Narrowboat selling???

[rain]

Hi,

 

Does anyone know if narrowboats are or are likely to sell this year?

 

I have boat that I'm keen to sell once summer starts, but I just wondered if anyone knows how quick they sell?

 

Thanks.

[churchward]

Hi,

 

Does anyone know if narrowboats are or are likely to sell this year?

 

I have boat that I'm keen to sell once summer starts, but I just wondered if anyone knows how quick they sell?

 

Thanks.

That is a "how long is a piece of string?" question I think. It just depends. Clearly money is getting tight and there are less buyers around probably (like housing) than there would have been but there are still buyers about.

 

Although I bought my present boat last year I still can't break the habit of looking round the brokers websites and by that evidence boats are still selling expensive and budget. Some boats seem to be on a brokers website for ages and some sell really quickly. I think it is a case of good boats sell well and mediocre or awkward layout boats take longer. In some cases a lot longer.

Edited February 9, 2009 by churchward

[alan_fincher]

Some brokerages have had absolutely no boats on their books foir some considerable weeks now. That's not a situation I can ever recall happening before, even allowing for it being mid-winter.

 

I think you'll sell if it's a good boat realistically priced, but most of what's on offer, (particularly on Apollo Duck), the owners just need to get real about asking price.

[Hyperion 53]

We have found that the market has picked up a bit lately, as we have sold all but four boats on our books within the last month. As Alan says, ppl do need to "get real" about the prices they want for their boats .

 

A tidy boat, in reasonable condition and reasonably priced will sell!

[Water Rat.]

I think it will depend on how you price your boat. I was at Braunston yesterday and saw two boats for sale that I looked at last year before I bought my boat in April! You will always sell at a good price and if it is value for money.

[Neil TNC]

Hi,

 

Does anyone know if narrowboats are or are likely to sell this year?

 

I have boat that I'm keen to sell once summer starts, but I just wondered if anyone knows how quick they sell?

 

Thanks.

 

From what I have seen /heard:

Cheap older boats, with sensible basic facilities are selling (some like hot cakes), as liveaboards.

Many boats are coming off, then back for sale as people cannot proceed after paying deposit (they had to get a loan / sell their house first!)

Respected builder trad engine boats are selling OK. Same with houses, those with money will still buy top-end houses.

60ft clone boats new or a few years old are not selling. There are many spec and frustrated order boats about.

I know of one such boat that was put up for 65K last year and has just sold for 42K. People will just have to get real about what their boat is worth to someone else.

Many people that do NOT have to sell their house/boat simply are staying put, that is why the market is getting distorted.

 

I certainly will not be trying to sell my worn out old wreck!

[RLWP]

I certainly will not be trying to sell my worn out old wreck!

 

How many miles has Earnest got "on the clock" then?

 

Richard

[Neil TNC]

How many miles has Earnest got "on the clock" then?

 

Richard

 

Surprisingly few for a ten year old boat, but then it has always been going somewhere (I know some hire boats and Ownership boats have twice this amount on in similar time)

5874 hours under way 6003 hours on the clock (so not a lot of idling, charging the batteries or hanging around)

9278 locks

12,500 miles Bit approximate this, as some of the places we have been have not really been on Canalplan.

 

We did very similar in last Boat Beatty (not the real Beatty, but a 1990 50ft cruiser stern R&D / Waterways Services fitout. Martin the present owner has turned it into a tidy semi-trad).

 

Mechanical stuff Earnest has got through...

1 x set engine mounts, 1 x Gearbox pressure pump gasket, 2 x gearbox selector shaft seals, 1 x drive plate (rubbers need replacing soon), 1 x stern tube, ready for spare prop, 1 x set bowthruster brushes, 1 x top rudder bearing (ball race type), 2 x sets Travelpower brushes. Umpteen drive belts, umpteen sets fuel filters (I always change the last-set-not-be-changed, on the mirrored sets of fuel filters, before we do anything serious)

2 odd hoses, good few hose clips, 1 x pressure cap, 1 x cooler tank cap, 5 x air filters.

Getting worried about the gearbox, but being PRM150 and had oil changed reglarly and never run low on oil, still seems OK.

Beta BV 1903 is still superb, old age just starting to show as teeny puff of black smoke when it first starts. Other than that still clean exhaust at all speeds/loads, never had ingectors out, never use heaters (but hardly ever boat when it is cold..well except Ireland!) I always leave Earnest with tank full.

Oil changed every 300ish hours. Takes around 2 gallons of oil, so I have settled on 1 gallon decent SAE 30 and 1 gallon decent 15/40.

Beta had a teeny annoying oil leak, high up. Traced to Beta bodge of Travelpower alternator mount bracket through to oilways. Another Beta bodge was the early Travelpower jockey pulley bearing, bl00dy useless, so modified mounts and no idler (like new Beta insallation)

For most of the season you could eat your dinner off the engine drip tray, but I like it that way so you can imeadiately see if there are any leaks / problems.

Since Earnest left the factory, no one apart from me has touched it. The electrical system bears little resemblance to when it was built. Mrs TNC did make the curtains (too short again!) and actually helped black it last time!!!