Surveyors and Insurance for First Time Boat Owner

[glitterhotdog]

Hello there!

 

I'm about to finally take the leap and buy my first time boat, a nice little 45ft steel hull fibreglass top thing with a lot of interior refitting needed as thieves gutted most of the insides.

 

I'm thinking I want a survey on the hull just so I know how soon I'm going to have to do some serious work on it or whether I've got a few years left in the old girl. (it's from the 60s/70s)

 

I've been led to believe replating costs about £3-5,000 ish around that size, please please correct me if I'm way off the mark.

 

I'm in the Shipley/Saltaire/Bingley area and have got a quote from Bluestar surveys at £345 for a pre-purchase survey or £285 for a hull survey. I've also emailed Broadcut marine for a quote too. Does anyone know anything about these two? Is that a good price? Does anyone know any other recommended surveyors in the area?

 

Any advice would be lovely.

 

Thank you,

 

 

Lucy ==

[junior]

I'm afraid I know little about your area, however I have seem Bluestar Surveys recommended on here plenty of times.

[Neil2]

Mike Boulton from Blue Star is a good guy and doesn't like narrowboats much so he'll be very objective...

 

Most surveyors will offer you a hull survey initially then if it passes muster you can have the full monty, but it's not unusual to pay for everything up front initially.

 

This boat sounds a bit of a state - I know that stretch of water pretty well - would you like to say which boat it is?

 

Replating bottom and sides could cost three times your estimate, depending on who does it, but if you get that far, I would have this boat replated as opposed to overplated - the big issue with replating is you need the inside stripping out but it sounds as though someone's already done that!

[jodansgang]

Point to note here is the old girl already sounds as if she's a bit shagged. What with the inside been paggered as well I would say if you're brave enough to tackle the resto then have a hull survey at the minimum. Good luck.

(Make sure you have a good poke around where the top fiberglass part is fastened to the steel hull part too because boats built like that and of that age CAN leak more than the L&L itself)

Edited October 1, 2013 by jodansgang

[Robbo]

Hello there!

 

I'm about to finally take the leap and buy my first time boat, a nice little 45ft steel hull fibreglass top thing with a lot of interior refitting needed as thieves gutted most of the insides.

 

I'm thinking I want a survey on the hull just so I know how soon I'm going to have to do some serious work on it or whether I've got a few years left in the old girl. (it's from the 60s/70s)

 

I've been led to believe replating costs about £3-5,000 ish around that size, please please correct me if I'm way off the mark.

 

I'm in the Shipley/Saltaire/Bingley area and have got a quote from Bluestar surveys at £345 for a pre-purchase survey or £285 for a hull survey. I've also emailed Broadcut marine for a quote too. Does anyone know anything about these two? Is that a good price? Does anyone know any other recommended surveyors in the area?

 

Any advice would be lovely.

 

Thank you,

 

 

Lucy ==

 

As the boat is over 25/30 years old you'll need a full survey for insurance. There's lots of boats out there so look at as many as possible, even ones you can't afford as it will give you a good idea of price.

 

http://www.apolloduck.co.uk is the "RightMoves" of the boat world!

 

Also don't underestimate the length of time it takes to refit the interior, especially if your going to be living on it at the same time. (In the middle of it myself).

 

If you give more details about the boat, I'm sure you'll get opinions here on it, how much it's worth, etc.

 

Is the boat around the Saltaire area? Have you looked at moorings yet?

[Alastair]

Mike Boulton from Blue Star is a good guy and doesn't like narrowboats much so he'll be very objective...

 

 

Yup, that's Mike.

 

He is a really good guy, tbh. Can seem a bit grumpy as he doesn't like surveying narrowboats but he does a thorough job and is very pragmatic. Doesn't overcharge either.

[Lampyrichard]

Another option for you to get a quote from would be Richard Fee at Swiftcraft in Apperley Bridge: contact details at http://www.swiftcraftboats.co.uk

 

He's just surveyed a boat for us & was very helpful & informative with his findings. Very worthwhile being there during the survey whoever does it if you possibly can, as many surveyors will give much more of an opinion verbally than they will in writing...

 

Richard

[glitterhotdog]

Point to note here is the old girl already sounds as if she's a bit shagged. What with the inside been paggered as well I would say if you're brave enough to tackle the resto then have a hull survey at the minimum. Good luck.

(Make sure you have a good poke around where the top fiberglass part is fastened to the steel hull part too because boats built like that and of that age CAN leak more than the L&L itself)

Aye, you're right, we were planning to see if we could patch up the fiberglass a bit along the joins. Would putty or fiberglass do the trick?

Mike Boulton from Blue Star is a good guy and doesn't like narrowboats much so he'll be very objective...

 

Most surveyors will offer you a hull survey initially then if it passes muster you can have the full monty, but it's not unusual to pay for everything up front initially.

 

This boat sounds a bit of a state - I know that stretch of water pretty well - would you like to say which boat it is?

 

Replating bottom and sides could cost three times your estimate, depending on who does it, but if you get that far, I would have this boat replated as opposed to overplated - the big issue with replating is you need the inside stripping out but it sounds as though someone's already done that!

Thank you yeah, I've heard some good things on here and otherwise about mike from Blue star and Richard Fee. Insurers have given me til April next yr to have survey at same time as BSC so gonna save up and assume I'll probably want hull work. Then maybe down the line i'll get a steel top welded on. Haha I'm pretty much imagining that over the next few years i'll slowly replace the whole boat. It's a start though!

 

Yup, that's Mike.

 

He is a really good guy, tbh. Can seem a bit grumpy as he doesn't like surveying narrowboats but he does a thorough job and is very pragmatic. Doesn't overcharge either

Sounds spot on...

Mike Boulton from Blue Star is a good guy and doesn't like narrowboats much so he'll be very objective...

 

Most surveyors will offer you a hull survey initially then if it passes muster you can have the full monty, but it's not unusual to pay for everything up front initially.

 

This boat sounds a bit of a state - I know that stretch of water pretty well - would you like to say which boat it is?

 

Replating bottom and sides could cost three times your estimate, depending on who does it, but if you get that far, I would have this boat replated as opposed to overplated - the big issue with replating is you need the inside stripping out but it sounds as though someone's already done that!

Hmm yeah I've been told that about replating rather than overplating. Thanks. It's Convair, if you know the boat...?

While I'm settling things in I would do well to remember that I may want to rip it all out again in six months so not to get too comfortable I guess. heh

Thank you everybody. Lots of points to consider here. I've been looking for nearly two years now so I've had quite a lot of near misses I'm just chuffed to be in the position to get onto something that's floating really. I may come unstuck but not for lack of enthusiasm.

[jodansgang]

 

Aye, you're right, we were planning to see if we could patch up the fiberglass a bit along the joins. Would putty or fiberglass do the trick?

 

Don't know about the patching up bit.....just make sure any structural timbers are in good order...under, over or around the gunnels.

Good on ya and good luck.

Edited October 2, 2013 by jodansgang

[glitterhotdog]

== thanks, I'll need it!

hehehe very excited.

[jodansgang]

It's good in it.

[Robbo]

Thank you everybody. Lots of points to consider here. I've been looking for nearly two years now so I've had quite a lot of near misses I'm just chuffed to be in the position to get onto something that's floating really. I may come unstuck but not for lack of enthusiasm.

May we ask what your budget is? Don't rush into buying a boat there's plenty out there and 2 years for finding the right one is nothing!

 

Is Convair moored around Saltaire? I'm local to that area too!

Edited October 3, 2013 by Robbo

[glitterhotdog]

May we ask what your budget is? Don't rush into buying a boat there's plenty out there and 2 years for finding the right one is nothing!

 

Is Convair moored around Saltaire? I'm local to that area too!

My budget is under ten grand so very low. I've taken the plunge and bought it. Something feels right about this boat and I've started work.

 

It is moored between Saltaire and Bingley.

 

Pulled up a lot of the lino and the flooring needs a dead good dry out, so we're going to need to take up the majority of the floor to dry it all out and replace any rotten wood. I'd like to get in to the hull as much as possible to paint any rusted steel and make sure everything's good and dry. I crawled in the coal hatch at the front and round the side of the water tank and stuff it seemed like there's a bit of damp diesel soaked slime down there but only a thin layer. To get all the way under would mean removing the ballast though, and I've no idea how thick it is and how heavy.

 

Can't find much info online about getting under the ballast. :/ May have to be a trial and error jobbie.

 

Thank you all for your advice it's really very welcome, as I am really on a very steep learning curve.

[Robbo]

Sounds like you have a lot of work to do! Will you be living on it whilst doing it (not recommended!)? Ballast can be a few things, paving stones, brick (usually dense stuff), metal sheets. It's usually loose so can be easily be lifted. Very rarely some boats have poured concrete in, you won't get this up!

 

As I'm noisey I may just have a walk down this lunchtime to see your new pride and joy

[glitterhotdog]

Oh plenty to keep me busy definitely! Feel free to have a nosy. I'm on my way down now to prowl about and fidget about with sponges and screwdrivers.

Edited October 7, 2013 by glitterhotdog

[Robbo]

One day I'll learn to spell :-). Had a wander down for a nosy . Looks okay from the other side of the canal. :-). Have you able to keep? the moorings there as well? It looks quite a nice spot on the canal!