Buying my first boat

[Talpa]

Hi, I've decided to buy my first narrowboat to liveaboard. I've decided to get something between a 40' to 50' because my budget of max £20k and I want something easier to handle. There are a few I have looked at recently (I've viewed a lot more!), all with their different pros and cons.

Below are links to the different boats and so I'd just like people's thoughts and opinions on them, whatever they might be, to help me decide on which to look at further.

 

http://www.notts-boats.co.uk/narrowboat-rallentando.html

A 47' 1984 cruiser. Needs a lot of work inside, remove the carpets, pin up ceiling, put in multifuel stove, build a fixed double, but could then be made to my taste. Also it has been lengthened in 1998 and I have not heard of the builder. Good hull survey from 2011. Obviously I would offer a lot lower than the asking price due to the work.

 

http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/display.phtml?aid=254550

A 40' 1997 cruiser. Ready to go inside, all works. I've not heard of the builder. Never had a survey, but regularly blacked.

 

 

http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/display.phtml?aid=253922

A 47' 1974 cruiser. Not much info on the advert but I've viewed the boat and the inside is exactly how I'd have it, so nothing to do. Beautiful Harborough Marine bow. Only worry would be the age and condition of the hull. Not been surveyed by current owmer of 9 years.

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=259272

A 40' 1989 cruiser. Inside all ready to go, a few changes to make to personal taste. Above budget so lower offer needs to be made.

 

I'd prefer the extra space provided by the 47 footers but not essential. The fact they are all cruisers is just coincidence.

Edited July 7, 2012 by Talpa

[Ray T]

I personally would not like to make a judgment on an advert and photo's alone, I would want to do a thorough inspection before passing comment.

 

Which ever boat you choose - get a professional survey before parting with your reddies.

 

Best of luck in your boat search.

[Talpa]

I personally would not like to make a judgment on an advert and photo's alone, I would want to do a thorough inspection before passing comment.

 

Which ever boat you choose - get a professional survey before parting with your reddies.

 

Best of luck in your boat search.

 

To clarify to everyone else, I am planning on getting a survey carried out before making any purchase.

[Caprifool]

Follow your heart and have a survey. Good luck!

[bottle]

Buying a boat is governed by two things, your heart ( you will know it when you see it) and then your brain, look for all the reasons not to buy it.

 

No one can say "This is the boat for you".

 

Not looked at the four listed but two of those (the last two) are in your heart what you want, now engage brain.

 

Of course neither of these might be the one.

 

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

[Athy]

Yes, welcome indeed.

A couple of thoughts....

The R&D boat has the best "pedigree" - a well respected quality builder. Sandal and Bassetlaw were quite possibly boat fitters who fitted out other people's shells.

If you are going to live aboard, perhaps a trad-stern boat would offer you more internal space

BUT

The Harborough is, assuming good hull and condition, the bargain of the four. It's priced quite cheaply because not many people want to buy a mauve boat with a garden shed on the roof. Although it is nominally a cruiser stern, the alterations which have been made mean that you virtually have a trad in terms of interior space. Does it, like many of that make, have a Lister SR2 engine? If so, be aware that this is air-cooled so, though it sounds nice, it won't heat your domestic water.

As mentioned above, you don't know until you've viewed. You may recoil in horror from one you thought you'd like and fall deeply in love with one moored next to it which you hadn't even considered. I know that you have seen some already; enjoy the hunt!

Edited July 7, 2012 by Athy

[Talpa]

Thanks for the feedback so far. I'd just like to add that I have viewed these four boats (aswell as many others) and from those viewings I have decided they are boats that I would possibly like to purchase. I am now looking for other opinions before I decide on one or none of these.

[tree]

Thanks for the feedback so far. I'd just like to add that I have viewed these four boats (aswell as many others) and from those viewings I have decided they are boats that I would possibly like to purchase. I am now looking for other opinions before I decide on one or none of these.

good luck and best wishes searching for your boat

[AidanLincs]

good luck and best wishes searching for your boat

 

 

Ditto. And don't be surprised if the boat you buy is nothing like the ideal that you painted in your mind's eye.

[Taslim]

Good luck & not just a little envy that you are in a position to buy.

 

The purple number & a couple of pots of paint?

 

Easily done outdoors now that it's Summer!

[Grace and Favour]

Good luck & not just a little envy that you are in a position to buy.

 

The purple number & a couple of pots of paint?

 

Easily done outdoors now that it's Summer!

 

easily done--------- just dip the yard-broom in dust before you dip it in the paint and apply.

 

No need tp bother with preparation, rubbing down, treating rust, re-priming where necessary, undercoating, flatting, (more undercoating), more flatting, top coats (flatting again).

 

and that's given ideal conditions

[IainW]

The last two look really nice to me. We made a list of elements we needed in the boat which led to a short list made with our minds, then let our hearts tell us the right one.

 

The Harborough 47' cruiser looks the nicest, a hull survey would be interesting to see if the steel has lasted. Perhaps that is why it is such a good bargain?

[Arthur Brown]

It's only weeks ago that my neighbour was spraying paint with a "Mr Muscle" pump spray bottle.

 

"easily done--------- just dip the yard-broom in dust "

[IainW]

this looks like a good living space for the cash

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=258749

 

and this seems well kitted out for living...

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/advert.phtml?id=206415

[Taslim]

easily done--------- just dip the yard-broom in dust before you dip it in the paint and apply.

 

No need tp bother with preparation, rubbing down, treating rust, re-priming where necessary, undercoating, flatting, (more undercoating), more flatting, top coats (flatting again).

 

and that's given ideal conditions

 

No no. the rain will wash the dust off the broom. It'll be alright.

[Sandysoo]

Hi Talpa,

 

I'm a newbie too and have been exactly where you are now less than a month ago. I would have to agree with comments made earlier that you have to follow your heart on this one. It's the same as when you buy a house. You can look at dozens of places, but you will know within seconds when one feels right.

 

I had 10 boats to view over a long weekend in Holland recently. Boat no.2 was the one for me. I still viewed boats 3-10 but it really was just to confirm what I already knew.

 

If you're not really getting that feeling then I would scour the ads for more viewings. Although it sounds like no. 3 was your favourite, but with some concerns. Speak the owners/brokers about your concerns and trust your gut instinct on what you get in response.

 

Good luck! :-)

[newcruiser]

this looks like a good living space for the cash

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=258749

 

and this seems well kitted out for living...

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/advert.phtml?id=206415

2nd nb is sold, I've already asked!

[Talpa]

this looks like a good living space for the cash

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=258749

 

and this seems well kitted out for living...

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/advert.phtml?id=206415

 

I've been to view the first boat, and it's not good! Engine was under water and inside the carpets were wet.

Thanks for the suggestions though.

 

My predicament is that I thought I had found 'the one' a few weeks ago, paid for a survey, but the hull was really badly pitted. On the surveyors advice I walked away from the sale. I don't have a huge amount of cash so now I'm wary of taking the risk of getting a survey on a boat which doesn't have a previous survey for me to see. I can't afford to keep getting surveys. I am considering asking sellers to pay for the survey and refund them if it is good and I want to go ahead with the sale. Would that be reasonable?

[micky44]

which ever boat you go for, there will be aspects about it you do not like, in my limited experience, buying the boat is only just the start of the money pit. think very hard and long before you commit x amounts of £s

good ideai about asking the vendor to stump up for the survey! i can well imagine the vendors responce, some thing like go forth and multiple please,20k takes a LOT of saving, but does not buy imho a care free decent livaboard.

Edited July 8, 2012 by micky44

[Athy]

this looks like a good living space for the cash

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=258749

 

and this seems well kitted out for living...

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/advert.phtml?id=206415

The second one, intriguingingly, has a Renault engine, the first time I've heard pf one of these in a narrowboat. More intriguingly, it claims to be a "Renauly marine couach" vintage engine. Has anybody else got one, or know anything about them? I guess "couach" could be a typo of "coach" but how would a coach engine be also a marine engine?

[adelleandlee]

Myself and my wife pick up the keys on our first NB on sunday, we have spent a total of 12 months in research and alot of miles in the car and hours on internet searches, I think we have been to every marina within a 100 mile radius searching, viewing and talking to people. we had the same rough budget as yourself and my first bit of advise is that we found a NB early on followed our heart and lost a £500 deposit as it turned out to be a floating nightmare, (afterwards, after joining this forum) found that it had its own thread started by a lady some months previous. we were heavily lied to and left out of pocket, this would have been a private sale.

Now down hearted and all confidence lost we went to trinity marina found a NB and viewed with caution, we have just brought it!

Chris the brokerage manager is a legend! he guided us in every aspect, we made an offer as it was pushing the budget and had it accepted, paid the deposit (now safely sat in the brokers account not the owners and sale subject to survey,) got the boat survey, she needed a £1000 worth of work to make her insurable and had this knocked off the price, we now have her booked in to have the work completed. job done!

Second bit of advise and this is only my opinion, I would never buy a boat privately with my kind of budget again, I would only use a good broker as they have the contacts and tools and can safeguard both parties.

Give trinity a try, if he has not got what you are looking for he maybe able to find it.

Good luck and happy hunting!

[IainW]

oops, look like my suggestions weren't so good :-)

 

it's a tricky one in terms of listening to your heart, it can trick you much like in other parts of life. The boat which we were convinced was 'the one' for us we didn't end up getting because the marina were a nightmare to deal with. Sounds like adellandlee didn't have the best experience to start with either.

 

i suppose if you are patient and enjoy the looking around then fate will find you the right boat and if it ticks the mental and emotional boxes then get it done and enjoy!