Opinions and advice on my first boat

[sirweste]

Hello Ladies and Gents,

 

My first post to the forum after a week of geeking out reading various posts.

 

So I'm in the process of viewing boats for my first purchase and a plan to live aboard. With a budget of £30k and looking for something around the 60ft mark and a preference to cruiser sterns for fixing my bikes outside when the weather permits. Liveaboard as I am an contract Engineer so never really know where my next 12months will be and so can't really buy a house.

 

So I have this boat in mind - which is stretching my budget somewhat but seems worth it.

http://www.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=392973

 

Breifly: she's a 60ft Gorton 2007 build with an older 3.152 perkins engine, recently redecorated internally and had hull blackening and safety thing this year.

 

Pricewise it seems very good for the age and seeming quality of the interior. I would need to add another leisure battery or two and I would also consider about quite a big interior reshuffle to make the living space a bit more open plan. Engine wise I'd prefer someting newer that likely better on fuel bu I'm a softie for British built stuff having had a few minis over the years.

 

 

Anyone got any advice for when I view her in the next couple of days?

 

Cheers very much!

[bigste]

Looks the business

[sirweste]

Aye, I certainly think so, I'm right paranoid about someone snatching it up before I get to view it this weekend!

 

Gonna see a couple of others over the weekend too - to I'm not buying one of the first ones I've seen.

[magnetman]

Hello Ladies and Gents,

 

My first post to the forum after a week of geeking out reading various posts.

 

So I'm in the process of viewing boats for my first purchase and a plan to live aboard. With a budget of £30k and looking for something around the 60ft mark and a preference to cruiser sterns for fixing my bikes outside when the weather permits. Liveaboard as I am an contract Engineer so never really know where my next 12months will be and so can't really buy a house.

 

So I have this boat in mind - which is stretching my budget somewhat but seems worth it.

http://www.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=392973

 

Breifly: she's a 60ft Gorton 2007 build with an older 3.152 perkins engine, recently redecorated internally and had hull blackening and safety thing this year.

 

Pricewise it seems very good for the age and seeming quality of the interior. I would need to add another leisure battery or two and I would also consider about quite a big interior reshuffle to make the living space a bit more open plan. Engine wise I'd prefer someting newer that likely better on fuel bu I'm a softie for British built stuff having had a few minis over the years.

 

 

Anyone got any advice for when I view her in the next couple of days?

 

Cheers very much!

 

 

The D3 is a very nice unit, plenty of power and reliable. the only thing you might find is it may possibly be a little bit noisy compared with a Beta or Vetus for example. I like an growly engine I can hear but its all personal taste.

 

Looks like a nice boat

[Loafer]

Aye, I certainly think so, I'm right paranoid about someone snatching it up before I get to view it this weekend!

 

Gonna see a couple of others over the weekend too - to I'm not buying one of the first ones I've seen.

DON'T! That is exactly what causes people to buy the 'wrong' boat!

 

Take your time and get to the bottom of things. What about a survey?

DON'T! That is exactly what causes people to buy the 'wrong' boat!

 

Take your time and get to the bottom of things. What about a survey?

eta Don't feel paranoid.

[Athy]

Welcome Sir, and thank you for introducing the expression "geeking out" into my vocabulary.

 

This boat has no "Wow factor". She will excite no one but you. That should work in your favour, as it may well keep the price down and discourage other boatseekers from forming a queue. Gorton boats are, to the best of my knowledge, sound, and the engine should have ample power as long as it has been well maintained.

 

The only alarm bell which rings is that, as far as I can gather from the closely-knitted description, you have to light the stove to warm the boat up - in other words there is no diesel or gas heating. Think of that when you get back on a winter evening after a hard day on site. There is a mysterious reference to "underfloor heating" which, I think, is only in the bathroom - can anyone else explain this?

[sirweste]

I don't want to take too much time as I'm living in the back of my VW Transporter at the moment through the week! By choice I must add, I could hotel it but I'm northern and so parting with cash for frivolous things is quite difficult.

 

I figured the Safety thingame was close to a survey? Guess not as you've just asked about it. I will email the bloke and ask if there has been one done (likely on a 7 year old boat?), or when the last one was.

[bottle]

The seller recently had another boat on Apollo Duck, that is now not listed.

Get your own survey, never trust one done for the owner/seller

The BSS only proves that allegedly the internal gas etc. were safe at time of test, it does not prove anything about the shell.

[Athy]

 

 

I figured the Safety thingame was close to a survey? Guess not as you've just asked about it. I will email the bloke and ask if there has been one done (likely on a 7 year old boat?), or when the last one was.

No, they are different. The Boat Safety examination is a statutory requirement for boats on CART waters (though as this one's in Cambridgeshire it will be either on EA or Middle Levels waters, where requirements are different). The survey is something which you REALLY SHOULD COMMISSION before you buy a boat. Will cost hundreds, could save you thousands. If it's had only one owner since new, it may never have had a survey.

[sirweste]

Cheers pal, yer as a geeky engineer I get obssessed and geek out regular with stuff.

 

Yer from what I can gather it's light the wood burner or be cold. Which I'm happy enough with as a situation as having just spent a winter in Canada I'm pretty accustomed to getting the fire on sharpish once you get home, but yer I appreciate that a heating "on tap" situation is definitely more desirable.

 

The looks aren't very traditional and are a bit square and industrial, but I aint to arsed about that apart from a resale point of view. That said I would definitely prefer a pretty boat, but I'd definitely prefer not to pay for pretty over function.

[Athy]

 

 

The looks aren't very traditional and are a bit square and industrial, but I aint to arsed about that apart from a resale point of view. That said I would definitely prefer a pretty boat, but I'd definitely prefer not to pay for pretty over function.

I quite agree - if she's fit for your purpose and the price is right, so much the better (yes, I am originally Northern too).

[sirweste]

I'm quite tall at 6'2" so this puts quite a few boats out of the running, the square roof shape means more usable head room for me!

Cheers for all the very quick replies!

 

I have emailed the owner about the survey. Cheers

[Loafer]

If you're only out each day, then your stove could still keep the boat warm while you're away, if you prep it in the morning.

 

I haven't looked at your boat yet, but I will. But don't be tempted to skimp on the survey! Loadsa wedge, but might save you your home!

Make sure she's really at the top of your list too. You'll need a survey for each one you think of buying.

She looks good to me. My only comment would be that a huge party deck like that could be better used by interior space. Just my personal view!

[OldGoat]

There's something wrong - nobody's rubbished anything yet.

(so here goes - well I hope not really, just some observations.

 

Firstly to the assembled masses - The OP wants a boat to live on, so a trendy, smoothy, interior if probably not top of the list.

I'm wondering about the engine. Is it an old unit? All I know about Perkins 3s is that I had one in a Ford Dexta tractor and that was a 1950 machine. That made me wonder whether the boat is perhaps a bit older than claimed. How long had Mr. Gorton been building hulls?

 

There have been some scams around recently (reported here) so perhaps a bit of caution is required.

[sirweste]

Interesting stuff Goat. I have googled Gary Gorton and results show he was still building into the 2000s and from what I can gather builds / built tugs mostly and hence the shape of this one.

 

The old engine is an odd one to me too, I figured that who ever commissioned the boat ran out of money so opted for a running 2nd hand unit... Or that Gorton built the boat without customer in mind and fitted a working engine he had...? Dunno, I should ask.

 

The 3.152 is quite a general term for an engine that was produced over many years from what I can gather. Modern 3.152s are now called 3HD45 or something like that

 

cheers

And to reply to Loafer, point noted about surveys. And about the stove, I did figure that it might keep some embers burning through the day.

 

I agree the deck is a little big for my tastes too, but I then that's kinda an advantage for the summer.

[bottle]

Gary built the shell but who did the fit out.

 

It looks like a 'self fit out' the clue is it has only just been finished.

 

As before the seller is probably not the owner as he had another boat for sale on Apollo duck.

 

or he buys boats does them up and sells them on.

 

Who knows, buyer beware.

[Loafer]

How long has it been for sale? Is a silly offer on the cards? Subject to survey of course.

I note your stove is a Morso. That should definitely be able to stay in all day. With coal, not wood.

[sirweste]

As far as I can gather from googling it's onl been up for sale as long as the apolloduck ad, so 5ish days?

I already spoke to him and he accepted £35k as I explained the interior layout isn't quite as I'd want it and I'm overbudget as is.

 

As for fit out, I've seen a few posts about diy jobs, but I guess it depends on the quality of the work really. As such will only know from a viewing really.

 

An advance search on google shows that he has only had this boat for sale. Thats all google has caches at least - I think their cach is usually a few months...?

Bottle did he definitely have another boat for sale?

[Southern Star]

Looks a nice boat to me.

 

As for the discrepancy between the age of the boat and the age of the engine, I'd say many boats are built using reconditioned engines which have been out of production for several years- my own boat was built in 1987 and has a BMC 1.5 diesel, production of these stopped in 1980 and many newer boats than mine are fitted with one..

 

As for the underfloor heating in the bathroom, I see the bathroom has a heated towel rail. Mine has a heated towel rail, but I suspect the main purpose of this is not to dry towels, but to add capacity to the engine cooling system. Possibly the underfloor heating serves the same purpose?

[sirweste]

No the boat has not had a survey, the reason being I have had the boat 4 years and blacked it religiously every 2 years, when I bought it, the boat had only been in the water 6 weeks from new. So it has only been in the water 4 years despite being 7 years old. When the boat went into dry dock in September I had the hull stripped right back ready for the hempatex and we didn't think it needed it since there was very little pitting let alone serious corrosion.

The boat is second hand and I bought it as a lined she'll, which I ended up ripping out and redoing because it was done badly.

I can try to get some photos of the engine bay, however it is pitch black and I don't think I have any to hand. I'll try to get some to you though.

If you would like a survey then please feel free to organise one and we can try to get it done, however I honestly don't think it needs it since it has only been I the water 4 years.

I hope this helps

[Neil2]

Religiously blacked eh? At least you'll have the Lord on your side.

 

It's a bad sign the seller trying to persuade you she doesn't need a survey, it should be the other way round.

 

There's a lot of wasted space outside, I reckon the cabin is about the same size as a 50 foot trad.

 

Personally i think you can do a lot better. £36k is getting you well and truly into quality territory you shouldn't need to compromise. But if you really like it, see how the seller reacts to £30k. Remember there's not a lot of folk buying narrowboats at this time of year.

[kevinl]

There are 2 threads on here recently where boat length has been discussed

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?s=717dc11f392a46a01393fe8cd8e7736a&showtopic=72071&hl=
http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?s=717dc11f392a46a01393fe8cd8e7736a&showtopic=72093&hl=

It might be a 60 foot boats limits where you can go by being a couple of feet too big. If not going to these areas isn't a problem to you then it looks like a good buy.

K

[Felshampo]

How long has it been for sale? Is a silly offer on the cards? Subject to survey of course.

I note your stove is a Morso. That should definitely be able to stay in all day. With coal, not wood.

 

If your at work for 8 hours 5 days a week thats a lot of wasted heat and coal! Better to get an instant form of heating as well. Edited December 3, 2014 by Felshampo

[SamKingfisher]

I'm confident I'd give an eber or whatever a run for its money if I had my usual bone dry timber to burn.

 

Before you start the engine, check it is cold and hasn't been previously warmed up.

 

Look for exhaust smoke.

 

If serious about buying, try everything, like everything.

 

Get your hand in the water and feel for pitting on sides (both sides) below waterline. Feel thickness of baseplate where protrudes. If this all feels ok, still get a survey, if there is heavy pitting walk away.

 

The boat is up for 36,500. Offer 30, not 35. It is pretty much a convention to add a few grand on the duck.

 

Don't get over excited. There are lots of good boats.

[David Mack]

If you would like a survey then please feel free to organise one and we can try to get it done, however I honestly don't think it needs it since it has only been I the water 4 years.

I don't want to worry you unduly, but the boat which is the subject of this thread http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=71964&view=&hl=&fromsearch=1 was less than 10 years old, but still sank due to corrosion pitting. So get yourself a survey!