Lily

Thanks for all your help everyone, we've held off for now, having to reconsider a few things.

Sorry I should have either described it better or linked the ad. Hastily posting this morning at work! Anywho, it looks like this: http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/image.phtml?id=268656ℑ=1 It's really lovely inside. By the sounds of things there isn't much wrong with fibreglass? Not sure what my prejudice is!

Hi all, I had such a helpful response on my last question and I am in need of your help again please... We have found a boat which we are pretty keen on, it's moored in Bristol marina and it is lovely inside, everything seems to be in order, but it is made of fibreglass. I'm just concerned that this might be a problem when it comes to resale. This is the only thing which is concerning me - I understand that osmosis is a problem, but it has been recently 'antifouled' and we will obviously get a survey before we buy. Has anyone got any experience of this? Or other factors which may concern resale? I just want to know before we dive in and get finance sorted for it, there is no point if we come to sell in a year's time and can't because people may be put off by the construction of it. Thanks

I didn't realise stretches of canal could have a bad reputation? Is it because it floods quite easily?

Yes, I will have to look further into that one! Thanks I might message him on here, I'm just not so good with computery things, and forums in particular. Also dmr you've pretty much confirmed what I thought initially, but I was somehow wishing in the back of my mind that the waiting list would be months and not years haha keble we did have a look around the Saul Junction marina as the boyf's parents live near there, it was pretty impressive! However, things have now got complicated as he has just been offered a job in Portishead. I think the Avon and Kennet is possibly our best bet.

Thanks for that site! That's one I haven't heard of before. I've been looking further afield and have found a couple of nice ones in London, just wondering if anyone knows whether these are going to be more 'style over substance' or whether it's worth a trip down to view them? Also in the event that I were to buy one elsewhere, what's a very rough estimation for the waiting time for a mooring? I know it varies massively from place to place. As far as I understood it, it's virtually impossible, especially in Bristol. I didn't even consider it as an option because I thought it would be too difficult. Thanks again guys.

I wouldn't mind Keynsham or Bath (I actually work in Bath and commute from Bristol) but the difficulty is with my boyfriend, he is currently working in Thornbury. We live in Bristol as it's a middle ground (and lovely ) We had a look at a boat just outside Bath a couple of weeks ago. It's on the 'maybe' list.

Thanks, by the sounds of things I think I will have to be a little more patient! It's very easy to jump the gun and go for it, and I will probably have to do that at some point but for now I think I will just keep on looking. I really didn't expect such a quick and vast response, and thanks again for all your comments, you've all given me a lot to think about This forum is brilliant!

Thanks Tim, I spied that one on apolloduck, it's absolutely beautiful! ditchcrawler and Tuscan, yes it would be more of a 'floating static home' - because of our work we can't really travel around. We were drawn to the idea having been on boating holidays with family. Thanks for all your help everyone

I didn't think of magazines! Thanks Also that is a fair point Darren, I didn't realise that was the average size of cruiser sterns, I'm only thinking of the potential bike storage/socialising spot. Trad sterns look a little scary, as if you are going to fall off the end!

Hello! I am somewhat new to this boating business, but after watching all of this and reading this book cover to cover, myself and my boyfriend have decided that 2013 is the year that we are going to live on a boat. We have whittled down exactly what we want (ideally a cruiser, between 40-50ft, between £25,000-£35,000), and have done our sums with regards to insurance, licences etc, and also living costs. We have been to look at three boats in the Bristol and Bath area, so we are aware of the type of boats out there and what we can afford for the money. What we have realised through this process is that if we want to live in either Bristol harbour or Bristol Marina, is that we would have to find a boat which is already moored there and negotiate extending the mooring, as opposed to bringing a boat in from elsewhere, as space is rarely available. This is where I have hit a wall. The trouble is, having exhausted ApolloDuck, eBay, Gumtree, Bristol Boatshed and classified ads, I have run out of options as to where to go to actually LOOK for boats. A friend of mine already lives in the Harbour and has said that on occasion boats come up for sale and are bought by other members of the boating community, without the need to post an ad or go through a broker. I'm just wondering how people on this forum went about buying their own boats, whether it's best to go private or through a broker, and what to do in my situation... there doesn't seem to be any more boats left! Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Lily