*******************************CURRENTLY OUT THE WATER/PROJECT BOATPerfect project boat for somebody. Currently in the yard (£500/month) with access to mains electricity and shower facilities. You will only start to pay from the 29th of December. Cranage back into the water or onto a truck is £300. Transport is easily facilitated but will be the responsibility of the buyer after payment in full.Please send a message if you have any questions. Video viewing may be possible. Read description carefully there’s a lot to take in – It is impossible to describe every little thing adequately therefore viewing is a must.Please feel free to message me to arrange a viewing and/or to be sent some of the additional pictures and documents I have for the boat.Sold as seen – Whether you have viewed it or not.Payment £500 upfront by bank transfer within 24 hours. The rest to be paid in full prior to collection in no more than 3 days.*******************************Up for sale is my 1969 broads cruiser ‘Vega’ one of just four made. I am selling as a project as circumstances changed due to covid so I am emigrating. She is currently out of the water near Bristol, in a friendly and laid back boatyard with clean toilet, shower and elsan facilities perfect for finishing the boat off to a great standard. With just a few months of hard work and the right tools, this boat will be worth well in excess of £30k. It is liveable as is apart from the lack of a bathroom.Last year it has had:-New BSS (till 2023) (£150)-New morso squirrel in the back with back boiler system to heat up the front cabin (>£1000)-Newly fabricated steel doors throughout (£1200)-Sliding security drawer 1m long (£250)-New kitchen worktop and appliances (>£1000)-New tongue and groove ceiling and insulation(£500)-New starter and leisure batteries (£250)-Solar panels and fittings (not connected electrically) (£200) – needs a charge controller-Aluminium roof rails reinstalled with stainless steel coach bolts and new hardwood spacers (priceless!)-Several minor repairs to the roof and one section replaced (due to previous leaky canopy)-Survey – still not finished so surveyor is due for one more visit.In the last 5 years it has had-New diesel tank (£200)-New webasto heater (>£1000)-New canopy mid and rear (£3500) still with many years left in it-New seat upholstery (>£1000)
… among many other things.
When I bought the boat I made a 60 mile coastal crossing in less than ideal weather and it really held its own in up to force 4 conditions as a testament to the strength of the hull and reliability of the engine.It makes an amazing liveaboard as its much wider than a narrowboat without being so wide it’s hard to drive on the canals. It has nice wide gunwales so you can scoot along the sides really easily and is short enough that you can turn in most places.Loads of work has been done since I bought the boat I have spent well in excess of £5000 on improvements and repairs in just the last year.
SpecificationsVessel type:Norfolk Broads CruiserDesigner:AstonBuilder:Aston BourneMake:BourneModel:39Fit Out:Modified Open PlanConstructed:1969Berths:6No. of engines:1Engine model:BMC 2.2Engine power:50Fuel type:DieselDrive type:Shaft driveLength over all:39′ 6″Beam:11′ 6″Maximum draft:2’Bridge clearance:7′ 2″Hull type:DisplacementHull colour:BlueFuel capacity:120 LitresWater capacity:400 LitresHolding tank capacity:80 LitresAccommodation
The boat has been converted to a more open-plan layout rather than having four bedrooms.- There is still the double (or I’d call it triple) bedroom at the very front- A sofa area further back with a 100L calorifier underneath.- Next to the sofa area is a bathroom which has been stripped out ready for a refit- The canopy- covered wheelhouse- An open plan space consisting of ample shelving, plenty of space for a sofa, a toilet and a kitchen and dining area.- The toilet is an electric flush built-in toilet with 100L or so holding tank. It has a macerator but you could easily reconnect the holding tank to the pump-out fitting that is still on the deck.- The kitchen is recently installed with a custom solid laminate worktop, 5 ring hob, single oven and under-mount sink with plenty of space for a fridge. The original cabinets were sanded back to bare wood for refinishing.For heating there is both a diesel heater and a nearly new Morso Squirrel stove with back boiler installed just last year. The radiators need reconnecting and its good to go. There is also a Webasto air diesel heater which has had very little use although the ducting needs replacing. The webasto works perfectly and runs off the same recently installed 120L diesel tank as the engine.
Construction
GRP in a good thick layup as can be expected from boats of the era, before the oil crisis as well. Upon recommendations from a surveyors report, which I can send you, any areas with damage were coarsely sanded to remove all bad material. With a few days work you can prep and repair the affected areas. There are one or two spots that have been sanded right through the fibreglass as well. Taking into account the less than favourable weather you could still get it ready for the water in less than a month.The other main problems before you can put it back on the water are as follows:- A couple of disused seacocks from the old toilets need removing – one or two have already been done- The keel cooling radiator needs one fitting replacing, this caused a barely noticeable leak when it was in the water- Some work to the stern gear – a bushing needs fitting on the rudder and the metalwork needs stripping back and painting as well as some new skeg bolts.-Needs a new rear exhaust fitting as the old one is corroded (but not dangerously so)
Engine(s)
BMC 2.2Is due servicing/ recommissioning after being out of the water and not run for nearly 9 months. Engine cannot be run out of water as it is partially raw water cooled.It was given a thorough once over last year before its sea journey with new impeller, alternator, some new hoses, oil change, fuel filters done and fuel tank fully scrubbed out. Under previous ownership, the fuel tank was replaced about 5 years ago. The gearbox was replaced about 10 years ago and runs perfectly (PRM 260D).The cooling system is a mix of raw water and keel cooling. The brass jabsco pump does the raw water through the gearbox oil cooler and the exhaust manifold and the rest of the cooling is done by long copper tubes under the hull. Basically this means that when the thing clogs up the engine itself still stays cool regardless. Despite having no weed hatch, the prop has never become excessively fouled over my 250 miles or so of cruising at sea, on the rivers or even the canals – Some boats pick more than others due to hull shape and prop depth.
Current Price: £7000.00
This Aston Bourne 40 Broads Cruiser Liveaboard Project Like Cabin Cruiser Narrowboat boat is located in Keynsham, and is being sold on eBay by alexmcc94.