Bikervet

Thanks for some pointers there guys. I'll look into some of the names mentioned above. Bless you Oldgoat still helping out despite not being a big internet fan. Thank you. Unfortunately our business is very much an online business with some streaming necessary . Thanks again.

Thanks for some pointers there guys. I'll look into some of the names mentioned above. Bless you Oldgoat still helping out despite not being a big internet fan. Thank you. Unfortunately our business is very much an online business with some streaming necessary . Thanks again.

Hi all! Well we've finally moved into our widebeam and we couldn't be happier! What a great life! Though I'll let you all know of the sentiments felt the same in winter! So here's my next query! Does anyone have any recommendations for internet onboard a canal boat?. We will be purchasing a tv with freeview and we work from home on laptops so internet access is so important especially where wifi is concerned. Does anyone have any recommendations when it comes to companies or equipment to use to get access to internet/WIFI/TV channels/ laptop usage etc? I've heard of mifi(?) or buying a mast but I have no idea what and who is the best... The marina we're moored in has free wifi but it's on and off and therefore it has been very frustrating getting fast internet access on our phoneset alone other equipment we plan to have.. Any ideas greatly appreciated! Loving the weather so far! Will be taking her out on a trial cruise this afternoon! Gulp! Thankfully our community is so helpful that I've had no end of offers to help with supervising me. Love this life!!

I guess it looks like I'll need one. My c/o address has one but I guess that won't cover it from what I've read so far. Rather not risk it. Thanks guys.

Hi all!! Moving onto our widebeam is now imminent!! House is sold and we plan to embark on this new venture at the beginning of next month. As I am an avid TV person, my question is how I go about sorting a TV licence on a boat? I assume I'll need one. If residential, I realise one gives the address, but what happens when one is a CCer?? Does anyone know how this works? Look forward to hearing any answers on this subject! Bikervet

Wow! Thanks for all the tips and possible figures to look at! Very impressed by the solar panel idea! Thanks again guys!

Thanks Patty Ann . Any way I can help, I would be more than happy to share my experiences. I'm sure Starry has done and will continue to give excellent advice

Lol! Well we have a receptionist, a nurse and hopefully, a future vet on the water! It would be a small cosy practice. Mind you, travelling to an emergency using a canal boat may not be the way! Maybe an online service for canal boaters and their animals!? RVNs deserve to be paid better for what they do. Total respect for nurses, I wouldn't be where I am today without the practical and theory training I had from the nurses at college and in practice.

Am hoping they should be ok with it but being the worried mum that I am, they WILL be wearing vest jackets (despite any protesting from them) until I'm confident that they've taken life to the water in their stride! Biker vet surgeon! Vet nurse?

Lol!! Thanks Grahame, at least I know there will be lots to choose from then!

Does anyone know really good or recommended lovely places to moor for a weekend or a week long trip on the Thames or Kennet and Avon canals if you have dogs? Also any good pubs?? ;-) Biker vet

Hi everyone! So having been humbled by how helpful everyone has been on here, having thoroughly enjoyed the Crick Boat Show and loving the boating community, my quest for the liveaboard lifestyle is still ongoing. Currently waiting for my house to exchange and we do have an eye on a second hand widebeam (60ft x 12ft) boat with a steel hull that we're hoping to buy and live on. Fingers crossed it doesn't sell before we exchange!!! My outlook is realistic and I'm aware that sometimes it's not actually cheaper to live on the water but I am trying to be realistic and working out a budget. I've done some research but the internet can be confusing and the costs and fees for the necessities vary so much and are very non specific. I was hoping that maybe you guys would be far more knowledgable and accurate, certainly more than this bloke I met in London who really came across as a 'know it all' - he cruises on a 70ft yacht one weekend a year...hmm. I just really need to have an idea on approximate fixed costs for a 12ftx60ft widebeam liveaboard. I have an idea of annual residential mooring costs and if I need to stay on a waiting list for anywhere, I'm happy to CC it for a while. The costs I'm looking for are for: 1) Boat Safety Certificate 2) Waterways licence (plan to really stick to the Thames and Kennet/Avon waterways ESP with limitations of available canals for this boat size and family reasons). 3) Blackening and hoisting boats out of a canal (heard various costs from £300 to £2000 in total!!) 4) Engine servicing 5) Boat Insurance I've kinda worked out necessary variable boating costs on a monthly basis (ie fuel - solid and gas, electricity, engine fuel, engine maintenance, pump outs, water etc). It came to about £1500-2000/yr at its worst not including unexpected emergencies of course. If anyone has had any experience or know of any pointers/websites for me to have a look at, is really appreciate your time. Biker vet. Is really appreciate your time = I'd really appreciate your time. Blooming predictive

Hi Peter, Yeah, it looks like a widebeam with minimum dimensions of 60x12ft appears to fit the criteria for a qualifying ship which seemed to be the general consensus at the Crick Boat Show as long as you are a liveaboard. Been reading through this thread. Lots of interesting points and thank you all for some really interesting facts. Whether widebeam or narrow boat owners, I value all your advice especially with the experience you all have on life on the water. Fingers crossed, that'll be me soon!!! Thanks again!!!

And Alan de Enfield, I don't know anyone in Liechenstein but that did make me laugh! Interesting advice but probably getting into the realms of 'too complicated' for us!

Yup, it's a very confusing and grey area still! I'd assume that most reputable large boat building companies will be VAT registered. As most of you say, it would be difficult to keep below the threshold so I'm hoping that we could try get a zero rated boat. The more I read the more it seems feasible but I think you'd have to be quite specific in a few modifications during the build to reach dimensions that would ensure more than 15 gross tonnage. I've read articles on two widebeams out there that have been legally 0% VAT on purchase (boats named Zoe and Piper. Both gorgeous boats). Some discuss about lifting the line of the gunwales during the build so increasing the value of the depth/drought(?) dimension. This would then increase gross tonnage using the formula used to calculate it to fit in with the tonnage requirement stated by the HMRC. We didn't have time to speak to the New and Used Boat Company, so no update just yet. Will let you all know tomorrow how it goes. To J R ALSOP (sorry, my phone won't let me highlight posts and reply to individuals) I hope to never aggravate fellow boat users and it would never be my intention to do so. We did consider a camper van but the comforts of a widebeam, the lifestyle and most importantly, the community of the canal boating world suited us more. They're a great bunch, as already proven in this thread .

Very true! I'll be asking the company that deals with all my books about that side of things and see what they say. No words can describe my feelings toward the HMRC, you work hard all your life only to give a fair proportion of it away to the HMRC! As a vet of 15yrs, I've had to pay them nearly a quarter of a million in taxes out of my hard earned money doing 12hr days and out of hours emergency call outs!! Not rich enough to get the freebies and not poor enough to enjoy the benefits. I believe I'm a decent hard working honest person that endeavours to play by the rules, but there are times when you think life is just not fair. We're just going to ring the boat company now. Watch this space!

Hi everyone, Thanks for your thoughts and that link was a really useful link thank you RLWP! The general consensus then seems to be a big no to the 0% VAT. It just seems weird when I've read on a reputable website that the absolute minimum 'qualifying ship' known would be the 12x60ft widebeam for the gross tonnage and with it being used for permanent living should qualify for 0% VAT. When we rang the New and Used Boat Company to enquire about building a widebeam for permanent living, her immediate response was ' that's good because you don't then have to pay VAT...' It's so confusing! I'm aware of some the limitations being in a widebeam, and it's unfortunate that we can't get to the northern waterways and certainly limited to many waterways in the south. However, our comforts are a high priority and with two dogs, and a few possessions we just can't get rid of, we felt that the widebeam was the way to go and would be happy to cruise short distances. We would rely on our car to get to most work appointments. We however sometimes don't work for a couple weeks before an appointment so if possible, could plan a nice slow cruise to the venue (if canal water ways allowing of course!). A lot of our work is in London and with family in Reading, staying on the Thames or Kennet and Avon canals would suit us fine. Finding a residential mooring may be difficult but, keeping to a length of 60ft makes things easier when finding a leisure mooring short term. It may be worth asking the New and Used Boat Company why they think it's possible for tax exemption. I'll keep you all posted!! Thanks again guys! Regards Bikervet And in response to Southern Star, I guess our purchase is kind of for business use...? Not only will it be our home, it's also where our business headquarters will be ie. we work from home. Could that work in our favour???

Hi everyone! I've just joined Canal World and have been overwhelmed by how supportive and helpful everyone is on here! What was supposed to be a 5 minute peek yesterday ended up being a 4 hour marathon reading through a lot of really useful posts by everyone. There is however one area I'm struggling to get my head around and the more I read into it, the bigger my headache becomes! This is the dream, to leave land and live life on the water with our two dogs, to tear ourselves away from the ties of our house, pay back all the loans and enjoy life for once!! We run a business from home through social media, online training and offer live training to various venues around the UK that we would drive (or sail!) to, so a permanent residential mooring is not really necessary although the security of having a guaranteed place to moor is always handy without having to bear the anxiety of feeling the pressure to move every 2 weeks (and we would need to keep our car handy for work and leisure needs). So far, we have sold the house, been to 3 car boot sales ridding ourselves of much loved possessions, visited a couple marinas, researched online and found a widebeam canal boat which we hope to buy if we can get the money from our house in time to buy it!! It's a 60 x 12ft widebeam. It's brand spanking new but being offered at a great price as the original owner pulled out of the purchase half way into it's build. We also are planning to go to the Crick Boat show to have a look at other widebeam models. Ideally we would like a new one and would consider building one and have it ready by Autumn to move into (apparently the New and Used Boat Company have a great turn around time but we are aware of planning all this at the time of the Crick Boat show, so I'm aware that this may take longer with anticipated increased sales). So that's the plan, here's my question. Is anyone clued up on the HMRC issues? We will have no house so will have a liveaboard lifestyle. We hope to moor in and around the area of Berkshire due to family ties. Would this mean we would be able to buy our widebeam from a supplier/broker without VAT on top? It seems to be a very grey area with widebeams when it comes to tax exemption and qualifying ships with the HMRC. I know that barges and houseboats qualify and narrow boats don't. The two criteria that I'm aware of is that the boat should be above a gross tonnage of 15 which a 60x12ft widebeam seems to be the absolute minimum boat that does,and that it is to be used for a permanent liveaboard lifestyle with any leisure use being allowed as a secondary minor inclusion. I've read that if the engineering installed for any propulsion is the norm for this type of boat, then it should be accepted and we can maybe sign a declaration to the supplier that it will be used for liveaboard purposes. Does anyone know if or what proof of documentation I would need to present to a supplier/broker to prove this? The other issue is the difficulty in obtaining a permanent residential mooring and whether we would find one in time when we plan to move into a boat (hopefully end of summer/autumn - we would ideally like to avoid moving into a boat in the middle of winter!). Long term leisure moorings do appear more readily available and would help settle our anxiety of not having anywhere to moor in time and no need to pay any council tax!. BUT, if we take this route, we officially aren't liveaboards right? and we would have to buy our boat inclusive of the VAT. Ideally, like anyone, we would prefer to buy the boat exclusive of VAT!!! Which we surely should qualify with living permanently on a boat?! Family in Berkshire can offer a residential address for post etc if necessary. Does anyone have any advice on how we can avoid paying VAT but get an annual leisure mooring? I've heard many places may be 'ok' with keeping their heads down when it comes to having residential boaters in a leisure mooring....is this safe? Do people get in trouble doing this? Is there anything wrong with declaring permanent liveaboard use when purchasing the boat to avoid VAT but then, change our minds and go find a leisure mooring for a year until we can find a permanent residential mooring at a later stage? Would I put ourselves and the supplier at risk with the HMRC by doing this? I would REALLY appreciate any advice from anyone who knows anything about what is the best thing to do! Look forward to hearing about any ideas!! Best wishes, Bikervet

Hi Grace and Favour and Bettie Boo, Thank you for the warm welcome! Well that is the plan, once I get my head around the VAT tax stuff associated with buying a boat - this will be a question I'll post in the next few moments! I'm hoping the widebeam crew on here will be able to help or anyone who knows about HMRC when it comes to canal boats. It'll be good to know where I stand before I approach a seller/supplier! The username Bikervet comes from me being a veterinary surgeon and I ride motorbikes....well, I sold my last bike and have taken a break from the veterinary career for the time being, more to focus on the new online training business with my partner (but still remain registered to legally treat my kids - 2 dogs and 2 cats, to offer protected help and advice to any friends and family with their own pets and give emergency treatment to any animals that may need it). With regards to our business, well we run the business from home, making appointments and contact via social media and mobile phones and also offer online training. We then travel (by car or boat) all over the country for any bookings made for any face to face work so we don't really need a permanent residential mooring, but again, that will really depend on any advice I get back from all you guys. Will just go and check which is the best forum to post the appropriate question and will likely title it 'Widebeam HMRC advice needed!!!'. Great to be on here. Kind regards Bikervet How did your cat adapt to being on the widebeam???

WOW, what a fantastic bunch you all are! I've been reading through all your helpful and friendly advice. The intention was to have a quick peep and then move on with my research, 4 hours later I'm still here and have become a member! My partner and I are in the middle of selling our house and looking to buy a widebeam (60x12ft) canal boat as a liveaboard. We have become fed up being tied down to a house, heading for bankruptcy and not being able to afford some freedom despite a relatively good business.. So here we are, absolutely petrified and excited at the same time. I'm sure I will have numerous questions soon to post and I will be thankful of any support!! Bikervet