What's the story at Burnham

I first read the suggestions that the auction was perhaps rigged with the usual roll of the eyes at conspiracy theorists.

However on reflection it does seem mighty strange that the normal procedure for a renegade buyer has not been followed, so I echo the call, What happened to the #2 and #3 bidders?
Add the unnnecessary private bidding aspect and one can only become rather suspicious.

Bidding to establish a spurious 'value" for an insurance claim perhaps?
 
I first read the suggestions that the auction was perhaps rigged with the usual roll of the eyes at conspiracy theorists.

However on reflection it does seem mighty strange that the normal procedure for a renegade buyer has not been followed, so I echo the call, What happened to the #2 and #3 bidders?
Add the unnnecessary private bidding aspect and one can only become rather suspicious.

Bidding to establish a spurious 'value" for an insurance claim perhaps?

I don't understand the Private bidding, and what is Private bidding, and why would someone genuine use it?


Seeing as how the second "selling price" was lower than the first "selling price", it would seem to be an own goal if the vendor is trying to create a value for insurers, and anyway insurers know all these tricks

I am inclined to agree with you that this does smell a bit.
 
Seeing the latest version of the listing https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Steel-Houseboat-Project-For-Sale-/263419192564?
I would still take the seller at face value - people aren't doing enough research before bidding. He may have put a bit of a bump in, maybe not, but I can't see him rousing bunches of mates to push it that far beyond any genuine bid - he does want to get rid of it, quite badly!

You would need to contact the proposed mooring site, talk to the proposed salvagers, surveyors, etc, etc. You're very likely to find a fatal flaw, and the ebay auction format doesn't encourage time-consuming research.
 
I am having doubts about the vendor. He claims "I have had a quote of £7,500 to raise her". If that is from a reliable savage co, and not the local Del Boy, and the vendor has any sense, which he might not have, he would get the boat upright and pumped out ... it will add more than the extra £7,500 to the sale price
 
I am having doubts about the vendor. He claims "I have had a quote of £7,500 to raise her". If that is from a reliable savage co, and not the local Del Boy, and the vendor has any sense, which he might not have, he would get the boat upright and pumped out ... it will add more than the extra £7,500 to the sale price

There are people who don't have immediate access to £7500....
 
That is true. It is said that the vendor bought this boat about a year ago before it fell over, and it was his intention to renovate it. If this is true one presumes that he has at least £7,500.

Not necessarily, several years ago a friend of mine purchased a run down cottage in Ireland using several credit cards and the little cash he had. He didn't have a bean left to do the work! He now makes a fortune from letting it out.
 
Not necessarily, several years ago a friend of mine purchased a run down cottage in Ireland using several credit cards and the little cash he had. He didn't have a bean left to do the work! He now makes a fortune from letting it out.

It often happens with project boats, people buy them wearing rose tinted specs and then find they will cost more to put right than they are worth, so they never get done.
 
I notice that the boat has shrunk from 155ft to 108 ft and only displaces 100 tons, rather than its former 155 tons. Perhaps it will only cost £5k to re-float now :)
 
What is the latest on this story? Has it been righted? Has it been moved? or has nothing happened?

Oh, it wasn't you who bought her then? I went past last week. Still there. No obvious progress. She has rolled a bit more so appears significantly more than 45 degrees of heel and the superstructure that gets covered at each tide is going a nice shade of green.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Oh, it wasn't you who bought her then? I went past last week. Still there. No obvious progress. She has rolled a bit more so appears significantly more than 45 degrees of heel and the superstructure that gets covered at each tide is going a nice shade of green.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

I hopped past this afternoon, on my crutches. The first time for about three weeks.

Absolutely no sign of any salvage work, and, if possible, she looks to have leaned a bit more.
 
Heard mutterings it might be going to a permanent marina berth 'upriver' at some stage.

The ebay ad said that an agreement had been made with Bridgemarsh Marina, at Althorne, that she could stay in a mudberth there, for a year, for no charge.

Whether that is true or not, I have no idea, but I do know that Bridgemarsh is not "about one mile" from her current resting place.
 
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I hopped past this afternoon, on my crutches. The first time for about three weeks.

Absolutely no sign of any salvage work, and, if possible, she looks to have leaned a bit more.

This is what I saw when I was down there last week. I think you’re right that it is leaning more now. A bit of a sorry sight, but oddly fascinating... if you don’t have any skin in the game.



 
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