Historic Boats for sale online

[Derek R.]

Somehow, Paul suffered a crankshaft failure with the PD and IIRC within six months of purchase. Yet that PD stonked us all around the system from the Thames to Gargrave without missing a beat, save for one incident where a fuel line cracked at the point it entered a banjo union. We were on the L & L at the time, and a short walk took us to a plant repair depot where it got re-brazed on. Other than that - faultless.

(The PD came from a ships lifeboat allegedly, somewhere in East Anglia courtesy of John Pattle, and was lifted in at Aylesbury. The BMC Commodore it replaced went into Brian Barnes KALAMAKI, and may still be there today).

 

The lack of 'lift' to the cabin at the stern was to emulate that of other 'Josher' motors. My biggest regret was not to have had the sides 'panelled'. But finances at the time precluded that option.

 

Prior to 1986 when the cabin and motor counter stern was created (Roger Farringdon and Co.) at Braunston :

 

At Wigan. IWA Rally '83?

 

 

 Françoise (Mother-in-Law) comes for tea.

 

 

[Admiral]

Ure

[John Brightley]

Coincidentally there's some 'blue tops' for boats like Ure for sale on eBay at the moment - £500 for 18. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276548997452

[BEngo]

On 17/07/2024 at 10:20, Derek R. said:

 

(The PD came from a ships lifeboat allegedly, somewhere in East Anglia courtesy of John Pattle, and was lifted in at Aylesbury. The BMC Commodore it replaced went into Brian Barnes KALAMAKI, and may still be there today).

Indeed it is. It did have a rebuild at some point.

 

N

 

 

[John Brightley]

What appears to be a BCN day boat conversion- £49k, moored at Hertford.

https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/narrow-boats-traditional-for-sale/760094

[stagedamager]

Greenlaw

 

https://www.abnb.co.uk/boat?BoatID=4063

[DShK]

2 hours ago, stagedamager said:

Greenlaw

 

https://www.abnb.co.uk/boat?BoatID=4063

Nice boat, but I would not buy an undercloth conversion (especially one of this price) without details of when it was re-footed. Much more important info for the brochure than who steered her....

[Garry shepherd]

12 minutes ago, DShK said:

Nice boat, but I would not buy an undercloth conversion (especially one of this price) without details of when it was re-footed. Much more important info for the brochure than who steered her....

But surely that’s a full length cabin I can see ? 

[David Mack]

Just now, Garry shepherd said:

But surely that’s a full length cabin I can see ? 

The point is equally valid whether a conventional cabin or undercloth conversion. If you are paying that much for a fully finished boat you don't want to be ripping out half the cabin lining, services, built in furniture etc. to refoot or rebottom the hull!

[Garry shepherd]

Well anybody that knows Greenlaw knows the boat has been fully done so no worries there although it is a tad expensive

[Tonka]

14 minutes ago, Garry shepherd said:

Well anybody that knows Greenlaw knows the boat has been fully done so no worries there although it is a tad expensive

But when was it fully done

[Garry shepherd]

I’m not getting in an argument I was simply saying it’s got a cabin on when you said it has got a cloth conversion cheers

[junior]

Greenlaw on the duck 

[DShK]

3 hours ago, Garry shepherd said:

I’m not getting in an argument I was simply saying it’s got a cabin on when you said it has got a cloth conversion cheers

Yes I mis-typed calling it an undercloth conversion. My point stands.

4 hours ago, Garry shepherd said:

Well anybody that knows Greenlaw knows the boat has been fully done so no worries there although it is a tad expensive

Surely anyone who knows the boat has passed up on buying it. Otherwise why would it be on brokerage. I don't know the boat, maybe I'd be interested in buying it.

[Garry shepherd]

I can’t answer that .It was owned by a good friend of mine I’ve had fun on it worked on it and slept on it . It’s a nice boat but hand start only and not worth the asking price. But if not for sale with a broker how do you sell it ? 

[Derek R.]

Word of mouth; post the details on blogs like this; and knock about £25k off the asking price.

Just saying.

 

It's good looking overall, and well equipped - perhaps a bit 'over' equipped. But what is there, is there, and best left there.

[Garry shepherd]

As a great man once said it is what it is . I say if you like it want it then have it 😉

[MtB]

35 minutes ago, Derek R. said:

Word of mouth; post the details on blogs like this; and knock about £25k off the asking price.

Just saying.

 

Exactly.

 

I suspect it's with a broker because the seller will have already put the word around, but everyone already knowing the boat and liking the idea of buying  it thought £90k-ish was a bit toppy. 

 

[Garry shepherd]

26 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Exactly.

 

I suspect it's with a broker because the seller will have already put the word around, but everyone already knowing the boat and liking the idea of buying  it thought £90k-ish was a bit toppy. 

 

 

I Take it as there’s nothing on here then there’s no boats in working trim for sale? 

[Derek R.]

Garry, a lot of boats get sold through the grapevine. It's who you know, and sometimes whether the prospective buyer is considered a worthy new owner.

Edited July 21 by Derek R.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Derek R. said:

Garry, a lot of boats get sold through the grapevine. It's who you know, and sometimes whether the prospective buyer is considered a worthy new owner.

 

^^^This^^^

 

If I ever sell my pretty little 'historic', I have a list of people in mind who have asked me to tell them if I ever sell before advertising it. My main concern will to choose someone who will appreciate the boat, understand it and look after it. If they can't afford the asking price I have in mind I am likely to be VERY flexible and virtually give it away to the right person as I'd rather that than than get top money from someone who doesn't seem that interested or well-informed about historics and canal history. It certainly won't be going to a broker. 

[rivergate]

10 hours ago, Garry shepherd said:

 

I Take it as there’s nothing on here then there’s no boats in working trim for sale? 

..not as easy to find as one might hope actually...I've been looking for a while.. 🙂

5 hours ago, MtB said:

 

^^^This^^^

 

If I ever sell my pretty little 'historic', I have a list of people in mind who have asked me to tell them if I ever sell before advertising it. My main concern will to choose someone who will appreciate the boat, understand it and look after it. If they can't afford the asking price I have in mind I am likely to be VERY flexible and virtually give it away to the right person as I'd rather that than than get top money from someone who doesn't seem that interested or well-informed about historics and canal history. It certainly won't be going to a broker. 

.. after chatting with a couple of folk selling - it does matter to them who they sell to - they want their boat to go to a good home who will appreciate " it " 🤷🙂

[koukouvagia]

Since 2017 there have been 176 historic boats for sale mentioned on this site (including Greenlaw which has been for sale three times).  So CWDF is a good place to start.

When we sold our historic boat we put an advert on Apolloduck which produced only a crop of fender kickers - pretty useless.  Word of mouth and an advert in the HNBC magazine did the trick.  I was only prepared to sell it to someone I reckoned would appreciate it and look after it.

 

 

[MtB]

1 hour ago, koukouvagia said:

Word of mouth and an advert in the HNBC magazine did the trick.

 

Ah, the HNBC Magazine!

 

This would be an excellent filter as only peeps interested enough in historics to have joined the HNBC will receive the mag and see the ad. 

 

Nor would it seem that much like advertising as we are probably already on at least nodding terms with half the members.

[alan_fincher]

16 hours ago, Derek R. said:

Word of mouth; post the details on blogs like this; and knock about £25k off the asking price.

Just saying.

 

16 hours ago, MtB said:

Exactly.

 

I suspect it's with a broker because the seller will have already put the word around, but everyone already knowing the boat and liking the idea of buying  it thought £90k-ish was a bit toppy. 

 

I agree that many historic narrow boat sales seem to be by word of mouth, rather than advertising publicly.  As suggested some potential vendors maybe keep contact details for people who have expressed an interest in owning the boat concerned.

I obviously never achieved the "canal cred" to make it on to any of these "preferred buyers" lists, so could only ever look to buy boats that were openly advertised - quite a limitation, as I suspect more are "not advertised" than those that are.  Both my current historics came via Apollo Duck.

 

Back to the original question though - some unconverted boats in largely working trim do make it on to Apollo Duck, Ebay, etc., though I don't remember many recently.

Another approach is to buy a boat with a largely life expired conversion or even a part completed conversion.  BRISTOL (aka DIPPER) was an example of the first and OTLEY an example of the second.