Overplating a 56ft narrowboat

[HayleyOnTheCut]

Hi everyone. I just had a survey done on a 56ft cruiser stern. I absolutely love the boat but I'm gutted it came out the sides which are 4ml have 2/2.5 mil pitting around + the base 6ml has areas of 4ml pitting! The surveyor said I can just get them pit weld after shot blasted however other people have said overplate. I'm bit confused at where I go from here. I have a deposit on the boat and need to make a decision wether to proceed or not. It's based in Warwickshire. Does anyone know any where that will such jobs in that area? What would you recommend I do? I already offered 2 grand below asking price which they accepted. However this boat isn't also for the faint hearted. It needs all windows taken out and re-sealing and a paint job which I can do my self little bits of work here and there but the space, layout and interior is amazing.  Do I just cut my losses! TIA! Hayley  

Edited August 2, 2023 by HayleyOnTheCut

[Tonka]

@Martin Kedian is Warwickshire based and does overplating. So may be able to give you some advice and quote. Is this the Pat Bucke boat at Calcutt

[rusty69]

I think to get any meaningful answer, you may have to disclose what price tthe seller is willing to accept with the new found survey information.

[HayleyOnTheCut]

Hi! Thanks for getting back to me. It is indeed the Pat Bucke boat! Would I be able to get Martin's details? It won't let me message because I haven't posted much content

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, HayleyOnTheCut said:

Hi! Thanks for getting back to me. It is indeed the Pat Bucke boat! Would I be able to get Martin's details? It won't let me message because I haven't posted much content

http://www.kedianengineering.co.uk/index.html

[HayleyOnTheCut]

1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

I think to get any meaningful answer, you may have to disclose what price tthe seller is willing to accept with the new found survey information.

Hi, yes, someone at the Marina said wait till I get the survey report in full, get quotes and then go back to the owner. Just wanted to ask about if anyone had similar experiences and could help. Thankyou

[Tracy D'arth]

Consider.

 

If the sides are only 4mm from new, most insurers will not give you comprehensive cover, only 3rd party.

 

With the present corrosion the hull is effectively scrap. If you spend £10k to £15k on overplating you will devalue the boat in the eyes of many buyers. And it is highly unlikely that you would get your money back at sale.

 

It would take a lot of spot pit welding to be sure that the hull will last a reasonable time.

How long do you want to keep the boat?

Would you be better spending more on a later boat with a thicker hull like 10-6-4 which will last longer?

[rusty69]

9 minutes ago, HayleyOnTheCut said:

Hi, yes, someone at the Marina said wait till I get the survey report in full, get quotes and then go back to the owner. Just wanted to ask about if anyone had similar experiences and could help. Thankyou

Just had our 70ft boat pit welded (and in not too bad condition). It was a lot cheaper than I expected it to be, so a lot will depend on how many you have Vs the cost of a complete overplate. Worth asking your surveyor, and Martin Kedian.

[Martin Kedian]

Thank you for the recommendation I have spoken to the lady concerning 

Martin 

[Arthur Marshall]

My forty footer cost nine grand to overplate, bottom and sides. Worth it to me, I've had it thirty years and will keep it till I stop boating or drop dead. I doubt I'd get that for it on the market. So it depends whether you're planning it as a boat for a long time (probably worth doing) or a couple of years and then sell (probably not).

Think about the state of the engine, too.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

As a ball park figure: When I was looking at prices a year ago I was budgeting £200-250 per foot, including steel and other materials. 
I weren’t far off. It fell somewhere in the middle, perhaps closer to £200. 
Don’t know what it’d be now, perhaps 10-20% more 🤷‍♀️
 

 

[BWM]

If the surveyor said that the pitting could be filled with weld, it would suggest that the pitting, although severe, is localised. It would be pointless to overplate if that is the case. I doubt you'll have any issues with insurers once repaired, as I believe they work on the depth of pitting as a percentage of the original thickness of the plate.

[Martin Kedian]

24 minutes ago, Goliath said:

As a ball park figure: When I was looking at prices a year ago I was budgeting £200-250 per foot, including steel and other materials. 
I weren’t far off. It fell somewhere in the middle, perhaps closer to £200. 
Don’t know what it’d be now, perhaps 10-20% more 🤷‍♀️
 

 

Steel has gone up by some 40% this year I was charging £280 a foot all in no VAT to pay   So allowing for this about £390 a foot in 6mm all round sides base bows counter raised weed hatch 

[Peanut]

Ouch, at those prices you need to watch your VAT ceiling.

[Martin Kedian]

If the customer can find a cheaper price fair play  

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

57 minutes ago, Martin Kedian said:

Steel has gone up by some 40% this year I was charging £280 a foot all in no VAT to pay   So allowing for this about £390 a foot in 6mm all round sides base bows counter raised weed hatch 

yep, you’ve got to love your boat to have it over-plated. 
It’s not cheap. 

But cost of steel is still a fraction of the overall cost. 
It’s the labour that tots up. 
I can’t remember, I’d have to look at the costs which I have tried to forget

[Arthur Marshall]

1 hour ago, Martin Kedian said:

Steel has gone up by some 40% this year I was charging £280 a foot all in no VAT to pay   So allowing for this about £390 a foot in 6mm all round sides base bows counter raised weed hatch 

Glad mine started sinking when it did!

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Just now, Arthur Marshall said:

Glad mine started sinking when it did!

😂😂

glad mine did too

[rusty69]

Just now, Goliath said:

😂😂

glad mine did too

Glad mine could be pad/pit welded, or whatever it is called, though we still need to look at the base plate. 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

11 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Glad mine could be pad/pit welded, or whatever it is called, though we still need to look at the base plate. 

aah, now I reckon I could do that myself. 
 

[rusty69]

2 minutes ago, Goliath said:

aah, now I reckon I could do that myself. 
 

Ok. Accepted

When can you do it? 

Oh, you meant just look at it. Yes, I suspect I could do that myself. 

[blackrose]

7 hours ago, HayleyOnTheCut said:

  Do I just cut my losses! TIA! Hayley  

 

I probably would, because chances are the pitting is just the start of it. If someone has let their hull rust away because they can't be bothered or can't afford to get it out the water and paint it, then what does that say about the rest of the boat? It might look nice superficially but you never know. 

 

What are your losses if you walk away? Just the slippage/craneage and survey fees?I bought a narrowboat 25 years ago that needed overplating when I should have walked away, because having spent about £500 on the crane and survey I felt compelled to continue. That was a mistake.

Edited August 2, 2023 by blackrose

[system 4-50]

Walk away.  Better still, run.

[Martin Kedian]

Absolutely 

[haggis]

Pat Buckle was not renowned for using thick steel. Copperkins, also built by PB had wavy sides below the gunwale and  I understand that it has had to be rebottomed