Well what a sad posting after over 6 months without blogging.
But its true – daddy doesn’t seem to love me any more and he has just put me on Apollo Ducks narrowboat for sale section, filed under cruiser stern and Harborough.
(Actually not true – I still do love Zulu but its become a bit of a luxury running two boats and only being able to live on one at any given time – MIKE)
He should be asking a lot more for me too – but he told me there’s nothing to be ashamed about being offered for a mere £13,995 ono. despite being making me of the cheapest narrowboats for sale on the canal.
So if you are interested, please check out Apollo Duck in the first instance. They are apparrently just pondering the advert before allowing the world to see it, so you will see a link here the second it goes live.
EDIT TO ADD THIS LINK – http://www.apolloduck.com/display.phtml?aid=183269
And seriously, despite the current weather (which you will have to get used to if you are investing (insert smiley) in a boat) I am more than happy to light the stove and fire up the engine for a test run for any serious prospective buyer (subject to ice conditions of course). If you see it in the cold and the rain then you will not have to wonder what it will be like in the winter so get it over with now!
And dammit that’s nearly got be back into the blogging flow….. watch this space!
Mike
And heres what the advert says if you cant wait to see it.
Zulu is a classic cruiser stern boat originally built a a hire boat but has served most of her life as a comfortable liveaboard.
From the cruiser stern which houses a Lister SR3 engine the rear door opens into the galley, which is modern and clean with brand new spinflo gas cooker – 4 burners, oven and grill.
There’s absolutely loads of storage space in cupboards and drawers throughout the kitchen area, and a stainless steel sink with hot and cold mixer tap. The hot water comes from a reliable instant water heater, mounted in the galley.
Straight through to the lounge/living area we have a large comfortable built-in sofa with huge cushions allowing it to form a single bed without conversion, or a double by raising the wooden frame on hinges. Shelving units alongside mean ready storage for all those books and CDs.
Opposite is a corner unit for the TV etc, and more and more shelf space. There is still room for a table (provided) or a desk if you prefer.
In the far corner is a clean Morso Squirrel stove in excellent condition, with fireproof board surrounding it.
Next is a short corridor to the bedroom, but not forgetting the shower room and toilet, which has a very clever arrangement allowing it to expand into a square room for showering while remaining as an L shaped room while using the loo. The toilet is an almost new (and spotlessly clean) flushing chemical loo, with a tank for pink fluid and flushing water which gives a pleasing cleanliness while the waste drops through to a removable cartridge for easy disposal at numerous facilities throughout the canal network.
Into the bedroom we have a good sized double bed raised up on top of drawers and cupboards, and an excellent massive under-bed storage area which is a real bonus when living on a boat.
There are more shelves too and a small fitted wardrobe which houses a 12v car radio – included in the sale.
Finally the front bedroom doors open out onto the huge foredeck which most unusually for a Harborough design boat is fitted with a metal deck – plenty of room for a couple of comfy deck chairs and table (included in the sale). The entire deck is covered with a green tarpaulin cover which is in reasonable condition.
The electrics consists of 3 x 110v leisure batteries and a separate engine starter battery, all charged by a single modern alternator which works well and keeps everything so simple in this department theres almost nothing to go wrong.
Then an almost new Sterling 1600w combi inverter/charger converts battery power into 240v mains voltage, or charges the batteries when connected to a landline (cable provided).
Heating – the all important question especially with the recent weather we have been experiencing. Well I lived on Zulu last January to March and the whole boat is superbly comfortable with just the Morso Squirrel stove – these are the business and this one can be used to warm up a cold boat quickly or by closing down the air vents it can be almost extinguished while remaining warm – I once left it for 3 days and it was still on when I got back – opening the vents and adding a bit of fuel and a roaring fire was all ready to greet me within seconds.
Unlike many boats of this age, I have cruised Zulu quite extensively and covered many hundreds of miles over the last two years – all the way between London and Manchester in fact.
Zulu is currently on a British Waterways mooring at Uxbridge, Middlesex and I would be delighted to show anyone round on this mooring, but pllease remember that BW do not allow change of ownership on a mooring.
That’s not to say that the new owner must move to another mooring permanently – just that the vacancy will be advertised on their mooring auction website and will be awarded to the highest bidder. I can give much more information about this and any other aspect of living aboard to interested parties.
I would also be happy to deliver this boat to you, or assist you with your first voyage. Anyone seriously interested will also have the chance to try the boat first – its a boat after all, not a permanent fixture, and I dont believe there’s any way a new owner can recognise the full potential of what they are about to buy without a test drive!
The overall condition is as you may expect for its age – please dont expect everything to be perfect, but its very tidy, comfortable and even homely inside – these boats ooze character with their very distinctive high bow profile and superb sitting out space on the cruister stern deck.
So I look forward to talking to the prospective new owners – I have owned her for over 2 years now and as I live aboard another boat full time, I now can’t justify owning two boats.
Two years ago I had the boat out of the water for 3 months with new steel plating professionally added to the bows and stern areas which had been identified as needing attention by a professional survey. I also had a brand new diesel tank fabricated and fitted and new steel floors in both the aft gas lockers, so as far as I am aware the hull is in a sound condition. The previous owner had obviously spent a lot on a new weed hatch and propshaft bearing all of which is in very good condition, and a definite weak point on these older boats.
The asking price is therefore offered as seen, but to reflect the additional inclusive fittings such as the inverter charger and cooker which are worth about 1,200 on their own. I can’t reduce it by much but I will be totally honest about all known faults for as much peace of mind as I can offer!
Theres even some diesel in the tank and the loo is empty so right now theres nothing which would stop you from turning up with a suitcase, pint of milk and sailing away – there’s even a jar of coffee waiting for you!
All cruising equipment will be included – you wont have to buy a single thing to get going… this includes life belt, boat shaft and boat hook, mooring pins, piling hooks, mallet, windlasses (2), anti-vandal key, BW key, hose and reel, mooring lines and extended handling lines (all good quality black or cream ropes), headlamp and horn. Furthermore the galley is equipped with a lovely range of white china plates, really nice cutlery, mugs, glasses, knives and utensils, tea towels, pots and pans galore. OK and pint of milk if you insist. You will of course need to licence and insure the boat — the licence is valid until end of May and the essential boat safety certificate is valid until April 2014 so thats still over three of its four years left to run – she passed with flying colours too.
But why not try an offer? I can only say yes, no (or maybe…) lol.
