Restoration project

[Dave_P]

I wondered about putting this in the For Sale / Wanted section but I'm not even sure we've reached that point yet.

 

A friend of mine is looking for a project boat with a view to creating (for want of a better term) an eco-boat. He's thinking of fitting it out either as a small hotel or bunkhouse, possibly with hammocks, and perhaps taking teenagers or others as a skippered charter, a bit like NB Hawkesbury http://www.leisurehappy.co.uk/ads/2272-8804/narrow-boat-hawkesbury-narrow-boat-canal-trips/leisure-activities/west-midlands/staffordshire/lichfield.html and other similar boats. He wants it to have a compost toilet etc. and be as 'green' as possible. He's 'handy', determined and has time and funds on his hands.

 

I suppose I'm posting partly to see what advice you people might have for him, and partly because someone might have a boat they could sell him.

 

It could be an ex-working boat, but it doesn't have to be. I suppose it needs to be fairly big to accomodate a few people. He'd like to find something which doesn't need much work doing to the hull but may need completely renovating inside. Something close to Birmingham too. Maybe a boat with fire or flooding damage?

Edited April 10, 2014 by Dave_P

[RLWP]

It will almost certainly need to be a commercial boat license with all that entails

 

The chandlery at Hillmorton(?) have a hire boat with a composting toilet, they would be worth talking to. He is canal shop man on the forum

 

Richard

[stagedamager]

This one??

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/advert.phtml?id=343066

[Dave_P]

It will almost certainly need to be a commercial boat license with all that entails

 

The chandlery at Hillmorton(?) have a hire boat with a composting toilet, they would be worth talking to. He is canal shop man on the forum

 

Richard

Thanks

[Dave_P]

It will almost certainly need to be a commercial boat license with all that entails

 

The chandlery at Hillmorton(?) have a hire boat with a composting toilet, they would be worth talking to. He is canal shop man on the forum

 

Richard

Thanks

This one??

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/advert.phtml?id=343066

I hadn't really considered a butty, but I've forwarded the link to my friend.

[stagedamager]

Not having an engine is certainly eco friendly! !

[Proper Job]

And the horse could use the composting toilet

[John V]

about 40 years ago I remember seeing a group of students with a full length double ender (BCN rubbish boat?) on the GU, they were heading for London camping in tents set up in the hold. It was powered by one of the tiny Seagull outboards (the type with no neutral or reverse). It wasn't powerful enough to start it off and they had to bowhaul it up to speed and then leap on as it went passed. Once underway it would keep going providing there was not too much weed, the trouble was that the only way to stop it was to run into something. It burned virtually no fuel so was eco friendly.......but I don't think they had a composting toilet....I think they just used the bushes

[stagedamager]

The one listed above has a metal ellum, in case anyone wants to fit an electric solar drive system, very eco!!

[Starcoaster]

Nobody better buy that boat, I'm waiting for the price to drop into my budget.

[stagedamager]

I'll chuck in a free gangplank......