC100 said:

Hi All...

 

Hope you are all well?

 

Looking to buy my first narrowboat, it will be my partners 2nd. He had a Liverpool Boats, cruiser stern. 

We have been on a few holidays since he sold it in 2012, after a job offer in NZ, however that fell through. 

 

At the moment, after Covid-19 it is very much a sellers market at the moment, with very few good quality and cared for boats on the market. 

 

We have looked at the usual agency websites, such as Apollo Duck, and also contacted a number of Marina brokerages in the UK, as well as visited a few very nice craft in Leicestershire. 

 

Would anyone recommend any sites, or specific marinas with good craft at the moment? Specifically Semi Trad, or Trad.

 

Thank you  

 

 

One thing to note. You say you have " visisted a FEW nice boats " in Leicestershire. Its a sellers market, its never in my 30 plus years of boat ownership been such a solid sellers market. I sold my boat last year without even advertising it immediately. Boats that are " Nice " are selling the same day they go on sale. Snooze and you lose. Just sayin like, its not tyre kicking season at present. It will get even worse as the weather picks up.

[ChinnC100]

21 minutes ago, PCSB said:

Boats are selling fast still. Here are a few sites that may help, may be worth registering your interest with them

https://newandusedboat.co.uk/used-boat-search/

https://rugbyboats.co.uk/

https://www.abnb.co.uk/boats-for-sale/boat-sale-grid

https://www.aqueductmarina.co.uk/brokerage/second-hand-boats/

 

There are quite a lot tbh, google is your friend here

 

Yes... Google is defo my friend here, but so is the word and advice from actual humans! 😅

17 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

One thing to note. You say you have " visisted a FEW nice boats " in Leicestershire. Its a sellers market, its never in my 30 plus years of boat ownership been such a solid sellers market. I sold my boat last year without even advertising it immediately. Boats that are " Nice " are selling the same day they go on sale. Snooze and you lose. Just sayin like, its not tyre kicking season at present. It will get even worse as the weather picks up.

Yes, you are quite right! 

20 minutes ago, noddyboater said:

If you want a proper traditional boat try Sarah Edgson at Glascote Marina.  She sells quality, not quantity. 

Thanks very much 👍

[system 4-50]

Maybe I can get in first with - a bigger boat than 62" is better.

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

Maybe I can get in first with - a bigger boat than 62" is better.

 

Maybe that's the beam and its been on a diet !

[IanD]

On 10/02/2022 at 14:31, system 4-50 said:

Maybe I can get in first with - a bigger boat than 62" is better.

 

Seems like an odd choice -- for "go-anywhere" you want 57'-60', for more space 70'-72', but a 62' meets neither requirement...

[PCSB]

1 minute ago, IanD said:

 

Seems like an odd choice -- for "go-anywhere" you want 57'-60', for more space 70'-72', but a 62' meets neither requirement...

re-read it Ian  op states inches ... 

[ChinnC100]

1 minute ago, PCSB said:

re-read it Ian  op states inches ... 

 

Thanks. Appreciate your comment. 

[PCSB]

1 minute ago, ChinnC100 said:

 

Thanks. Appreciate your comment. 

Wasn't having a dig fella. The title to your thread states 62" the double quotes is inches not feet is all. Knew you probably meant feet so was just a bit of fun ...

[ChinnC100]

5 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

Seems like an odd choice -- for "go-anywhere" you want 57'-60', for more space 70'-72', but a 62' meets neither requirement...

Again, appreciate your very constructive thoughts. I will definitely take it onboard. 
 

With regards to the “ or ‘ typo, I can only but apologise. I never knew that would cause so much confusion to the people that responded on this thread. 
 

I'm terribly sorry for the confusion 

Just now, PCSB said:

Wasn't having a dig fella. The title to your thread states 62" the double quotes is inches not feet is all. Knew you probably meant feet so was just a bit of fun ...

Lol 😂 

[IanD]

5 minutes ago, ChinnC100 said:

Again, appreciate your very constructive thoughts. I will definitely take it onboard. 
 

With regards to the “ or ‘ typo, I can only but apologise. I never knew that would cause so much confusion to the people that responded on this thread. 
 

I'm terribly sorry for the confusion 

Lol 😂 

 

A very rough budget would also be useful as well as what you're looking for (good condition and ready to go? sound but needing some work? needs a complete refit? cheapest possible "project boat"?), there's no point recommending a vendor that focuses on the higher-quality/newer/higher-priced boats if they're out of your reach.

[ChinnC100]

4 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

A very rough budget would also be useful as well as what you're looking for (good condition and ready to go? sound but needing some work? needs a complete refit? cheapest possible "project boat"?), there's no point recommending a vendor that focuses on the higher-quality/newer/higher-priced boats if they're out of your reach.

circa £73000. Very good boat, gas free. Hope all goes well. 

 

Thank you for your feedback, have a good weekend! 👍

[doratheexplorer]

13 minutes ago, ChinnC100 said:

Again, appreciate your very constructive thoughts. I will definitely take it onboard. 
 

With regards to the “ or ‘ typo, I can only but apologise. I never knew that would cause so much confusion to the people that responded on this thread. 
 

I'm terribly sorry for the confusion 

Lol 😂 

The advantage of a 62' boat is that because it falls between those two lengths, you have sometimes get a good deal since the pool of prospective buyers is smaller.  If you're not planning to explore over the Pennines, there no big point to keeping it below 57'.  And a 62' boat will have an advantage over a 70' boat because more winding holes are available, mooring spots are easier to find in busy places, and you can still still wind in a full width winding hole when some asshole has moored in it.

[Hudds Lad]

Having been used to a 59' Semi Trad (listed as 58', naughty OwnerShips) and ending up now owning a 57' Trad, you really do notice the lack of those two extra feet  

 

Get the biggest size you can for your chosen cruising area i'd say, as that will have a bearing on it.

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, ChinnC100 said:

 

With regards to the “ or ‘ typo, I can only but apologise. I never knew that would cause so much confusion to the people that responded on this thread. 
 

I'm terribly sorry for the confusion 

Lol 😂 

They weren't confused, they knew what you meant, they were just taking the Pee

[ChinnC100]

5 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

They weren't confused, they knew what you meant, they were just taking the Pee

I know hehe 

 

[Number 9]

17 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

The advantage of a 62' boat is that because it falls between those two lengths, you have sometimes get a good deal since the pool of prospective buyers is smaller.  If you're not planning to explore over the Pennines, there no big point to keeping it below 57'.  And a 62' boat will have an advantage over a 70' boat because more winding holes are available, mooring spots are easier to find in busy places, and you can still still wind in a full width winding hole when some asshole has moored in it.

Maybe I am mistaken but thought you could still do the Leeds Liverpool with a 62', a bit  tight through wigan and the bingley 5 rise but still possible. The Huddersfield broad and Calder and Hebble would be the only ones you couldn't do.

If someone with experience could please correct me if I am wrong before I try and fail it would be appreciated

[booke23]

11 minutes ago, Number 9 said:

The Huddersfield broad and Calder and Hebble would be the only ones you couldn't do.

 

Along with the River Derwent, Ripon Canal (including Yorkshire Ouse above York).

[TheBiscuits]

2 hours ago, Number 9 said:

Maybe I am mistaken but thought you could still do the Leeds Liverpool with a 62', a bit  tight through wigan and the bingley 5 rise but still possible.

 

You can, easily.  The canal was built for 62' x 14' boats and you can even get away with longer by putting a narrow boat diagonally.

 

The issue with Wigan and Bingley is that you will get a lot of water coming onto the boat either bow or stern depending on which direction you are travelling.  If your boat can handle this you'll be fine, but you might want some decent waterproofs.

 

 

 

[IanD]

3 hours ago, Number 9 said:

Maybe I am mistaken but thought you could still do the Leeds Liverpool with a 62', a bit  tight through wigan and the bingley 5 rise but still possible. The Huddersfield broad and Calder and Hebble would be the only ones you couldn't do.

If someone with experience could please correct me if I am wrong before I try and fail it would be appreciated

Yes, those are the problems -- the shortest locks are at Salterhebble (officially 57'6" IIRC) where you can get a 60' narrowboat through with care -- on its own, diagonally, and possibly with fenders removed...

 

Not being able to get through those canals does restrict where you can go though, and if you're ever likely to spend a lot of time up North it would be a shame not to be able to do this for the sake of an extra 2 feet of space -- and yes, a 62' will go everywhere else up North including the L&L.

 

Any boat which only just fits into a lock means the uphill end can get *very* wet if the top gates are leaky -- at the stern a trad or semi-trad (maybe with an upstand under the doors) means you can stay dry inside them, at the bows you have to watch out for the well deck filling up if you have one, so a cratch and cover or tug deck helps here. Last time I came down Salterhebble (on a 57' semi-trad) there was a veritable fountain from under the top gate, I think it's been fixed now but you get similar problems elsewhere -- not a big reason to go for a shorter boat, just something to be aware of and watched out for.

 

My boat is going to be a 60' where both ends are effectively watertight -- tug bow with low cabin extension, semi-trad stern with Tyler shute-type weed hatch -- so there's no way for water to get into the bilges or flood the boat, but you'll be very lucky to find one like this ready-built... 😉

[Guest]

1 hour ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

You can, easily.  The canal was built for 62' x 14' boats and you can even get away with longer by putting a narrow boat diagonally.

 

The issue with Wigan and Bingley is that you will get a lot of water coming onto the boat either bow or stern depending on which direction you are travelling.  If your boat can handle this you'll be fine, but you might want some decent waterproofs.

 

 

 

 

Along with a good fully functioning bilge pump...........

 

The pump on our 60ft semi trad (Not 62ft.) always got a good work out all along the L&L and other Northern waterways.