Please tell me what you think of this boat?

[MtB]

 

It looks to me to have intentionally built at lowest possible cost to provide largest possible interior space, with nil regard to the practicality of boating in it.

 

The hull is shapeless, and will likely swim terribly. The hull is crudely constructed with angles where curves ought to be, and lacking in adequate guards to protect it from bumps and knocks. The cabin is too box like, lacking tumble-home, and the gunwales look too narrow to be walked safely.

 

I struggle to believe this is from a serious narrow boat builder. The fit out appears to have been done at the least cost they could get away with.

 

There have to be countless boats that are a better bet than this one!

 

 

It isn't.

 

Alchemy Boats was a small yard on a bit of farmland just north of Oxford, and the facilities there ran to an old JCB, a garden shed and a Halfords stick welder IIRC. Site was cleared ready for development last time I passed, about a year ago.

 

Given the agricultural nature of the facilities there I'm impressed they built a boat looking as good as it does!

[alan_fincher]

 

 

It isn't.

 

Alchemy Boats was a small yard on a bit of farmland just north of Oxford, and the facilities there ran to an old JCB, a garden shed and a Halfords stick welder IIRC. Site was cleared ready for development last time I passed, about a year ago.

 

Given the agricultural nature of the facilities there I'm impressed they built a boat looking as good as it does!

 

On reflection, wasn't Alchemy Boats trading at Jericho in Oxford until the point BW forced the close down of operations there?

 

Did something of that name relocate to somewhere else on the Oxford.

 

I can see why this boat might hardly be considered mainstream production, if that is it's origins!

[Melissas]

Well, thanks everyone for your advice - sounds like you saved me from a badden, thanks

 

Thanks for the boats naughty cal .

Someone gave me some advice (a chap on a narrowboat near Uxbridge) and said to go for the youngest boat I could afford, thus I've been looking at boats no older than build year 2000 if I could help it. Have I been barking up the wrong tree here steering away from the older boats? I had the impression that old boats were like old cars, less reliable..

[rusty69]

Well, thanks everyone for your advice - sounds like you saved me from a badden, thanks

 

Thanks for the boats naughty cal .

Someone gave me some advice (a chap on a narrowboat near Uxbridge) and said to go for the youngest boat I could afford, thus I've been looking at boats no older than build year 2000 if I could help it. Have I been barking up the wrong tree here steering away from the older boats? I had the impression that old boats were like old cars, less reliable..

Nothing wrong with an older boat if its been well looked after. The older it is however, the more likely it will have more issues with the steelwork than a newer boat.

[Melissas]

Thanks rusty, makes sense

[Chertsey]

Nothing wrong with an older boat if its been well looked after. The older it is however, the more likely it will have more issues with the steelwork than a newer boat.

Even that, not necessarily. So much depends on the initial quality and how it's been looked after. Certainly don't rule out older boats from your search.

[alan_fincher]

Someone gave me some advice (a chap on a narrowboat near Uxbridge) and said to go for the youngest boat I could afford, thus I've been looking at boats no older than build year 2000 if I could help it. Have I been barking up the wrong tree here steering away from the older boats? I had the impression that old boats were like old cars, less reliable..

 

I think others are saying the same, but equally important are how well it has been maintained, but in no small degree how well revered the builder is.

 

As you do your research you will learn....

 

That some builders are considered pretty specialist and "top end", (their boats usually attracting a higher price tag as a result.

That there are many well respected and well known builders of more mainstream boats that also generally have a very good reputation

That some volume builders have succeeded by turning out a good product in large numbers generally less expensively

That increasingly there are volume builders delivering down to a budget where quality and robustness are compromised

That there are plenty of oddball boats not necessarily built by well known builders

 

By going for "recent" you seem to have found one of the last in the list, and you would be better looking higher up the list.

 

People seem very willing to discuss the pros and cons of any particular second hand boat you post details of, and whilst we may not always agree, you will start to understand what (maybe!) the majority of us might think is potentially a good buy, and what we think is not.

 

A different slant on the advice you were given. When I was relatively new to this, someone who had been in brokerage advised us "go for the best shell you can find - just about every other aspect of the boat you can change over time, but if you buy a boat with a poor shell, you are stuck with that for as long as you own that boat". I don't think it is bad advice, all these years on.

[rusty69]

Even that, not necessarily. So much depends on the initial quality and how it's been looked after. Certainly don't rule out older boats from your search.

Technically, this is correct. OP please ignore my advice.

[Mendip-Locks]

A few I've turned up,

https://www.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=4910931992 29k good builder but can you live with that galley! Oh my eyes!

https://www.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=4889611995 Liverpool Boats not the greatest builder but looks good new engine probably a bit old for the money.

https://www.apolloduck.com/advert.phtml?id=488733Another Liverpool boat 2001 this time 1 owner by the look been CCing for 15 years.

https://www.apolloduck.com/advert.phtml?id=489255samitrad 1998 refitted 2016 John White 38k

https://www.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=485799semitrad 1997 60ft

Four Winds is a 60ft Narrowboat with a semi-trad stern, built by Gary Gorton and fitted out by J.D. Boat Services 37k

http://www.nationwidenarrowboatsales.com/viewlisting2.php?id=2972005 Liverpool boat 1,500 quid over budget but could offer lower.

http://www.abcboatsales.com/boat-sales/freyia/60ft 2000 2 bedrooms again over budget but offers all ways accepted!

http://www.abcboatsales.com/boat-sales/titania-1/Another 2000 ex hire

http://www.aqueductbrokerage.co.uk/index.php/boats-for-sale/boat/dunno52ft 2004 over budget 39k

[Naughty Cal]

A few I've turned up,

https://www.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=4910931992 29k good builder but can you live with that galley! Oh my eyes!

https://www.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=4889611995 Liverpool Boats not the greatest builder but looks good new engine probably a bit old for the money.

https://www.apolloduck.com/advert.phtml?id=488733Another Liverpool boat 2001 this time 1 owner by the look been CCing for 15 years.

https://www.apolloduck.com/advert.phtml?id=489255samitrad 1998 refitted 2016 John White 38k

https://www.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=485799semitrad 1997 60ft

Four Winds is a 60ft Narrowboat with a semi-trad stern, built by Gary Gorton and fitted out by J.D. Boat Services 37k

http://www.nationwidenarrowboatsales.com/viewlisting2.php?id=2972005 Liverpool boat 1,500 quid over budget but could offer lower.

http://www.abcboatsales.com/boat-sales/freyia/60ft 2000 2 bedrooms again over budget but offers all ways accepted!

http://www.abcboatsales.com/boat-sales/titania-1/Another 2000 ex hire

http://www.aqueductbrokerage.co.uk/index.php/boats-for-sale/boat/dunno52ft 2004 over budget 39k

If my budget were up to say £38k I would be looking at boats with asking prices up to about £46k. There is always room for haggling on the asking price.

 

If you are not embarrassed to put in your first offer then it just isn't low enough.

[Bee]

'Go for the best shell you can afford' Good advice that. Its a bit like buying the 'worst house on the best street' That's what I'd be doing, it is even possible to make a few pounds out of it when you come to sell it on - all subject to hull survey, engine etc. etc. etc.

[Mendip-Locks]

If my budget were up to say £38k I would be looking at boats with asking prices up to about £46k. There is always room for haggling on the asking price.

 

If you are not embarrassed to put in your first offer then it just isn't low enough.

Spot on come to think of it very good advice.

I think I'd be over posting if I did the above again at 46k?

[Odana]

Neighbour has just put his 1997 Jonathan Wilson 54 ft up for 39k. A bit high so wriggle room I guess, but has always seemed a sound boat (tis a good maker) and well cared for. Look for Viking Lady on Apollo Duck.

[adam1uk]

Neighbour has just put his 1997 Jonathan Wilson 54 ft up for 39k. A bit high so wriggle room I guess, but has always seemed a sound boat (tis a good maker) and well cared for. Look for Viking Lady on Apollo Duck.

 

Here you go: http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=490332

[Melissas]

Wow thank you to everyone for your amazing help, so appreciated, what a lovely lot you are.

My dad actually said something similar to yourself alan_fincher, that as long as the shell was good, everything else could be pretty much solved, so I need to keep that in mind.

Mendip_locks, thanks for boat hunting for me!

And Naughty-cal, thanks for the good advice, I guess throwing around a few embarrassing offers can't do any harm so will start looking at boats a little higher up the scale.

Thanks once again

[RLWP]

Wow thank you to everyone for your amazing help, so appreciated, what a lovely lot you are.

My dad actually said something similar to yourself alan_fincher, that as long as the shell was good, everything else could be pretty much solved, so I need to keep that in mind.

Mendip_locks, thanks for boat hunting for me!

And Naughty-cal, thanks for the good advice, I guess throwing around a few embarrassing offers can't do any harm so will start looking at boats a little higher up the scale.

Thanks once again

 

Just for fun, have a look at boats a lot further up the scale too. You may get an idea of what you are getting for your money - the price and the quality of the fit-out are not always directly connected

 

You may also find that you want to stretch your budget a bit, or find that spending another £10-20K isn't worth it

 

We did this, it helped us see what it was we really wanted.

 

Richard

[rusty69]

Wow thank you to everyone for your amazing help, so appreciated, what a lovely lot you are.

My dad actually said something similar to yourself alan_fincher, that as long as the shell was good, everything else could be pretty much solved, so I need to keep that in mind.

Mendip_locks, thanks for boat hunting for me!

And Naughty-cal, thanks for the good advice, I guess throwing around a few embarrassing offers can't do any harm so will start looking at boats a little higher up the scale.

Thanks once again

When we were looking for a boat, some 18 yrs ago now,with a much lower budget than yours, we were given much the same advice as Alan. Go for a well respected quality builder if you can, anything else could be altered.

 

We ended up buying a 70ft Les allen,with good steelwork, but required lots of interior work. Over the years, I have come to appreciate this advice, and we have ended up with a great boat that suits our needs.

 

good luck in your search.