There was just one problem…

I hadn’t commissioned a survey.

Would I do that again?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

A Lesson Learned

Looking back, I know I took a gamble.

Thankfully, it paid off.

But if you’re thinking about buying a narrowboat—or any boat for that matter—I’d strongly recommend arranging a professional survey before handing over your money.

It doesn’t matter whether the boat costs a few thousand pounds or considerably more.

A survey gives you something incredibly valuable…

Peace of mind.

Why I Needed a Survey

Recently, while Sarang was in dry dock having the hull blacked, I arranged for an out-of-water insurance survey to be carried out.

The survey served two important purposes.

Firstly, I wanted reassurance that the boat I’d bought was structurally sound.

Secondly, my Scottish mooring and navigation licence required a recent out-of-water survey.

So it made perfect sense to do everything while the boat was already out of the water.

Who Carried Out the Survey?

The inspection was completed by McAlpine Marine Surveyors, and I honestly couldn’t have been happier with the service.

The surveyor was incredibly helpful, answered my questions over the phone, and produced a very detailed report.

Unfortunately I couldn’t attend the inspection because I was at work, but with Sarang already safely sitting in the dry dock, everything went smoothly.

Meet Sarang

For anyone new to the channel, here are a few details about the boat.

• Builder: Mastercraft
• Built: 1975
• Length: 39 ft 10 in
• Beam: 6 ft 10 in
• Draft: Approximately 2 ft 3 in
• Engine: BMC Diesel
• Drive: Shaft Drive
• Construction: Fully welded steel

Although she’s over fifty years old, she’s still got plenty of life left in her.

The Hull Inspection

This was naturally the part I was most interested in.

The hull was cleaned where necessary so ultrasonic thickness measurements could be taken around the boat.

Overall, the findings were very encouraging.

The survey found:

• Good plate thickness throughout.
• Welds in good condition.
• No structural defects.
• Only minor pitting below the waterline.
• Existing over-plating in good condition.

Immediately after the inspection, I completed the blacking process that you’ve seen throughout the last few episodes.

Recommendations

Like every survey, there were a few recommendations.

Fortunately, none of them were major.

Most were simply sensible maintenance items.

These included:

• Cleaning the engine bay.
• Removing standing water from the bilges.
• Protecting areas showing light surface corrosion.
• Securing the shore power connection.
• Checking the stove chimney is gas-tight.
• Continuing to regularly test the carbon monoxide alarm.

These are all jobs that I intended to complete anyway, so there were no unpleasant surprises.

The Best Part

The conclusion of the survey couldn’t really have been much better.

The surveyor confirmed that the hull and superstructure were structurally sound with no significant defects found.

The report stated that, provided the recommendations were followed and routine maintenance continued, Sarang should continue to provide many years of reliable service.

As a new boat owner…

That was wonderful news.

A Nice Surprise

One thing I hadn’t expected was the valuation.

The survey valued Sarang at over three times what I actually paid for her.

That certainly wasn’t why I bought the boat.

But it was reassuring to know I’d made a good purchase.

My Advice

If you’re looking at buying your first narrowboat, here’s my advice.

Don’t do what I did.

Get a survey before you buy.

Yes, I was fortunate.

My gamble paid off.

But it easily could have gone the other way.

A survey won’t guarantee perfection, but it gives you the information you need to make an informed decision.

It’s money well spent.

Thankfully, in my case, everything turned out very positively.

Now I can continue enjoying life aboard Sarang with complete confidence.

One more lesson learned.

One more chapter completed.

And many more adventures still to come.

Liam & Sarang

Life afloat, one project at a time.