Good Boat Bad Boat?

[Ray T]

Ally, NB terminology:

 

[Ally Charlton]

thanks ray, this is great!!! just what I need, although you realise what you've done, I will now literally feel the need to Wikipedia every term. I'll show the horse drawn one to my dad, he knows all this stuff anyway. A working boatman for forty years, I'm so proud of him

[MtB]

Grate link Ray, I LURVE all the terms associated with NB parts and paraphernalia.

 

My current fave is 'swingletree', although not restricted to NBs.

 

 

MtB

[BGA]

Hi

 

I am now into month three of my "do lots of research before you part with a penny" stage of first time boat ownership.

 

Yesterday I visited a boat builders who had an open day. Not because I can afford a £160k boat (maybe if I win the lottery) but mostly because it's an opportunity to see a lot of boats and ask a lot of questions.

 

somebody told me that a Hudson boat is the best one to buy second hand because they are so solidly built. Now I know that no-one can make a claim like this because all sorts of things will affect the quality of a second hand boat, but it did make me wonder

 

when buying a second hand boat, are there any names that you should look out for because they have a reputation of being built well and even more importantly are there any that you should be wary of because they just weren't built that well in the first place.

 

PM me if you don't want to post the latter on an open forum

 

Any advice appreciated

 

ally

I was told by a wise man, "Choose ten "must haves" on the the boat you are looking for, when you find one that scores 8, thats the boat for you" I'm still looking highest score so far is 6.

[Athy]

Thanks for publishing those explanatory drawings Ray, greeno for you. It's worth adding for Ally's benefit that many of thsese terms are rarely used on modern boats. Fascinating nonetheless though.

[mark99]

I was told by a wise man, "Choose ten "must haves" on the the boat you are looking for, when you find one that scores 8, thats the boat for you" I'm still looking highest score so far is 6.

 

Or the phrase I read in here - "you don't pick the boat, the boat picks you".

 

Certainly happened in our case. Saw loads of boats with our list of must haves - when we stepped into current boat the last thing we did was check any "list" we just said yep!

[Neil2]

 

Or the phrase I read in here - "you don't pick the boat, the boat picks you".

 

Certainly happened in our case. Saw loads of boats with our list of must haves - when we stepped into current boat the last thing we did was check any "list" we just said yep!

The craziest example of this I came across some years ago in I think Motor Boat magazine where a couple had gone to the boat show looking for a canal cruiser and came away with an American V8 petrol powered sea going planing boat. That's either a classic example of the boat finding the buyer, or the slickest sales technique you've ever seen. Personally I suspect they probably traded it in eventually for some magic beans.

[RLWP]

I'm still excitedly waiting for my magic beans to germinate. Reassuringly expensive, aren't they

 

Richard

[Ally Charlton]

Yes, I have been told by umpteen people that the right boat finds you, it's just really good fun to look around and make a dream list though isn't it?

 

ok just to refer back to Ray's drawings, v. useful, even if these are not commonly used terms I like the fact that next time i'm in a brokers, they wont be able to use any one of these words however unlikely) and I am left with the often encountered choice of asking a) "what does that mean"? thereby (in my own cynical mind) probably adding ten grand to the price of any potential purchase or nodding knowingly as if I understand fully but actually walking away understanding frig all and having missed an opportunity to learn something.

 

by the by, is it me or do a lot of NB terms have lewd connotations. (stretchers, rams head, breasting hook, long shaft). Perhaps I need to get my mind out of the gutter, but really?!!!

[Ray T]

 

by the by, is it me or do a lot of NB terms have lewd connotations. (stretchers, rams head, breasting hook, long shaft). Perhaps I need to get my mind out of the gutter, but really?!!!

 

Ally, I guess you haven't seen this thread?

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=51842

[Athy]

.

 

 

Oddly enough, earlier today I was going to string together some of the terms which had lewd connotations but I decided that it would be improper to do so with ladies present.

 

Ho hum.

 

You do realise that you may be tested on the Naming Of The Parts before being allowed near another broker?

Edited July 31, 2013 by Athy

[Ally Charlton]

Oh man these are hilarious, you know I actually hesitated to post that last post because I thought you might be such serious people who wouldn't approve ;-) . I think I need to move on to the virtual pub. LOL

I can pass "the naming of the parts", providing I can cheat and google in between.

[RLWP]

.

 

 

Oddly enough, earlier today I was going to string together some of the terms which had lewd connotations but I decided that it would be improper to do so with ladies present.

 

Ho hum.

 

You do realise that you may be tested on the Naming Of The Parts before being allowed near another broker?

 

One of my favourite poems. Have a greenie for good taste

 

Richard

 

Naming of parts

[Athy]

 

Have a greenie for good taste

 

Richard

 

Which in your case you have not got?

[RLWP]

 

Richard

[Ships Cat]

Ally, sounds as if whatever the engine you have you won't be able to do more than the basic ongoing repairs yourself. If I had to take one to bits, it would be the Lister before anything else, cos they're easy to take apart. You should suit yourself. That said, I hope you're not at all picky with what comes with it. For me, a liveaboard needs storage. And a hospital exhaust so I don't cheese the neighbours off in a marina so i'd not hear the engine anyway, much.

 

Given that marine engines - on NB's or bloody great cruising boats, work by switching on, going up to 60-80% of their working capacity, typically stay there for hours on end and then switch off, they just don't wear out.

 

Leaving them stood for years without starting is very bad for them so if you buy one that's not been started for yonks, I'd have it serviced before you even consider buying it. Hoses age.

 

Apolloduck is a dangerous site that leads to fanciful wanderings and fateful addiction.

 

I'm finding that list of good hulls very welcome. Protecting your capital investment with an eye to the future is a sensible thing to do.

[RLWP]

That's a good post, only a couple of things I'd challenge

 

 

 

marine engines - on NB's or bloody great cruising boats, work by switching on, going up to 60-80% of their working capacity

 

I doubt most canal boats go up to 30% of their capacity.

 

 

 

If I had to take one to bits, it would be the Lister before anything else, cos they're easy to take apart

 

Surely you should be looking for an engine that is easy to put back together. C/f alarm clocks

 

Richard

[Ally Charlton]

I just got an email from someone called Grant whom I don't know to my Hotmail, stating that there is a private television company making a documentary who want to speak to prospective boaters and was I interested? There is no way he can no me except from this forum. He also said that they had already spoken to lots of experienced boaters. Has anyone else been approached? Can anyone shed any light on this?

[Tuscan]

I just got an email from someone called Grant whom I don't know to my Hotmail, stating that there is a private television company making a documentary who want to speak to prospective boaters and was I interested? There is no way he can no me except from this forum. He also said that they had already spoken to lots of experienced boaters. Has anyone else been approached? Can anyone shed any light on this?

Think you should reply using some of the nautical terms learnt earlier in this thread !!

[Athy]

Start negociations with the essential Northern question (even if you aren't Northern):

"'ow mooch?"

[Ally Charlton]

you know for ages I have been staring at that weird little roof thing and wondering what is it and what is it for. Thanks to Rays post I now know it's a Pigeon Box and what it's for. I really like these, you know the pretty painted ones? Grant, if you're reading, can you cover the cost of one of these pretty paint jobs, its on my wish list. he he he!!! juuuuuuuuuuuuust kidding!!!

 

Tuscan what nautical terms did you have in mind?

[Ray T]

you know for ages I have been staring at that weird little roof thing and wondering what is it and what is it for. Thanks to Rays post I now know it's a Pigeon Box and what it's for. I really like these, you know the pretty painted ones? Grant, if you're reading, can you cover the cost of one of these pretty paint jobs, its on my wish list. he he he!!! juuuuuuuuuuuuust kidding!!!

 

 

To whet your appetite:

 

[Ally Charlton]

ray, oh my Lord, I could never expose this to the elements. I WANT ONE!!!!!

[Ray T]

ray, oh my Lord, I could never expose this to the elements. I WANT ONE!!!!!

 

From Terence, here:

 

http://www.canalartbyterence.com/pigeonBox.html

[OldGoat]

ray, oh my Lord, I could never expose this to the elements. I WANT ONE!!!!!

 

I've never quite understood why boaters of today would want to festoon their modern powered vessels with a piece of brassware designed to soothe a working horse in it's travails. 'Twould be more correct to mount it on a "Pad" and complete it with a full set of working harness, be it with a Collar or Breast (if you're a Continental).

 

OTOH it's a beautiful sight; far too nice to be used and subjected to today's diesel smoke.