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brand new boat survey?


Clanky

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I moved a brand new boat at the start of this year which was initially up for £130k. 

The worst interior designed boat that I have seen, the quality, finish and design had to be seen to be believed. Some major pieced of kit were installed incorrectly as well. 

Eventually someone put an offer in, had a survey and walked away with their deposit intact  on the strength of the damning survey .

It went for around £75k in the end and will probably take £25k plus to correct the wrongs. 

It was by a reputable builder on a quality shell.!!

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A new boat should not need a BSS. But it should have a CE plate and all relevant paperwork .

I thought the boat with the green paintwork looks very nice .... but I don't know much about narrowboat hull construction.

 

Always have a survey.

 

 

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I would imagine that its for sale because of cash flow problems. Certainly doesn't mean that its a bad boat. I think you would be well advised to have someone experienced to take a look, not sure you need a surveyor though. I think it could be a good buy but that is just from a quick look at the pictures.

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1 hour ago, MartynG said:

A new boat should not need a BSS. But it should have a CE plate and all relevant paperwork .

I thought the boat with the green paintwork looks very nice .... but I don't know much about narrowboat hull construction.

 

Always have a survey.

 

 

And what if it fails the BSS inspection "badlly" 4 years later?

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1 hour ago, Bee said:

I would imagine that its for sale because of cash flow problems. Certainly doesn't mean that its a bad boat. I think you would be well advised to have someone experienced to take a look, not sure you need a surveyor though. I think it could be a good buy but that is just from a quick look at the pictures.

It all depends, of course, on the experience of "someone experienced". A surveyor would be able to do a detailed snagging of the boat, and be able to point out more fundamental deficiencies. They  may well provide evidence to enable the purchase price to be renegotiated downwards, and save the survey costs at the very least. Well worth it for peace of mind IMHO, especially for a relatively inexperienced new owner.

 

Howard

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2 hours ago, Bee said:

I would imagine that its for sale because of cash flow problems. Certainly doesn't mean that its a bad boat. I think you would be well advised to have someone experienced to take a look, not sure you need a surveyor though. I think it could be a good buy but that is just from a quick look at the pictures.

 

I think you're probably right. A cancelled order most likely. Customer died perhaps. 

 

It illustrates the wisdom of taking a hefty deposit before starting a custom build as if the customer fails to complete the purchase the deposit allows the finished boat to be sold at a discount. Still leaves the builder 'holding the baby' so to speak with an empty bank account and a new boat hanging around right in the way. 

 

 

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11 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

No, Olinda was a very specific custom boat for Norman - he basically wanted a floating railway carriage, and that is exactly what he got.

 

sr_520462_large.jpg

 

 

Oh, and note the forward steering wheel just visible - it does get about in all weathers!

It would be an interesting boat to sail single handed!

Up to the lock landing,sprint the half mile to the stern before it drifts away from the bank,tie up,get soaked from the rain,[you would steer from the stern if the weather was good] set the lock,get even wetter,take the boat into the lock steering from the stern this time,tie up and close the lock,and cast off and sprint through the boat to the forward helm,dripping water and leaving muddy footprints in your nice new boat.

It's very nice,but,it will never replace the boat.:giggles:

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1 minute ago, Mad Harold said:

It would be an interesting boat to sail single handed!

Up to the lock landing,sprint the half mile to the stern before it drifts away from the bank,tie up,get soaked from the rain,[you would steer from the stern if the weather was good] set the lock,get even wetter,take the boat into the lock steering from the stern this time,tie up and close the lock,and cast off and sprint through the boat to the forward helm,dripping water and leaving muddy footprints in your nice new boat.

It's very nice,but,it will never replace the boat.:giggles:

It's OK, he has an automatic lock operating mechanism.

 

She makes a fine cuppa as well. :giggles:

 

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1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

And what if it fails the BSS inspection "badlly" 4 years later?

The surveyor carrying out the pre purchase survey can comment on BSS compliance. The same should apply to a used boat.

 

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In my experience (and I did buy a new partly fitted out hull) I would say DEFINITELY have it professionally looked at before buying. I still find things to this day that are not right.

 

This one looks to be a perfectly nice, modern boat to me (only judging from the pictures of course) so don't necessarily let the nay sayers put you off - everyone's tastes are different.

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  • 7 months later...

having commissioned a boat in the past, we had terrible mould problem under the bed (around water tank). We had no front bow door.  The boat had several issues but we demanded a survey. It failed. It failed on venting. Basically there wasn't any in the front of the boat, and none in the doors.   It had to go back into the makers (who are now out of business) to have quite a number of things put right. 

We are just embarking on our third boat and about to have a survey done. But I learnt an awful lot from that first boat. 

 

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On 12/12/2018 at 21:54, Jinna said:

thanks Alan, just to clarify, i didn't choose the builder, it's a brand new boat i've seen that is up for sale direct from the builder, and being new to this i have no knowledge of who is a good builder or who is a bad builder, hence the question.

If it's a completed brand new boat, I don't see any reason not to have a survey. It might have been built so bad that you decide not to buy it after the survey, or the survey might point out a few things that aren't quite right, and the builder might fix them or make an allowance, or you may accept as no big deal, or it might say that it's a great well built boat with no issues withing the constraints of the survey.

 

Given your experiences, and the fact that you are thinking of a survey, suggests that it will be money well spent, even if it serves "only" to give you peace of mind.

 

If you buy the boat without a survey, and find something wrong after the event, the law may be on your side in terms of providing for things to be put right, but the aggro of making that happen would be a real PIA... even if the builder agrees but requires you to return it the yard which is typical of second hand car dealers.

 

ETA: Just noted the dates of this thread, so a bit belated, but probably still good advice. IMHO :) 

 

 

There is more chance of you kicking yourself for not having a survey than not, and you obviously have the money to pay for one, otherwise I don't think you would be asking.

 

It is always possible that the builder wont want you to have a survey, (for some reason), which might tell its' own story.

Edited by Richard10002
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If I were commissioning a new boat and was unsure of my abities to check if it was compliant with the RCD and best practice, I would employ  a surveyor to make regular visits during the boats build.

 

That way any issues can be quickly identified and cheaply rectified as the boat progresses rather than require major remedial work at the end.

Edited by cuthound
Clarification
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Having seen the boat in question from the OP, to me, it looks like a nice boat. Well fitted out and obviously new. Good value for money.

 

its been mentioned that the site was 'home' to a defunkt builder that went to the wall. The new 'resident' may be associated with the previous resident and selling off part built boats that was purchased from the ex company.  

 

In answer to the OP, in this instance I would have a survey with detailed request to the surveyor to look and quality of build and fit out. Chat to the seller in detail about who did this, who did that. This is my opinion. 

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On 13/12/2018 at 03:16, Boater Sam said:

Friend bought a nearly new boat with all the required RCD and BSS etc. Made and fitted by a well known Liverpool company, Collinwood.

Had it surveyed.

Surveyor discovered several "missed" welds, below water line! And some in the fuel tank.

No one is immune from poor workmanship.

 

Boats with little or no tumblehome on the cabin are terrible to take through narrow locks and bridges and are plum ugly, also mostly unsaleable used.

It's horrid, just buy a container and add a few 40 gallon drums, much cheaper.

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