engine leaking and not sure if we should pull out- help

[ditchcrawler]

A friend of mine looked at a second hand car, when he tried it the ABS warning light came on bat the car sales company said they would fix it. A few months later he took them to court as they had removed the ABS warning lamp. An engine with oil/water and head problems that has had the temperature sender disconnected says the same thing.

 

We regularly do that with ours to check for any problems.

Like every time I start the engine

[Loafer]

A friend of mine looked at a second hand car, when he tried it the ABS warning light came on bat the car sales company said they would fix it. A few months later he took them to court as they had removed the ABS warning lamp. An engine with oil/water and head problems that has had the temperature sender disconnected says the same thing.

Like every time I start the engine

 

Likewise. However, I DO have to walk past it to start it, so it isn't difficult here.

[Stilllearning]

We liked it because it was reverse layout. We liked a cruiser stern. And we assumed she had a good hull, and engine (hence the price seemed reasonable with other boats we were looking at the same time).

I say 'like', we aren't in love with her. We won't be heartbroken if we walk away. We will just be a little lighter in the pocket. We don't want to be taken for a ride, however, the surveyor seemed to think the hull was good and the stretch was one of the best he'd seen. He said the engine may have had some work done and when he turned it on out of the water, oil and water came out - this could have been residue that hadn't burnt away due to not being run since the work was completed. Or it could mean something badly wrong. We definitely want to pull out if it all starts looking dodgy (or dodgier).

 

But at the moment we have a story about the engine that seems to make sense. We are still waiting for the written survey.

 

The seller obviously knew that the engine needed fixing- so he got it fixed before selling. He wasn't living on board leading up to the sale so he may have missed the engine leaking. Unless he started the boat and opened the engine lid he wouldn't have seen it- would he?

Sure, he should have. And other things have been neglected, too. Which I kind of put down to his lack of maintenance. But then some people must buy boats and then a couple of years later realise it's not for them- and their handyman skills aren't up to scratch, so they get it blacked/serviced and move on. We felt that the boat had that look about her. But we thought we could look after her in the future.

 

We do not plan to live aboard and were thinking of moving the bed to give access to the bow doors.

You make lots of valid points and are clearly thinking hard about this boat, and about boat buying in general. Very wisely, you are not hurrying. There are so many boats available at around your budget that I really do think you should look at a few others that have more to offer: a cruiser stern boat without a rear cover, or even better a prom cover, will be a pain, and covers are expensive. Why pay to have a cross bed moved? There will be quality shell builders' hulls around at less than this boat. If it was me, I would maybe pay around 29k for the boat you are looking at.

Just keep looking, leave this one alone.

[alan_fincher]

At least ask for a detailed statement of what work has been done on the engine and why. If it's all above board, there's no reason why you should not see invoices, is there?

 

Then post it on here, and see whether people think it stacks up.

The "stretch" element of the boat would not worry me at all, if the surveyor says it is well done - loads of boats are stretched, and very often it is nigh impossible to tell. I think the engine is more than big enough, but it needs to be working properly, (obviously!).

 

It's the engine side of it you need to get to the bottom of - if you can't then I would reluctantly also say "walk away". It is a shame to lose survey money and docking charges, but it would daft to ignore the outcome if it turns up potential issues you cannot get satisfactory resolution of.

[OldGoat]

We liked it because it was reverse layout. We liked a cruiser stern. And we assumed she had a good hull, and engine (hence the price seemed reasonable with other boats we were looking at the same time).

I say 'like', we aren't in love with her. We won't be heartbroken if we walk away. We will just be a little lighter in the pocket. We don't want to be taken for a ride, however, the surveyor seemed to think the hull was good and the stretch was one of the best he'd seen. He said the engine may have had some work done and when he turned it on out of the water, oil and water came out - this could have been residue that hadn't burnt away due to not being run since the work was completed. Or it could mean something badly wrong. We definitely want to pull out if it all starts looking dodgy (or dodgier).

 

But at the moment we have a story about the engine that seems to make sense. We are still waiting for the written survey.

 

The seller obviously knew that the engine needed fixing- so he got it fixed before selling. He wasn't living on board leading up to the sale so he may have missed the engine leaking. Unless he started the boat and opened the engine lid he wouldn't have seen it- would he?

Sure, he should have. And other things have been neglected, too. Which I kind of put down to his lack of maintenance. But then some people must buy boats and then a couple of years later realise it's not for them- and their handyman skills aren't up to scratch, so they get it blacked/serviced and move on. We felt that the boat had that look about her. But we thought we could look after her in the future.

 

We do not plan to live aboard and were thinking of moving the bed to give access to the bow doors.

Thank you for coming back on my post.

It's very difficult to second guess what folks on here ask really want/ mean. I threw in liveaboard because what was presemted -

large double bed forward, microwave in the kitchen, walk through bathroom, small engine - not needed if you don't cruise much and so on. Implies living where there is mains power available.

 

If you want to cruise all parts of the system, then a 28HP engine would be a challenge going upstream on most rivers - doable, but desperately slow and not very manoeuvrable if there's any appreciable flow. Obviously not of any consequence if you won't be using rivers. Sometimes (quite often...) you need extra power to stop / go astern quickly....

 

The layout is unusual - good and it looks 'tidy'

 

Early Liverpool boats suffered from bad framing, poor layout (in the parts you can't see) - there have bee threads on here in the past, so not a quality builder.

 

The real challenges are price and could a quick fix for the engine cost you dear later.

 

Perhaps the only sensible thing I can suggest is to find someone on here who is knowledgeable about what lurks within and who has a working knowledge of beta engines. Methinks one that old may be due for replacement anyway - even without whatever problems theis one may have.

If you are going to cruise extensively, then you may - will need a more powerful alternator, especially if you want what today are considered as essential comforts and I don't know whether a 28 Beta lends itself to large alternator hung on the front. (They do fit a larger alternator on their latest version - Beta 30 - but full power is only available at 3,600 rpm - that's screamingly loud.....

 

Lack of maintenance could be just slightly inconvenient and easily rectified - BUT can also imply that other problems may be lurking underneath.

 

He's neglected the boat but still wants a high price....

[Loafer]

There is a lady called Loretta somebody or other, who sells a few boats near Leighton Buzzard. She once told me quite firmly to avoid 'Scouse Skips', as they were known in the trade.

 

I did look at one on hard standing somewhere, lovely fit-out but all the tiles had come away from behind the sink. I'm guessing they fell off due to twist in the shell, when craned out of the water.

 

The seller was right proper angry when I walked away.

 

Just sayin'.

[GUMPY]

[Anna_Licorice]

Lots of food for thought. Thank you again.

We have had an offer from the person who worked on the engine to 'guarantee' the work in writing. As well as a copy of the history of work that he was asked to carry out.

[Witchword]

Following with interest as I looked (online) at this same boat, if it's what was mentioned earlier.

 

Anyone considering selling theirs- I would like a solid fuel stove and decent (for a cook) galley. For me and my 5yo daughter. Two cabins if possible, but otherwise space for a bed in the saloon. A reasonable loo. I like the open-plan look and have lots of my own furniture. Not an 80s or 90s vibe in the decor! I like (not essential) reverse layout, cruiser or semi-trad, and cassette loo appeals more than pump-out. Other than that I'm pretty flexible. Waiting to exchange any day now (touch wood, please please please) and looking at a top budget of £40K. Will want it on the Sharpness canal but have several lovely friends/family who've offered to crew her around the place if I find her elsewhere...

[IanM]

and have lots of my own furniture.

 

That may or may not be a good thing, especially if it won't fit through the doors!

[Nightwatch]

Topic.

Personally I would look for another boat. It would take me a long long time to gain confidence in this boat.

 

If anything went wrong in the future with the engine I would probably beat myself up big time.

 

There's lots of boats about without such issues. I wouldn't dilly dally around with this one.

[Laurie Booth]

Following with interest as I looked (online) at this same boat, if it's what was mentioned earlier.

 

Anyone considering selling theirs- I would like a solid fuel stove and decent (for a cook) galley. For me and my 5yo daughter. Two cabins if possible, but otherwise space for a bed in the saloon. A reasonable loo. I like the open-plan look and have lots of my own furniture. Not an 80s or 90s vibe in the decor! I like (not essential) reverse layout, cruiser or semi-trad, and cassette loo appeals more than pump-out. Other than that I'm pretty flexible. Waiting to exchange any day now (touch wood, please please please) and looking at a top budget of £40K. Will want it on the Sharpness canal but have several lovely friends/family who've offered to crew her around the place if I find her elsewhere...

Hope the sale of your house goes through soon.

[cuthound]

Lots of food for thought. Thank you again.

We have had an offer from the person who worked on the engine to 'guarantee' the work in writing. As well as a copy of the history of work that he was asked to carry out.

Unless the guarantee is insurance backed it is worthless if the person or company providing it goes bust (volunteer or otherwise).

 

At your price point there are lots of boats available. I would walk away and look for something with a better back story.

[Nightwatch]

Unless the guarantee is insurance backed it is worthless if the person or company providing it goes bust (volunteer or otherwise).

At your price point there are lots of boats available. I would walk away and look for something with a better back story.

Ditto.

[MtB]

Unless the guarantee is insurance backed it is worthless if the person or company providing it goes bust (volunteer or otherwise).

 

 

At your price point there are lots of boats available. I would walk away and look for something with a better back story.

 

 

I agree. A written guarantee isn't worth a light unless the person or organisation issuing it has the financial clout to support it.

 

What help to the OP will a letter of guarantee be if the engine splurges it's guts just after they buy the boat, and the bloke won't answer his phone?

Edited February 17, 2016 by Mike the Boilerman

[dmr]

 

 

I agree. A written guarantee isn't worth a light unless the person or organisation issuing it has the financial clout to support it.

 

What help to the OP will a letter of guarantee be if the engine splurges it's guts just after they buy the boat, and the bloke won't answer his phone?

 

There was a roofing company round the corner from where I used to live who specialised in doing very cheap flat roof replacements.

They got lots of work because although they were cheap they gave a guarantee.

If you looked closely they changed the company name every year, though the new bit was in a very small font.....

FlatRoof 91

FlatRoof 92

FlatRoof 93 etc etc

 

A friend once bought a teapot from Habitat and on first use the glaze disintegrated so they took it back.

Salesperson said, "I can't replace it, its your own fault, you have obviously been putting boiling water into it."

 

Guarantees are a piece of paper, no more, no less.

 

...............Dave

[MtB]

"Lifetime guarantees" are my favourite potential scam.

 

I'm convinced if I tried to claim under one, they'd say "Sorry Sir, the item has broken so it has reached the end of its life. Therefore, the Lifetime Guarantee has just expired"...

[dmr]

I kept my old VW camper going for 25 years and bought a couple of bits that were "guaranteed for the life of the vehicle".

I think one failed after about 10 years and I asked for a replacement (surprisingly the shop was still trading) and they simply told me I was been unreasonable, and that life meant maybe 5 or 6 years.

 

..................Dave

[David Mack]

A friend once bought a teapot from Habitat and on first use the glaze disintegrated so they took it back.

Salesperson said, "I can't replace it, its your own fault, you have obviously been putting boiling water into it."

 

My Mum tells the story of some new school shoes she bought for my sister, but which fell apart in days. On taking them back to the shop she was told "Well your daughter has been wearing them in the rain!".

[WotEver]

A pianist friend once bought a mohair suit for use on stage. After a week he noticed that the bum part of the trousers was going threadbare. When he went back to the tailors they told him "You've been sitting down in these!"

 

Tony

[haggis]

When a pair of fairly new wellies started to leak and I took them back to the shop I was asked if I had worn them in the rain :-) Made me smile!

 

haggis

[Alan de Enfield]

Bought our son a tent, a couple of months later (after maybe 3 weeks usage) noticed that the material was starting to 'fall apart' and fray.

 

Took it back to the shop to be told "you have put it up in sunlight and its degraded the nylon".

 

So - moral of the story - don't buy a tent if you intend to use it during daylight hours

[Guest]

"Lifetime guarantees" are my favourite potential scam.

 

I'm convinced if I tried to claim under one, they'd say "Sorry Sir, the item has broken so it has reached the end of its life. Therefore, the Lifetime Guarantee has just expired"...

Free Lifetime maps on sat nav's is a good one.

 

It doesn't actually mean your 'lifetime' or even the 'lifetime of the device' it means the lifetime determined by how long the manufacturer determine it appropriate to support it.

[MtB]

Bought our son a tent, a couple of months later (after maybe 3 weeks usage) noticed that the material was starting to 'fall apart' and fray.

 

Took it back to the shop to be told "you have put it up in sunlight and its degraded the nylon".

 

So - moral of the story - don't buy a tent if you intend to use it during daylight hours

 

 

At least they didn't accuse him of sleeping in it!

[ditchcrawler]

I had a boat painted, when it blistered I was told it was because I left it out in the snow.

Many years a go I had a carpet that wore badly, they said it was because I walked across the same bit by the door.

Free Lifetime maps on sat nav's is a good one.

It doesn't actually mean your 'lifetime' or even the 'lifetime of the device' it means the lifetime determined by how long the manufacturer determine it appropriate to support it.

And it doesn't include the speed cameras