Completely New And In Need Of Advice!

[Sileni]

Hullo!

My partner and I have been looking to move on to a narrowboat for over a year now, and we've been lurking around on this forum for ages trying to pick up all the requisite information we need. The problem is that for a lot of things, reading about it is one thing, looking at a boat in person and trying to apply what we've read is quite another!

Anyhoo, we decided to start properly looking at boats this year and have pretty much settled on a one that friends of ours have recently lived on. They had no problems with it, and we trust the current owner not to mess us around, but I'm still thinking about getting a survey done just incase anything's been overlooked that might need urgent repair work.

I'm known for being a bit pragmatic (read paranoid), but in this case, would it be a more sensible decision to take? If so, can anyone recommend surveyers in/around London?

Cheers

[Guest]

Hullo!

 

My partner and I have been looking to move on to a narrowboat for over a year now, and we've been lurking around on this forum for ages trying to pick up all the requisite information we need. The problem is that for a lot of things, reading about it is one thing, looking at a boat in person and trying to apply what we've read is quite another!

 

Anyhoo, we decided to start properly looking at boats this year and have pretty much settled on a one that friends of ours have recently lived on. They had no problems with it, and we trust the current owner not to mess us around, but I'm still thinking about getting a survey done just incase anything's been overlooked that might need urgent repair work.

 

I'm known for being a bit pragmatic (read paranoid), but in this case, would it be a more sensible decision to take? If so, can anyone recommend surveyers in/around London?

 

Cheers

 

If you need to finance the purchase on a marine mortgage you will need a survey anyway.

 

If you already have the funds or are planning to raise them another way Irrespective of what the owner may or may not have done you will need at the very least to have the hull condition verified as a minimum.

 

 

ed sorry my manners - welcome to the forum.

Edited July 22, 2013 by The Dog House

[Jo_]

Someone else will recommend the surveyor. I'm just here to say yes, absolutely yes, get a survey. You must. Especially because the boat is a friend's boat. You both need to be sure what's what. And the surveyor will give you a value, too - just in case you and your friend aren't sure what the right price should be.

 

Ooo, yes. Echoing Martin, excuse MY manners too. Welcome to the Forum!

Edited July 22, 2013 by Jo_

[Lady Muck]

Hullo!

 

My partner and I have been looking to move on to a narrowboat for over a year now, and we've been lurking around on this forum for ages trying to pick up all the requisite information we need. The problem is that for a lot of things, reading about it is one thing, looking at a boat in person and trying to apply what we've read is quite another!

 

Anyhoo, we decided to start properly looking at boats this year and have pretty much settled on a one that friends of ours have recently lived on. They had no problems with it, and we trust the current owner not to mess us around, but I'm still thinking about getting a survey done just incase anything's been overlooked that might need urgent repair work.

 

I'm known for being a bit pragmatic (read paranoid), but in this case, would it be a more sensible decision to take? If so, can anyone recommend surveyers in/around London?

 

Cheers

Boatyards are really busy in and around London - I found the only way I could get the time the crane/drydock to be free at the same time as a surveyor was to get a boatyard to organise it. You also need to organise how you will get the boat there and who will take it - if your boat is on one side of London and the yard on the opposite side, then it could be 1 or 2 days cruising. Where is the boat?

Edited July 22, 2013 by Lady Muck

[Sileni]

Hi Jo and Martin!

Thanks for the advice! We've got the funds for the boat, but definitely want to be sure about how much maintenance she'll need.

I look forward to meeting everyone on the canals!

-Debbie

Boatyards are really busy in and around London - I found the only way I could get the time the crane/drydock to be free at the same time as a surveyor was to get a boatyard to organise it. You also need to organise how you will get the boat there and who will take it - if your boat is on one side of London and the yard on the opposite side, then it could be 1 or 2 days cruising. Where is the boat?

It's in Kensal Green at the moment. Should I look up boatyards near by and contact them directly then?

ps. Really appreaciative of all the advice I can get!

-Debbie

Edited July 22, 2013 by Sileni

[bizzard]

Most dry docks set aside one day each week to accommodate surveys, often Mondays.

[Sileni]

Thanks Bizzard, it's good to know!

[Greedyheron]

And to add to everyone else's good advice- attend the survey. It's a really good way to learn about all the systems on the boat and you will be able to see that the surveyor does a thorough job ( yes I'm sure most surveyors would do a thorough job anyway but I'm still sore about the surveyor I last used not doing so).

And welcome and enjoy!

[Lady Muck]

Hi Jo and Martin!

 

Thanks for the advice! We've got the funds for the boat, but definitely want to be sure about how much maintenance she'll need.

 

I look forward to meeting everyone on the canals!

 

-Debbie

It's in Kensal Green at the moment. Should I look up boatyards near by and contact them directly then?

 

ps. Really appreaciative of all the advice I can get!

 

-Debbie

 

Try Uxbridge Boat Centre

01895 252019

High Line Yachting 01753 651496

Any more, people?

Most dry docks set aside one day each week to accommodate surveys, often Mondays.

I never knew that! Thanks!

[bottle]

Debbie

 

Welcome, just to add yes get a survey, there are basically to types, Hull survey just prove it will not sink or a full survey, this should also check all the internals (gas, electrics etc).

 

Talk to your surveyor before the survey and discuss what you want done.

 

Definitely be at the survey.

 

Having a survey will not only give you a little peace of mind but will also give peace of mind to the seller, especially as he is a friend.

[Sileni]

Thanks Keith!

I know this will vary from surveyor to surveyor, but do you know roughly what they're likely to charge for a hull survey vs a full survey?

-Debbie

[nicknorman]

You've obviously got the message re survey, but just to make the point that its not about not trusting your friend the seller. There may be some impending issue with the boat that they are simply not aware of (hopefully not, of course). Because its a friend, and therefore you don't want any post-sale issue to sully that friendship, its all the more important to have a survey.

[bottle]

Debbie

 

Sorry have no idea on costs but someone here will.

 

Maybe a call to some surveyors would help.

 

I see Lady Muck mentioned two options.

[Sileni]

Try Uxbridge Boat Centre

01895 252019

High Line Yachting 01753 651496

Any more, people?

I never knew that! Thanks!

 

Thanks! I'll give them a call, hopefully they'll have some availability within august, pretty keen to get on the water!

[Caprifool]

No boat is worth loosing a friend over. By surveying, your friend will be sure of what he is selling. And you will be sure of what you are buying. And if there's problems, you could both help fixing it. Like good friends do.

[Jo_]

We had ours done four years ago. Full survey by Steve Hands; great report with photographs and long conversation/discussion about it. He would have been happy for us to be there but we couldn't make it. The cost was £570; this is in the Midlands.

 

Don't know if it costs more down there. Whether you need to add in craning out costs etc.

 

As has been said on other threads here in the past, get a few surveyors identified by people on here (like the two Lady Muck suggests), ring and ask them when and where they could do it and what the cost will be. Keep notes and sit and look at it all, working out - in your case - whether you and your friend can get the boat there. Thenmake your decision. And the cruise there with your friend would be a good opportunity to get a bit of a feel for the boat.

[hellhound]

Hello everyone, I'm Debbie's partner; Jeremy.

 

I have an odd question.

 

Is there anything like temporary moorings with a patch of land for a tent for a month or two as I'm having my Mum come over from New Zealand and would like to be able to put her up to make it a bit cheaper for herself and I think the boat itself would be a little to small for 3 for such a length time. I work in Finchley so I don't mind anywhere that will be at most an hour on a motorbike away.

[Gypsey_Kings]

We had ours done four years ago. Full survey by Steve Hands; great report with photographs and long conversation/discussion about it. He would have been happy for us to be there but we couldn't make it. The cost was £570; this is in the Midlands.

 

We also had ours done by Steve Hands last month £590 for 59ft (ie £10 per foot). Excellent job - highlighted a problem with the mushroom vents that you could not see ... easy to fix but would have been expensive if nothing was done about it. Very through report.

Hands On Marine Ltd

Tel: 01332 919009

Mob: 0790 888 5034

E: info@handsonmarine.com

www.handsonmarine.com

 

EDIT: and the survey was done in Reading...

Edited July 23, 2013 by Gypsey_Kings

[MtB]

Hello everyone, I'm Debbie's partner; Jeremy.

 

I have an odd question.

 

Is there anything like temporary moorings with a patch of land for a tent for a month or two as I'm having my Mum come over from New Zealand and would like to be able to put her up to make it a bit cheaper for herself and I think the boat itself would be a little to small for 3 for such a length time. I work in Finchley so I don't mind anywhere that will be at most an hour on a motorbike away.

 

Nothing like this formally and widely available, but certain marinas also have campsites attached, eg, Braunston Marina near Daventry. Probably a bit more than a hour on a bike from Finchley though. Other than that, it's a case of getting out of London into the countryside and striking a deal with a farmer I'd say.

 

MtB

[Graham Davis]

You could join The Camping and Caravan Club as they have several camp sites around London.

[MtB]

You could join The Camping and Caravan Club as they have several camp sites around London.

 

I think Jeremy wanted camping next to a boat mooring.

 

MtB

[Lady Muck]

Well there's Lee Valley Parks campsite near Picketts Lock on the Lee (not very glam location)

There's also Roydon Marina Village, they used to take tents don't know if they still do? Train to London doesn't take long.

 

But in both cases you cannot camp next to boat.

[Graham Davis]

Possibly MtB, but I thought I'd give an idea of what else might be available near-by.