Anna_Licorice Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Hi, I'm new to the forum and unfortunately I have a question and need help already! (BTW this forum has been invaluable when we have been researching- so thank you to those that keep it running.) The boat (2001) we just got surveyed has come up with a good hull (somethings to put on the 'to-do' list but nothing to worry too much about). However, the engine (beta- 28) is leaking- oil and water, and the thermostat (I forget the name of it- though it was the thing that is connected to the engine to tell you how hot the engine runs) has been disconnected. The suggestions made were that this engine could take between £1000 and a £a-new-engine to fix. This is our first boat, and so we would like to ask do you think it is worth continuing with the sale, in a similar situation would people usually walk away when confronted with replacing an engine? In your experience, is it best to have the brokerage deal with fixing this issue before we proceed with purchasing, or should we negotiate on the price and then find our own place to have her fixed? On the brokerage website it states that boats will be repaired following a survey- and that if we put in a lower than asking price offer (which we did- £2000) lower than the repairs- if they fall within that range will be up to us to cover. So if the repair costs £2000 they say that the owner has already paid that by accepting the lower offer. But, that's crazy because we put in an offer of what we were happy to pay for the boat- not what amount we were hoping to repair!!! Arrrr! Many many thanks for any replies Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Ewart: http://greathaywoodboatsales.co.uk/images/pdf_files/Ewart%20Brochure%20Main%20Page.pdf The disconnected thing sounds like the temperature gauge How much oil and water is the engine leaking, and how do you know? Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Plenty of boats out there. If it does need a new engine, you will be into considerably more than 2k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicknorman Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 My first instinct is to walk away. It will be your first boat, (without wanting to sound rude) you don't know anything about boat engines, and so you will be a hostage to getting it fixed by someone who may look at you merely as a source of income. Especially as you seem to be in London where everything is double price! There are lots and lots of boats around with good engines so I think you are just making a rod for your own back. That said if this boat has something which makes it uniquely desirable for you, and/or it is at an exception price then maybe not, but only you know that. I doubt it though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 That said if this boat has something which makes it uniquely desirable for you, and/or it is at an exception price then maybe not, but only you know that. I doubt it though! 52' Liverpool boat from 2001 - £39,950 Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Brown Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 That's a decision ONLY you can make! How do you feel about buying some known problems, how good are you at getting things fixed. Everyone buys a second hand boat with a "to-do list. It's what you think is fair for the price or beyond your capability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicknorman Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 52' Liverpool boat from 2001 - £39,950 Richard How did you know that anyway??!! So, not really a uniquely desirable boat then nor exceptionally cheap (especially if it has a duff engine!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the barnacle Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 you will get great sdvice on here - my only advice is decide what you do with your head not your heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 How did you know that anyway??!! So, not really a uniquely desirable boat then nor exceptionally cheap (especially if it has a duff engine!). The OP has listed Ewart as their boat name, so I googled 'ewart canal' and found it on brokerage. The advert has the same engine, so I'm assuming it's the same boat Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyboy Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Hi, I'm new to the forum and unfortunately I have a question and need help already! (BTW this forum has been invaluable when we have been researching- so thank you to those that keep it running.) The boat (2001) we just got surveyed has come up with a good hull (somethings to put on the 'to-do' list but nothing to worry too much about). However, the engine (beta- 28) is leaking- oil and water, and the thermostat (I forget the name of it- though it was the thing that is connected to the engine to tell you how hot the engine runs) has been disconnected. The suggestions made were that this engine could take between £1000 and a £a-new-engine to fix. This is our first boat, and so we would like to ask do you think it is worth continuing with the sale, in a similar situation would people usually walk away when confronted with replacing an engine? In your experience, is it best to have the brokerage deal with fixing this issue before we proceed with purchasing, or should we negotiate on the price and then find our own place to have her fixed? On the brokerage website it states that boats will be repaired following a survey- and that if we put in a lower than asking price offer (which we did- £2000) lower than the repairs- if they fall within that range will be up to us to cover. So if the repair costs £2000 they say that the owner has already paid that by accepting the lower offer. But, that's crazy because we put in an offer of what we were happy to pay for the boat- not what amount we were hoping to repair!!! Arrrr! Many many thanks for any replies Anna Can you see where the oil & water is leaking from? Is it leaking externally or is it dissapearing inside the engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna_Licorice Posted February 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 How much oil and water is the engine leaking, and how do you know? Richard When the surveyor showed me on the iPhone it looked like it was oozing 50ml and maybe more- but then he said he turned the engine off after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 When the surveyor showed me on the iPhone it looked like it was oozing 50ml and maybe more- but then he said he turned the engine off after that. OK, that sounds like a lot. The engine is 15 years old, so it may well need more work than just a few seals replacing. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna_Licorice Posted February 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 The OP has listed Ewart as their boat name, so I googled 'ewart canal' and found it on brokerage. The advert has the same engine, so I'm assuming it's the same boat Richard Man! You guys are speedy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicknorman Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 The OP has listed Ewart as their boat name, so I googled 'ewart canal' and found it on brokerage. The advert has the same engine, so I'm assuming it's the same boat Richard I see. And there was me thinking you were telepathic! But it now says x which is probably why I didn't clock it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna_Licorice Posted February 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 OK, that sounds like a lot. The engine is 15 years old, so it may well need more work than just a few seals replacing. Richard Yes, quite an experiences surveyor came recommended, has also got experience with diesel engines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Man! You guys are speedy! We do this a lot! You aren't the first person to ask such a question about a boat they are thinking of, and discussing a real boat is always easier than working with a hypothetical one Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul C Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 The irony is, an oil leak or a coolant leak aren't massively complicated or expensive* items to fix. But, if the temperature sensor has been disconnected, that immediately arouses suspicion - one wonders why? If the thermostat were removed, its understandable (but erroneous) as an attempt to aid cooling performance. Oil leak could be: crank seal (either end), sump gasket, rocker cover gasket, or something more simple still like the lift plunger thing simply being loose or something. Coolant leak could be a core plug or a leaky water pump, thermostat housing, etc I am wondering head gasket failure? But they don't normally leak externally on failing, more likely leak coolant into oil; oil into coolant; oil into cylinder; coolant into cylinder, etc. Worse case scenario for the oil leaks is that it needs the engine removed to get to the seal, due to the position of the engine/bulkhead, or other stuff. * Expensive only because some boatyards/mechanics charge so much, for what is relatively simple jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Worse case scenario for the oil leaks is that it needs the engine removed to get to the seal, due to the position of the engine/bulkhead, or other stuff. The worst case scenario is worn/broken rings causing increased crankcase pressure forcing oil out of the seals I don't know what is wrong with this engine Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul C Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Well yeah.........also worth mentioning, if its been left with the leak for some time, further damage may have resulted. I am surprised the surveyor did not feel it worth diagnosing further. After all, it could be a good bartering point and get you ££££ off the asking price of the boat, and you could be with no overall loss or a gain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna_Licorice Posted February 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 The worst case scenario is worn/broken rings causing increased crankcase pressure forcing oil out of the seals I don't know what is wrong with this engine Richard It's a Beta 28, for a 52ft, because I think it was installed before the boat got stretched. It used to be a 42ft. So, could it be the little-engine-that-could has been put under too much pressure for too long? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 It's a Beta 28, for a 52ft, because I think it was installed before the boat got stretched. It used to be a 42ft. So, could it be the little-engine-that-could has been put under too much pressure for too long? I wouldn't have thought so. The power to run a boat doesn't change greatly with length. It's more likely that it has been well used for 15 years. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna_Licorice Posted February 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Well yeah.........also worth mentioning, if its been left with the leak for some time, further damage may have resulted. I am surprised the surveyor did not feel it worth diagnosing further. After all, it could be a good bartering point and get you ££££ off the asking price of the boat, and you could be with no overall loss or a gain. The surveyor did tell us that we could use this to negotiate. I guess I'm just concerned, because of my inexperience, and because engines are pretty important!! My question is really if we should. I was kind of thinking that hull integrity and then engine reliability were the two main things with a boat. Anything else from the survey I thought I could deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 If it was me...... I would bargain to get another couple of thousand off and try to get an identical engine (Look at Kubota on e bay, that'll be the base engine) and swap it all over. You need a friend with spanners and a bit of courage. However, as nicknorman said, its not a particularly unique boat. Probably best to keep looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 It's a Beta 28, for a 52ft, because I think it was installed before the boat got stretched. It used to be a 42ft. So, could it be the little-engine-that-could has been put under too much pressure for too long? Depends how it has been used TBH. If it has been on rivers a lot, it may have been a bit underpowered. On canals it should have been enough power if correct propeller fitted. Now many hours are on the clock? If the hull is what you want, and you can get a nice new engine out of the deal, it might be worth considering. Is there any record of who stretched it, and what is the surveyors opinion of the workmanship? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 (edited) changed my mind Richard Edited February 15, 2016 by RLWP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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