Historic Boats for sale online

[alan_fincher]

Is Gosty hill a desirable working boat?

It is not a bad looking boat, but (and this is purely a personal view), not desirable enough to attract a buyer at the kind of optimistic pring they tried going with for far too long.

 

Significantly more desirable, (in many people's eyes), boats have strugglde to sell at not a lot more money.

[Athy]

When buying or selling a coal/diesel business continuity is everything. Without continuity is simply an old working boat with a tank and pump.

 

I have seen several over the past few years attempting to sell, "with business" even though they have stopped trading. If you stop trading on a lucrative round, give it a fortnight and someone else will turn up with their own boat, no need to buy yours.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

Good point George, but as far as I know nobody is currently trading on that section (Claydon to Napton).

[furnessvale]

Good point George, but as far as I know nobody is currently trading on that section (Claydon to Napton).

Fair enough. When I saw Gosty Hill it was running the Ashby and that whole pound. That IS a desirable pound. Running from the top of Atherstone to Coventry including the Ashby. A 6" stop lock at Sutton Stop gets you to Hillmorton. 3 paired locks there,so no problems with stoppages, gets you to Braunston, and Napton.

 

That's a lot of mileage, and customers, with virtually no locking!

 

George ex nb Alton retired

Edited May 11, 2014 by furnessvale

[Athy]

Come to think of it, yes, I think we once passed Gosty Hill on the Ashby. I say "passed", perhaps "squeezed round", as it was grounded on a shallow bit.

[MtB]

Well Dusty knocked it on the head a couple of weeks ago so I hear, and a new bod has taken over Dusty's business. He may turn out to want to trade north of Cropredy anyway.

 

MtB

[Athy]

Well Dusty knocked it on the head a couple of weeks ago so I hear, and a new bod has taken over Dusty's business. He may turn out to want to trade north of Cropredy anyway.

 

MtB

Really? That must be recent, as we passed him over the Easter weekend. If it's true, he (Mark) will be missed.

[Proper Job]

He's been trying to sell the business for a while, but finding a suitable person with the cash and to pass the interview was proving difficult

 

He will certainly be missed and the new person has a very large pair of boots to fill

[Black Ibis]

http://www.wfbco.co.uk/narrowboats_for_sale/Virgo

 

Virgo for sale. Very sparse ad!

[Proper Job]

Sparse!

 

You're not kidding

[archie57]

- and it's not a historic boat!

[Athy]

Well, it does give you a link to a web site where there are further photographs. The mention of Dave Harris will surely make some fans of true historic boats prick up their ears, as I understand that his boats are asnearasdammit to the "real thing".

 

Edited to add: I tried to follow the link but could not find it in my search engine!

Edited May 12, 2014 by Athy

[alan_fincher]

http://www.wfbco.co.uk/narrowboats_for_sale/Virgo

 

Virgo for sale. Very sparse ad!

 

I'm trying to remember, but was that not also up for sale by them a few years back?

 

If I'm thinking of the right one, unless it has an external paint job since, I think I might know why the advert has no external shots!

 

EDIT:

 

Scrub all that - I wrongly assumed this was the real "Virgo", not a modern boat!

The mention of Dave Harris will surely make some fans of true historic boats prick up their ears, as I understand that his boats are asnearasdammit to the "real thing".

 

Well he seems to do a good replica Josher.

 

However, I'm also aware of a replica "Grand Union" boat that is down to him, and to my eyes it is nothing like as close as the Brinklow Boats offering.

 

It's all about subtleties though, and others may not agree with me, I accept!

 

EDIT:

 

Linky for this one

 

 

Shame about the 3 cylinder Gardner - with a proper narrow boat engine it might be quite appealing!

Actually it doesn't look too bad as an attempt at a "Grand Union" front end......

 

 

The fenders (both front and side!) hardly help the effect though!

Edited May 12, 2014 by alan_fincher

[MtB]

And on the same site, on the off chance Alan hasn't seen this or found out about it by other means:

 

"Ajax

70' converted station boat with back cabin,DM2 in engine room,permanent double,all usual facilities-arriving end of May-more details and photos soon.

£60000.00"

MtB

[alan_fincher]

 

And on the same site, on the off chance Alan hasn't seen this or found out about it by other means:

 

"Ajax

70' converted station boat with back cabin,DM2 in engine room,permanent double,all usual facilities-arriving end of May-more details and photos soon.

£60000.00"

MtB

 

 

Well I'm now perfectly prepared to say that this is the boat we have twice thought we were going to buy.

 

On two different occasions we have agreed the owners price without haggling, and on both occassions he did a runner, even when we were there with cash for a deposit in our pocket.

 

Given that Warwickshire Fly will now want their commission, I can't imagine he is going to get a better deal than he would have from us, and I simply cannot imagine what he thinks he is playing at.

 

If anybody actually manages to buy this boat they will have done far better than we achieved, but we are out of it now, as I simply will not be buggered about any longer.

 

If anybody is interested, PM me, and I'll tell you what I think you are going to need to spend money on - there are plenty of small things that will quickly add up!

[RLWP]

I notice the advert says 'coming soon', so who knows

 

Richard

[Derek R.]

Shame about the Gardner?!?

 

You've got too used to that tin can full of nails Lister!

[Athy]

I notice the advert says 'coming soon', so who knows

 

Richard

Well, these are not Warwickshire Fly Boys, they are a reputable company, so one can surely be optimistic.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Athy

[RLWP]

Well, these are not Warwickshire Fly Boys, they are a reputable company, so one can surely be optimistic.

 

It wasn't the WFB I was wondering about

 

Richard

[billS]

 

Well I'm now perfectly prepared to say that this is the boat we have twice thought we were going to buy.

 

On two different occasions we have agreed the owners price without haggling, and on both occassions he did a runner, even when we were there with cash for a deposit in our pocket.

 

Given that Warwickshire Fly will now want their commission, I can't imagine he is going to get a better deal than he would have from us, and I simply cannot imagine what he thinks he is playing at.

 

If anybody actually manages to buy this boat they will have done far better than we achieved, but we are out of it now, as I simply will not be buggered about any longer.

 

If anybody is interested, PM me, and I'll tell you what I think you are going to need to spend money on - there are plenty of small things that will quickly add up!

 

It does seem very odd behaviour. Could it be that the vendor is nervous about the selling process, potential liabilities etc, and prefers to do the sale through a recognised vendor?

 

If the price is right for you, and the boat does actually make it up to Stockton which would show at least some commitment to the sale, then why not go for it if it's the boat that you want?

[Black Ibis]

Apologies, when I posted the link this morning the website had one internal photo and no details so i thought it might be the actual Virgo. They have now put more detail up qhich clearly shows its not historic!

[pete harrison]

edit - deleted as I had not read the last page of posts (761 onwards) and that the true identity of the non historic VIRGO has been established

Edited May 12, 2014 by pete harrison

[alan_fincher]

 

It does seem very odd behaviour. Could it be that the vendor is nervous about the selling process, potential liabilities etc, and prefers to do the sale through a recognised vendor?

 

If the price is right for you, and the boat does actually make it up to Stockton which would show at least some commitment to the sale, then why not go for it if it's the boat that you want?

 

Well he stated he was very keen to avoid vendors commission, so no, I don't think so.

 

Based on what has happened to date, if he actually manages to get a cleared boat to Stockton that someone could pay for, and "drive" away, that will be a very big step forward.

 

Having been completely let down twice, I would not be up for trying again, even so, I think.

[mark99]

 

Well he stated he was very keen to avoid vendors commission, so no, I don't think so.

 

Based on what has happened to date, if he actually manages to get a cleared boat to Stockton that someone could pay for, and "drive" away, that will be a very big step forward.

 

Having been completely let down twice, I would not be up for trying again, even so, I think.

 

 

I understand your reticence. However if now a broker is involved you could just advise broker you will purchase, appraise broker of your concerns, ensure any notional deposit is refundable and let the brokers do the work without you getting too involved?

 

Unless you feel that the deal will be cancelled after laying out money on a survey.

 

You could still look for other boats in the meanwhile.

[magnetman]

LMS ajax?

[alan_fincher]

Unless you feel that the deal will be cancelled after laying out money on a survey.

 

I wasn't going to get it surveyed.

 

I was a cash buyer, agreeing to pay the vendors price.

 

He would have avoided brokerage costs, and me possibly coming back trying to renegotiate on the basis of what the survey found.

 

If he manages to sell it so easily elsewhere, I think I'll be kind of surprised.

 

(Boats hardly race of Warwickshire Fly's books usually - and even less so as the "asking").