I'm Gutted

[nursegrowl]

I've sold my house, well, I thought it had sold, got to the 'sale agreed' stage, and the buyers are having problems with finace apparently, so I've accepted the next offer down, which knocks a fair bit of money off it. I was going to buy a Widebeam Sailaway, but now I don't think I'll have enough to even get a narrow beam sail away...........I'm so gutted. Does anyone know of any cheap but not sinking boats for under 20 grand??? I know its a long shop, but gotta try, its also got to be about 50 ish feet as I'm living on board........ Thanks xxxxxxxxx

[grahoom]

you could probably find something for that price I reckon.

 

I bought my boat for just over 20K in november - it's not 50 foot - (40 foot) - but there are plenty of boats out there (second hand market).

 

here is a GRP toped boat -

 

http://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/Used-Boats/.../Tarka-XII.aspx

 

obviously for the price range you're looking at - work will needed to be done on the boat.

[Smelly]

there's a boat called swallow under section 8 at icknield port, needs tidying up but the hull looks ok, ring BW at fazeley

[nursegrowl]

I'm happy to do work on the boat, as I was hoping to do it completly from a sailaway, so doing it up is no prob. anything scruffy or crappy is fine !!

[NB Alnwick]

I'm happy to do work on the boat, as I was hoping to do it completly from a sailaway, so doing it up is no prob. anything scruffy or crappy is fine !!

 

A friend of ours sold a 40 ft boat last year for £20k - lovely boat complete with all equipment! They are out there it would be worth emailing a few brokers and asking them what they have.

 

Searching on Apollo Duck and Boats & Outboards will also be helpful - don't be afraid to make an offer that is around three quarters of the asking price.

 

It would also be worth while putting a 'wanted add' on here.

[grahoom]

A friend of ours sold a 40 ft boat last year for £20k - lovely boat complete with all equipment!

 

that sounds like my boat!...

 

Mine was sold to me with pots, pans, cutlery, battery charger, torches, hoover, countless windlasses, mooring pins, boarding ladder, pole, bedding, sheets, (the list goes in - washing up gloves, tea-towels... )

[Chris Pink]

If it's just you consider 40', a good size, in my opinion, for one person and quite a bit cheaper. With efficient use of space you wouldn't notice the difference.

[nursegrowl]

THats a good point, Chris, still a bit of a shock after looking for a 60ft widebeam, but beggers can't be choosers!!

[Chris Pink]

THats a good point, Chris, still a bit of a shock after looking for a 60ft widebeam, but beggers can't be choosers!!

 

if it's boating you're after you'll have so much more fun on a 40' narrow boat, a 60' wide boat is not trivial to move about on your own.

[blackrose]

If it's just you consider 40', a good size, in my opinion, for one person and quite a bit cheaper. With efficient use of space you wouldn't notice the difference.

 

I disagree - I lived on a 45' narrowboat for 3 years and the lack of space nearly drove me mad in the end

 

When living on boats this size you'll notice every inch of space you haven't got! I remember going on board a neighbour's 60' NB and just wishing I had his extra space.

 

Edit: Sorry I can't be more positive

Edited April 11, 2008 by blackrose

[Tim Lewis]

I've sold my house, well, I thought it had sold, got to the 'sale agreed' stage, and the buyers are having problems with finace apparently, so I've accepted the next offer down, which knocks a fair bit of money off it. I was going to buy a Widebeam Sailaway, but now I don't think I'll have enough to even get a narrow beam sail away...........I'm so gutted. Does anyone know of any cheap but not sinking boats for under 20 grand??? I know its a long shop, but gotta try, its also got to be about 50 ish feet as I'm living on board........ Thanks xxxxxxxxx

 

A few boats here:

 

http://www.vcmarine.co.uk/browser.htm

 

Tim

[NB Alnwick]

I disagree - I lived on a 45' narrowboat for 3 years and the lack of space nearly drove me mad in the end

 

When living on boats this size you'll notice every inch of space you haven't got! I remember going on board a neighbour's 60' NB and just wishing I had his extra space.

 

Edit: Sorry I can't be more positive

 

It really depends on how organised you are - 'Alnwick' is 62 ft long but of that 10 ft is taken up by the engine room and we only use the boat man's cabin for storage and when we have visitors. We probably use no more cabin space than you would find on a well designed modern forty footer and there are quite a few members of this forum living in boats with less cabin space than that.

[blackrose]

It really depends on how organised you are - 'Alnwick' is 62 ft long but of that 10 ft is taken up by the engine room and we only use the boat man's cabin for storage and when we have visitors. We probably use no more cabin space than you would find on a well designed modern forty footer and there are quite a few members of this forum living in boats with less cabin space than that.

 

But how much stuff do you have stored in those places you say you don't use? Also, the point is that if you want you can go into the cabin - you may not use it much but it's always there and you probably take it for granted (and you can entertain friends there of course). On a 40 footer if you want to go into a different space then you have to go outside and if there are more than 2 people on board it's crowded!

Edited April 11, 2008 by blackrose

[Chris Pink]

I disagree - I lived on a 45' narrowboat for 3 years and the lack of space nearly drove me mad in the end

 

When living on boats this size you'll notice every inch of space you haven't got! I remember going on board a neighbour's 60' NB and just wishing I had his extra space.

 

Edit: Sorry I can't be more positive

 

It's a personal choice, I know people who live happily in boats you wouldn't get my office into.

 

I on the other hand wander lonely through the nether regions of my great vastness but i still, mainly, live in a space 35' x 7' which has that most important thing; a full size kitchen. If you asked me hard what i do with the rest of it it would mainly come down to the amount of tat i accumulate.

[moggyjo]

But how much stuff do you have stored in those places you say you don't use? Also, the point is that if you want you can go into the cabin - you may not use it much but it's always there and you probably take it for granted (and you can entertain friends there of course). On a 40 footer if you want to go into a different space then you have to go outside and if there are more than 2 people on board it's crowded!

I totally agree, I think 50ft minimum.

[Chris Pink]

A few boats here:

 

http://www.vcmarine.co.uk/browser.htm

 

Tim

 

including, i note, a 40' new sailaway for £22K

[moggyjo]

I totally agree, I think 50ft minimum.

And lots of tat

[grahoom]

I totally agree, I think 50ft minimum.

 

 

but surely it all depends on how much stuff you need to store in the first place, and how much stuff you plan on collecting the whole time you live on the boat.

 

i've lived in some tiny places in the past (including a bed site) that had far less storage space than my 40 foot boat.

 

I think it is altogether a personal choice, and there is no hard and fast rule to dictate what size is the minimum living space.

[Tusses]

I'm happy to do work on the boat, as I was hoping to do it completly from a sailaway, so doing it up is no prob. anything scruffy or crappy is fine !!

 

here ya go ....

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/57-Semi-Trad-Canal-b...1QQcmdZViewItem

[goldtone]

I've sold my house, well, I thought it had sold, got to the 'sale agreed' stage, and the buyers are having problems with finace apparently, so I've accepted the next offer down, which knocks a fair bit of money off it. I was going to buy a Widebeam Sailaway, but now I don't think I'll have enough to even get a narrow beam sail away...........I'm so gutted. Does anyone know of any cheap but not sinking boats for under 20 grand??? I know its a long shop, but gotta try, its also got to be about 50 ish feet as I'm living on board........ Thanks xxxxxxxxx

 

the same thing happened to me twice during the course of buying my boat. I am now in the boat of choice, the seller took a reduced price and i decided that i couldn't have the spare money I had hoped for from the equity and with a bank loan I got the boat I wanted.

 

Now some might not believe in this positive thinking stuff, but if you do..........so keep believing you will get a boat you like, and it will happen.

I 'lost' my boat twice, but never lost sight that I wanted the boat. And thru hell and high water I got it.

 

Keep your chin up as hard as it may seem, and remember the dream.

 

P.S. Mine is 49' although she has an extension built over the bow sitting area which gives me the bedroom so about 5 ' extra space. Even without this i reckon I could survive comfortably. Depends on how much clutter you like to keep i suppose.

[nursegrowl]

Hi, didn't think thereed be so many cheap boats!! Yeay!!! Thanks for all your help with this!! I think I'd need 50 ish ft as, its me and my partner, (yes, I've managed to trap some poor, unsuspecting bloke in the time since I was on here last year!!!

 

I'm gonna try for all clutter free, minimalist style (prob won't succeed) I like some clutter too much........mostly books

[blackrose]

Hi, didn't think thereed be so many cheap boats!! Yeay!!! Thanks for all your help with this!! I think I'd need 50 ish ft as, its me and my partner, (yes, I've managed to trap some poor, unsuspecting bloke in the time since I was on here last year!!!

 

I'm gonna try for all clutter free, minimalist style (prob won't succeed) I like some clutter too much........mostly books

 

As well as looking at small, cheap boats, another strategy you could employ is to make some ridiculously low offers on more expensive boats. The vendors can only tell you to p*ss off, and once you've done it once or twice & overcome your natural reticence it will become much easier.

 

There are literally thousands of second hand boats on the market and in this new harsher economic climate you may just find someone who is desparate to sell.

 

Just wave a load of cash in their faces and say "I want you out by lunchtime!" (The last bit's a joke by the way, but I'm serious about the rest.)

[Capey]

Hi, didn't think thereed be so many cheap boats!! Yeay!!! Thanks for all your help with this!! I think I'd need 50 ish ft as, its me and my partner, (yes, I've managed to trap some poor, unsuspecting bloke in the time since I was on here last year!!!

 

I'm gonna try for all clutter free, minimalist style (prob won't succeed) I like some clutter too much........mostly books

 

Listen girlfriend, ours is 58 foot of which 6 foot is taken up with a diningroom table and a bench (you could surely manage with something smaller) then we have a 2 seater sofa (that could double as a spare bed) we have a double bed deepfreezer. washer, etc, lockers everywhere and let me tell you, most of them are emptly - and there are two of us. - oh and a bath with a shower.

If you want this as much as we did you will make it happen. 40 foot, i would love it, if the MB didn't take up 20 foot on his own (he's a big boy). best of luck to you, and hey, I have my whole book collection as well - we manage just fine, even have space for a romantic little dance now and again, as long as its just the tango in a straight line.

 

Hope you find what you are looking for, this is a minor setback in the bigger scheme. oh and congrats on trapping a fella, hope he's handy with a drill.

[magnetman]

If you get a good 40-45ft boat with a powerful enough engine it is quite feasible to have it lengthened at a later date if circumstances change.

[Liam]

Just wave a load of cash in their faces and say "I want you out by lunchtime!" (The last bit's a joke by the way, but I'm serious about the rest.)

 

Why? That's what Chris did with Baldock