What am I missing?

[BillM]

I've followed the fortunes of two (to my mind at least) really attractive narrowboats for sale.... Echo, and George...and both have languished on sale with ABNB (amongst other ads) over a year, which to my amateur eye is a surprise. Is it all down to price? Both are advertised at over £60k... Or is it the separate engine rooms that is an off putting? Have these boats a history their adverts omit? ABNB seem a competent outfit to sell through... so I don't think they are failing their sellers? Or does it just take a couple of years on average to sell at this price?

 

What would experienced buyers and sellers say the right price is? ... Obviously their value is what someone will pay....or if not price, just why they are not selling?

[Naughty Cal]

It is most probably all down to price. As you have already worked out something is only worth what someone will pay for it. Over price a boat and it won't sell. Price it right and it will sell quickly.

 

Several members on here have sold boats recently. Its all about sensible pricing.

[Neil2]

Overpriced.

 

But if the owners don't need the money they will hang on until some inexperienced buyer comes along which is what generally happens.

[matty40s]

ABNB ain't what it used to be.

They used to price to sell and you would not have any boats there too long, they were also quite choosy about the boats they sold.

They now have a lot of stock, probably too much, at Crick, along with outlying boats. They don't look after them like they used to, and seem to be going for volume sales, looking at the size I of the team in the latest towpath telegraph, they probably need to.

You can get 6 months or more free mooring, set the price to high so no - one will buy. The second hand boat market is quite strong at the moment, priced correctly, they will shift easily.

[Athy]

Or is it the separate engine rooms that is an off putting?

NOOOOOOO!!!!

 

Er, no. Boats with separate engine rooms, usually containing old or old-style engines, usually attract plenty of attention.

[bigste]

I looked at one a while back with a really good big vintage engine in it's own room on a 60 footer. Wife had no hesitation in condemning it and showing me the way out. Although the whole boat was in tip top condition I instantly knew I was never going to talk her round. Also the price is at the mark where few will even look.

[Neil2]

Interestingly my wife has recently started to appreciate the virtues of a "proper" engine room. I think it's a good example of reverse psychology as I gave up trying to persuade her years ago.

[alan_fincher]

Personally I would neither want a 4 cylinder Gardner, nor a Beta tug engine, so without delving further, the engine choice would deter me from either of this particular pair.

[alan_fincher]

Personally I would neither want a 4 cylinder Gardner, nor a Beta tug engine, so without delving further, the engine choice would deter me from either of this particular pair.

[jollymoggy]

Hardly any woman wants an engine room, the idea of an engine inside the house seems ludicrous to them.

[matty40s]

Hardly any woman wants an engine room, the idea of an engine inside the house seems ludicrous to them.

You can try to tell my Kathy that, she loves it.

[the barnacle]

Personally I would neither want a 4 cylinder Gardner, nor a Beta tug engine, so without delving further, the engine choice would deter me from either of this particular pair.

 

Both George and Echo are lovely looking boats. - Can i ask Alan why you dont like the engines?

[lampini]

Hardly any woman wants an engine room, the idea of an engine inside the house seems ludicrous to them.

 

Utter bilgewater. As it's ME wot will be doing most of the spannering (was the same on my BUS) i rather fancy being in the dry and warm to do it - ta. Also, somewhere to hang MY pretty extensive tool collection; AND somewhere to dry me smalls - what's not to like? It's HIM indoors that doesn't "get" the engine room thing...

 

 

Both George and Echo are lovely looking boats. - Can i ask Alan why you dont like the engines?

 

+1, i'd like to know too please..

[ditchcrawler]

My wife thinks its great, nice and warm, drys the cloths,

[alan_fincher]

 

Both George and Echo are lovely looking boats. - Can i ask Alan why you dont like the engines?

 

The Beta tug engines are an attempt to make a modern engined have some of the appeal of an old one, but those I have heard sound more like a tractor than a narrow boat. Also some of these engines seem not to have been without issues.

 

A 4 cylinder Gardner is in my view just too big for a leisure narrow boat. The two cylinder version is much more appropriate in my view, and will soungd "right" which a 4 cyliner engine will not.

 

Clearly this is all a matter of personal taste, but if I'm going to have a proper engine room (whether on a modern or an historic boat), it matters to me to have something in it that is a proper narrow boat engine, or at least something that looks and sounds like it could be.

[Texasboater]

 

Sounds like a Bus from inside the engine room but quite nice from the outside.

[lampini]

 

Sounds like a Bus from inside the engine room but quite nice from the outside.

 

[larkshall]

Aimed at Alan. If you had to have a modern diesel of any make and style. What could you live with in a boat? ( my sympathies lie in your direction btw)

 

Actually it could be of any fuel type you would like.