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Are foxes afloat a couple12/8/2023 ![]() There are a few builders around who are still producing distinctive boats with style but the sad reality is that unlike say the 1970's and 80's there are no budget, or even middle market builders doing it. The culture of the canals has changed a lot since I started boating, I think the rise of marina culture is largely responsible, providing a safe, secure, environment with mains electric and water - it's hardly surprising that the emphasis has shifted to cabin space and the fitout when so many boats are never going anywhere. Might have to be the back of an envelope as fag packets are hard to find these days. Think I will get a fag packet and design a proper boat on the back of it. Seems that the 'boat' bit has become secondary to the 'luxury' bit and that has become the bit where the price and profit is made. As others have said its all about the interior nowadays and the tech that can be crammed in to it. There have been a few brave efforts at novel ideas, some sort of work but the designers of some of them need taking aside and given a stern talking to. I can identify the products of a fair few builders but there are an awful lot of boats that are as near as dammit identical. Perhaps i have just woken up particularly grumpy this morning but its a real shame that the British canal system became largely standardised at 7` x 72 or therabouts and has now become 6`10" x something or other. Looking at boats on a cold windswept day in November is worlds away from these balmy summer days. In the end narrowboats are still boats, and the boat market is highly seasonal, so once we get into the colder darker months some sort of normality will return. so Aqueduct (pah!) are probably going to get something close to the asking price, maybe even more. If you really want a trad or semi why pay over the odds for a cruiser? I reckon the sort of new buyers who are flocking to the canals at the moment prefer cruisers. I guess I'm telling you what you already know, but. I really want a trad or semi-trad but after 18 months and no success, beggars can't be choosers. And at that price/age, is Silver Fox actually good value? Probably £10K more than it would've been than not too long ago. I'm even considering viewing this tomorrow: No doubt it's a lot of money but then again, what isn't at the moment? I've seen a few 1 year old boats come to market which are 15%+ more than new. There’s nothing wrong with them at £130k but I think for a £140K second hand Bickerstaffe boat it’s quite ridiculous, If I was spending £140K on a second hand boat I would expect to be buying a boat which cost in excess of £200K new. If I was ever in a position to buy one I would source my covers elsewhere.Īs you say mid range and the pretty basic no frills interior reflects the price, but it suits people’s budget and gets them on the water so fit for purpose. I would be happy to own boats from either makers, and I bet there are a few Bickerstaffe owners have read this thread and have refrained from comment for fear of being ridiculed for being so 'gullible'. ![]() (This will of course be put down by the critics as 'gullibility'). Not particularly 'posh', pretty much mid range is how I would describe them.ĭespite the comments some have made they seem to have hit on a winning formula as they do seem to sell well. If the boat in question really did sell for over £100k that is cast iron proof. Times have changed now and these are the sort of boats that are commanding high premiums. Of course it didn't sell because in every other respect it was a very ordinary boat. "Oh but it's the inside" folk used to say, no expense spared etc. I remember many years ago when we had a towpath mooring, one of the boats nearby came up for sale with a frankly ridiculous price tag. Once upon a time the value of a boat was heavily affected by the shell, but fitting out has become so sophisticated and the new breed of narrowboat buyer (seemingly) couldn't care less who put the steelwork together. They seem to have caught the wave, so to speak, which is the change in emphasis between shell builder and fit out. Posh, are they?īut you have to admire the marketing. I must admit that I had never heard of Bickerstaffe Boats before reading this topic. or perhaps a sticker on a Springer proclaiming "My other boat's a Bickerstaffe".
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