Hallmark 70ft is a maybe

[70liveaboard]

We're thinking hard on this, having had a Hallmark before. These are rare, Hallmark built plenty of trads, semi & cruiser other than budget ones. Our first was a semi, great boat.

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/image.phtml?id=563323&image=3

[dmr]

I know prices are high lately but £70,000 for a mid nineties boat with a BMC engine?  The inside is quite nice but for that price you could maybe get a Hudson ?

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

[alan_fincher]

It seems a staggeringly high price to me for what it is.

24 year old boat, BMC 1500.

What am I missing?

[system 4-50]

26 minutes ago, 70liveaboard said:

We're thinking hard on this, having had a Hallmark before. These are rare, Hallmark built plenty of trads, semi & cruiser other than budget ones. Our first was a semi, great boat.

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/image.phtml?id=563323&image=3

Are you buying or selling here?

[70liveaboard]

Buying, maybe.

It would be mid May to view of course and we're not looking at the asking price.. Who does.. We imagine it will be sold for much less.

The engine is a big plus (for us) too, BMC were good hard no nonsense engines. They were of course Mitsubishi fans later on, Vetus or Sole which is fine too, but we prefer a BMC. I know someone with a Kubota that has a 55ft Hallmark.

That and 70ft boats are not easy to find, good ones, that is. We are hoping it was not a customer spec, IIRC 12mm or 10mm base, 8mm hull sides were their standard build back then. It could however be less, depends on who bought it new. We'll see.

Edited April 26, 2018 by 70liveaboard

[MtB]

41 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

It seems a staggeringly high price to me for what it is.

24 year old boat, BMC 1500.

What am I missing?

 

£70,000 must be a misprint. £17,000 would be about right.

Unless the length isn't a misprint, and it really is 70m long.

[Parahandy]

I think this is way overpriced for what it is and with a cheaply done fit out as well . The thing about 70 foot Boats is that not everyone wants one , mooring in certain areas can be an absolute nightmare and when you factor in Blacking and Licensing Costs many go for 55 foot . I had a friend recently who called in Whilton Marina to value a 2009 70 foot Orion , £42000 was their derisory offer .

[70liveaboard]

Yes, I expect you could knock a third off the advertised price. However, if one has a 70ft mooring in a reasonably good spot, then it reflects greatly on the future sale possibilities further down the road, or indeed canal.

We are looking to buy a 70ft for our grand daughter and her husband. Gives them room to grow, plus as said, a good spot is worth as much as the boat in some cases.

[Parahandy]

What do you mean " give them room to grow " ? Is that another way of saying that you are helping them onto the Property Ladder via a 70 foot Canal Boat ? BMC engines by their very Description are Old which effectively limits you to an older Boat , I would point you in the direction of Beta Marine ( Kubota ) for your propulsion needs others no doubt will disagree

[Athy]

I took "Give them room to grow" meant that a 70 footer is a big enough boat to accommodate comfortably a family, if children come along.

Hallmark boats were noted in their day for being super-cheap: fully-fitted ones sold for almost incredibly low prices. It may be, as the O.P. suggests, that this one was built to higher standards than the standard models, but nevertheless it's a lot of money for a boat of this make.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, Athy said:

I took "Give them room to grow" meant that a 70 footer is a big enough boat to accommodate comfortably a family, if children come along.

Hallmark boats were noted in their day for being super-cheap: fully-fitted ones sold for almost incredibly low prices. It may be, as the O.P. suggests, that this one was built to higher standards than the standard models, but nevertheless it's a lot of money for a boat of this make.

They certainly are the Trabant of the boating world.

In 2001 we purchased a 1999 'Millenium 40 foot' version for the princely sum of £19,000, did a part refit, added a bath & we sold it in 2005 for £21,000.

The new owner did some re-fitting work and sold it in (around) 2010 for £24,950.

 

Very basic boat but did the job of converting us from  years & years of 'Tupperware' to 'Sewer Tube'.

 

 

[70liveaboard]

Quite right. Reading the info suggests a very large open area to the front part of the overall cabin. This could easily be used for other things ie. adding smaller accomodation.

We note from reading some other posts from this forum that most, if not all comments, are concerning the later budget boats they built. I refer to earlier pre budget, or other, boats they built, using some very well known shell builders, also their own shells. These were of a lot higher quality, the budget boats were obviously aimed at a market that was 'first steel' buyers we would say. Can't talk or comment much on those as we did not own one. Many people we have spoken too over the years, that have owned or do own the budget ones, were/are pretty happy with them, in the most part anyway.

 

But our ages take us back a long time and boat owning from the mid 60's, means we have seen many boat builders, most gone now of course. We know of the ones we liked and have owned over the years, either new or used. These were just one of the builders we liked.

 

Edit: Missed those pictures above, looks like a nice little boat, as said above, probably done to a price. If you know what your buying and the quality you'll get, then usually people are happy enough. Its those that haven't owned that are usually unhappy. We find that with Liverpool boats, or White's etc. There are plenty that will criticise, that never owned them.

Edited April 27, 2018 by 70liveaboard

[alan_fincher]

9 hours ago, 70liveaboard said:

 

IIRC 12mm or 10mm base, 8mm hull sides were their standard build back then. It could however be less, depends on who bought it new. We'll see.

 

I find this hard to believe.

I always think of Hallmark as cheap and cheerful.  Very few builders would have regularly used 8mm plate for the hull sides in 1994,  and Hallmark is not one I would anticipate having done so.

[mrsmelly]

8 hours ago, Parahandy said:

I think this is way overpriced for what it is and with a cheaply done fit out as well . The thing about 70 foot Boats is that not everyone wants one , mooring in certain areas can be an absolute nightmare and when you factor in Blacking and Licensing Costs many go for 55 foot . I had a friend recently who called in Whilton Marina to value a 2009 70 foot Orion , £42000 was their derisory offer .

55 foot!! Naah you must be kidding surely no one builds anything that miniscule do they? where the hell would you live?

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, mrsmelly said:

55 foot!! Naah you must be kidding surely no one builds anything that miniscule do they? where the hell would you live?

Same wiv them little 68ft boats though

[mrsmelly]

2 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Same wiv them little 68ft boats though

Yeah I know innitt. In my defence though there is more space in here than there was in my 70 foot Udson ?

[70liveaboard]

3 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

 

I find this hard to believe.

I always think of Hallmark as cheap and cheerful.  Very few builders would have regularly used 8mm plate for the hull sides in 1994,  and Hallmark is not one I would anticipate having done so.

If you find that hard to believe, we'll take as an insult.

We just know that to be the case.

[alan_fincher]

8 hours ago, 70liveaboard said:

 However, if one has a 70ft mooring in a reasonably good spot, then it reflects greatly on the future sale possibilities further down the road, or indeed canal.

Can you explain please?

The advert doesn't seem to mention a mooring.

As an aside, am I the oinly one who things the exaggerated rise to the back of the cabin gives the boat the look of an aircraft carrier take off ramp?

I remember this boat in Cow Roast marina - that and the oddly placed window in the name panel always seemed to make it look distinctly odd to me.

Edited April 27, 2018 by alan_fincher

[alan_fincher]

3 minutes ago, 70liveaboard said:

If you find that hard to believe, we'll take as an insult.

You don't seem to have come on here wanting to make many friends,

What did you want to achieve from your initial post?

Total endorsement that a 26 year old boat with a 1500 BMC from a low end builder must be excellent value?

I can see why somebody has asked if you are the seller, rather than looking to buy!

[mrsmelly]

4 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

You don't seem to have come on here wanting to make many friends,

What did you want to achieve from your initial post?

Total endorsement that a 26 year old boat with a 1500 BMC from a low end builder must be excellent value?

I can see why somebody has asked if you are the seller, rather than looking to buy!

Its a 40K boat innitt.

[70liveaboard]

1 minute ago, mrsmelly said:

Its a 40K boat innitt.

We think, around 45-48.

[mrsmelly]

1 minute ago, 70liveaboard said:

We think, around 45-48.

Probably but  I would throw 40 as they are obviously chancers.

[70liveaboard]

3 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Probably but  I would throw 40 as they are obviously chancers.

I would think that of most sellers of anything.

[cuthound]

6 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

Yeah I know innitt. In my defence though there is more space in here than there was in my 70 foot Udson ?

Was that because of the accommodation dedicated to the Butler? ?

[mrsmelly]

21 minutes ago, cuthound said:

Was that because of the accommodation dedicated to the Butler? ?

No ?  Twas because the front pointy bit was very long  and looked pretty but as a liveabord actualy was a waste of space innitt.