Hi, I went to view a 1994 narrowboat, original steel thickness and last blacking unknown. Up until it sold 2 years ago (without a survey) it was apparently kept in good order by the previous elderly owner who had it from scratch but there is no paperwork with any info regarding it's original specs (is this strange for a supposedly cherished boat kept from new?). Outside paint job was very good nik and inside, although very dated was dry and didn't seem bodged like some others I've looked at. Engine bay was dry. Inspection hatch was dry. But I'm fairly clueless at what I'm looking for as it's my first boat and I'm doing it solo.

I really liked it, but how worrying is this rust along the waterline and is it any indication of the rest of the hull? Many thanks.

I can't see much rust along the waterline. Top photo seems to show a rusty lower rubbing band as expected 

 

The others look way above the waterline to me, and might be related to tack welded rubbing bands. Photos not close enough to say more.

As Tony says, better photos needed. 

On first glimps it loks fine but far better piccirs needed and of several locations including waterline and chines especialy at rear quarter if out the water. 

49 minutes ago, Yogurtpot said:

there is no paperwork with any info regarding it's original specs (is this strange for a supposedly cherished boat kept from new?)

It's 32 years old! How much paperwork do you have from anything that age? Admittedly a single-owner boat is more likely to have its original paperwork than one that has changed hands multiple times, but not everyone is meticulous about filing stuff like that.

 

Clean dry engine bay with only light rusting is a rarity. Most are much worse than this. The waterline rust doesn't look bad as far as I can see from the photos - fairly typical for a boat which hasn't been blacked for a while - presumably the current owner hasn't blacked it during his 2 years ownership.

You should plan to black the boat within the next 12 months or so - better done in the summer unless you have access to indoor facilities.

 

7 minutes ago, David Mack said:

It's 32 years old! How much paperwork do you have from anything that age? Admittedly a single-owner boat is more likely to have its original paperwork than one that has changed hands multiple times, but not everyone is meticulous about filing stuff like that.

Our 32year old boat and we are 3rd owner has volumes of paperwork. Even letters before she was built showing plans for a 57ft boat.

She ended up at 62ft

First photo looks like the waterline to me. 

 

Also looks fine to me. I'd have no doubts at all buying this boat provided the rest of the waterline looks similar. And as David says, the engine bay looks AMAZING for its age! 

 

No doubt more will be along trying to put the fear of God into you about getting a survey etc, but a boat sinking from corrosion is incredibly rare. If its cheap, take a chance and just buy it. A seller will generally take a lower offer if you are offering payment now rather than in a month or more, after a survey, a load of uncertainty and general dicking about before you make a final decision. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Tonka said:

Our 32year old boat and we are 3rd owner has volumes of paperwork. Even letters before she was built showing plans for a 57ft boat.

She ended up at 62ft

Mine's at least fifty years old, I have no original paperwork, in fact nothing before I bought it.

Engine bay/bilge looks a lot better than most ive viewed recently! Shows it's been cared for to some degree. If you're already worried about rust on the waterline (looks typical of age and I've seen many worse) get a survey for peace of mind if you are not a gambler. You'll learn a lot about boats from the survey experience even if you find it's not the boat for you. Good luck 

On 03/09/2026 at 13:54, MtB said:

And as David says, the engine bay looks AMAZING for its age!

 

 

I agree but how many  oil filters would you expect to see showing evidence of engine colour? Maybe its a near new engine ?

 

 

 

Maybe a well known company referb ?

Even the mounts are the same colour 

Think I'd go with the other opinions expressed and also wouldn't have much concern over the rust at the waterline. One passage of winter ice-breaking could probably create more damage than that. Viewing the 'crazing' of the blacking in the top right of the photo I'd guess that, whilst you don't know when it was last blacked, it looks to me as though it has got quite a good depth of blacking on it. As other's have said, I would certainly black it at the earliest opportunity so at least you have a start for the 2/3 year cycle of blacking.

 

ETA The worst of the rust is always going to be at the waterline, what you can't see wont be that bad.

Edited September 4Sep 4 by Wanderer Vagabond

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

Maybe a well known company referb ?

Even the mounts are the same colour 

 

Yes I was looking at that too. Blue-sprayed mounts, but fixing bolt heads silver-coloured and not sprayed. Therefore engine probably recently removed from boat, sprayed out of the boat to tart it up, then re-fitted with new bolts. 

 

 

There appears to be a little over-spray, beyond the forward engine mount, and incomplete spray at the forward end of the engine, below the exhaust fitting and some pipe work, including some on the exhaust lagging. It looks to me as if it could have been done in situ. Even splashes of blue paint on the control cables.

A clean engine bay, though.

Be careful. The water is clear and below the waterline are little rust spots, There is every chance that these are in fact pits. You need to see these pits after the boat has been pressure washed and you need to see underneath the boat too - If you are lucky you might find that no welding is needed in which case you can think about some sort of paint treatment could prevent further deterioration. 

         I used Tercoo discs to clean off the sides of our boat, they are effective but slow and I couldn't face doing the underneath with them so I used those flap disc things in an angle grinder on the bottom - we had thousands of barnacles to clean off. You might find that there is little or no bitumen to get rid of so you could try a 'surface tolerant' epoxy after that.

Any further update?

I'd say that there has been a feeble attempt to tidy the engine using the wrong colour, a car spray can

:(

My Isuzu is darker, and the enamel is sort of cracked due to expansion. Its a good solid engine easy to service.

Edited October 2Oct 2 by LadyG