A long time ago, when I sold my beloved first ever boat, a 45 foot red narrowboat with a cruiser stern, the boat broker told me that she was a little “tired looking” and labelled her as a project boat for sale.

But a project boat can be a beautiful thing; a bargain full of potential. If you're looking for cheap boats for sale in the UK it may be because you're the sort of person who is interested in fitting out a narrowboat or refurbishing a barge. If you're considering this option you will know that you may need a variety of skills, from woodwork to plumbing, and wiring to painting. You may also have to budget to outsource some of the jobs you are less confident about. It could be an opportunity to completely redesign the interior to your taste but it's good to bear in mind that one day you may want to sell it. While it's easy to research the prices of a new stove, cooker or toilet, it is surprising how the cost of tiling, taps, timber and paint can add up.

Your other most valuable commodity will be time. You may need to consider planning your project around work and family; can you estimate accurately how long the work will take? You will also need to consider the requirements of the Boat Safety Scheme. If you're going to move around large sheets of ply or drill holes in steel work you'll need to be physically fit. Depending on the size of the refurbishment you plan to undertake you may like to sketch out your ideas as a plan, and look in waterways magazines for ingenious layout ideas, cunning storage solutions and varying berth and dinette options. Plan ahead and think about how the current tasks will affect future work. Make sure that plumbing and wiring is reasonably accessible for your future self to maintain, and tidy up as you go along, to boost morale, reduce mistakes and find lost tools!

For some enthusiasts the attraction will be the satisfaction of restoring a historic boat. Our unusual Admiralty Pinnace boat for sale has so much potential for someone with a talent for woodwork. Although she is thought to have been built by the Admiralty in 1919, she does not show her age, except perhaps in her grace and style. The wheelhouse, massive salon and wonderful bedroom can be seen in the photos here: Historic Project Boat For Sale.

Boat refitting or restoration is a labour of love but in some cases you could be proud to own a piece of floating history, that has been redesigned to your own specification.

What does 'project boat' mean to you? Are you looking for a project? Have you successfully restored your own boat? Please feel free to come over and join us on Facebook or Twitter for a bit of a chat. We have recently sold two project boats and are looking forward to seeing how they turn out.

Peggy Melmoth
www.narrowboatwife.blogspot.com

You may also like:
Living on a Boat: The Boatshed Guide / Roving Traders and the CRT Council / Canal Diary 2012 / A slideshow of our boat of the moment.

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