Narrowboat graveyards and salvage yards for boats

A gent has emailed:

I have been looking on the net trying to find a salvage yard for boats.  Do you know of  any?  UK-based canal narrow boats - smoke damage, fire damage, shell damage.

I don't know of any specific 'elephant's graveyard' of narrowboats.  There's no central, specific, place that they all gather to be scrapped or recycled. One solution might be to ask a boat broker who's not afraid to deal with such problem boats. I understand that specialist broker Loretta Hardie of Boat Shop UK is always coming across such likely hulls.

Perhaps the best-known collection of derelict narrowboats is at Charity Dock near Bedworth, on the Coventry Canal [location here].   Steve Haywood has written an excellent article about the Ashby Canal in the latest (April 2009) issue of Canal Boat magazine, and he starts the article with a brief but fond memoir of Charity Dock in 1984: 

More like a scrapyard than a boatyard … squalor with a history. … The dock then was run by the legendary Joe Gilbert, a man not noted for his efficiency, and the place was always full of people for whom he'd promised to complete some job which he hadn't yet got round to.  We loved it."

Surely little has change in its appearance in 25 years.  Charity Dock is still an extraordinary sight.  I've never gone past that place without gawking at the scruffy assemblage of old and incredible hulks, many of them sprouting weeds inside, good candidates to be floating allotments.  And even more so, the odd clutter and bric-a-brac piled high on the bank.

In short, it might be a good place to find a damaged boat.

Pig and Pineapple videoed it a couple of years ago as they passed (below), and they weren't impressed.  In the voiceover, one of them delivered a withering parting shot:  "I'm surprised they don't make 'em clean up all this mess."

Steve Haywood remembers that old Joe Gilbert's "method of dealing with a speeding boat was half a brick."   Well, in the comments section of this video, Chris Pink has added a reply which is the YouTube equivalent of a half-brick!

[Update: if you are sharp-eared, you'll hear the lady observe exactly halfway thru that the stern counter of one of the boats has a lot of bricks aboard - presumably ready for the ghost of Joe Gilbert to throw]

[Update: Thanks to insurers Collidge & Partners for extra info in this post] 

[Extra update: Ralph Kitts, Marine engineer, points us to www.boatwrecks.com]

Comments

[Michael A Hunt]

I am looking for a Narrow Boat Hull that we can fit out as a Trip Boat, must we watertight. about 30 foot would be ideal.

It is for use on the Hereford and Gloucester Canal we are restoring. We are a volunteer organisation so it must be a reasonable price. Any condition considered. as long as it float's.

[Colin PIke]

hi
ime looking to rent to buy a cheap doer upper narrow boat, i am in the oxfordshire rea, can anyone help please

[Colin PIke]

Hi
i am looking for a narrow boat on a rent to buy, don,t mind is the boat needs some interior work done on it, at the moment i live on a narrow boat with my parents, through split up with my partner, so had no choice, but have got to know how to diagnose some problems that incur living on a narrow boat, but i am a male 28 year old and really need to get out from the parent,s boat. i live in the oxfordshire area. if any one can help me Please Please email me

[Shaun Hale]

I'm after parts for a Vanette SL4 cooker. If you can help please email me at [email protected]

[Mark Wade]

Does anyone know where I can get a Lister LH150 hydraulic gear box?

[Tony Davis]

I am looking for a salvageable/give away canal boat for a community project for the young people of Droitwich Spa. If it floats can collect from anywhere if its connected to the Droitwich Loop. [email protected]

[paul harris]

hi, im looking for a cheap narrowboat to do up and live on, does anyone know of any narrowboat scrapyards maybe?, i have been to charity dock and all sold, i dont mind what condition or if sunk as willing to refloat, thanks, my email address is [email protected]

[andy]

hi im looking for a narrowboat around 45 foot in need of work 07548617521 andy

[Peter Calrke]

I have a 45Ft Steel hull Narrowboat that is free to anyone who can collect. Its moored in Central Birmingham at present. Lister SR2 drive train. now for the bad points , It sank last week . It can be refloated as we believe the bilge pump stopped working ( flat battery ) and the rain weve had took it down. More details via email if anyone is interested [email protected]

[Jeccapf]

I'm looking for a narrowboat to fix up - ideally a low cost hulk or a rent to buy scheme - can anyone help me?

[Keith Martin]

I've tried and tried to have a narrowboat of my own for years now, but all i can do is work on other people's pride and joy. All this work is done because i have to earn every penny i can to keep my family with a roof over their head. I live around the Leeds Liverpool canal and would like to salvage or find a narrowboat for very little money if possible so i may navigate these wonderful waters.
Cheers Keith

[Matt Roberts]

I would really like to start a restoration project on a a river cruise / narrow boat with the focus on providing river cruises. Im looking for a boat that I can take on and restore but im hoping to get the boat for free!. if anyone is looking to offload a boat that would be suitable and needs work then please contact me. [email protected]

[mark holt]

sorry my email adress is [email protected]

[mark holt]

hi does anyone know of a 50ft or close to it narrowboat that needs work any amount i dont mind as longs its water tight as i need to sleep on her as im doing her up as i wont to live on her with my wife but i dont have a great deal of money but please email me i promise to email you back please anything considered this is a life long dream

[wendy smith]

British waterways sell off narrowboats in cheshire I understand the ones they have salvaged etc quite cheaply but dont know how often or who to contact. I built a shell from scratch and happy to share my experieces of fourteen years boating. I also, run a consultancy for business and a charity check out my site its www.nwas.eu why not advertise with us and help a good cause.

[Gaz Bee]

Anne I will take it off your hands if you are scrapping it. [email protected] is my email address

[halfie]

Anne, people often use apolloduck.co.uk to sell and buy privately.

[Anne]

Does anyone know where we can sell/scrap our narrowboat, she needs some work on the hull and we don't have the time or money to do this - she was also submerged (for less than 24 hours!) and will be lovely once put back together (so to speak!) - photos and spec can be provided!

[Stephen Campbell]

Hi,
Kevin have you managed to get a boat to rebuild ? Mine will be available within the next month. It is a 60ft ex Black Prince cruiser stern needing a full refit. Please contact me on [email protected]
Cheers,
Steve

[Kevin]

Hello
Im looking for a narrow boat to take on as a project, would like a 50ft plus but will consider anything. Ive got a lot of time on my hands. and have dreamed of owning one, its the only way. buy a shell and do it up.
please get incontact with me if you know of one.
cheers Kevin

[bryan]

im looking for windows and frames for a dawncraft 25fut ,,,ore just the frames will do. im having big problem finding replacements,, im willing to pay a fair price kind regards bryan

[cliff Bichan]

wanted volvo penta aqad 30 engine for a wilson flyer

[mr thompson]

thank you andrew now i can con tact the and do a bisness muck ablisgd exqus the speling thanks agane las see you in the ether

[Andrew Denny]

Mr Thompson: If you want to call Charity Dock, try 02476 313122. That's listed in business directories as Warwickshire Carrying Co, but its address is Charity Dock, Furnace Road, Bedworth, CV12 9AP.

[mr thompson]

hi it is my intenshon to visit this boat gravyard and i do not like to turn up with out an invit so is there nolage of this yard still trading and if so can i have a con tact number so i can giv them a ring you can contact me on [email protected] your's les

[sam]

how much do some of these boats go for ? must be quite cheap.

[l a thompson]

I have been srcing for such a yard for years and i think that the man as a grate idear a place wear you can go and buy a end of life narrowboat and save it from the scrap man as bib i fixst hier up and put hear back on the water and nawlive abord

[Michael Morrissey]

Wanted Yanmar engine 4d94-3 Parts or a complete second hand engine

[Karen Wuayy]

Hi

There is www.cclaims.co.uk or www.lancs-salvage.co.uk for burnt out and salvaged boats.

[Ralph Kitts (RK MARINE )]

A 40ft sea going springer now i would love to see that , am haveing murders trying to get a 36ft springer to make way on a canal , cracked it though has a hollow weed hatch so its cavitating like mad bit of welding and a fin or two and it will aquaplane .

[Tony Blews]

There is a elephants' graveyard of boats on the banks of the Severn, near to Sharpness. While the boats in question aren't narrowboats, they are now fulfilling a vital function. Having been dragged up the banks and filled with earth, these boats form an important part of the protection of the banks, and stop the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal slipping into the River Severn.
See:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=+51%C2%B044%2714.20%22N+++2%C2%B027%2720.45%22W&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=41.767874,79.101563&ie=UTF8&ll=51.737278,-2.45568&spn=0.001,0.002414&t=h&z=19&iwloc=addr

(it was on Countryfile 3 weeks ago)

[eeyore]

Great post Andrew.

Lorretta was the broker of the deal that brought us together with SONFLOWER. She pointed us toward her as we passed in the middle of Napton flight. She was delivering a boat southward and we were returning the good boat 'Harry' to Kate Boats.

She had previously tried to sell us a sea-going 40ft Springer!