Boat Sales Websites?

[GOONIESnvrSAYdie]

Afternoon all,

 

As some of you may have read I'm looking into the prospect of buying a narrow boat to live on. I'm trying to put together a list of good websites to constantly check out for new listings and wondered if anyone knows of any good ones I've not yet happened across.

 

I did try and search for boat sales on the forum but couldn't seem to find a thread with links to websites, just threads about a particular seller.

 

Thanks

Gareth

 

So far I have:

Apollo Duck - www.apolloduck.com

Boats and Outboards - www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk

 

Bridgehouse Marina - www.bridgehousemarina.co.uk

eBay - www.ebay.co.uk

 

Freedom Boats - www.freedomboats.co.uk

Great Haywood Boat Sales - www.greathaywoodboatsales.co.uk

 

Liverpool Boat Sales - www.liverpoolboatsales.co.uk

 

Longport Brokerage - www.longportbrokerage.co.uk

 

Swanley Brokerage - www.swanleybrokerage.com

 

Venetian Marina - www.venetianmarina.co.uk

Whilton Marina - www.whiltonmarina.co.uk

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

Afternoon all,

 

As some of you may have read I'm looking into the prospect of buying a narrow boat to live on. I'm trying to put together a list of good websites to constantly check out for new listings and wondered if anyone knows of any good ones I've not yet happened across.

 

I did try and search for boat sales on the forum but couldn't seem to find a thread with links to websites, just threads about a particular seller.

 

Thanks

Gareth

 

So far I have:

 

Apollo Duck - www.apolloduck.com

Boats and Outboards - www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk

 

Bridgehouse Marina - www.bridgehousemarina.co.uk

eBay - www.ebay.co.uk

 

Freedom Boats - www.freedomboats.co.uk

Great Haywood Boat Sales - www.greathaywoodboatsales.co.uk

 

Liverpool Boat Sales - www.liverpoolboatsales.co.uk

 

Longport Brokerage - www.longportbrokerage.co.uk

 

Swanley Brokerage - www.swanleybrokerage.com

 

Venetian Marina - www.venetianmarina.co.uk

Whilton Marina - www.whiltonmarina.co.uk

 

 

 

 

Whilton is only for looking - you don't buy from them.

 

Many, stories with the bad far out weighing the good.

[mrsmelly]

The only honest brokerage I have ever dealt with is " Rugby Boats "

Whilton is great for window shopping.

 

Tim

[bottle]

Put, narrow boat brokers in google (other search engines are available) and you will be spoilt for choice.

[magictime]

I was under the impression that pretty much every broker lists pretty much every boat on Apollo Duck - is that not the case?

[Phil Ambrose]

I was under the impression that pretty much every broker lists pretty much every boat on Apollo Duck - is that not the case?

It does seem like it.

Phil

[Jess--]

you have missed out ABNB www.abnb.co.uk

 

quite a few on here have had boats through them including me.

[zenataomm]

Rugby seems to be favourite on here.

Whilton is constantly denigrated by those who quote what others say.

 

I bought from Whilton in 2008 and got a great deal.

However I'm not the sort that buys anything from a distance without doing my homework, I was there for the survey, asked lots of questions, negotiated a 20% drop in price and £5K worth of work which my own surveyor project managed.

I didn't pay any more than a fully refundable deposit until I took delivery, in case they set fire to it during the works.

 

I found them totally amenable at all times.

I have no connection with them other than as a satisfied customer.

[Alan de Enfield]

Rugby seems to be favourite on here.

Whilton is constantly denigrated by those who quote what others say.

 

I bought from Whilton in 2008 and got a great deal.

However I'm not the sort that buys anything from a distance without doing my homework, I was there for the survey, asked lots of questions, negotiated a 20% drop in price and £5K worth of work which my own surveyor project managed.

I didn't pay any more than a fully refundable deposit until I took delivery, in case they set fire to it during the works.

 

I found them totally amenable at all times.

I have no connection with them other than as a satisfied customer.

 

Your 'story' was the reason I said there are SOME good stories.

[Phil Ambrose]

 

Your 'story' was the reason I said there are SOME good stories.

My story too.

Phil

[Fender151]

I have recently bought from New and Used Boats at Mercia Marina.

 

As we all know, you need to haggle, you need to get the agent to agree to fix the surveyors snag list, and, in my case, i wanted a comprehensive familiarity tour, all of which they have delivered on.

 

I can only quote from my very limited experience, I found them a good bunch of guys, very knowledgeable, who have continued to be helpful.

 

Cheers,

 

Jon

[johnnie1uk]

I brought from Venetian as a broker, and i am very happy with the deal i got. whoever you buy from, be it Whilton, Rugby or whoever remember it is in there interest to get the most money for the boat. Get your own survey, make sure it has a recent BSC , decide exactly what you are looking for and dont compromise.

[___]

While I wouldn't argue against the general consensus of the forum that Rugby Boats and ABNB are the higher end brokerages I would still counsel the OP that they should concentrate on finding the right boat for them and on making sure they do all they can to ensure that all goes well. To my mind that is largely done by engaging professionals, letting them do their job and taking heed of their advice. Any brokerage is still a professional seller and in my mind preferable to buying from a private seller on Apollo Duck.

 

I did plenty of research on these pages as a guest but still found that the reality was more than a little different from what might have been reasonably expected. I ended up buying from a brokerage that gets very little mention on these pages - Ashwood Marina - but everything I experienced there was professional and balanced the requirements of seller and buyer very well.

 

On the subject of haggling, before I made a successful purchase I was gazumped at a different brokerage on a boat on which I had an offer of 95% of purchase price accepted. The eventual purchaser appeared suddenly and offered the asking price because they wanted the boat.

 

That was upsetting - not least because I had secured the finance and made sure I could meet my end of the deal the previous day - but it demonstrated to me that you should concentrate on what you think the boat is worth to you and not what offer you think you can get accepted.

 

Regarding the boat I did buy I had viewed boats I was genuinely interested in of £5k less and of £5k and £10k more in terms of asking price and was able to make a judgment it was realistically priced. It was also apparent the owner was a very conscientious fellow.

 

You will find good advice on here but you still need to do things that are right as far as you are concerned.

 

JP

[Geoff Taylor]

Its worth adding Braunston marina boat sales to your list, they shift a lot of boats and I have purchased and helped my Brother in law purchase and also sell through them and had nothing but excellent service despite some negative comments about them on this forum.

[metanoia]

Its worth adding Braunston marina boat sales to your list, they shift a lot of boats and I have purchased and helped my Brother in law purchase and also sell through them and had nothing but excellent service despite some negative comments about them on this forum.

A totally different experience here - several years ago they refused to pass my offer on to a lovely vendor with whom I'd had a cup of tea on board their own boat - never did find out why - except Tim didn't like me?!

 

While I wouldn't argue against the general consensus of the forum that Rugby Boats and ABNB are the higher end brokerages I would still counsel the OP that they should concentrate on finding the right boat for them and on making sure they do all they can to ensure that all goes well. To my mind that is largely done by engaging professionals, letting them do their job and taking heed of their advice. Any brokerage is still a professional seller and in my mind preferable to buying from a private seller on Apollo Duck.

 

I did plenty of research on these pages as a guest but still found that the reality was more than a little different from what might have been reasonably expected. I ended up buying from a brokerage that gets very little mention on these pages - Ashwood Marina - but everything I experienced there was professional and balanced the requirements of seller and buyer very well.

 

 

Lots to be said for the small private marinas/brokers - probably selling boats that have been with them for a long while which they know quite well.

 

 

Good luck with your search...

[Geoff Taylor]

A totally different experience here - several years ago they refused to pass my offer on to a lovely vendor with whom I'd had a cup of tea on board their own boat - never did find out why - except Tim didn't like me?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I comment on my own experiences and everyone is entitled to theirs and we will always have different opinions which are good to share on sites like this.

[metanoia]

 

I comment on my own experiences and everyone is entitled to theirs and we will always have different opinions which are good to share on sites like this.

Quite agree, Geoff - that's all I was doing.

 

Like you, I thought it's a place to share experiences (I am so glad you and your family bought well there) and opinions - but it seems by your reaction you might have experienced something similar to me on this forum from some of the regulars?

 

It's not pleasant is it?

[Boat&Bikes]

Have dealt with Braunston marina. Good people.

 

Ian.

[MtB]

I failed to buy a boat from Whilton when they refused to pass on my £40k offer to the vendor, on a £47k boat. Very frustrating. We might have had a deal somewhere in the middle had they not been so intransigent, describing my offer as 'too insulting' to pass on!

 

That's personal experience, not a story from here regurgitated.

I was tempted to offer the full £47k then reduce it to £40k on survey, citing something or other discovered. But I'm too straight dealing and can't bring myself play dirty tircks like that.

[Sea Dog]

^^^ The "owner" of the boat I looked at there turned out to be them. It was not easy to get that information though and so, with the antennae twitching, I walked.

[Stilllearning]

While I wouldn't argue against the general consensus of the forum that Rugby Boats and ABNB are the higher end brokerages I would still counsel the OP that they should concentrate on finding the right boat for them and on making sure they do all they can to ensure that all goes well. To my mind that is largely done by engaging professionals, letting them do their job and taking heed of their advice. Any brokerage is still a professional seller and in my mind preferable to buying from a private seller on Apollo Duck.

I did plenty of research on these pages as a guest but still found that the reality was more than a little different from what might have been reasonably expected. I ended up buying from a brokerage that gets very little mention on these pages - Ashwood Marina - but everything I experienced there was professional and balanced the requirements of seller and buyer very well.

On the subject of haggling, before I made a successful purchase I was gazumped at a different brokerage on a boat on which I had an offer of 95% of purchase price accepted. The eventual purchaser appeared suddenly and offered the asking price because they wanted the boat.

That was upsetting - not least because I had secured the finance and made sure I could meet my end of the deal the previous day - but it demonstrated to me that you should concentrate on what you think the boat is worth to you and not what offer you think you can get accepted.

Regarding the boat I did buy I had viewed boats I was genuinely interested in of £5k less and of £5k and £10k more in terms of asking price and was able to make a judgment it was realistically priced. It was also apparent the owner was a very conscientious fellow.

You will find good advice on here but you still need to do things that are right as far as you are concerned.

JP

We would totally agree about Ashwood Marina on the S&W, really nice efficient people, proper boaters too.

[linnit]

Last boat I sold through a broker was priced to sell (in my view)...I instructed the broker to refuse and not to contact me if an offer of under £7000 of asking price was made...It was my choice as a seller

[bigste]

www.bwml.co.uk

[Victor Vectis]

My only experience of boat buying is through ABNB.

 

Looked at the boat on Saturday, made an offer of £5000 less than the asking price on Sunday, met the seller in the middle (ie £2500 less than asking price) job done by Monday, subject to survey.

All very straightforward. The only delay was finding a drydock for the survey.

 

FWIW The surveyor valued the boat at £2000 more than we paid.

[MtB]

My only experience of boat buying is through ABNB.

 

Looked at the boat on Saturday, made an offer of £5000 less than the asking price on Sunday, met the seller in the middle (ie £2500 less than asking price) job done by Monday, subject to survey.

All very straightforward. The only delay was finding a drydock for the survey.

 

FWIW The surveyor valued the boat at £2000 more than we paid.

 

 

Yes that could have happened with me at Whilton too, had they not been so dog-in-the-manger about it!