Capt.Golightly

I don't currently claim tax credits and you have hit upon another question I have..how do you prove income? I busk up tea money on my market stall but its only two or three songs and a couple of quid and I never earn near my tax free allowance anyway....I live "simply" already so boat life will be positively luxurious. See my youtube channel for a tune or two..if it pleases you of course. http://www.youtube.com/user/CaptGolightly/featured?view_as=public... I didn't expect you folks to know of course I just added the question in case a passing boat borne busker drops in...you never know wi' tinternet..

One more thing on blacking, does the quoted price of £11 or £7 per foot generally include the haul out too? Oh and does anyone know if I can claim working tax credit as a continuous cruiser? as I am planning to become a waterways borne busker instead of a land bound one. http://www.youtube.com/user/CaptGolightly/featured?view_as=public

The Odyssey of boat buying goes on. I have had mulled over all the variables and decided that what I really need is a 30ft-40ft. I am one man and his dog so space isn't really such a huge factor, I spent 2 years in a caravan which was a third the size of this cabin on "Bliss" and was extremely happy there. I think the extra 30ft greatly increases the cost and financial risk involved should something major happen....like the need for overplating. Buying a smaller boat also means I can get one which is in better condition for less money which means I'll have some in my budget left to make additions/alterations.....I really like the finish and layout of this boat and as one of the first I ever looked at have returned over and over wishing it was ten feet bigger without thinking of a re-jig of the interior instead. Anyway as ever opinions always welcome. Cheers all Andrew. http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=315906 P.S "Capt" is not self aggrandisement, it is a nickname, I was never a sailor tho' did some time as a squaddie many years ago

Thanks for all the great replies folks, VERY helpful indeed! I will be living on a very tight budget so I was particularly heartened to hear of the do-it-yourself dry dock option of which I was until now completely ignorant. I do like the idea of a larger boat even though it is just me and the dog as I like the idea of a little ship of my own with separate cabins for music stuff etc. I intend to move only a few miles each day to replenish the batteries and heat the water so even being single handed on a bigger boat shouldn't be too taxing...I hope. The other great nightmare of course is overplating...which I assume would cost a few thousand on such a big boat and would certainly break the bank. I am viewing a boat at Nottingham boat sales next week "Celtic Eagle" and am now worrying about the Hull....not an uncommon position I reckon...though it does look like a nice live aboard...possibly? http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=303275 all opinions/advice welcome Cheers all Andrew.

Many people swear by hanging a plastic bag with water and half a dozen copper coins in it in the doorway or window through which the flies enter, the theory is that it works by refracting light off the millions of tiny bubbles generated and to a flies compound eye this looks like a million Disco balls flashing and scares it off....I'm hoping it works on midges and mossies too! http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/insects-arachnids/water-bags-repel-flies1.htm

I am in the process of choosing a boat to live aboard, is bigger always better? What would be a ball park figure for lifting and blacking a 60ft as opposed to a 30ft Narrowboat for example, and are there other costs aside from the license and insurance which increase with hull size? Any help and advice welcome.