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Working Boat-Pros and Cons

Whitewater

By Whitewater
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Ray T Veteran II

Ray TDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted (edited)

I would like to know what the pros and cons are off owning a converted working boat. Please state the bleeding obvious too as I am sure I missed something

 

To start, wooden or metal?

 

Metal: V expensive

Wood: highly expensive!

Edited by Ray T
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Whitewater Collaborator

Whitewater

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Hi Whitewater, a few more questions! full length or shortened? fully or part converted?, standard cabin or under cloth conversion? motor or butty?

 

Dan

Full length, fully converted with a steel top, is a motor... I could name it but I am looking for general comments, as a friend of mine keeps planting tales of woe about owning an old working boat

 

Are you intending to live on it???

Yes

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stagedamager Experienced

stagedamager

Posted
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in which case, depending on class of working boat, additional headroom is good (i'm 6' 3"!) BW license discount, owning a part of history, and in one form or another, allowing it to continue and adding to it, i personally would jump at the chance, they tend to be harder work to steer than modern boats, but in my eyes the pros outweigh the cons, but like any boat, get a survey, the footings go and the bends on the knees, but all can be rectified, if not already done (depending on fit out of course). Expect some dents on the hull, or as i like to call it, character!!

Dan

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Whitewater Collaborator

Whitewater

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in which case, depending on class of working boat, additional headroom is good (i'm 6' 3"!) BW license discount, owning a part of history, and in one form or another, allowing it to continue and adding to it, i personally would jump at the chance, they tend to be harder work to steer than modern boats, but in my eyes the pros outweigh the cons, but like any boat, get a survey, the footings go and the bends on the knees, but all can be rectified, if not already done (depending on fit out of course). Expect some dents on the hull, or as i like to call it, character!!

Dan

Have steered loaded and unloaded working boats as well as similar type of boat. In fact I took a 70ft drawing 3ft for 7 weeks on a long holiday. In fact that has what has made me look seriously. My mate is worried about leaky rivets.

 

Baldock

 

Richard

Wasn't going to name and still aren't

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stagedamager Experienced

stagedamager

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Wouldn't worry, if any are worn then survey would pick it up. If not then it is one thing on a long list of what ifs which can be applied to ANY boat of 'things which possibly could maybe go wrong at some point in the future'!

Dan

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Whitewater Collaborator

Whitewater

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Wouldn't worry, if any are worn then survey would pick it up. If not then it is one thing on a long list of what ifs which can be applied to ANY boat of 'things which possibly could maybe go wrong at some point in the future'!

Dan

It had a survey last year and for insurance purposes doesn't need another one for a few years.

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mrsmelly Veteran II

mrsmellyDonate to Canal World

Posted
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I would like to know what the pros and cons are off owning a converted working boat. Please state the bleeding obvious too as I am sure I missed something

 

Dont forget to find a stable for the horse !

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NB Alnwick Veteran II

NB Alnwick

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It had a survey last year and for insurance purposes doesn't need another one for a few years.

 

Something that hasn't been mentioned yet is the residual value that accompanies iron or steel working boats. Yes you will spend money on it (you will do that anyway on any boat) but, unlike a new or modern boat that loses about half of its value in the first few years, you will always be able to sell it again for a reasonable price. And, as time goes on, genuine ex-working boats with a bit of history will always be sought after . . .

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Bones Veteran

Bones

Posted
Posted

in which case, depending on class of working boat, additional headroom is good (i'm 6' 3"!) BW license discount, owning a part of history, and in one form or another, allowing it to continue and adding to it, i personally would jump at the chance, they tend to be harder work to steer than modern boats, but in my eyes the pros outweigh the cons, but like any boat, get a survey, the footings go and the bends on the knees, but all can be rectified, if not already done (depending on fit out of course). Expect some dents on the hull, or as i like to call it, character!!

Dan

 

The pros you mention are the discount licence, owning history and the cons are the steering.

 

Are they the only pros and cons when you mention that in your eyes the pros outweigh the cons or are there others?

 

It sounds as though there aren't any pro's and cons particularly and it is all down to personal taste.

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
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In the bigger scheme of things, and considering likely overall cost of ownership, 10% off your licence isn't really a big deal one way or the other!

 

I have also been told BW have no definitive way of saying what qualifies, and if a boat is not that original, it can be down to "interpretation"......

 

Wouldn't worry, if any are worn then survey would pick it up.

Notwithstanding that a recent poll on here established that if 20 of us buy an ex-working boat, you'll be lucky if one of those actually commissioned a survey!

 

Greenlaw, Fern, Juno, Gemini, Stafford? I think those 5 plus Baldock are the only ones currently for sale that fit the bill. ;)

Yes, but there is at least one wooden bottomed boat in your list, I think!

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luctor et emergo Veteran II

luctor et emergo

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One thing to bear in mind, is the expense of riveting, if you were to go that direction. If you are happy enough to have any (future) work on the hull simply welded, it should cost no more than an ordinairy boat. And iron outlasts steel considerably...

 

Buying a historic boat, expensive.

 

Owning a real old, riveted boat, priceless.

 

 

 

Go for it.

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FadeToScarlet Veteran

FadeToScarlet

Posted
Posted

I was having a think about this over the weekend, doing the BCN challenge on Yeoford.

 

It strikes me that the main difference is that it makes normal boating into a challenge, what with getting stuck in bridgeholes and locks, and picking up things on the blade but having no weedhatch.

 

But along with that challenge comes a much greater sense of achievement and triumph. For example, it took us half an hour to get onto the Soho loop, but it felt great when we got through, and much more pioneering.

 

Have a read of Andrews blogger about Dove for some good warts and all reporting.

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stagedamager Experienced

stagedamager

Posted
Posted

The pros you mention are the discount licence, owning history and the cons are the steering.

 

Are they the only pros and cons when you mention that in your eyes the pros outweigh the cons or are there others?

 

It sounds as though there aren't any pro's and cons particularly and it is all down to personal taste.

 

Its always down to personal taste, and yes, in my eyes, there are more pros and cons, but what may suit me would not suit another. I like traditional engines, and yes i know they can be fitted in modern boats ;) As mentioned above, no weedhatch, is definately a con because it was always my turn to go in if we couldn't get whatever it was off! With the exception of some, I think most have a nice shape, both above and below the waterline, a definate pro. I am a fan of historic boat rallies, walking around just isn't the same as taking a boat.... I also enjoy the restoration, big or small, as sympathetically as reasonably possible, and learning the skills to do such, which wouldn't transfer to most modern boats, refitting wooden bottoms and rivetting for example....

 

snip

Notwithstanding that a recent poll on here established that if 20 of us buy an ex-working boat, you'll be lucky if one of those actually commissioned a survey!

 

 

snip

 

 

very good point well made!

 

 

it could be one of those............Unless of course Dover is still on the market ;)

 

Dan

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dove Community Regular

dove

Posted
Posted (edited)

 

Have a read of Andrews blogger about Dove for some good warts and all reporting.

 

All the photo's of the early part of the restoration are here https://picasaweb.google.com/fmcdove

 

in various files.

 

Don't be put off by the riveting bit, there are loads of people doing it now. There's a bit video of us doing ours on the blog links.

 

Andrew

Edited by dove
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Chertsey Veteran

Chertsey

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Posted

The pros you mention are the discount licence, owning history and the cons are the steering.

< snip >

In many cases the steering is a pro. Grand Unions (the only boats I have any real experience of) steer miles better than even the best modern boat I've tried.

 

Wouldn't worry, if any are worn then survey would pick it up. If not then it is one thing on a long list of what ifs which can be applied to ANY boat of 'things which possibly could maybe go wrong at some point in the future'!

Dan

Survey? What survey?

 

Leaky rivets can be welded up. If it's already got em, either they're weeping so slightly it's not urgent, or it'll have sunk. So don't worry about them.

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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Posted

In many cases the steering is a pro. Grand Unions (the only boats I have any real experience of) steer miles better than even the best modern boat I've tried.

 

 

Survey? What survey?

 

Leaky rivets can be welded up. If it's already got em, either they're weeping so slightly it's not urgent, or it'll have sunk. So don't worry about them.

 

Welded or caulked? I'd have thought a few minutes work with a hammer was the best solution

 

Richard

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