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Should we buy this boat?


KimES

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Hi,

 

I'm a newbie after some expert opinions... After dreaming about it for 7 years, my husband and I are finally buying our first narrowboat and becoming continuous cruisers.

 

We have fallen in love with a 54ft Springer, but it's quite run down and we're worried it could too much for a pair of newbies to renovate.

 

The plan would be to buy now with the aim of completing all the essential work and moving on board by September. We do have some funds to make significant repairs but I wondered if expert eyes could tell me whether it's worth it...

 

It's had a recent survey that shows that it's been rather neglected but the sellers have already made many of the improvements recommended (including a brand new wood burner).

 

One concern is that some areas of the hull are 4.2mm - so would need some welding. I've heard mixed things about Springers too - so not sure if that kind of hull work is worth it? And another is that the engine is old and might not be ideal for continuous cruising.

 

Should we get over the heartbreak and look elsewhere or could a bit of love sort her out? Layout-wise she's ideal and all the cosmetic stuff we're happy to fix. Any opinions or recommendations gratefully received!

 

This is her listing: http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=471769

 

Thanks :)

Kim

 

 

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If it needs renovating as well as being 1986, the price is far too high. However pretty inside - the vendors have added a london weighting there of about 10k

Others will have other comments I'm sure. But nowt wrong with Springers in principle.

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Ah good news on Springers in general, I just read a couple of comments that made me wonder but also many who are on them and love them! The thinnest steel is actually 4.0mm - so that may need to be done when it's next blacked.

 

I think the sellers would be quite open to realistic offers...

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The spec. Mentions only one leisure battery which is not enough for a live aboard. It also talks about a separate gas bottle container, this is a requirement of the boat safety certificate so I wonder why they have made special mention of it.

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The boat has some attractive features but is, as noted above, grossly overpriced for a craft of that make and age. The engine is a marinised Mitsubishi and parts should be available factory-fresh if required. Shame about the rather austere colour scheme, but a couple of pots of paint don't cost much.

Read the recent survey carefully and that should go a long way towards answering your question.

 

Regarding that minimum hull thickness, have you tried pushing anything through a 4.2 mm thick sheet of steel? It's strong stuff! As Starcoaster points out, many Springers were built with only 5 or 6 mm hulls in the first place - indeed some of the small "Water Bugs", many of which are still afloat, were built 3/3/3 (bottom/ sides/ roof).

Edited by Athy
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I trust surveyors' reports when I chose the surveyor and was present when he turned up so I could clarify and ask questions.

I wouldn't be interested in a surveyor report generated for somebody else, especially as in this case it appears to have been for the vendor.

 

So far as Insurance companies are concerned I don't think they're valid unless you commissioned it anyway.

Looks expensive I think.

 

While I've been typing this 3 new replies have been added so apologies if I'm merely repeating or contradicting others.

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Hi and welcome to the forum Kim.

 

The boat looks very much of a type to me - London-based, just under £30k, white-painted "shabby chic" interior... and 30+ years old with big question marks when it comes to the basics of the hull and engine.

 

Don't get me wrong, older boats can be fine and Springer have a reputation for making good value 'budget' boats back in the day, but from what you say, it does sound as if you could be facing some major expense. Overplating or replating (the 'proper' job - a new base plate) would cost many thousands, and a new engine (if it needed one) many thousands more. Things like fitting a new stove are small jobs in comparison (although even these smaller jobs quickly add up).

 

I wouldn't completely rule it out, but I would want to be very clear on what work was actually needed and what it was likely to cost. "The hull needs some welding and the engine's old" could mean anything from "best set aside £2,000 for some spot repairs and reconditioning work" to "best set aside £20,000 for a new baseplate and a new engine".

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With steel on the iffy side, worth getting your own survey. Anyone with a slightly suspect boat may hope purchasers don't want to 'waste' money on a survey and will trust theirs, possibly done by a surveyor who isnt as picky

 

My boat sank last year, despite being mainly 4mm. It was the bits that weren't 4mm or even 3mm wot sank it, that hadn't been spotted! But it was small, and cheap, and not my home, and everything I did was my choice. (PS - overplating a 20ft Springer, inc transport to somewhere that could do it without gutting it first, was £4.5k and LOTS of stress....)

Edited by Odana
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As someone else said, you are paying London prices. There are a couple of others on the duck similar age and similar

money also based in London. Springers are not bad boats but there are far better, don't waste your money. Also do not

trust any survey you didn't pay for and take those with a pinch of salt.

 

Ken

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overpriced for it's age.

 

for similar money you should be able to get a newer boat.

 

one thing to watch out for with springers is that most are a V bottom rather than a flat plate which can make them more difficult to lift out for blacking etc (and quite a few places will charge more for this).

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It sounds like you have set your heart on the first boat you've seen.

For goodness sake take a look at as many boats as you can to give yourself some perspective.

That one looks as if it's been freshly painted in order to sell.

There are lots of fantastic used boats around for that money and when you find one get your own survey done.

  • Greenie 1
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one thing to watch out for with springers is that most are a V bottom rather than a flat plate which can make them more difficult to lift out for blacking etc (and quite a few places will charge more for this).

This is true, but A) that should be only about every three years and cool.png it means that a Springer can often get closer to the side on a shallow part of a canal.

(Can you tell that I'm a former Springer owner?)

Edited by Athy
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I suspect it's madly overpriced due to being in London, and the sheer volume of people wanting to buy and live on a boat in London jacks the prices right up. That, and the reasonably modern inside will probably be enough to convince a novice that nearly 30k is a screaming bargain to own your own home in London.

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My feeling is that if you're in a position to spend £25-£30k and have "funds to make significant repairs" left over, you'd almost certainly be better off spending £30-£35k (say) on a (non-London-based!) boat that doesn't need those significant repairs. Once you start getting into the £35k-ish bracket, you're much more likely to be looking at better quality boats in generally good condition and most importantly, with no serious hull or engine issues.

 

Cosmetically, I can see the appeal of the boat you're looking at - I prefer that "shabby chic," painted look to the more traditionally "boaty," wood-panelled look myself - but achieving a similar look in an otherwise boring boat interior is a redecorating job, on a completely different scale to significant work on a hull and engine.

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As said in post #14. Have a look at other boats if it's not the bargain it will still be for sale in the future, there is nothing wrong with a looked after Springer but at the time of building they were at the budget end of the market Looking around there are other boats on the market better/newer for the same price,or in the the same or similar for less money, take your time, bought in haste could lead to either having to spend extra to get up to standard or a long period of regret Buy not letting the heart rule the head, difficult I know.

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It has the look of an old wreck that has been titivated with a "chic" makeover.

An interesting point of view. While she's undoubtedly fairly old, what makes you think she's a wreck? I don't see loads of dints or evidence of things being patched up, and the interior spec looks quite reasonable, e.g. bathroom fittings.

 

No photo of the engine, though. While those Thornycrofts are not things of beauty, this does make me wonder if it is, for example, rusty, or whether the engine compartment is a cat's cradle of wandering wires.

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