buying a boat !

[isatis]

We are going to be buying a liveaboard, cannot wait,

Right now for the stupid questions.

1. I am looking for a four permanent berth boat I gather that a fifty eight - sixty foot narrow boat will get us down most of the waterways?

2. Is buying an ex holiday cruise boat a bad idea and if so why and what would need to be fixed aside of a stove which would be a priority for me.

That will do to start with thank you for your tolerance

[DeanS]

Welcome:)

 

1. A 57ft narrowboat will be able to go everywhere. A 58-60ft boat will be able to go most places.

2. Be prepared to get any prospective boat surveyed (and the risk of losing your survey money if it's a bad one).

3. Most boats should have everything in working order, unless they're a "project" someone started and didn't finish.

 

This forum will offer you loads of support...both technically and socially.

[boaterdave]

Have a look on black princes website. The sell they ex hire boats off after 3 years. The have the duchess 4 58ft 4 berth. Think black prince build there own boats

[isatis]

Thank you we have looked at boats so far at Chirk (black prince) and also at Ellesmere (ABC) both places were really helpful we now need to take ourselves further afield midlands way I reckon.

[Pykebird]

Welcome. If you are around this week end, Crick boat show is on. Might be worth a wander round, loads of people to talk to about boats! Although there will be new boats it would give you an "idea" of what can be fitted into small spaces.

[Phil Ambrose]

Just as a matter of interest, what experience do you have of boats? Holidays maybe? It can be helpful to us otherwise everyone will just assume zero knowledge. Oh very rude of me not to say welcome, you will love the livestyle and you will love it here.

Phil

[Guest]

We are going to be buying a liveaboard, cannot wait,

Right now for the stupid questions.

1. I am looking for a four permanent berth boat I gather that a fifty eight - sixty foot narrow boat will get us down most of the waterways?

2. Is buying an ex holiday cruise boat a bad idea and if so why and what would need to be fixed aside of a stove which would be a priority for me.

That will do to start with thank you for your tolerance

If you are thinking about an ex hire boat this link is worth a look......

 

http://rugbyboats.co.uk/Narrowboats-for-sale/quality-ex-hire-craft.html

[Athy]

Welcome. If you are around this week end, Crick boat show is on. Might be worth a wander round, loads of people to talk to about boats! Although there will be new boats it would give you an "idea" of what can be fitted into small spaces.

In addition, there is a very reputable brokerage, ABNB (Andy Burnett Narrow Boats) at Crick, where you can look at good second-hand craft and ask advice from the staff. They're reputable and don't sell rubbish.

[isatis]

Hi thank you for the advice so far, yes holidays and loads of enthusiasm and love of water,boats and history, I fully intend to do the helmsman's course and do not want to be permanently moored in one place will have to have a main mooring in north Wales just to allow the kids to college but we will cruise when we can high days and holidays Roj is a wood carver and can work anywhere and also I think make any wood adjustments internally electrics etc we will both leave alone and the engine will be mine

Thank you Phil as I said please excuse stupid questions as I am a newbie and at this stage the only way to learn is ask questions and read

[Bettie Boo]

Welcome to the forum isatis. You will learn so much here, hubby and I were/are complete novices and after looking for 3 months found our boat and are now living aboard and loving it. I've asked my fair share of novice questions, and the majority of members have been very kind & generous with sharing their knowledge and experiences.

 

We did look at a couple of ex-hire boats when we were looking, but found the bedrooms just to small for our requirements, little storage space and both were in dire need of an exterior paint job. Mind you they were both widebeams. Oh, and neither of them had a solid fuel stove which was quite high on our must have list.

 

Good luck with your hunt

[isatis]

Well moisying around locally today had a look at a 58ft cruiser stern and have decided that it is not the shape/size for us trad or semi I think going to trot out towards the milands on tues I think go for a butcher at some of the marinas that way.

[isatis]

Thank you Bettie

 

Here lies the question is it better to get something you can alter the cosmetics of ie shifting things inside adding multi fuel or hoping you can find

something sort of nearly perfect

Edited May 24, 2014 by isatis

[Phil Ambrose]

Thank you Bettie

 

Here lies the question is it better to get something you can alter the cosmetics of ie shifting things inside adding multi fuel or hoping you can find

something sort of nearly perfect

Sadly the perfect boat is something extremely hard to find, a nearly perfect boat almost as rare but all is not lost because if you have vision and the will you can find a boat that will suit you well enough provided you are willing to take on a bit of work yourselves (or pay someone to do it for you.

For my own part I have moved bulkheads, made and fitted cabinets, made numerous holes in boats to fit flues for fires, extractor fans etc etc.

You WILL find your boat before too long.

Phil

[isatis]

Thank you for the encouragement Phil

[Bettie Boo]

Thank you Bettie

 

Here lies the question is it better to get something you can alter the cosmetics of ie shifting things inside adding multi fuel or hoping you can find

something sort of nearly perfect

 

As Phil says below, other than buying a sail away and having it fitted out to your expectations (which I personally wouldn't recommend for a first boat personally), you probably won't find the "perfect" boat.

 

We made two lists.

 

List one were deal breakers.....WB / 2 bedroom / 5 yrs old or newer / large battery bank or space for such / pump out / travel pack / quality of internal fitout / space for fridge, freezer, washing machine etc

 

List two were "like to have" ..... solid fuel stove / bow thruster / wooden floors rather than carpet / cratch cover / large windows rather than portholes / solar etc

 

As it was, we found a boat which ticked the majority of our boxes and came within out budget. Dave is in the process of ordering solar panals, and we have so far replaced the inverter and battery bank and increased the amount of leisure batteries from 5 to 8, he's also replaced the stern gland greaser. So I would highly recommend having a decent "contingency budget" as well as your purchase price, to get you through the first year.

 

I can't really answer your question about finding something that you can alter inside - really it depends if you have the know-how & means to do it. We were lucky in finding a finished boat, that had no personal touches added to it; hence we are able to "decorate" to our taste. But finished to a good standard whereby we didn't have to do anything to the floors, walls or ceilings.

 

Best of luck finding the boat that is right for you, be patient; you will find it. And when you do, you'll just know you've found the right one for you.

Sadly the perfect boat is something extremely hard to find, a nearly perfect boat almost as rare but all is not lost because if you have vision and the will you can find a boat that will suit you well enough provided you are willing to take on a bit of work yourselves (or pay someone to do it for you.

For my own part I have moved bulkheads, made and fitted cabinets, made numerous holes in boats to fit flues for fires, extractor fans etc etc.

You WILL find your boat before too long.

Phil

[b0atman]

Black prince are very good ex hire boats and they do a paint job to cover their logo.After sales service is good too .ABC be wary of them their standards seem to be slipping.

[OldGoat]

Teddesley Boat Company (Penkridge) have several of their fleet available for sale - and I believe they make sure that everything is not only working but in good condition.

 

A Google will find their 'phone number.

being a small outfit they always looked after their boats.

[kevinl]

Hi thank you for the advice so far, yes holidays and loads of enthusiasm and love of water,boats and history, I fully intend to do the helmsman's course and do not want to be permanently moored in one place will have to have a main mooring in north Wales just to allow the kids to college but we will cruise when we can high days and holidays Roj is a wood carver and can work anywhere and also I think make any wood adjustments internally electrics etc we will both leave alone and the engine will be mine

Thank you Phil as I said please excuse stupid questions as I am a newbie and at this stage the only way to learn is ask questions and read

Just a thought but given that the only canal in North Wales are the Llangollen & Monty have you looked into a mooring, they seem to be fairly rare and a bit pricy when they do come up. Marina prices look to be about £2,500pa and that's not residential currently there's nothing up there on CRT's auction site.

K

[Alan de Enfield]

kevinl, on 26 May 2014 - 4:29 PM, said:

Just a thought but given that the only canal in North Wales are the Llangollen & Monty have you looked into a mooring, they seem to be fairly rare and a bit pricy when they do come up. Marina prices look to be about £2,500pa and that's not residential currently there's nothing up there on CRT's auction site.

K

 

Whixhall marina (half way up the Llangollen) a lovely marina - we had a couple of years there.

 

Vacancies for both leisure and residential moorings.

Full residential moring £2800 and 1st month fee free "try before you buy"

 

http://www.bwml.co.uk/marinas/whixall_marina/berths

 

Thats about the same price as we pay for our 'Leisure Mooring'

 

As a BWML marina you also get free moorings at all the other BWML marinas.

 

Edit "Fee" to "Free"

Edited May 26, 2014 by Alan de Enfield

[kevinl]

 

Whixhall marina (half way up the Llangollen) a lovely marina - we had a couple of years there.

 

Vacancies for both leisure and residential moorings.

Full residential moring £2800 and 1st month fee free "try before you buy"

 

http://www.bwml.co.uk/marinas/whixall_marina/berths

 

Thats about the same price as we pay for our 'Leisure Mooring'

 

As a BWML marina you also get free moorings at all the other BWML marinas.

 

Edit "Fee" to "Free"

Never though of that it does have a good reputation but I guess it depends on where in North Wales they need to be for the children's college and if they need to have an address in Wales to stay in the Welsh education system/NHS and the like, residing in England might not be an option and you'd have to start paying for prescriptions too all adds up

K