Second Request For Advice

[Ex-Member]

Hi again

 

having asked the basic questions everyone asks I would like to hear anyone's view on this boat which is my no1 choice at the mo. Went to see it at the weekend and it is a good looking well fitted boat with a full service history (A4 binder 6inches thick down to each nut & bolt purchased) Two owners from new with 2nd only owning for 2 yrs. The only problem I can see is that it lilts to one side but the broker said that could be because they have taken out furniture etc?? not sure about that one. Anyway any thoughts/comments appreciated. Still can't work out why boat prices vary so much but hey!!!

Brochure.pdf

[Tiggs]

Looks very nice, with good materials in the fit out - can't see the joints and fit of the doors but if they are OK then fit out is very good.

 

If you are not taller than, say 5' 8" the cross bed will work for you.

 

Looks to be missing somewhere to eat, but this is unlikely to be the reason for the list, BUT don't worry about it a couple of weights will soon fix it if necessary.

 

It has too many windows for me, if I were going to live aboard. There appear to be missing curtains in the bedroom and kitchen.

 

The first thing I would do is take an angle grinder and remove the silly back rail.

 

Looks a tad expensive perhaps - but you would offer less than asking price.

 

Appears to have an nice elliptical stern but otherwise looks like a plain hire boat.

[Delta9]

I would have to get rid of the weird balcony type railings, but other than that it looks nice.

[The Boater]

It is not uncommon for the boat to list slightly, especially if the design of the layout means that a greater proportion of heavier items are to one side of the centreline of the boat, which can be corrected by adding some ballast to the lighter side. It happens where for instance there is a fixed double with the toilet tank under with the loo/shower, and the galley all on one side of the boat, and a long corridor on the other side.

[Richard10002]

Mine "dresses to the left". It's all to do with all the storage being on one side, so everything that goes on board adds to the list.

 

I keep thinking about ballast, but that's as far as it gets

[haggis]

That big bench seat/settee looks most uncomfortable! I am not a fan of seats with the back at right angles to the seat. is there no solid door between the bedroom and the engine area? Nor sure I like that either! Looks a nice clean boat though

 

haggis

[Guest]

That big bench seat/settee looks most uncomfortable! I am not a fan of seats with the back at right angles to the seat. is there no solid door between the bedroom and the engine area? Nor sure I like that either! Looks a nice clean boat though

 

haggis

I was just about to say exactly the same about that 'sofa' it looks about as comfortable as a church pew, sorry.

 

That would have to go for me and be replaced with two 'captains chairs' and sort out somewhere to eat as highlighted already.

 

And that rear rail arrangement is as Delta9 suggests hideous.

 

All the above is easy to change though and apart from that it's a tidy looking boat.

Edited November 3, 2015 by MJG

[koukouvagia]

I can never understand why brokers omit a picture of the engine. I reckon the state of the engine space is a good indicator of the level of maintenance and attention that has been spent on the rest of the boat.

[MtB]

I can never understand why brokers omit a picture of the engine. I reckon the state of the engine space is a good indicator of the level of maintenance and attention that has been spent on the rest of the boat.

 

 

Maybe that is precisely WHY the engine photos are omitted...

[Ex-Member]

Thanks for the comments. It isn't an ex hire boat it was built for the first owners. The sofa converts to a double bed and is actually good quality leather and, with the addition of a few cushions, quite comfortable although we would probably replace it with a couple of chairs. There is plenty of room for a table & chairs, don't know about the kitchen curtains but the bedroom has porthole covers, as to the rail it doesn't really bother us in fact there is a small child gate that fits across which would be great if we wanted to keep the dog inside. The engine is immaculate, one of the engineers on site showed it us and it started first time and was surprisingly quiet. As I said it has a full service history, blacked every two years and every detail noted. It' s early days yet but of what we have seen in that price range it ticks all the boxes even though I originally said we wanted reverse layout once inside it feels ok. I will keep you updated............

[ditchcrawler]

Looks very nice, with good materials in the fit out - can't see the joints and fit of the doors but if they are OK then fit out is very good.

 

If you are not taller than, say 5' 8" the cross bed will work for you.

 

Looks to be missing somewhere to eat, but this is unlikely to be the reason for the list, BUT don't worry about it a couple of weights will soon fix it if necessary.

 

It has too many windows for me, if I were going to live aboard. There appear to be missing curtains in the bedroom and kitchen.

 

The first thing I would do is take an angle grinder and remove the silly back rail.

 

Looks a tad expensive perhaps - but you would offer less than asking price.

 

Appears to have an nice elliptical stern but otherwise looks like a plain hire boat.

I'm 5' 10" and a bit, Di very similar and we have a cross bed in the back which we use.

[Ex-Member]

Any comments about the specs or the lilt?

[BruceinSanity]

Any comments about the specs or the lilt?

Looks like a pretty solid middle of the road boat with typical specs. As others have said, tilt is easily fixed by a bit of ballasting after you've moved your stuff on board – may well be a result of empty storage space. Didn't see who the shell builder was, makes a big difference to the likely handling behaviour.

[matty40s]

I wonder why the cratch cover has been removed?

The rail at the rear is dangerous and hideous in that order.

Look for an inspection hatch at the rear end of the boat, maybe under the rear steps or in a cupboard, to check for under floor water which could be the source of the list.

 

Get a hull survey at minimum, the fact that it has just been blacked is no concern if yours whatever the broker says. Liverpool boats of that age are being over plated already ( especially in the bow thruster tube area).

 

Oh, a pump out is better for liveaboard. ☺

[Guest]

Any comments about the specs or the lilt?

Some boats are badly trimmed and will have a permanent list.

 

It can be affected by relatively minor things eg when I removed 6 x 125 ah batteries and replaced them with 5 x 110 ah ones on our boat it developed a slight list to port. Fortunately our boat was trimmed using movable weights (railway line 'chairs') so I moved these around to the same side as the batteries and in the locker to re trim the boat.

 

I did the same when the pump out tank was removed.

 

Even a filling/full pump out tank will affect a boats trim (though this won't be the case here)

 

Or it could be something more serious as Matty suggests.

Edited November 4, 2015 by MJG

[matty40s]

Well according to the spec all the batteries have been removed.....

[Guest]

Well according to the spec all the batteries have been removed.....

For the brief time our boat had no batteries, while I swapped them over our boat had a very noticeable list away from the side they were normally located.

 

That could be the issue depending on location, ours were in a starboard side locker in the semi trad stern.

[MtB]

Well according to the spec all the batteries have been removed.....

 

 

Well that could explain the list then!

[alan_fincher]

On "Sickle" which side of the hatch you choose to set a cup of coffee down is nearly enough to determine which way it lists!

 

OK, that's slightly tongue in cheek, but I do have to make a point of standing at the end of the engine when I check the oil level, because if I stand in the most convenient place alongside it tilts the boat enough to significantly affect the reading.

 

I would not expect this boat to be that badly affected though - with short boat, long swims, and round chines, ours it a bit unusual.

 

As long as you can find maybe 50Kg to 100Kg of ballast that can be moved if required it should be a non issue here.

[keble]

We have a Northwich boat, built 2008, so slightly younger. The hull was made by CNM in Widnes (which was owned by Northwich at the time).She handles very we'll indeed.

One comment from engineers when we had her stretched was that the spray foam wasn't really thick enough.

 

Oh, and she was really badly ballasted! I had to add a lot of weights in the engine bay until she felt right.

[KirstieH]

I love you guys. A great mix of useful, humorous and essential feedback is always given on here. It's my new favourite read. . It looks like a very nice boat. You have got me wondering about listing now....do you really have to shift ballast around every time you move a battery? Lord I have so much to learn!!!

[ditchcrawler]

I love you guys. A great mix of useful, humorous and essential feedback is always given on here. It's my new favourite read. . It looks like a very nice boat. You have got me wondering about listing now....do you really have to shift ballast around every time you move a battery? Lord I have so much to learn!!!

You dont often move batteries only to replace them with new ones.

[KirstieH]

You dont often move batteries only to replace them with new ones.

That be true!

[Loafer]

Looks like you have to make up any beds before you go to sleep. You may well tire of that.

[Guest]

I love you guys. A great mix of useful, humorous and essential feedback is always given on here. It's my new favourite read. . It looks like a very nice boat. You have got me wondering about listing now....do you really have to shift ballast around every time you move a battery? Lord I have so much to learn!!!

To be clear regarding what I was saying, as it may not be clear if you are new to this.

 

The batteries normally stay in the same place even when you replace them. Our boat listed after I replaced the battery bank with new ones because the total weight of the new bank was less than the old. This was in the main because there was one less battery (they are heavy) and the new batteries were slightly smaller in terms of capacity.

 

If I had replaced like for like I wouldn't have needed to re trim the boat. Besides you should get a few years (we got three) out of your batteries so it's not something you even have to consider very often.

 

If however you did decide to move the batteries to another location in the boat you would likely need to re trim the boat. This is not something you would undertake lightly though due to the re wiring needed.

 

If the OP renstalled batteries on the boat concerned they will possibly find it won't list at all.

 

Hope that is clearer.

Edited November 4, 2015 by MJG