Colecraft Narrowboat 'Sparkle'
Ahoy! Welcome aboard the good ship ‘Sparkle’. Our Colecraft Narrowboat with cruiser stern is newly refurbished and up for Sale. Sparkle has been our lovely home for the last year and a half and during that time we’ve transformed her from an ugly duckling into a dazzling dream boat. She’s both stylish and functional and running perfectly, ready to take you on your next adventure. Here are some of her finest features. Exterior Repainted last year in burgundy with yellow accents, the side panels also feature a unique hand painted ‘fish scale’ design in holographic glitter, which stretches the length of the boat. It’s subtle when overcast but in direct sunlight she sparkles away and is often admired by fellow boaters and passers-by. The hull is in excellent condition, having spent most of its life with ‘2-part epoxy blacking’. This was re- done last May ( new anodes were fitted. It should be good for at least 2-3 more years. There’s a survey from this time available for viewing. BMC 1.8 Engine. Low hours use from new. It’s quiet, powerful, recently serviced and runs perfectly. 525 watts of solar panels attached with a custom tilt frame. Connected through an ‘ITracer 40a MPPT’ controller. 2x 220Ah AGM Gel batteries in good condition. The solar power system provides plenty of power for everything we use, and to maintain the batteries if the sun is shining for a few hours at least. On cloudy days, the batteries are topped up by running the engine. Interior - Newly painted saloon, kitchen and bathroom. - Merbau engineered wood flooring throughout. Hardwearing and beautiful. - Handmade wooden kitchen tops and breakfast bar and storage shelves. - Double glazed skylight installed over the saloon. My favourite feature! - Warm, bright and energy efficient ‘12v LED’ lighting throughout. - Bespoke, hand embroidered fitted curtains that can be adjusted to any height. - New window frames and interior woodwork. - Shoreline 12v fridge - Double LPG gas burner hob. - Vintage ‘Esse Range’ adds warmth and character. - Great water pressure and a good size shower (Hot water is supplied to the calorifier either from the engine or from the range). - Thetford c200 cassette toilet. - 12v sockets throughout suitable for charging phones and devices. - 240v sockets throughout supplied by a 400w inverter, it’s not the most powerful but has been fine for us running laptops etc. You can easily upgrade this if you require more power. - Boat Safety Certificate until man ‘Coleman Canoe’ (included)! Take a Tour Beginning at the bow, the front locker has plenty of space for two gas cylinders, a hosepipe and more. It’s also where you fill the huge integral water tank. The tank was stripped to bare metal last year and treated with Aquaguard epoxy coating. It’s probably the cleanest tank you’ll find and is big enough to last for several weeks between filling. The cratch area at the front of the boat has an open ‘U’ shaped seating layout, the perfect spot on a sunny day for ‘sparkling’ away on the water with your friends. Beneath the seats are three large, dry and secure lockers with plenty of space for tools and other outdoor kit. A ‘cratch frame’ is fitted but no cover is present. You can have one made to create an additional dry space. Entry to the front is through secure split steel doors with a heavy-duty lock fitted, opening into a generously sized lounge with freestanding furniture. It’s bright, modern and spacious for a narrowboat and has ample headroom of 6ft 5”plus. Current furnishings include; a step/storage box for shoes, a chest of draws, a comfy double sofa, a fold out coffee table and a small desk. This open area leads to the galley which boasts a bespoke fitted kitchen and breakfast bar. It’s a lovely light space beneath a large double-glazed skylight for cooking, socialising and day dreaming. A double LPG gas burner hob is set into a stylish hand-built, curvaceous kitchen counter with plenty of storage underneath. The ‘Shoreline’ 12v fridge and freezer is neatly inset below. A separate counter with cupboards, shelves and a large stainless-steel sink stands at the galley window with a newly tiled splash-back. The bottle green vintage ‘Esse range’ adds character to the modern kitchen and provides heat to the boat and hot water to the storage tank and radiators. Next is the bathroom which has a Thetford C200 cassette toilet fitted. It Looks like a regular household loo but has a cassette which can be removed and emptied at an ‘Elsan Point’. Having lived on boats with both pump-out tanks and cassettes, this is the preferred system because you don’t have to move the boat to empty the tank. The shower is a good size with great water pressure and gets piping hot. With such a large water tank you can have the luxury of long hot showers if you like. Between the bathroom and the bedroom there’s some bonus storage space with three large drawers and two deep shelves with LED lights are inset into the corridor walls The bedroom is at the back of the boat. There’s a small double-bed (perfect for two), with plenty more storage space in the large drawers fitted beneath it. A couple of small shelves are fixed above the bed too. To the right of the back wall is a double wardrobe and on the left a small concealed cupboard houses the electrics, including the fuse panel, inverter and solar panel regulator. Lined custom-made curtains are fitted throughout and can be adjusted to any length to suit your personal preference and privacy needs, which may change when your mooring does. The rear split steel doors also feature a secure heavy-duty lock and lead out to the cruiser stern, where there’s plenty of space for friends on board weather you’re moored or moving. There are two more large lockers on the back (which double as seats) used for wood, coal and mooring pins. Underneath a cover on the rear deck is the engine compartment and batteries. Bonus Round! Neatly perched on the roof is a 2-3 man ‘Coleman Canoe’ which is included in the sale and great addition for summer fun times on the water. Outside, ‘Sparkle’ lives up to her name. On a sun kissed day her ‘glitter-finish’ paintwork shimmers with a distinctive fish-scale design. We’ve shared fun and made fond memories building this incredible home and we’re confident the right owner will too. She’s stylish, functional, runs perfectly and she’s ready to live aboard. If you’d like some sparkle in your life please message or call to arrange a viewing. N.B. There’s no forward chain. Last year’s survey available on request and we’re happy to move her to be surveyed again if required (to be arranged by the prospective buyer after a deposit has been paid). Ad ID: Delivery Service Consumer Credit
