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Got a hankering for a 'Motor'


GSer

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I find myself being drawn to old working boats (steel hulled motors prefered) Its an itch that I fear will not go away untill i've scratched it for a bit)

 

I'd like something as near original as I could find and as 'dry' as possible, I don't want to restore it to some impractical level, but i'd like to become the 'custodian' of a little piece of waterways history, for a while at least and with that in mind I would cherish the chance to maintain and sympatheticaly repair a motor for a while. I've no room for a matched motor and Butty and I'd have to keep the 'new' boat alongside my old one on a day to day basis.

 

I have a current project that will fill my time for a year to 18 mths, but i'd like to start looking now for my next little 'job'

 

Question is where do I start looking?

 

Paul

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I find myself being drawn to old working boats (steel hulled motors prefered) Its an itch that I fear will not go away untill i've scratched it for a bit)

 

I'd like something as near original as I could find and as 'dry' as possible, I don't want to restore it to some impractical level, but i'd like to become the 'custodian' of a little piece of waterways history, for a while at least and with that in mind I would cherish the chance to maintain and sympatheticaly repair a motor for a while. I've no room for a matched motor and Butty and I'd have to keep the 'new' boat alongside my old one on a day to day basis.

 

I have a current project that will fill my time for a year to 18 mths, but i'd like to start looking now for my next little 'job'

 

Question is where do I start looking?

 

Paul

 

 

being nosey, whats the curtrent project then?

 

when you say steel, steel sides elm bottom? and watertightish

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being nosey, whats the curtrent project then?

 

when you say steel, steel sides elm bottom? and watertightish

 

 

I was thinking steel with a steel bottom, unless the elm hull had been already restored/replaced, AFAIK there are no boatyards with the expertise to repair wooden bottoms on the K&A. So it would be easier if it were all steel, but 'never say never' is my motto

 

Current 'project' is the fitting out of 'Apache' a 70' Norton Canes sailaway with a Gardner 2LW, next winter, nearer the end of the fitout, it would be handy to have storage outside of the boat so if there were an overlap where the motor was alongside, its hold would be utilised as storage/workshop area, hence the dry(ish) request.

 

Well its a plan anyway :lol:

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http://wfbco.co.uk/narrowboats_for_sale.html

 

is a good place to start, but there are no really good ones out of steal. Ian is all wood, and has a cabin conversation under cloth, a nice JP2 in it, but I understand that it's not in full tip top condition and would require some minor work on the hull.

 

Joining the Historic Boat Owners Club might be also a good place to look for boats:

 

http://www.hnboc.org.uk/

 

Many come up as word of mouth, though keep an eye on the duck, and ebay.

 

Mike

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Jo Lodge of repro Hadar said this 2 hours ago on Facebook in reply to Mike Askin ruminating on his 1932 Royalty class Victoria's expensive repairs to the drive shaft after hauling 20 tons of gravel up from London to Atherstone.

 

"That is the joys of owning an old boat. There is always going to be a never ending list of things that need to be done.

BOAT stands for Bring Out Another Thousand". :lol:

 

The best place is HBOC for a boat that someone couldn't keep up with financially. Expensive itch. My NBT motor cost £15 a year and a lot of computer work (in my case) :lol:

Edited by Roger t' Bodger
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Another vote for getting joined up in the HNBOC. They send out a quarterly newsletter and there is often boats advertised for sale in it. There's also the mailing list which you could either keep your eye on, or if you're dead serious about it all, use to send an email out to everyone with what you're looking for.

 

As Mike said most of the boats go by word of mouth, but if you get the word around who knows what'll turn up.

 

Best of luck :lol:

 

www.hnboc.org.uk

 

www.joshers.info

 

www.workingboats.info

 

www.brinklowboatservices.com

Edited by Liam
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Many thanks for your replys

 

I think to start with an all steel boat would be better for me and my circumstances, but never say never!

 

Lots to think about though, and as i'm not in any hurry, I will make sure I am well informed before jumping in head first with the first boat I see :lol:

 

Paul

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