Taking the plunge into vintage narrowboats

[IanR]

Hi folks, my first post so be gentle!!

 

I've started to look for an old boat, with a view to basic living and workspace. The idea is to buy a mooring with workshop space on land, then have the boat for accomodation and admiring. I've seen a few which I liked, but only have real interest in an original oldie. One I looked at was the wooden motor 'Ian' at Warwickshire Fly Boat. I've been warned off a wooden boat but... ideally, its nearly perfect due to its 'nearly' working boat fit out. Has anyone any further knowledge of this boat and engine, good or bad? A pm might be better if there's some nasties out there! My idea of living aboard is only slightly more luxurious than a boatmans cabin, so an unconverted boat would be perfect. Any others due to come onto the market or available?

 

An help or other ideas most welcome.

 

Cheers, Ian.

[ditchcrawler]

Hi folks, my first post so be gentle!!

 

I've started to look for an old boat, with a view to basic living and workspace. The idea is to buy a mooring with workshop space on land, then have the boat for accomodation and admiring. I've seen a few which I liked, but only have real interest in an original oldie. One I looked at was the wooden motor 'Ian' at Warwickshire Fly Boat. I've been warned off a wooden boat but... ideally, its nearly perfect due to its 'nearly' working boat fit out. Has anyone any further knowledge of this boat and engine, good or bad? A pm might be better if there's some nasties out there! My idea of living aboard is only slightly more luxurious than a boatmans cabin, so an unconverted boat would be perfect. Any others due to come onto the market or available?

 

An help or other ideas most welcome.

 

Cheers, Ian.

Best of luck finding the mooring and workshop. I would think a boat would be easy compared to that.

[Laurence Hogg]

Hi folks, my first post so be gentle!!

 

I've started to look for an old boat, with a view to basic living and workspace. The idea is to buy a mooring with workshop space on land, then have the boat for accomodation and admiring. I've seen a few which I liked, but only have real interest in an original oldie. One I looked at was the wooden motor 'Ian' at Warwickshire Fly Boat. I've been warned off a wooden boat but... ideally, its nearly perfect due to its 'nearly' working boat fit out. Has anyone any further knowledge of this boat and engine, good or bad? A pm might be better if there's some nasties out there! My idea of living aboard is only slightly more luxurious than a boatmans cabin, so an unconverted boat would be perfect. Any others due to come onto the market or available?

 

An help or other ideas most welcome.

 

Cheers, Ian.

 

Ian is a lovely boat but its been for sale a long long time. I have had several wooden motors in my life and its tempted me I must say but i'v stuck with my Woolwich! One thing that I noticed was the top spike is missing in the stem bar, now that to me strikes me a bit odd, I certainly wouldnt have left the hole unfilled so I would reccomend a thorough survey of the boat by someone who knows wooden boats. Theres a couple of people on the forum whilst not being surveyors they know their stuff when it comes to wood. The price has dropped on Ian by a long way so at the moment it could become a real bargain, but get it looked over first.

[Tuscan]

Best of luck finding the mooring and workshop. I would think a boat would be easy compared to that.

 

 

Yes if you haven't bought the land with residential permission already , I would forget looking for the boat as thats the least of your problems.

[carlt]

Ian had a lot of work done about 25 years ago and has been maintained, up until about 4 years ago by someone with both the money and enthusiasm but I know he wasn't happy with the quality of some of the work.

 

He's now been working abroad for a few years and it has sat at WFBCo deteriorating, mainly cosmetically, for that time though I understand it has had one trip up to Brinklow for some work during its lay up.

 

If the price drops below £12k then I may be tempted to go and talk to the bank manager but I'd probably budget at least the same again for remedial works.

 

Puppis was a nice boat before they put that horrible conversion on it though I think it went downhill a bit, after Andrea died.

[Laurence Hogg]

Yes if you haven't bought the land with residential permission already , I would forget looking for the boat as thats the least of your problems.

Stop being so negative, if he pm's me I can tell him where there is moorings available and he could have a workshop!

[carlt]

One thing that I noticed was the top spike is missing in the stem bar, now that to me strikes me a bit odd, I certainly wouldnt have left the hole unfilled so I would reccomend a thorough survey of the boat by someone who knows wooden boats.

I suspect the stem post is one area that will need work and there is no firm wood behind the iron to hold the spike but you're absolutely right the hole should have been pumped full of cuprinol 5 star and plugged with pitch to slow down any further deterioration.

 

Stop being so negative, if he pm's me I can tell him where there is moorings available and he could have a workshop!

I'd buy Puppis to live on and have Ian as a workshop if I was inclined to return to working boats.

 

If anyone came sniffing round my mooring asking about planning permission I'd point them in the direction of the case of the alpaca lady, and the Driffield couple, as evidence that my land wasn't being used for residential purposes.

Edited October 5, 2012 by carlt

[IanR]

Yes if you haven't bought the land with residential permission already , I would forget looking for the boat as thats the least of your problems.

 

There's a couple of suitable moorings with three acres available here in Staffs, but we could move to wherever really, we are both self employed marionette, model makers and restorers so we are a self contained unit and we'd go to where the mooring was. Cheers for the info on Ian, I noticed it'd been for sale for years, with a massive price drop to boot!!

 

Ian.

 

Ian had a lot of work done about 25 years ago and has been maintained, up until about 4 years ago by someone with both the money and enthusiasm but I know he wasn't happy with the quality of some of the work.

 

He's now been working abroad for a few years and it has sat at WFBCo deteriorating, mainly cosmetically, for that time though I understand it has had one trip up to Brinklow for some work during its lay up.

 

If the price drops below £12k then I may be tempted to go and talk to the bank manager but I'd probably budget at least the same again for remedial works.

 

Puppis was a nice boat before they put that horrible conversion on it though I think it went downhill a bit, after Andrea died.

 

Puppis looked like it had promise, though I agree about the steel conversion, lots of space but its not how I'd want it to look. I met Puppis' new owner when I was looking at Ian, he's a really nice bloke and he'll soon have it knocked into shape!!

 

Ian.