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Is this boat a good buy?


laurasangster

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Hi there,

 

I am completely new to boating and want to buy a boat to live upon. A friend of a friend is selling his small 2006 Dutch Barge (33x10) for £12,500.

 

It needs its engine fitting and a new cam-belt as well minor work doing inside (it's about 85% complete). I have had a look at the boat and really like it, its plumbing is all in order and its electrics need tying up a bit.

 

I have some questions as I completely new to boating. The boat is currently moored in Christchurch Meadows in Oxford, how feasible is it to move this boat around given its beam width? I would ideally like to move it to Enslow marina and live on it there.

 

I have been told the hull is 6mm thick, is this too thin?

 

All in all any feedback or advice would be really helpful as I am totally new to this.

 

Thanks,

 

Laura

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Hi there,

 

I am completely new to boating and want to buy a boat to live upon. A friend of a friend is selling his small 2006 Dutch Barge (33x10) for £12,500.

 

It needs its engine fitting and a new cam-belt as well minor work doing inside (it's about 85% complete). I have had a look at the boat and really like it, its plumbing is all in order and its electrics need tying up a bit.

 

I have some questions as I completely new to boating. The boat is currently moored in Christchurch Meadows in Oxford, how feasible is it to move this boat around given its beam width? I would ideally like to move it to Enslow marina and live on it there.

 

I have been told the hull is 6mm thick, is this too thin?

 

All in all any feedback or advice would be really helpful as I am totally new to this.

 

Thanks,

 

Laura

 

Hi Laura

 

It is too wide to get to Enslow marina as that is the Oxford canal max 7 feet wide and owners will not allow widebeams even if you could get it there.

 

Tim

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Thank you so much!!

 

Hi Laura

 

No problem. In case you are interested I live on my boat on the Oxford and know the area very well and if you need any advice re boats or locations feel free to message me and I will be happy to give my help or opinion. I have a canalside business as on my profile if you ever want to pop in for advice or a chat.

 

Thanks

 

Tim

Edited by mrsmelly
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A picture would be good but I find it difficult to upload them on to this site, you might find it easy. Well, its too wide for the narrow system so Enslow is out I think. That still leaves the Thames, Kennet and Avon to Bristol and possibly the Severn and Avon, the Wey, the Lea and others so that's quite a lot you can cover. If it is 6mm thick I would be surprised, it is likely to be built less than that and thinned over the years. A hull survey really is essential. Living on a boat brings all sorts of mooring problems, residential moorings are very scarce, you are in an expensive part of the world as well so you have to be prepared for difficulties as far as moorings are concerned. You need to talk to lots of people, have just noticed the message from 'Mr. Smelly', you need to sniff him out and have a chat, Don't be put off by messages of doom about all the problems though, if there really was that many problems then we wouldn't have boats. Good luck.

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Being perhaps rude, but to protect the innocent - some of the boats on CC Meadows can be a bit 'challenging' so don't be seduced by a good price. All things being equal sometimes a low price hides some sins.

F'rinstance - why is the engine out, why is it 'incomplete'. There could be a jolly good reason - but OTOH there may be some other issue(s).

 

As Oxenford is a seat-of-learning the old adage of Caveat Emptor applies or "all that glisters is not of gold".

 

Sorry....

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Thank you to everyone for all your advice!

 

Will definitely get a survey if I consider buying. The owner told me it has been moored there for a year without being asked to move on and that till March it is officially 'trapped'. I am aware mooring in Oxford is a real nightmare and I really liked Enslow marina so that could rule this boat out as it seemed the best and most feasible place to live on the water whilst working in Oxford.

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My advice would be to only buy a boat if you really, really love boats. They have a habit of throwing up no end of expensive problems (particularly in the lower end of the market, arguably slightly above where you're looking) ;)) which can be challenging enough if you love and know boats - imagine being confronted by those if find you don't even like the damned thing.

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What are you looking for and how much money do you have to spend?

 

I was looking for a minimum 57ft narrowboat initially with about 30k to spend on it. Found a couple I liked that fell through and things got really busy over the summer. But on the hunt again now, I know there are plenty out there online but then this friend came forward with this ridiculously cheap boat...

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