Guide to Buying a Historic Narrowboat

[Black Ibis]

Sorry if you were expecting me to write such a guide! We are hoping to buy a historic boat (to live on) sometime this year, all going to plan, and I wondered if anyone had written any words of advice on the subject. Seems not! So, please, if you have any experiences that you think others could learn from, do contribute them here. Thanks!

[Proper Job]

Money......... plenty of money.......... continiously......

 

But it's probably worth it

[bottle]

(ex)students no common sense whatsoever.

 

 

Seriously good luck.

 

[Black Ibis]

Money......... plenty of money.......... continiously......

 

But it's probably worth it

 

Haha, yes, there is the obvious 'win the lottery' strategy!

 

I think it's often a case of who you know with old boats.

 

(ex)students no common sense whatsoever.

 

 

Seriously good luck.

 

 

thanks

 

I am already scouring the charity shops for back cabin accessories

Edited February 21, 2012 by Black Ibis

[Proper Job]

Haha, yes, there is the obvious 'win the lottery' strategy!

 

I think it's often a case of who you know with old boats.

 

 

 

thanks

 

I am already scouring the charity shops for back cabin accessories

You guy's will be fine.

 

You're young, foolish and happy to get your hands dirty

 

as per bottle....... good luck

 

[Chertsey]

See you at the HNBOC AGM on the 3rd then?

[Black Ibis]

See you at the HNBOC AGM on the 3rd then?

Indeed. Looking into travel options - bus to Bicester, train to Leamington Spa, bus to Napton.... Why are the AGMs always held in the middle of nowhere? There are plenty of canals near public transport connections!

Edited February 21, 2012 by Black Ibis

[sarahavfc]

I'll give you a lift from the station if you want?

[Chertsey]

Indeed. Looking into travel options - bus to Bicester, train to Leamington Spa, bus to Napton.... Why are the AGMs always held in the middle of nowhere? There are plenty of canals near public transport connections!

That is a very good question and I shall raise it next time we need to find a venue. I think it happened this way because it had always been Braunston, and they were looking for somewhere bigger, and someone suggested Napton. The Blue Lias was another equally ill-served suggestion.

[Derek R.]

Who you 'know' will help in finding a boat, but not with the price. If you find a boat with little work needed to be done, the price will reflect it. If you find one that is a bare hull, expect to spend three times what it would fetch once up and running in sound condition.

 

Is it worth it? Only you will know. But money will be your biggest ally if plentiful - or downfall if not.

[alan_fincher]

The cheapest (and safest!) option would undoubtedly be to have false rivets put on your current boat, and just hope people are convinced. Buy a large mallet so you can whack on the head anybody you find peering at them to closely.

 

(That was helpful, wasn't it! ).

[stagedamager]

Hi Black Ibis,

Always take a tape measure and measure the beam at any fixed bulkheads, just incase it has spread. Expect to do hull work, could be as small as the odd patch, but you never know!! Always let your head rule your heart..........oh no wait, shouldn't that be the other way round? Oh, and make sure it's made of wood

Regards

Dan

[davidg]

Indeed. Looking into travel options - bus to Bicester, train to Leamington Spa, bus to Napton.... Why are the AGMs always held in the middle of nowhere? There are plenty of canals near public transport connections!

 

It is do-able by public transport, I went to Paris last year, 07.10 from The Crown, 13.30 at the Gare du Nord.

 

Anyway, buses...

Leamington 10.44 Napton 10.25

Leamington 12.44 Napton 13.31

 

Napton 17.06 Leamington 17.49

Napton 18.46 Leamington 19.19

 

or if you go to Long Buckby..

 

Daventry 11.54 Napton 12.10

Daventry 13.54 Napton 14.10

 

Napton 18.08 Daventry 18.26

 

Daventry - Long Buckby buses are on the Northamptonshire website somewhere, look them up.

 

David

[carlt]

It is do-able by public transport, I went to Paris last year, 07.10 from The Crown, 13.30 at the Gare du Nord.

 

If they start having the meetings in Paris I'll renew my membership.

[BenC]

Sorry if you were expecting me to write such a guide! We are hoping to buy a historic boat (to live on) sometime this year, all going to plan, and I wondered if anyone had written any words of advice on the subject. Seems not! So, please, if you have any experiences that you think others could learn from, do contribute them here. Thanks!

From our experience you can waste a lot of money umming and ahhing about whether to but a boat or not. But in the back of your mind, no matter what, if you love it you’ll buy it anyway.

Research the boat, find out what other people have done to it in the past, ask people if they know the boat and have any info about it. Other people tend to know more about the past of historic boats than the owners sometimes do!

We wasted loads of money hiring a crane for the day, having Banstead taken out of the water at a yard with no lifting equipment. The survey came back highlighting problems, we bought it any way! We could have put all of that money into repairs. I think that most Historic boats could easily have thousands thrown at them if you had it, but if you haven’t then you can patch them up until you or someone else can afford it in the future.

If you are brave enough, the buy the boat without a survey (knowing a little about the boats past would be wise) use the fact that you are buying the boat without a survey to barter down the price, but know that you might have to spend 5 to 10 Grand just to get it insured

Just my advice! Others may disagree.

Take a chance and good luck

[PaddingtonBear]

five to ten grand to get it insured!!!!!!! someone has really 'taken' you if that is what you pay. We pay around £100 per boat.

[Proper Job]

I think he was referring to the amount of remedial work that may have to be done on the hull so that an insurer would insure it(?)...... not the premium

[BenC]

I think he was referring to the amount of remedial work that may have to be done on the hull so that an insurer would insure it(?)...... not the premium

 

Thanks Proper Job

I might be stupid! but I'm not 5 to 10 grand to insure stupid!

[larkshall]

Hi, I too am hunting for a historic NB. the HNBOC AGM is that 3rd March?

[Chertsey]

Thanks Proper Job

I might be stupid! but I'm not 5 to 10 grand to insure stupid!

Ah, but our insurance doesn't require a survey, so genuinely does cost only sixty nine quid.

 

Hi, I too am hunting for a historic NB. the HNBOC AGM is that 3rd March?

Yep.

[mykaskin]

Just remember that in the end of the day an historic boat is just another boat - so all the usual buying a boat things apply - however, because of what it is you may be prepared to forego some or all of the advice and just go for it. The problem is ensure you have a slush fund in case you need emergency work (especially if you are going to live on it). Many boats can look sound, but pound to a penny many will have hidden issues.

 

I've been incredibly lucky with Victoria - I had chance to have a good look around her, and steer her before taking her on. It was obvious she was basically sound but I knew that the engine needed some work, and to get her looking good would require plenty of cash (I don't have much time to do it myself), but I knew that could wait till another year - it did just, as the head gasket blew on the last few miles home!

 

In the end I've probably spent another £10,000 or so getting her into shape on top of the £30,000 I paid for her, but it still needs lots of cleanup work especially in the hold and bilges. I assume you're buying a converted boat, but check all the out of the way bits to ensure its OK.

 

Things you don't normally need to worry about on modern boats are:

 

• Width - remember many GU boats were built to more than 7 foot
  
• Depth - might be an issue where you are - Stanground for example
  
• Height - unless the boat is well loaded you might have a height issue - if it's well loaded you'll have other problems!
  
• Engine - often it will be an older engine, so be aware of spares availability and it's condition.
  
• Alterations - it may be hacked to fit something in it wasn't built with which may limit any future options
  

 

I'm sure there are a lot more things to look out for, but just ask away.

 

Good luck in finding a boat, I'm sure you'll know actually what you want when you see it!

 

Mike

[allybsc]

Excellent advice Mike.

I'm thinking about it too, we need to do some work on Taurus first before we start to do something about it, then we will start looking around, has been a dream of mine for some time, the OH is slowly coming round...eventually

Edited February 22, 2012 by allybsc

[GSer]

I'm not sure that it is regarded as a 'historic' (but built in 1935 its getting on a bit) but the butty i've just bought was bought as is, no survey, i just had a good look over her, much easier cos it has a mostly open hold, there are no 'systems' as such so the decision was made to buy. I figure i must have missed somethings but i'm willing to take the risk, its insured on a third party basis untill i get a hull survey done i guess that will be the time i know weather or not i've messed up i suppose

 

If the boat needs significant overplating, rebottoming, re footing or new knees in places i couldnt check, then i guess i'll get no sympathy so i'll just get on with it

 

It arrives on friday, i can't wait.

[allybsc]

I'm not sure that it is regarded as a 'historic' (but built in 1935 its getting on a bit) but the butty i've just bought was bought as is, no survey, i just had a good look over her, much easier cos it has a mostly open hold, there are no 'systems' as such so the decision was made to buy. I figure i must have missed somethings but i'm willing to take the risk, its insured on a third party basis untill i get a hull survey done i guess that will be the time i know weather or not i've messed up i suppose

 

If the boat needs significant overplating, rebottoming, re footing or new knees in places i couldnt check, then i guess i'll get no sympathy so i'll just get on with it

 

It arrives on friday, i can't wait.

 

Fingers crossed that all is well x

[Liam]

I'm not sure that it is regarded as a 'historic' (but built in 1935 its getting on a bit) but the butty i've just bought was bought as is, no survey, i just had a good look over her, much easier cos it has a mostly open hold, there are no 'systems' as such so the decision was made to buy. I figure i must have missed somethings but i'm willing to take the risk, its insured on a third party basis untill i get a hull survey done i guess that will be the time i know weather or not i've messed up i suppose

 

If the boat needs significant overplating, rebottoming, re footing or new knees in places i couldnt check, then i guess i'll get no sympathy so i'll just get on with it

 

It arrives on friday, i can't wait.

 

Wasn't Cygnus recently plated as recently as 2009 / 2010 ?