advice for a novice,HELP!!!

[paneuro]

hi,there,i've just found this forum and it's hopefully going to answer a load of questions for us.Our daughter is about to buy a narrowboat to semi-live on,she has aquired a high usage mooring on a good marina,which has the usual facilities for running and maintaining a boat,so that side of it is sorted.Our main problem is buying the right boat,i initialy thought the newer the boat the better but in looking this is obviously not the case,i've seen an age diff of as much as 15yrs with the price being almost the same,i can understand you get better made boats just like cars etc,but with one of the main problems being the condition of the steel etc i can't understand how a boat that much older can be worth the same.was there a point in time where steel wasof a better quality?or am i missing something that's probably obvious?i would really appreciate any help as the last thing we want to do is buy trouble through ignorance.thank you.phil

 

 

 

 

[station tug]

just the same as cars...better brand more money..if steel is looked after it will go on for many many years...its a buyers market at the moment..

[kevinl]

Get a bottle of wine (or 2) and go to the section here titled "New to boating" and all your questions will be if not answered certainly addressed. You'll find its all in there somewhere. if you have any specific boat in mind and are not paranoid someone will see it and beat you to it put a link to it and ask for opinions.
K

[paneuro]

thanks,i take it you're refering to regular blacking ,anodes etc? also is it best to buy private to get the most for your money ? or is this a risky move in the boating world?i.e.can you in general trust most boat owners as long as they have certificates etc?

Get a bottle of wine (or 2) and go to the section here titled "New to boating" and all your questions will be if not answered certainly addressed. You'll find its all in there somewhere. if you have any specific boat in mind and are not paranoid someone will see it and beat you to it put a link to it and ask for opinions.
K

thanks ,will do that now.

don't look down on anyone unless your helping them up.

 

 

 

 

[John Williamson 1955]

The most important thing to bear in mind when buying a boat is the condition of the hull. Most of them get refitted internally every few years as they get tired, and an engine change is almost routine. The hull is the only thing about a boat that can't be changed. Even cabin tops can be repaired or replaced reasonably easily, if the money's available.

 

Just be aware of the likely costs of refitting or changing the engine when you make your offer, and compare the boat you want to buy with as many others as you can. (He says, having fallen in love with and bought the first boat he viewed... I got a good price, and I can do what's needed to make it into the boat I want over a year or two.)

 

(Edit) If you buy via a reputable broker, they can more easily do checks to confirm that the vendor is actually in a position to sell the boat to you than a private individual can, Be wary, though, as some brokers have been known to sell boats that they own as if they are only acting as a broker, so sidestepping the Sale of Goods Act and other rules.

Edited January 27, 2014 by John Williamson 1955