Your opinion on these?

[Sally Grim]

We´re still searching for our first boat. We are more and more disillusioned about how much we should budget to get a decent boat in good running condition. I´m concerned we need to double our original budget. Lately we´ve only been internet browsing, but have seen some boats which looks good in the photos. I´ve had a lot of good advice from you folks before, may I run a couple of more boats by you?

This one is on budget, but it´s been for sale at Whilton for some time now. Any idea of why it isn´t selling?

https://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/used-narrowboats/details/3875.aspx

And then the ones above our budget:

This one looks quite lovely - but maybe a bit expensive given that it is from 1999? And it lacks a stove, and perhaps some storage?

http://abnb.co.uk/boat_pages/3137web/3137abnb.php?BoatID=3137

And this one, longer than we looked for. And why does it say G.Reeves, when canal plan says Aynho Dock Services?

http://www.abcboatsales.com/boat-sales/honey-b/ 

Greatly appreciate your opinion on these ones.

Sally

[ditchcrawler]

Aynho didn't make hulls only fit outs so could be a Reeves Hull and Aynho fitout. The chaps that fitted out at Aynho went on to open Kingsground Narrowboats

[Sally Grim]

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

Aynho didn't make hulls only fit outs so could be a Reeves Hull and Aynho fitout. The chaps that fitted out at Aynho went on to open Kingsground Narrowboats

Yes, that would explain it. Thanks for unravelling!

A very naive question: is a G.Reeves a good hull?

[ditchcrawler]

No personal experience of them

[adam1uk]

6 minutes ago, Sally Grim said:

Yes, that would explain it. Thanks for unravelling!

A very naive question: is a G.Reeves a good hull?

Yes, Reeves would be a good hull.  Various members of the Reeves family are still building shells today, although I find it difficult to keep up with the various fathers, sons, and company names.

The middle one looks the nicest, but does seem on the expensive side.  However, it does look as though it's in very good condition, and the generator won't have been cheap.

The first one somehow looks older than 2011 to me.  It certainly hasn't been looked after like the middle one has.

[Nightwatch]

Hi, I haven't studied the boats you have posted.

if the one at Whilton is on budget then I assume about £35000 is your budget. You should be able to get an up and running boat in that price range. apolloduck.co.uk has plenty to consider. 

 

Choose a definate budget and then choose a good trustworthy broker.  Some say Whilton are not the best,some say ABNB are.

Obviously it's easy to assume that the more you pay the better the boat. Not always the case. Get out and see boats if you can. You'll get the feel of different styles and layouts also the one that wants you to own it will certainly let you know.

Reeves are considered okay hulls. I think. I'm not an expert,but then again who is?

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

15 minutes ago, Sally Grim said:

Yes, that would explain it. Thanks for unravelling!

A very naive question: is a G.Reeves a good hull?

Excellent - ours (1998) had a 13mm base plate which was still 13mm when last blacked (2015) with not a single pit anywhere on the Hull.

[Sally Grim]

4 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

if the one at Whilton is on budget then I assume about £35000 is your budget. You should be able to get an up and running boat in that price range. apolloduck.co.uk has plenty to consider. 

 

Choose a definate budget and then choose a good trustworthy broker.  Some say Whilton are not the best,some say ABNB are.

 

 

Our budget is ideally that. But it looks like narrowboats are increasing in price, so I was afraid we needed to up that quite a lot. I have searched this forum for brokers. So ideally of course I would like to buy from ABNB of the two, but unfortunately it is the seller that chooses the broker....

[Captain Pegg]

6 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Excellent - ours (1998) had a 13mm base plate which was still 13mm when last blacked (2015) with not a single pit anywhere on the Hull.

Which tells us a lot more about the environment in which the boat was kept and the fact you blacked the baseplate than it does about the quality of the fabrication. That's not to say they aren't good builders though.

JP

[Nightwatch]

I get your point, however, personally I wouldn't buy from Whilton, you may have guessed. I would buy from ABNB. There are loads of brokers in the business. Have you looked at apolloduck? Many brokers advertise on the site also there are loads of private sellers selling boats. Either source of purchase don't forget at least a hull survey.

[chubby]

Ive bought one boat in my life and so im about a million miles away from being knowledgeable so i ll offer only opinions .

boat 1 . Grim . All the charm and grace of a dentists waiting room . Factor in that its at Whilton and it becomes(in my opinion ) even less desirable . 

boat 3 . Grim . It has a tent on the back and to me its overpriced . 

boat 2 . Nice , apparently looked after . Not sure whether its a trad or semi trad stern but either is preferable ( in my opinion )to a cruiser stern . It just looks very cosy & comfortable and though almost £50k i think it represents better " value " than the other two . 

However , for me all 3 are too pricey . The ABNB boat is i think the only one worth considering .

Opinions only ....

Edited May 12, 2017 by chubby

[Sally Grim]

18 minutes ago, adam1uk said:

The middle one looks the nicest, but does seem on the expensive side.  However, it does look as though it's in very good condition, and the generator won't have been cheap.

The first one somehow looks older than 2011 to me.  It certainly hasn't been looked after like the middle one has.

The middle one looks almost too pristine. It is blackened and have service last month, isn´t that a warning sign? 

What is the advantages of a built in generator? We will be using the boat for holidays and weekends for the next ten years.

[Sally Grim]

6 minutes ago, chubby said:

 

boat 3 . Grim . It has a tent on the back and to me its overpriced . 

 

Doesn´t the tent come off? We certainly don´t want it.

Edited for bad English.

Edited May 12, 2017 by Sally Grim

[Stewart Kirby]

There is no contest between these three, Eventide is quality throughout, a nice shell, a really professional fitout and a much higher level of quality equipment installed. It's clean and tidy and its been looked after very well, that engine ole is spotless! Of course the price they are asking can be open to negotiation, although i doubt that they will reduce it much.

ABNB only sell quality boats, a lot of other brokers will sell anything.

Eventide is fitted out as a boat to live aboard full time which is probably why there is a generator. Maybe you don't need such a highly specified boat for holiday us.

[chubby]

Having another look at the Abnb boat i think its rather charming . It s probably been someone elses holiday boat and thier usage may be similar to your planned usage . 

It just looks very nice - i can imagine it being a lovely little holiday boat . At 45 ft its not too long  which will save you mooring fees , license fees and blacking costs etc but its still long enough to be comfortable . Im not a fan of cross beds but only u can decide if they suit you . 

Maybe someone can offer an idea of what the generator is worth and this can tjen be factored into your considerations . 

If only using for holidays then such a generator may not be   necessary but that depends on your electrical needs . 

I think its a nice boat and could be very good for your needs but at £15k over your planned budget it might be worth looking around on tinternet . I also think u should go and see it in the flesh to get an idea of what u get for the money to appreciate if its been looked after - it certainly looks like it has been 

[Neil2]

They are all overpriced but Eventide is the quality boat as others have said.  It has the all important Aquadrive which alone puts it a cut above the others but £50k for a 45 footer coming up to 20 years old?   You could buy a much cheaper 45 foot boat bring it up to that spec and still have a lot of change from £50k.    

[adam1uk]

30 minutes ago, Sally Grim said:

The middle one looks almost too pristine. It is blackened and have service last month, isn´t that a warning sign? 

What is the advantages of a built in generator? We will be using the boat for holidays and weekends for the next ten years.

I'd take that as a sign that the owner has prepared the boat for sale, which could be a positive, but may also indicate they'd be more unwilling to reduce the price by much.

i suspect the generator is needed to power the washing machine, as the 1.6kw inverter may not be powerful enough.  You can also use it to charge batteries, of course, if you want a non-travelling day.  A quick google suggests that to buy one like that new would be around £4000 plus VAT -- so you can see why it bumps the price up.

[Sally Grim]

Thank you everyone for your input - it is very much appreciated.

It´s very confusing trying to get an understanding of everything, both the technical aspects, and which arrangements will work out. The more I read and google, the more bewildering it is. And budgetwise also. We have looked at some boats in real life, and so many on the internet. Does this process involve the budget going up, and the requirements going down, for everyone? 

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, Sally Grim said:

and the requirements going down, for everyone? 

The requirements don't always go 'down', they just 'change'.

The last narrowboat we purchased was typical.

We planned on many, many days/weeks away from home, doing a 'countrywide tour' calling in at every marina we could find, walking the towpaths looking for private sales, scouring the internet and hoping for 'tip-offs' from other boaters.

We laid out our specification as follows :

55-60 foot

Must not have a 'put-up' bed

Cruiser stern

etc etc.

On the 1st day of our grand search about a 2 hour drive from home we found 'the one'.

1999 G. Reeves boat, 45 feet long, trad-stern, put-up cross bed. (very, very, very similar to the one you re looking at)

Paid cash, wife took the car home, I took the boat. wife got her brother to take her to meet me next day, then spent 15 days stuck in floods on the River Trent unable to move. Only had clothes and food for a couple of days, but O'What fun we had !!!!!

Sold her on 2 years ago having had a total re-paint and blacking 1 week prior to sale (Sold for £35,000 cash, no survey, buyer took her same day. So I reckon the one you are looking at is at overpriced)

[MtB]

On 5/12/2017 at 16:12, Sally Grim said:

 

This one is on budget, but it´s been for sale at Whilton for some time now. Any idea of why it isn´t selling?

https://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/used-narrowboats/details/3875.aspx

 

 

I'd say it isn't selling because it is devoid of all personality, is rather overpriced for such a dull boat and hasn't been looked after since the day it was launched. Look at all the mould on that hull!!

In addition, it looks a lot older than the claimed build date of 2011. 

[Sally Grim]

Thanks, Alan; you give me hope! It sounds like a brilliant adventure.

And Mike: do I need to worry about mould on the outside of the hull as well? Won´t that wash off? I already worry about mould on the inside, if there is the least water stains by the windows/hatches/etc.

[Canal Cuttings]

A boat covered in mould has probably been disused or neglected, or both.  Not a promising sign.  

I don't think it is a problem in itself, like internal mould definitely is.

[MtB]

2 hours ago, Sally Grim said:

And Mike: do I need to worry about mould on the outside of the hull as well? Won´t that wash off? I already worry about mould on the inside, if there is the least water stains by the windows/hatches/etc.

 

Yes it will.

But the fact that it accumulated in the first place speaks volumes about how much love and care has been lavished on this boat in the six short years since it was supposedly built (clue: Probably none whatsoever), and the standard of past maintenance is a rough indicator of how good a condition the boat is in now.

[Robbo]

Sometimes mouldy abandoned boats get be the best deals as the sale price can be lower than the boat is worth.

[MtB]

19 minutes ago, Robbo said:

Sometimes mouldy abandoned boats get be the best deals as the sale price can be lower than the boat is worth.

 

True. 

But in this case the price for this dowdy and uninspiring boat is an ambitious £37k!