Coles morton advice please

[chubby]

Hello all

 

Does anyone have any general info or opinions as to the standard of Coles Morton boats at all please . I have seen a 52 ft cruiser on Apolloduck . Infact its been there a long time .

Im a little concerned as to its age - built in 1982 , which seems old but if they are / were a good builder then i might be less so.

This boat has a BUKH DV20 engine which my research seems to suggest are very good . The ad says the engine and gearbox were rebuilt 2 yrs ago . Is this standard thing to do with an oldish engne - rebuild it ??

Also it has no BSSC , no recent survey , no license etc ( i wouldbe arranging a survey if i go any further ) . Price is 21000 which i d seek to lower further too .

Im just seeking some honest advice really as to whether an old boat like this , with rebuilt engine and gearbox is worth considering . My budgets are quite low so it could be an option but not if its likely to turn into a floating money pit but have no probs paying out for repairs etc if its viable .

Many thanks

Any opinions would be v helpful - this would be my first boat .

[Athy]

Coles Morton were a quite well respected builder in the 1970s and 1980s. The boat (if it's Anguilla) looks quite nice but one of many. The engine is again a reputable make, and I think Bukh still exists so spares should be available. She is a long way from civilisation, moored at Gravesend in Kent - unless you live in that area yourself, you have the problem of moving her on to the canal system.

What in particular endears you to her?

[chubby]

Cheers Athy

 

I suppose im considering it because of a) price ( i would seek to lower this further below 21000 , reverse layout , c) respected builder & engine , d ) near to me for viewing and refitting ( i d be looking to move onto it in march and mooring prices seem ok - gravesnd is about 45 mins from home in S E london . e ) size & cruiser stern .

Looks like cosmetic refit inside , new galley fittings etc . & bathroom ( its to be for liveaboard )

 

Cheers

[J R ALSOP]

I used to work for Coles Morten Marine from their start, hulls built in the early days by Pennine Fabrications at Whaley Bridge, later built in house by Hancock and Lane kits, they then in their later years built to their own design.

I have a boat built by Pennine Fabrication the whole hull in 10mm plate and is as good as the day it was built in 1979. The steel used was all "good steel" and not the melted down tin cans that most boats are built with today.

as for Bukh engines I have a 2G105 2cyl 30hp, never missed a beat or a spanner on it (except for fuel and oil filters from new). The 10, 20 & 36hp DV series are second to none with counter rotating crankshaft balancing are vibration free, spares and advice freely available from T.W Marine at Furness Vale. High Peak.

[David Schweizer]

I used to visit Coles Morton at Whaley Bridge Dock in the late 1970's, when I was living in Buxton. Although I am not an expert in fabrication the boats always seemed to be well constructed.

 

As an aside, I seem to remember being told that Coles Morton was run by someone actually called Morton Coles, or has my memory failed me?

Edited October 4, 2012 by David Schweizer

[J R ALSOP]

No you are right, Coles Morten Marine was set up by Morten Coles, who I think still lives in Tideswell, and Willie Webb (who sadly passed away in October last year).

[chubby]

Hi

 

Thanks for your replies so far as im v grateful for any advice . As im looking for my first boat im looking for something that is within my budget but also not a minger . As a result i think something older , from a reliable & respected builder like the coles morton im thinking about , with an engine with a good rep might be the way forward .

 

Thanks again

[Timleech]

Hi

 

Thanks for your replies so far as im v grateful for any advice . As im looking for my first boat im looking for something that is within my budget but also not a minger . As a result i think something older , from a reliable & respected builder like the coles morton im thinking about , with an engine with a good rep might be the way forward .

 

Thanks again

 

If it's at Gravesend, surely it is in salt(ish) water? If so, how long has it been there? The answer could have a major bearing on the condition of the steelwork.

 

Tim

[carryon]

Hello all

 

Does anyone have any general info or opinions as to the standard of Coles Morton boats at all please . I have seen a 52 ft cruiser on Apolloduck . Infact its been there a long time .

Im a little concerned as to its age - built in 1982 , which seems old but if they are / were a good builder then i might be less so.

This boat has a BUKH DV20 engine which my research seems to suggest are very good . The ad says the engine and gearbox were rebuilt 2 yrs ago . Is this standard thing to do with an oldish engne - rebuild it ??

Also it has no BSSC , no recent survey , no license etc ( i wouldbe arranging a survey if i go any further ) . Price is 21000 which i d seek to lower further too .

Im just seeking some honest advice really as to whether an old boat like this , with rebuilt engine and gearbox is worth considering . My budgets are quite low so it could be an option but not if its likely to turn into a floating money pit but have no probs paying out for repairs etc if its viable .

Many thanks

Any opinions would be v helpful - this would be my first boat .

I have a CM of that vintage, with Bukh 20 HP engine. Only 6mm baseplate which can be problematic. Bukhs are v reliable and robust tho the DV 20 would be pushed to push a 52 footer. Price sounds very optimistic. I would want to knock at least 5k off that

[kendo]

Sorry to have come late to the Coles Morton party. We love ours.

 

I have a CM of that vintage, with Bukh 20 HP engine.

same here.

 

the DV 20 would be pushed to push a 52 footer.

We've been on the thames for three years with ours. It's true that we are not "fast", but we didn't buy a narrowboat to tow waterskiers. A strong stream can sometimes be problematical for us, admittedly. But most days we enjoy the fact that our 2 cylinders are burning less diesel than our 4 cylindered brethren. A few people said we "would be pushed" with an engine that size. but, in reality, we've been fine. Like you say, they are robust, and don't need a ton of revs to do their thing. We're happy with ours.

 

To the OP: If you've purchased this boat, whatever you do, don't buy "Bukh" parts. They are extremely overpriced, and you can often source an alternative from another vehicle. Examples: Bukh wanted 150 for a lift pump. We got one sent from Birmingham for 15. Filters: Bukh 15. 'other' 5. I find their pricing for spares, shameful.

[chubby]

Sorry to have come late to the Coles Morton party. We love ours.

 

 

same here.

 

 

We've been on the thames for three years with ours. It's true that we are not "fast", but we didn't buy a narrowboat to tow waterskiers. A strong stream can sometimes be problematical for us, admittedly. But most days we enjoy the fact that our 2 cylinders are burning less diesel than our 4 cylindered brethren. A few people said we "would be pushed" with an engine that size. but, in reality, we've been fine. Like you say, they are robust, and don't need a ton of revs to do their thing. We're happy with ours.

 

To the OP: If you've purchased this boat, whatever you do, don't buy "Bukh" parts. They are extremely overpriced, and you can often source an alternative from another vehicle. Examples: Bukh wanted 150 for a lift pump. We got one sent from Birmingham for 15. Filters: Bukh 15. 'other' 5. I find their pricing for spares, shameful.

 

Sorry to have come late to the Coles Morton party. We love ours.

 

 

same here.

 

 

We've been on the thames for three years with ours. It's true that we are not "fast", but we didn't buy a narrowboat to tow waterskiers. A strong stream can sometimes be problematical for us, admittedly. But most days we enjoy the fact that our 2 cylinders are burning less diesel than our 4 cylindered brethren. A few people said we "would be pushed" with an engine that size. but, in reality, we've been fine. Like you say, they are robust, and don't need a ton of revs to do their thing. We're happy with ours.

 

To the OP: If you've purchased this boat, whatever you do, don't buy "Bukh" parts. They are extremely overpriced, and you can often source an alternative from another vehicle. Examples: Bukh wanted 150 for a lift pump. We got one sent from Birmingham for 15. Filters: Bukh 15. 'other' 5. I find their pricing for spares, shameful.

 

Hi Kendo

 

Thanks for your reply .its been a while since I last looked here so sorry for the delay in responding . I haven't bought the boat and I'm still looking around . I got a bit spooked by an earlier reply mentioning the possibility of the hull being corroded at a greater rate by the saltiness of the water at Gravesend .

The price has dropped to21000 on apolloduck but I'm not sure about it as I know it's been there unused for a long time - since April this year and even 21000 seems too much to consider for a boat with no survey in many years , no safety Cert or license that will probably need the hull to be worked on . I'm hoping to buy a boat soon and immlooking at one this weekend with a view to living aboard on the Thames too . Cheers again

[Paul Grimshaw]

Came across this post while idly looking for Coles Morton info.

 

I worked for the company for over 12 years at the Wigan yard. We had 14 boats in the hire fleet ranging from 2 berth 20ft to 12 berth 65ft. The boats were all built at the same time for the Wigan yard. They always seemed a good build quality and took a lot of abuse from the hirers. Bent skegs, bent handrails, dented hulls, bent propshafts, broken windows, etc. were a weekly incident.

 

We used to have a hydraulic car jack mounted on a piece of steel which we would rest on the bent skeg with the top under the stern then jack it back down. Also used to change bent propshafts by taking the tiller off, a rope round the rudder top and bottom, lift the rudder out of the cup and out under the side of the boat and onto the deck. Then a rope round the prop via the weed hatch, push the shaft out and up onto the deck. Could be done in about 45 mins. :-D

 

Quite a few boats in the fleet got sunk on a regular basis, usually in locks by hirers leaving the front doors open while going up locks. We had a direct number for the local fire brigade. :-D

 

I sank two boats myself while I was there by taking the fresh water pumps off, leaving the stop cock open, getting side tracked and then filling the water tank up with a hose pipe. lol.

 

The boats were all blacked, painted, varnished every winter and the engines gone through as well as all internal components serviced.

 

The one and two cylinder engines always seemed to have a weak point on the engine mount castings which broke mainly due to bent propshafts or a high rev change from forward to reverse. :-D The three cylinder engines were smooth as you like and never gave any problems.

 

Good times. Mort used to invite us over to Whaley Bridge at Christmas to a function room over the pub for a party which usually ended up in a fight between the Wigan lads and the Whaley Bridge lads.

 

Sorry to hear about Willie. He was a good bloke.

 

Other people from Wigan were Tony Shilliday, Patrick, Ray and Rose.

[Paul Grimshaw]

The boats we had at Wigan were called, Whispering Tor, Higger Tor, Haigh Hall, Allinson Hall, ??? Hall, Kinder Peak, Pennine Wanderer, Pennine Expolorer, Winterburn, Cressbrook, Monsal, plus 3 others I can't remember.

 

Hope they are still around and enjoying a well deserved retirement. They deserve it.