Fally-over houseboat ship project

[Huntsman]

Anybody mad enough?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Steel-Houseboat-Project...

How would you parbuckle it?

(Interesting that anyone has bid at all, I would want it to come with a modest dowry.)

[spitfire-ian]

I'm guessing the interior pictures are from when it wasn't on its side and full of water!

[louiebaby]

I'd love to have the space, time and cash to do that justice.

I suspect that the headroom would be a bit low for me, so I doubt it would be my first choice of project though.

I'd go for a warm, cosy feel to it, but since it would be a full strip back, I'd want a lot of insulation in it too.

You'd never make any money on it, so it would be a labour of love.

[Steve_D]

Huntsman said:

Anybody mad enough?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Steel-Houseboat-Project...

How would you parbuckle it?

(Interesting that anyone has bid at all, I would want it to come with a modest dowry.)

If the description is correct and it flooded due to a failed valve and the mooring dries out then simply fixing the valve and pumping out at low water should see her floating on the next tide.
Or am I missing something.
I like her lines so must be worth saving.

Steve

[Huntsman]

Steve_D said:

If the description is correct and it flooded due to a failed valve and the mooring dries out then simply fixing the valve and pumping out at low water should see her floating on the next tide.
Or am I missing something.
I like her lines so must be worth saving.

Steve

She'll be full of mud by now. If you stopped her flooding, the weight of mud pulling her down could do some damage I would think.

For sure, could be pretty enough, but I'm not so sure about being worth saving.

[crofty1984]

If I had the money/time I'd be all over that.

[NickCQ]

No such thing as a cheap boat. I would run a mile from this one.
It would be nice to see her saved but not a the cost of a dreamer throwing away their life savings.

[MOTORVATOR]

Huntsman said:

Steve_D said:

If the description is correct and it flooded due to a failed valve and the mooring dries out then simply fixing the valve and pumping out at low water should see her floating on the next tide.
Or am I missing something.
I like her lines so must be worth saving.

Steve

She'll be full of mud by now. If you stopped her flooding, the weight of mud pulling her down could do some damage I would think.

For sure, could be pretty enough, but I'm not so sure about being worth saving.

Lot more to it than meets the eye. Maldon council have been trying to track down the owner for years to discuss insurance and obviously now removal. Sits on a very small holding owned by MDC within the Crouch Harbour.

Many stories about why it fell over but a fresh water leak isn't the most credible one.

Can't see anyone taking the liability on as it is.

[Huntsman]

MOTORVATOR said:

Lot more to it than meets the eye. Maldon council have been trying to track down the owner for years to discuss insurance and obviously now removal. Sits on a very small holding owned by MDC within the Crouch Harbour.

Owner appears to have an ebay account....

[CAPP0]

Real shame, it does have lovely elegant lines. I don't know much about costs other than them being very high! Probably not economically viable, as others have said.

[Simpo Two]

MOTORVATOR said:

Many stories about why it fell over but a fresh water leak isn't the most credible one.

Must have had a helluva water tank to hold enough to capsize a 155' steel ship!

Maybe an enterprising Dutchman with a cutting torch will make an offer?

[gazzarose]

Simpo Two said:

MOTORVATOR said:

Many stories about why it fell over but a fresh water leak isn't the most credible one.

Must have had a helluva water tank to hold enough to capsize a 155' steel ship!

Maybe an enterprising Dutchman with a cutting torch will make an offer?

Not least being that of it floated with its tank full of water then it's not going to change if the water was sitting in the bilge. The only way would be if it was pumped onto a high up deck and then trapped up there making it unstable.

[wildoliver]

If it wasn't so far from me I'd be sorely tempted as we want to build a house boat anyway, the fact you would be sinking (badumtsh) around 10k plus the purchase cost just to get it sat on solid ground up here to start work means it's just not even close to viable compared to a running (floating?) but rough equivalent. Even doing an unsympathetic gut and rebuild is going to be heinously expensive, trying to rebuild it in period condition would be eye watering. Its a shame but I suspect it will end up scrapped either sooner or later after a dreamer or 2 has had a go.

[wibble cb]

MI6 could make use of it, in these straightened times

[brman]

I agree with all of the above, so why on earth has it been bid up to almost £5000 already?!

I would have thought £1 to take the liability of their hands would be a very generous offer...........

[NickCQ]

wibble cb said:

MI6 could make use of it, in these straightened times

Haha, MWTGG was actually on the telly the other day

[Simpo Two]

brman said:

I agree with all of the above, so why on earth has it been bid up to almost £5000 already?!

I would have thought £1 to take the liability of their hands would be a very generous offer...........

Abandoned boats seem to attract nutters. The buyer will pay £5,000, paint it purple and then either sell it again for £1,000 or die.

[NickCQ]

Simpo Two said:

brman said:

I agree with all of the above, so why on earth has it been bid up to almost £5000 already?!

I would have thought £1 to take the liability of their hands would be a very generous offer...........

Abandoned boats seem to attract nutters. The buyer will pay £5,000, paint it purple and then either sell it again for £1,000 or die.

The coming of YouTube and lifestyle sailing bloggers has only multiplied their number.

[GuitarTech]

I was interested in it as a new project for the winter, till I read at the bottom " May not post to Germany " Shame really, haven't got time to pop over at the moment...

[bga]

There are likely a few good reasons why those in the industry with access to people & facilities haven’t already jumped on this “opportunity”.