Potential Boat, your opinions & advice please!

[Athy]

 

All lights and pumps are 12v so keeping the core functionality whilst out cursing.

You obviously did not get on very well with your fellow boaters.

But seriously, welcome to the Forum and thanks for your most illuminating post.

[grannykins]

We saw this boat last weekend, and quite liked it. It was one of the few that was still on our list after viewing in the flesh. Unfortunately not in a position to buy until August.

[Alan Taylor]

the smart move would be a PM to hoondub who seems an honest if rather inexperienced tradesman asking for the contact details of the person he sold it to as it's quite obviously done nothing to justify an extra £12k in the interim.

[Chewbacka]

the smart move would be a PM to hoondub who seems an honest if rather inexperienced tradesman asking for the contact details of the person he sold it to as it's quite obviously done nothing to justify an extra £12k in the interim.

A boat is worth what some one is willing to pay for it. Same as houses, they go up based upon demand not based upon the increasing of wages etc.

So if the seller thinks they can get £12k more than they bought it for, good luck to them.

[John J]

Thanks for all the replys everyone, and thanks for taking the time to post hoondub. Thats answered alot of questions! Ill let you all know how I get on..

[johnnie1uk]

Regarding layout, if you are going to liveaboard, continuous cruising, while you are on the move have you considered how inconvenient it will be to have to walk through the bedroom every time you want a pee or a cup of tea, especially with lock soiled and/or wet clothes.

[Naughty Cal]

Trust. Only trust your surveyor.

 

Like many, looks over priced considering how it looks. It does however have a lot of the right things for a wondering live aboard: not too many windows, cassette loo, low life engine (if its OK - check it out).

 

Think about what it needs: solar panel installation, new batteries (almost certainly), and another way to get hot water.

I wouldn't be so sure of that.

 

Our experience of a purchase survey wasn't exactly a good one.

[Trillian]

Regarding layout, if you are going to liveaboard, continuous cruising, while you are on the move have you considered how inconvenient it will be to have to walk through the bedroom every time you want a pee or a cup of tea, especially with lock soiled and/or wet clothes.

Pretty normal for a narrowboat though, unless you get a reverse layout.

[MtB]

Pretty normal for a narrowboat though, unless you get a reverse layout.

 

 

Not normal at all. I'm sure I've ever seen this in any of the many narrow boats I've been in!

Most NBs are laid out from the bow going sternwards:

 

Saloon

Galley

Shower room/bog

Bedroom

 

 

Edit to add, Oh I think I see what you mean. To get to the bog from the helm you have to go through the bedroom. Yes, commonplace!

Edited June 22, 2016 by Mike the Boilerman

[Stilllearning]

Not normal at all. I'm sure I've ever seen this in any of the many narrow boats I've been in!

Most NBs are laid out from the bow going sternwards:

 

Saloon

Galley

Shower room/bog

Bedroom

 

 

Edit to add, Oh I think I see what you mean. To get to the bog from the helm you have to go through the bedroom. Yes, commonplace!

Which was one reason I bought my much loved and missed boat "Rawlinson End", back in about 2008. It had a big bathroom at the back, then bedroom, kitchen and saloon. And portholes, beautiful diagonal ply, and a BMC 1.8 with reasonable access. Built by Cotswold Narrowboats with really flat steelwork and an ace sprayed on paint job which lasted till we sold 2 yrs ago. Whoever has it is probably very happy.

[Joe the plumber]

I think that there's a shortage of narrowboats at present, and prices have risen in the last few months as a result. Last year the boat in question might have been cheaper, but I suspect it's all down to supply and demand at the moment. And I like the look of it, too.

 

A few people on here don't like Whilton. However, we bought our boat from there last September and found them excellent in every respect. Lots of details here (I 'arrived' at the top of page 4, but please read it all if you've time):

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=71979

 

When we bought ours, I asked them to lift the boat our for us (at my expense) so I could look the hull over before I paid a deposit, and had arranged for a surveyor who was going to be there on another job at the same time to have a quick initial look at it, if I was happy with what I saw. I was happy, and he ended up doing us a hull survey (which was fine) at the time. I then paid for the lift out and our deposit.

 

It's not the way Whilton normally do things (ie they want a deposit first), but they did it for us without any quibbling, so you can always ask and see.

 

Incidentally, don't forget to try their cafe too. We love it and still call in there regularly.

[Bobbybass]

Personally I wouldn't pay more than £35k 'subject to'. That leaves some 'wiggle room' for survey problems.

 

Don't forget that once the survey has been done..it is 'on the day'...and you will then have to take a view on any problems.

 

Surveyors disappear..."Like a phantom in the night"...once they typed it up..and you paid..

There is 'small print'..and they are not responsible after that.

Edited July 7, 2016 by Bobbybass