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Cost of refitting a 20ft NB?


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Hello,

I'm looking for a boat between 20-28ft for short trips.

As much as I'd like an Aintree Beetle 25ft I don't want the £35K outlay.  Instead I'm hoping to find an older boat in need of a refit.  Subject to the inspection showing the hull and engine are OK, I'm hoping I could get what I'm looking for a chunk less.

I've found these two boats and wondered what a refit might cost for either of these two boats.  I'm not wanting anything high end or flash.  Perhaps:

Modern veneer fit out

A small panelled wetroom/shower with cassette toilet

Simple cooker and hob and fridge

Water heater and ideally a small multi fuel burner rather than blown hot air heating (which I presume would be more costly to fit).

I'm clueless as to how much it might cost, how long it would take or even lead times on how long a wait it might be.  So, any advice would be appreciated.

With them being so small I'd probably have a go at painting it myself!

Thanks,

https://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/used-narrowboats/details/4147.aspx

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boat.phtml?id=560891

 

 

 

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I imagine that you will only be making very short trips - the one at Whilton doesn't appear to have an engine.

Taking this as an example it would appear to 90% meet your requirements - it has a fridge, it has a cooker & hob and toilet. 

All you need is hot water heating £1000+ and a Shower £200 to £??????

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2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I imagine that you will only be making very short trips - the one at Whilton doesn't appear to have an engine.

Taking this as an example it would appear to 90% meet your requirements - it has a fridge, it has a cooker & hob and toilet. 

All you need is hot water heating £1000+ and a Shower £200 to £??????

Feel a bit daft now!  Yep, no engine!

That said, I do quite like 'Mumble'.

Both meet the list of requirements more or less, but I'd like the refit with something modern, new and clean.

 

 

3 minutes ago, LadyG said:

ROFL @MUMBLE!

 

I think it's a cool looking thing!  Something a bit different anyhow.

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Just now, thenortherner said:

Feel a bit daft now!  Yep, no engine!

That said, I do quite like 'Mumble'.

Both meet the list of requirements more or less, but I'd like the refit with something modern, new and clean.

Contact Wayne @W+T for a quote.  He specialises in making silk purses, and doesn't even need it to be the sow's ear to start with :D

 

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6 minutes ago, LadyG said:

no, honestly, I have seen one on london boat girl vlog

https://www.apolloduck.com/boat.phtml?id=282352

 

Well I took it as a serious suggestion.

Navvie's Ark is my favourite:

image.jpg

http://www.lancashirelife.co.uk/homes-gardens/interiors/navvies-ark-the-lifeboat-that-brings-luxury-to-lancashire-s-waterways-1-4207373

But Martin & Julie are friends of a friend :)

Up at Bingley last time we saw it.

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The thing is that the two essentials are a sound hull and a good little engine, you have to avoid rustbuckets as they might well sink.

I think it is best to find something that has been well maintained rather than thinking that you would like a project, I would avoid a project as the cost of fixing things can be more than the value of the boat, and it can be a can of worms. If you intend to live  on board, it is doubly important to have it reasonable habitable and safe.

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8 hours ago, thenortherner said:

I think it's a cool looking thing!  Something a bit different anyhow.

I quite like Mumbles too. 

We met a couple on a 12ft narrowboat once at The Lime Kilns on The Ashby. They’d done most of the system and had recently come down from Liverpool. A little 2 stroke outboard on the back and it could turn on a sixpence. The interior was... compact :)

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8 hours ago, thenortherner said:

Think I'll stick with a narrowboat however small an iteration it might be

My first thoughts when I read "I'm gonna buy/have bought a cheap Narrowboat and I haven't got a clue" type posts are generally pretty negative.  However, since you've had the good sense to recognise that introducing yet another fugly ex lifeboat to the inland waterways would be a tragedy of some significance, I wish you every success! :D

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9 hours ago, thenortherner said:

Feel a bit daft now!  Yep, no engine!

That said, I do quite like 'Mumble'.

If you do like it, then a call to Whilton should answer the question - Engine or not ?

However as one of the least world's favoured brokers - BEWARE.

They are not renowned for giving the correct facts and details - but the café (not run by the same people) does do a good 'honest' breakfast.

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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

If you do like it, then a call to Whilton should answer the question - Engine or not ?

However as one of the least world's favoured brokers - BEWARE.

They are not renowned for giving the correct facts and details - but the café (not run by the same people) does do a good 'honest' breakfast.

Mumble is on the duck and has a Kubota. It’s the other one that’s from Whilton and appears to have no means of propulsion. 

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19 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

Contact Wayne @W+T for a quote.  He specialises in making silk purses, and doesn't even need it to be the sow's ear to start with :D

 

Thanks for that

I was contacted and i have said what i know, not much but i can only help. 

On such a small boat i reckon it can cost a little or a lot, all depends on the fittings and bling thing. Anything from around £5k to £15k on materials alone. And thats from me doing a 20 foot GRP cruiser with a similar cabin space to Mumble and going all in with a few items fitted. Saved a lot on taking time researching and price saving.

 

And as it is, i like Mumbles, different and quirky, why be the same and normal  :)

  

 

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9 hours ago, WotEver said:

Its the other one that’s from Whilton and appears to have no means of propulsion. 

Shouldn't it therefore be on sale at their London branch at a premium price since it has a bona fide reason not to move already installed?

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Thanks a lot for the replies.

I had a nice response from Wayne.  On balance, given the cost of a refurb and initial purchase it just doesn't stack up to go down this route.  I'd likely end up with a boat worth much less than the total cost of the outlay.  I appreciate boating isn't about return on investment, but sense says it's not the way to go.

Instead, this looks like more sense, especially as it's been replated this year and looks to be in generally good condition:

http://www.narrowboatsltd.co.uk/pre-owned/jack/

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26 minutes ago, thenortherner said:

this looks like more sense, especially as it's been replated this year and looks to be in generally good condition:

 http://www.narrowboatsltd.co.uk/pre-owned/jack/

Pretty little boat. Subject to survey (particularly looking at the quality of the overplating) it looks good, if maybe a touch over priced. 

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10 minutes ago, thenortherner said:

Ref. the survey, it's on hardstanding at the moment so should cut the cost down a little.

Absolutely. It also means you don’t have to juggle dates with surveyor and slip/crane. 

When you’re negotiating the price do ensure that it includes putting it back in the water. 

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I was going to say budget for about £10k. Then I saw Wayne just said £5k-15k!

I reckon a month of good soilid work, and two weeks either end agreeing designs, stripping out, then dealing the the snagging and minor changes that inevitably crop up once the thing is used for real. 

So say £5k for eight weeks of fitter time, and £5k for materials. All nice round figures. 

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33 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

I was going to say budget for about £10k. Then I saw Wayne just said £5k-15k! 

So say £5k for eight weeks of fitter time, and £5k for materials. All nice round figures. 

2 hours ago, W+T said:

Anything from around £5k to £15k on materials alone.

But I reckon you can make the material cost almost anything you want - use old pallets or premium mahogany.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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