Probably discussed before but - Single Prop Petrol or Twin diesel?

Ummm that does look good 'NR'....but no hot water, shower or Heating

and It doesn't mention shore power! or do all boats have shore power these days?

Could I possibly put propex heating in that......what would that cost about £900 fitted.
 
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Hmmm..BSS until may last year...something looks a bit odd at the rear lower corner of the window in pic 6

The main thing to remember about looking for a boat is not to believe the old saying that 'a photo never lies' this doesn't apply to boats, we looked at loads that looked great in the photo's but some of them shouldn't have been afloat
 
Not hard to get that lot fitted, and it'll all be new as opposed to 'probably hanging on by a thread' LOL

Or, buy a Propex off Ebay, get it fitted, thats £600.

Our Birchwood had a Calorifier for hot water, I suspect thats £400 if you buy a used one, plus a few taps and bits another £300.

Shore power isn't essential, just get decent a battery charger from Halfords, 'hard wire' it to the batteries and carry a 1kw generator which you can use when not motoring. When at the marina just charge the batteries.
 
Pat, the window trim was quite normal after thirty years, ours went like that.

The deck fittings can leak, so may need to be resealed, or tightened. this would be expected in any of these old boats...
 
doodles said:
Wow 'Cashbuyer'' you've got a keen eye spotting the watermark!

I'm getting good advise here thanks......I'm abit worried about your comment about the chrome bar holding up the deck though.

If I got it for under £15k and the interior needs re-doing, I suppose i would has a couple of grand to fit it out.

I don't know, would £2000 be enough for seat covers, curtains, carpets and new cockpit seats, oh and Table top.
probably would I would have thought
Click to expand...

Plenty of hours spent searching for the right boat makes you very aware of shabby boats masquerading as 'well kept'.

You could sit on the internet for ages and get confused, but the best thing is to go and see and to start to realise what you like or don't like. It will be depressing for a time, as their is some tat out there. But you'll eventually find a gem and you'll know she is right for you, even if it needs some work or imagination. Good luck and keep smiling even when you turn up to view and the description bares no relation to the tatty, badly maintained boat that you are about to board. :)
 
No Regrets said:
Pat, the window trim was quite normal after thirty years, ours went like that.

The deck fittings can leak, so may need to be resealed, or tightened. this would be expected in any of these old boats...
Click to expand...

It would indeed :)

Never been on a Birchwood, but it does kind of look like something has been stuck over the trim, but then I don't know what they're supposed to look like :o
 
Rear lower corner window........which boat Birchwood or Freeman

Don't like the idea of starting up a generator whilst moored in the marina!

I'd have to get shore power.....is that a big job?
 
240v items.

Most stuff can be used via 12v or, when your battery charger is plugged in/ you're motoring, you could use a 12v-240v inverter to power modest items.

If you need a hairdryer or mains heater it's a bit trickier, but installing 240v isn't expensive anyway.

3 batteries and a decent charger could be £500? Then just plug it in when you need to batter the batteries!
 
doodles said:
don't know why I need shore power, I'm new to this!

you tell me why people bother getting shore power then?
Click to expand...

I have no shore power but I'm not in a marina. Marina members who have shore power can keep their boats nice and dry all winter with a dehumidifier and greenhouse heaters and batteries topped up with a trickle charge. And power things like microwaves when visiting other marinas.
 
Would I be able to run say a Laptop, TV and a micowave just on batteries?

Unfortunately I don't need a hair dryer any more! and the wife can go without.....
 
Laptop and TV most definately. I can run a 12v 22" LED TV, charge iPads, lights, water pumps etc for a few days on my house batteries. Microwaves are heavy on the leccy and you'd need an inverter.

If you have propex or eberspacher heating, you can get a vent attachment that turns the blown air into a hair dryer.
 
"If you have propex or eberspacher heating, you can get a vent attachment that turns the blown air into a hair dryer"

Funny.......
 
The last thing you want is a shorepower dependant boat on the river, otherwise you will have to go from Marina to Marina and that is not what the river is about.
Everything you need can be powered by 12V, fridge, TV, laptop, phone etc.. but forget a microwave and go to the pub instead :)
Check out the boats 12V system and that it has a decent charging system and a big bank of leisure batteries. And if there is anything on board that needs 240V to work consider it useless :rolleyes:
 
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Thanks Chris, I've no intention of being always at a marina,
I just thought most boats had both and one just plugged one boat in
When at a marina and all electrical appliances used the main power instead
Of 12v.......but I'm a novice

Don't know why I mentioned a microwave hardly ever use the thing at home
So won't need that.

How many leisure batteries should I look out for?....3
 
You should have separate engine and domestic batteries with some sort of split charging system so that they get charged separately, you don't want the engine starter battery run flat by your fridge overnight stranding you.
A lot of old boats have some very "individual" battery setups and you won't believe some of the bodges that are out there, check it out carefully as a bad battery setup will ruin your weekends very quickly.
I would say you need 2 x 85Ah on the domestic side as a minimum but you need a decent charging setup to match.
 
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