Historic Boats for sale online

[James Owen]

The plot thickens....... 

[Steve Priest]

32 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

Sorry about that Steve, I got the info about Newdigate from this site :-  http://www.deuchars.org.uk/hiwb/boatgallery/modern.htm   Fifth boat down. I must admit that I was a bit surprised about the claim, as I always thought that John has a hand in the building. Interestingly, I found another site that stated that Newbury was built by yourself and Simon Wain, but John always told me that it was one of Balliol's Boats , which would make the builders Dave Thomas and Roger Farrington, or were you working for him as well?

 

 

 

No problem, David,

 

Newbury was built at Braunston for Roger and Jackie Barnes in about 1980. Simon and Rex both worked there, but Simon had not long started boatbuilding at the time. I didn’t work there, I started my boatbuilding career at the WFBCo in 1982.

 

John and Madeleine Forth bought Newbury when they started coaling, first using the Newbury as a single boat but later with the butty Meteor. They decided that working with two motors would be better for them, hence they sold Meteor and ordered Newdigate from me. I am pretty sure that I built it in 1993, and whilst John did work on several jobs for or with me, he didn’t have any physical input into Newdigate as he was away coaling whilst it was being built. 

 

When they started to wind down the coaling they converted Newbury which was eventually sold on, and since John died Madeleine has converted Newdigate which she still owns

 

Steve  

[Steve Priest]

About five years ago we built a 70’ Northwich shaped working boat which ended up in Ian Rothen’s fleet as a crane boat under the name Hebe ( I think ).

 

It was built for a private customer as a carrying boat, but never was used as such, and whilst still not a carrying boat in the conventional sense it is out doing a job of work. I haven’t and recent photos though

 

Steve

[Captain Pegg]

6 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

Has this one had a mention yet?

 

https://www.apolloduck.com/boat/harland-and-wolff-39-cruiser-stern/631492

 

Does anybody know exactly what it is, please?

 

Presumably a butty back end now pointing the other way?

I believe that’s Safest Haven, see Pete’s post below regarding the origin of the boat.

 

JP

 

Edited to remove apparently incorrect information.

Edited February 21, 2020 by Captain Pegg

[Parahandy]

31 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

I believe that’s Safest Haven, originally the stern of Aurora that was converted to Water Violet.

 

JP

I am intrigued by this " Cut and Shut " as they would term it in the Motor Trade 

[pete harrison]

44 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

I believe that’s Safest Haven, originally the stern of Aurora that was converted to Water Violet.

 

JP

No - this is wrong information regardless of what might be claimed by both the H.N.B.C. website and David Williams / Peter Silvester's book Historic Working Narrow Boats Today - 2 page 72.

 

The stern of the small Woolwich butty AURORA did become WATER VIOLET but was renamed SHEARWATER following its sale into private ownership. I last saw SHEARWATER a couple of years ago tied in the marina at Abels Boatyard, Bristol and this boat has a known history.

 

The stern of the small Woolwich butty currently named SAFEST HAVEN is a completely different boat, and back in August 2001 was named MISS B'HAVING and tied at Shardlow. I have my suspicions what this boat was originally, but as this is only an opinion I am keeping it to myself - just like last time this boat was discussed on this Forum 

 

edit - I have photographs of both MISS B'HAVING (09 August 2001) and SHEARWATER (08 May 2000).

Edited February 21, 2020 by pete harrison

[stagedamager]

1 hour ago, Steve Priest said:

No problem, David,

 

Newbury was built at Braunston for Roger and Jackie Barnes in about 1980. Simon and Rex both worked there, but Simon had not long started boatbuilding at the time. I didn’t work there, I started my boatbuilding career at the WFBCo in 1982.

 

John and Madeleine Forth bought Newbury when they started coaling, first using the Newbury as a single boat but later with the butty Meteor. They decided that working with two motors would be better for them, hence they sold Meteor and ordered Newdigate from me. I am pretty sure that I built it in 1993, and whilst John did work on several jobs for or with me, he didn’t have any physical input into Newdigate as he was away coaling whilst it was being built. 

 

When they started to wind down the coaling they converted Newbury which was eventually sold on, and since John died Madeleine has converted Newdigate which she still owns

 

Steve  

That ties in Steve, mum and dad bought Meteor in '93, we tried to pick her up in the winter but got iced in at Fradley so returned in the Easter to collect her and took her back to Langley Mill trying to beat the floods on the Soar.

 

Kind regards

 

Dan

[David Schweizer]

3 hours ago, Steve Priest said:

No problem, David,

 

Newbury was built at Braunston for Roger and Jackie Barnes in about 1980. Simon and Rex both worked there, but Simon had not long started boatbuilding at the time. I didn’t work there, I started my boatbuilding career at the WFBCo in 1982.

 

John and Madeleine Forth bought Newbury when they started coaling, first using the Newbury as a single boat but later with the butty Meteor. They decided that working with two motors would be better for them, hence they sold Meteor and ordered Newdigate from me. I am pretty sure that I built it in 1993, and whilst John did work on several jobs for or with me, he didn’t have any physical input into Newdigate as he was away coaling whilst it was being built. 

 

When they started to wind down the coaling they converted Newbury which was eventually sold on, and since John died Madeleine has converted Newdigate which she still owns

 

Steve  

Thanks for that, I was not aware that Simon worked for Balliol but did know that Rex was working for him at the time, he was involved with the original fitting out of our boat Helvetia (originaly named "Narrow Squeak" and re-named "Napton" by Balliol when he re-aquired it)

[matty40s]

8 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

Has this one had a mention yet?

 

https://www.apolloduck.com/boat/harland-and-wolff-39-cruiser-stern/631492

 

Does anybody know exactly what it is, please?

 

Presumably a butty back end now pointing the other way?

This used to spend quite a lot of time around rugby.

[Athy]

39 minutes ago, matty40s said:

This used to spend quite a lot of time around rugby.

Perhaps it should have been named 'Six Nations'.

[ChimneyChain]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174198400746
 

Beech  up for sale again 

[MtB]

57 minutes ago, ChimneyChain said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174198400746
 

Beech  up for sale again 

 

Did it ever sell in the first place? 

 

It seems to have been for sale on and off for at least ten years.

 

 

[TheBiscuits]

1 hour ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Did it ever sell in the first place? 

 

It seems to have been for sale on and off for at least ten years.

 

 

"Total rebuild in 1986 every timber replaced"  so the usual 25 year cycle would take us to ... 2011.

 

"Only 9 years past her rebuild target life, not yet halfway past the due date" doesn't sound quite as good a hook, does it?

 

In fairness, she's on eBay currently at 300 quid ...

[Paddle]

On 22/02/2020 at 00:23, TheBiscuits said:

"Only 9 years past her rebuild target life, not yet halfway past the due date" doesn't sound quite as good a hook, does it?

What could be more perfect than buying a wooden narrowboat, unseen, from eBay? Particularly one with a 99p start, and that has been on the market for some years. At least it has new covers and a new lick of paint, that should help with the eventual sales price. If it looks good... then it's the perfect impulse buy.

[Jrtm]

On 21/02/2020 at 22:13, ChimneyChain said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174198400746
 

Beech  up for sale again 

Didnt sell to start with, I went and look about a month before getting towy,

 

By looks the outer back cabin has had some work, the blacking unless some planks replaced (know listing says 1 has) will still be hiding alot of work, the bottoms leak and needs a long 40 foot section replacing.

 

When ken ward had her, she did have a 15 bolly 

A gardener was fitted but removed and current engine fitted,

 

Fuel tanks all need refitting, rub guards.

 

It's a very nice strait boat but needs work.

 

I fear she will be up for sale many times with new owners once sold if dosnt sell to someone intended to do the work

I offered 5-8k 4 years ago and was rejected

[AndrewGVT]

On 21/02/2020 at 13:40, Steve Priest said:

About five years ago we built a 70’ Northwich shaped working boat which ended up in Ian Rothen’s fleet as a crane boat under the name Hebe ( I think ).

 

It was built for a private customer as a carrying boat, but never was used as such, and whilst still not a carrying boat in the conventional sense it is out doing a job of work. I haven’t and recent photos though

 

Steve

A very smart looking boat, always liked it from the first time I've seen it! 

 

Last saw it in 2018 near Stoke Hammond:

[Steve Priest]

Yes, that’s the one

[Athy]

On 23/02/2020 at 14:47, Paddle said:

What could be more perfect than buying a wooden narrowboat, unseen, from eBay? Particularly one with a 99p start, and that has been on the market for some years. At least it has new covers and a new lick of paint, that should help with the eventual sales price. If it looks good... then it's the perfect impulse buy.

It's a brave move on the seller's part to start the bidding at 99p - how would he have felt if he'd received only one bid, especially after his recent expenditure of £6,000? Fortunately the bidding has now risen above £4,000,m and there are still three days to go so it will almost certainly go higher.

[Loddon]

47 minutes ago, Athy said:

It's a brave move on the seller's part to start the bidding at 99p - how would he have felt if he'd received only one bid, especially after his recent expenditure of £6,000? Fortunately the bidding has now risen above £4,000,m and there are still three days to go so it will almost certainly go higher.

I almost always start eBay items st 99p only once in 15 years has an item failed to make what I thought ir was worth. Convesely when I have had a higher start price the item has rarely gone much above that price.

The classic example was a car I had, no mot and ecu faults I started at 99p. There were similar road worthy cars up for £3-400 start price and not selling. My car reached £500

Its the bidding mentality that makes it work.

[Jrtm]

5 hours ago, Athy said:

It's a brave move on the seller's part to start the bidding at 99p - how would he have felt if he'd received only one bid, especially after his recent expenditure of £6,000? Fortunately the bidding has now risen above £4,000,m and there are still three days to go so it will almost certainly go higher.

Given the reasont dock I'm guessing part of vinessa (vanessa) sorry I cant remember which way round it is, is to make it look as good as she can to get best price but it will still only prob fetch a sim price to what I offered 4 years ago, and shes had expenses sence then.

 

Depending on the work done and to what scale, by looking hull wise it's been replace the odd plank and smother in blacking, but I havent been to see it sence last did so cant fully comment but from looks this would be my guess as you will never get paint to stick to that bow or deck now if its covered in blacking

 

Look at Kent (think was kent) far better boat and sold for around 5k think it was, I nearly bought her, I had almost convinced Amanda to let me get her when she sold

[Jrtm]

O

On 21/02/2020 at 22:13, ChimneyChain said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174198400746
 

Beech  up for sale again 

If you look at the pic of the bow, look to the left! Fills you with confidence

[Paddle]

1 hour ago, billybobbooth said:

O

If you look at the pic of the bow, look to the left! Fills you with confidence

Great stuff that! Harder than the wood itself; what's not to like... Wouldn't get far with a small tub like that on 70' of narrow boat though, would you?

[Jrtm]

1 hour ago, Paddle said:

Great stuff that! Harder than the wood itself; what's not to like... Wouldn't get far with a small tub like that on 70' of narrow boat though, would you?

Might just about fill a crack by the time you have filtered and sanded and filtered and sanded and waited 4 days for the wood to shrink then start again then when you got it back in the cut it falls out as the wood expands

[hughc]

9 hours ago, billybobbooth said:

If you look at the pic of the bow, look to the left! Fills you with confidence

When we were very young and bought Avon the top bends were not good. Money was very tight and although we had dehogged her and replaced a good deal of planking the cost and complexity of the bends proved a step too far. We replaced the rotten sections with ferrocement based on expanded metal sheet and a rich mortar mix which ws cast in place and caulked where it abutted wood. We than ran the boat for some years and when painted the difference was noticable only to a very discerning eye. What was surprising was how flexible the repair was so drifting up to a lock cill one could see the bends flex a little as they absorbed the impact. I think they were still in place when the boat was broken up at Puttenham. Not all bodges are bad bodges and some existing boats would have been scrapped long ago but for a little 'out of the box' solutions. Regards, HughC.

[pete harrison]

On 21/02/2020 at 22:13, ChimneyChain said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174198400746
 

Beech  up for sale again 

BEECH sold yesterday on Ebay for £6252 - assuming the highest bidder pays up