junior_7178

I think i may try and get to the Thames event if i can find out the dates.My main aim is just to get on a few boats and generaly chat to other liveaboards about things that might help me when i purchase my boat. I understand why people say i should maybe hire one for a week,but im a single guy and dont realy fancy a week on holiday on my own.If i could talk a few mates into it then maybe. I think i can get a feel for what it would be like on a boat just from going inside a few.Im in the military so im quite used to the simple life.At the moment i live in a room thats about 12' x 12' and share showers,toilets etc....so trust me,space isnt a problem.And i also love being outdoors,nature and my own peace and quiet which is why the idea appeals to me so much. If i get along to the show on the Thames,do people realy not mind you just hopping on there boat's for a look around?

Are there any? Does anyone know when they are? And what can i expect to see at one? Im hopefuly going Liveaboard at the end of the year and want to get a bit of a feel for boats,what sort of things to look for and what size i need. Would going to any shows be useful? Ive just found out that i can book 2 weeks holiday this summer so im trying to find out dates so i can make sure i get the right time off.

Im going to be working in Peterborough (well just outside).IDEALY i'd like to find a residential mooring close-by,however as i have accomodation at my work if i need it,its not essential that ifs a residental mooring. If i could find something withing say an hour or so's drive from Peterborough,then i would just go to the boat at weekends and the occasional evening when i feel like it.I'd also be staying there when i get weeks off,although im more likely to go exploring the cut rather than being static for the week. I do believe this would mean i only need a Pied-a-terre (sp?) mooring which maybe easier to find,but as one of my reasons for wanting to liveaboard is to be a part of a community of boat dwellers i would still prefer a nice residential mooring alongside other liveaboards.

Cheers,some good advive there. I've mentioned this elsewhere,but i am hoping to keep my costs to a minimum. dont mean im going to go out and buy the cheapest boat i can find,but i dont nessaseraly need all the creature comforts. Although im going to "liveaboard",it wont actualy be my only place of residence.I live on a RAF base during the week and will still have a room there after i purchase my boat.So its essential for the boat to have the washing machine,freezer etc that people who ONLY live on their boat need.Although i am going to spend as much time on the boat as possible i can still get all my laundry,store some of my clutter etc at work,along with getting my mail delivered there. I still intend to spend as many evenings as possible,and every weekend on the boat so i do need to think about the sensible things like electric,hot water and heating and i certainly wont be penny pinching when it comes to this. The conclusion ive come to is that i dont need to go out and spend £60k on a 70ft boat.I can prehaps look at the lower end of the market and think about a 45-50ft without as many creature comforts as what other people might be looking for on their dream liveaboard. And possibly the most important thing ive noticed so far during my reasearch is that finding the right boat for me is not going to be half as hard as finding a mooring!!!!!!!!!!!

Is it possible to find a real bargain,or does the price generaly reflect the condition of the boat? Ive been looking through apolloduck and Boatsandoutboards and have got a rough idea on what im looking to pay for the style/size of boat i want.Im looking at the bottom end of the market as i want to keep my costs down as im new to all this,and a rough price i have in my head is £25k.Going by adverts on those sites i should be able to find a reasonable boat. But i couldnt help noticing the odd bargain on there,like around the £12-18k bracket.They dont mention any major problems like work needs to be done,just seem to be real bottom end of the market bargains.Does such a thing exist or do you think there is something wrong with a boat going for that price??

Cheers for the quick reply.That awnsered my question perfectly. Just need to know about the "liveaboard" question now

This will seem a realy stupid question to all you boat owners,but as a few of you might know im doing my reasearch on living aboard,as im planning on buying a liveaboard at the end of the year. Im trawling through sites at the moment,taking on board as much infomation as possible,but ive got a couple of questions i need help with,so i thought i'd put it to you guys!! What is the diffference between the different types of boats i see advertised? I know that Butty's etc are the working boats (i think?),but what is the different between a traditional boat,semi-traditional,a cruiser style and a cruiser stern boat? And also there seem to be a lot of adverts that say "would suit liveaboard".What would be the main difference between a holiday boat and a liveaboard.Do people just add the word liveaboard to try and attract people to their advert?,and as im looking for a liveaboard boat is there anything specific i should look for when trawling the ads? Any help appreciated

Cheers for the advice. Havent decided if im going to stay in my barrack accomodation during the week and just go back to the boat at weekends and weeks off,or if im going to give up my barrack room and liveaboard full time,travelling back to the boat every evening. If i have to commute every day then obviously i dont realy want to be further than about 30mins away which i suppose limits my options. If im only going back to the boat at weekends etc then i dont mind a bit more of a drive wich opens up Ely,Cambridge etc. I think when i get a few days off next im going to go up to the area and have a nose around.I'd like to be in a bit of a community with other liveaboards,and idealy by the side of the canal rather than in a marina (preferences not nessesaties). If i could find out where the liveaboard communities are in the area i'll go up and descretly have a look around and talk to people.

I guess they are repeated now and again on the other Discovery channels. I'd never herd of the programme until someone mentioned it on here the other day,and i was gutted i couldnt see it.So its ironic that i should see it today..i sat through 5 hours of it!!

Erm..i dont know about NTL i have sky,but the channel is called Discovery Real Time Extra. Finishes at 5pm,the 8th of 10 episodes is on now. But they start them all over again at 8pm.

Hi Ive been using the forum for reference for a few weeks now and posted a few times,so i thought i should introduce myself formaly. My name is Martin,but everyone calls me junior.Im 25 and i come from Brighton.Im in the Armed Forces and am currently based in Northern Ireland.Im going out to Iraq in may for 6 months and when i come back im going to be based in Peterborough for 3 years and am planning to purchase a narrowboat and liveaboard. Im very serious about it and im doing a lot of the reasearch now before i go so i know what im getting myself intrested in. Hopefuly im welcome even though i dont own a boat yet,and when it comes around i'll hopefully know a few people and can get advice etc.

Does anyone know what the Liveaboard scene is like in Ely? I think its fairly close to Peterborough and its a place i hear and see mentioned often in magazines and on the internet.

Its deffinatly on,ive been watching it all day. Channel 252. Starts again at 8pm tonigh showing 10 episodes.

Thanks for the instructions on how t oget ITV regional variations. If anyone is interested WATERWORLD is on Discovery channel 252 all day today from midday.

I missed it and have never watched it before, I get ITV London as my defult ITV on Sky.Does anyone know if i can get it on any of the other Sky channels so i can watch it next week?