Live abroad potential?

[Mike Hurley]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

Also worth visiting Whilton Marina. Usually about 100 boats for sale all in the same place. 

 

https://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/

 

Not that far from Braunston.

Only 18 currently for sale.

[MtB]

Just now, Mike Hurley said:

Only 18 currently for sale.

 

Yeah shocking innit. On their website mot of the listings have an (Under Offer) banner across them. 

 

Dunno if this indicates they are good at selling boats by their method, or their reputation is getting around and no-one will give them their boats to sell! 

[Mike Hurley]

I think the market is slowing down, navigation problems, rising costs, seems to be more for sale everywhere, lots of price reductions.

[MtB]

8 minutes ago, Mike Hurley said:

I think the market is slowing down, navigation problems, rising costs, seems to be more for sale everywhere, lots of price reductions.

 

Except at Whilton!

 

Apolloduck (in case the OP hasn't found it yet) has 858 narrowboats listed today. I'm sure a year or two ago it was down in the low hundreds.

 

 

 

 

Oops forgot the link:

 

https://narrowboats.apolloduck.com/

 

[magnetman]

56 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

 its how the boats will be when the buyer collects.

 

 

 

 

Did you mean "when the broker buys it cheap" ?

Its an old estate agent trick. Make the house look rubbish in the marketing, get a few disappointed viewers then send your mate in with a low offer. 

 

Nothing new under the sun !

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Did you mean "when the broker buys it cheap" ?

Its an old estate agent trick. Make the house look rubbish in the marketing, get a few disappointed viewers then send your mate in with a low offer. 

 

Nothing new under the sun !

 

This particular 'broker' owns lots of the boats anyway already! Just pretends to be a broker to avoid the legal responsibilities.

 

Or so I've heard! 

 

 

 

 

A suggestion for the OP. This boat looks like a nice liverboard for sensible money.

 

Check out what the engine is though, it just says "Lister", which is effectively meaningless as they made engines of all types for decades. A bit like selling a car and declaring it to be a "Ford". 

 

https://narrowboats.apolloduck.com/boat/narrow-boats-traditional-for-sale/740992

[Crewcut]

The hull survey may have been commissioned by the seller, there's no indication that I can see that a potential buyer commissioned one & then withdrew. But if that is what happened it would be a major cause for concern and any seller's survey should be taken with a very large pinch of salt. Actually any seller's survey should be completely ignored & any survey that you commission yourself should be taken with a substantial pinch of salt but let's not go down that rabbithole. The boat is 40 feet, some people seem to think it's 30? The dinette could easily become a fixed double. Of course you will get a much nicer boat for £50k but if I was looking for a cheap liveaboard I'd go & have a look but personally I wouldn't want a dump through bog, a gas heating system or a watercooled Lister. At least with an aircooled Lister you don't have the water cooling to think about. As already said though, go & see as many as you can to start geting an idea what you can get for your money...

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Crewcut said:

At least with an aircooled Lister you don't have the water cooling to think about.

 

 

IF you could hear yourself think in the first place, that is.

 

 

 

[Crewcut]

19 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

IF you could hear yourself think in the first place, that is.

 

 

 

 

I'd wear the same earplugs I use for motorbiking...

[cuthound]

1 hour ago, Mike Hurley said:

Only 18 currently for sale.

 

Blimey, when I was looking for a boat in 2013/14 I took Mrs Hound there to show her lots of different boats and ways to do things on boats. A excellent way of gathering good ideas IMHO..

 

They had about 70 boats for sale and we spent a fruitful day there but I had to explain to Mrs Hound that we were window shopping and that I wouldn't buy a boat there because of their well reported dodgy dealing.

Edited August 20, 2023 by cuthound
Clarification

[MtB]

4 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

Blimey, when I was looking for a boat in 2013/14 I took Mrs Hound there to show her lots of different boats and ways to do things.

 

They had about 70 boats for sale and we spent a fruitful day there but I had to explain to Mrs Hound that we were window shopping and that I wouldn't buy a boat there because of their well reported dodgy dealing.

 

It's an odd contradiction. Whilton with hardly any stock to sell and Apolloduck overflowing with listings.

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

 

It's an odd contradiction. Whilton with hardly any stock to sell and Apolloduck overflowing with listings.

 

 

 

Their reputation precedes them.

If you have a 'good' boat its pointless taking it to them when there are far better brokers about. The boats Whilton get are the ones that have been refused by decent brokers, or that Whilton have taken in PX or as a 'quick cash buy to help a financially embarressed seller (but deny it when you ask the question).

[Tonka]

5 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Hi Alan it’s usually you that cuts and pastes, with an eye for detail 🤣it was last blacked in 2022. “In October 2022 she was last blacked and in 2012 had 4 new anodes fitted. “
 

Much the best is to arrange to look at boats from three of the larger brokers round there, Braunston, Rugby boats and ABNB. They are all close and seem to have a larger than usual selection currently. This will help a lot to get an idea of what May or may not suit.
 

 This one is cheap, perhaps one of the better things. It would make a reasonable boat to potter around  for a week at a time or enjoy for a weekend  but not an ideal livaboard . 

 

 

ABNB have moved from Crick to Kilworth by the way

[Stroudwater1]

4 minutes ago, Tonka said:

ABNB have moved from Crick to Kilworth by the way

Yes, about 25-30 mins drive from Braunston. 👍

[Leap of faith]

Hi Just looked at the link sent 

https://narrowboats.apolloduck.com/boat/narrow-boats-traditional-for-sale/740992. Yes does look a nice boat it is 1976 but if well maintained maybe not a problem. I am just not very confident about buying privately though...

Just seen this boat online looks nice, I know it has been painted to an inch of its life... I have sent them a message asking if it has a galvanic isolator and a survey - it changed ownership 6 years ago. https://newandusedboat.co.uk/used-boats-for-sale/2170

[Tracy D'arth]

10 minutes ago, Leap of faith said:

Hi Just looked at the link sent 

https://narrowboats.apolloduck.com/boat/narrow-boats-traditional-for-sale/740992. Yes does look a nice boat it is 1976 but if well maintained maybe not a problem. I am just not very confident about buying privately though...

Just seen this boat online looks nice, I know it has been painted to an inch of its life... I have sent them a message asking if it has a galvanic isolator and a survey - it changed ownership 6 years ago. https://newandusedboat.co.uk/used-boats-for-sale/2170

47 years old, likely to be only a 6mm bottom, at best 8mm. But the pits now may be 5mm deep!

Its too old and too expensive. A few months away from scrap.

[Leap of faith]

What do you think to the second boat/linked?

[Stroudwater1]

9 minutes ago, Leap of faith said:

What do you think to the second boat/linked?

That second boat from New and Used  looks reasonable to me, though it’s all been done up recently and may hide much that you may want to have seen. 
The price seems ok if all is working. Opinions vary on cruiser sterns for living onboard. 

[MtB]

39 minutes ago, Leap of faith said:

Hi Just looked at the link sent 

https://narrowboats.apolloduck.com/boat/narrow-boats-traditional-for-sale/740992. Yes does look a nice boat it is 1976 but if well maintained maybe not a problem. I am just not very confident about buying privately though...

Just seen this boat online looks nice, I know it has been painted to an inch of its life... I have sent them a message asking if it has a galvanic isolator and a survey - it changed ownership 6 years ago. https://newandusedboat.co.uk/used-boats-for-sale/2170

 

Well spotted. You're learning fast and getting sharp at this. 

 

I didn't notice the age myself as it happens! And I agree with the others. Too expensive for a boat that age. Still worth visiting to build up some viewing experience IMHO. 

 

 

Re the boat "Merrydown" fundamentally a reasonable boat but the owner fit-out lets it down. It looks rough as a badgers whatsit in the photos and will be worse in real life. Owner fit-outs usually (but not always) are. Also the London white-out interior is cold and soul-less to me. I'd carry on looking unless its nearby and convenient to call in for a look.

 

 

[David Mack]

10 hours ago, Leap of faith said:

 

https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/search.phtml?search=shortwood&exact=1&sr=1&q=1&x=0#result 

Nobody has commented on the very narrow bathroom. Access to the bath only over the end, and width at shoulder height will be very narrow if you want to stand for a shower. If you sit for a bath you will use more water, which raises questions about water tank capacity and water heating. And with the wash basin right in front of the loo, is there room for you to use the toilet with the door closed?

These are compromises which might be acceptable on a holiday boat but would soon grate if you lived on board full time.

 

 

[Leap of faith]

This boat layout looks good to me. Does anyone know about the engine - Perkins. I think as it is a 91 boat may be a bit overpriced but having said that the fit out looks solid. 

The link is https://www.abcboatsales.com/boat-sales/long-john-alvechurch-marina/

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Leap of faith said:

This boat layout looks good to me. Does anyone know about the engine - Perkins. I think as it is a 91 boat may be a bit overpriced but having said that the fit out looks solid. 

The link is https://www.abcboatsales.com/boat-sales/long-john-alvechurch-marina/

 

Reverse layout is a Marmite thing. I hate them personally but for no particular reason other than most are ordered by people who like to think they 'think outside of the box'. 

 

Nothing wrong with Perkins engines other than they are rarely seen in narrowboats. Usually a sea boat engine. 

 

As you commented, nice quality fit-out but priced as though it were 15-20 years old, not 32. 

 

 

[Lady M]

Reverse layout seems to work well on semi-trad boats, especially those with a rarely opened cratch cover and main access through the rear doors.  On a trad style boat with the engine at the back, the 'floating cottage' arrangement with the bedroom at the rear often suits better.  I still think its to avoid having the bedroom by the main entrance.

[IanD]

12 hours ago, Lady C said:

Reverse layout seems to work well on semi-trad boats, especially those with a rarely opened cratch cover and main access through the rear doors.  On a trad style boat with the engine at the back, the 'floating cottage' arrangement with the bedroom at the rear often suits better.  I still think its to avoid having the bedroom by the main entrance.

Or with no well deck/cratch cover at all... 😉

 

13 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Reverse layout is a Marmite thing. I hate them personally but for no particular reason other than most are ordered by people who like to think they 'think outside of the box'. 

 

Nothing wrong with Perkins engines other than they are rarely seen in narrowboats. Usually a sea boat engine. 

 

As you commented, nice quality fit-out but priced as though it were 15-20 years old, not 32. 

 

Or who have tried pretty much all the possible boat layouts out over the years, and decided that a reverse layout (and a semi-trad stern) is best for them -- because different people have different preferences... 😉

[Lady M]

IanD your layout obviously has the main entrance at the rear of the boat, so it makes sense to have the bedroom at the bow.  So I think you have agreed with me.