jimxtc
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Posts posted by jimxtc
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On 26/07/2022 at 20:39, Melissa Lee said:
Hello Melissa, just a couple of years too late I am afraid honey. I sold my boat as it was haemorrhaging money and giving no return in pleasure. It had been my dream for such a long time but just was not to be sadly. I wish you luck finding a travel companion.
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17 hours ago, Mad Harold said:
Really sorry to hear that your plans didn't work out as you hoped.Some marinas do very little except hold their hand out for money and let you know how priviledged you are to moor with them.
I know it's easy for me to talk,but if you have the boat,you're halfway there.There are other marinas.
You now "only"need the human guide dog.But with the determination you have so far shown,I am sure it is possible to find such a person.
I wish you all the luck.
Mad Harold. (Furness previously)
Hi Harold,
Yes that is what I thought, I am half way there with a boat but I just couldn't achieve the other half! While I always knew a boat was expensive, my pockets are not bottomless and I was getting no return from the boat by way of enjoyment so I cut my losses. The closest stretch of water to me that join the canal network was 3 hours away, it was a 3 train journey and a 3 mile walk (or taxi). Everything I took to the boat had to be carried on my back for that journey. The first few trips to get the boat organised and ready for a long trip was enjoyable but once it was ready all I could do was sit in the marina and feed the ducks. I think maybe I over estimated my capabilities or the appeal of going on an adventure with me! In August 2018 two friends and I hired a 54' narrowboat and did the small Birmingham ring. As I couldn't skipper, I did every one of the 91 locks & bridges we encountered. I need to realign my dreams to those I can achieve on my own I think.
Cheers,
Jim
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6 hours ago, Gertie said:
Hi Jim so sorry to hear that you couldn't start your adventure, think your enthusiasm is commendable so never give up on having dreams & adventures. Do you still have your boat ?
Jim the world has enough baskets already. Where there are Adventures there is hope.
Gertie
Hi Gertie, my boat is under offer but the river trial is on hold because the buyer contracted the virus and had to isolate then we were locked down. Boats are at a premium currently I understand even though it is the end of the season. My dreams are on hold while I get beyond my disappointment. For now, I will lend my capital to my sister so she can pay off her mortgage and retire. I started by looking to find someone to share an adventure with because I can't do it alone and it's always more fun with two; I drew a blank so thought owning a boat may make the difference but it didn't. My next post may be 'Looking for someone going on an adventure and needing crew'!
Cheers,
Jim
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5 hours ago, Bacchus said:
Point of order; you can't weave baskets with a cat. You need a bodkin.
New to this thread and sorry to hear that your plans didn't work out. I am not sure that I have anything practical to offer but I am acutely aware of the issues with your eyesight (as carer for an old lady - okay, mother - with age-related macular degeneration) and feel a certain kinship (having grown up in Brighton, enjoying motor-homing and boating, and been a keen trials bike rider when young on board a Montesa, a Bultaco, and a converted BSA Bantam). For the MoHo side of things, there are a couple of good sites similar to this one - not sure whether I am allowed to mention other sites - can't think why not - but "mothorhome fun" is a good and populous place.
Thank you for your input Bacchus, I wish I had been aware of the bodkin versus cat thing earlier, I am sure a bodkin would eat less and make a better job of the basket.
Well we do seem to have a number of connecting threads don't we? I have macular degeneration which I have had since 19 so 'teen-related' I guess! I have a Blultaco in my garage and a trials converted Tiger Cub in my dining room. My decades old dream of owning a narrowboat when I had the time and money did come to fruition but sadly the adventure did not. The second part of my dream which was to travel in a motorhome around the UK looks as likely as the narrowboat adventure now. My boat was 18 months old when I bought her with just 40 hours running time. I had her for 2 years and she still has less than 100 hours running time but cost me in excess of £11,000 to have been nowhere. I thought if I had the boat it would have been easy to find someone to accompany me but it was not to be. She is under offer now. I guess from your username that we still enjoy a similar hobby!
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6 hours ago, Gertie said:
Hi just wondered if you managed to find crew & start your adventure. I am looking to do an adventure & wanted to know how you got on. I have some experience of living on a narrowboat.
look forward to hearing from you
Gertie
Hello Gertie, I didn't get on at all well honey! I bought a boat in Oct 2018 on the premise that if I had a boat it would be easier to find someone up for an adventure than finding someone with a boat. In the 2 years I owned it I covered maybe 30 miles at best and didn't find a skipper. I did have a woman lined up who was going to tow my boat behind hers but I lost contact with her before Christmas last year. I was disheartened by the attitude of some on here and the parasitic marina I was moored in so have decided to stay on dry land. I have also shelved the second phase of my dream which was to buy a motorhome and travel the UK. I shall buy a cat and weave baskets I think!
Good luck with your adventure.
Cheers,
Jim
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Thank you for your advice but as I had already posted my insurance company had no problem with it. I had no offers for this or the travel companion I have been looking for the last 2 years on this site but it has come to fruition via another website. Time to close this account I think. Happy cruising.
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Clearly it was a bad idea. I have spoken to my insurance company who don't have a problem with it but I have to say that every post I have ever put up on this site has been met with people finding obstacles and nay-sayers. Not to worry I have found someone able to think out of the box and with optimism rather than pessimism. See you on the water!
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19 hours ago, Graham Davis said:
Does your insurance allow this?
Yes they do.
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I have a 2 year old 25' Aintree Beetle that seats 8 and sleeps 4. It is moored in a marina on the Wey and Arun Navigation. If you have a desire to explore this area by boat and have a boat in the Midlands maybe, it would take you a couple of weeks to get down here! I am looking to do a boat swap with someone who has a bot in a populated area for a week or a fortnight. Read on for more details.
There is a photographer called Duncan Raban who has created a 'kindness movement' on Facebook and has a page titled 'Just Say Hello' if you have Facebook check it out https://www.facebook.com/justsayhellotoday/ I seem to have become popular on this page and there is an impetus to move it forward. Duncan and I would like to take a narrowboat trip somewhere urban and populated to just say 'hello' to people. We have trained and experienced skippers at our disposal and as this campaign or movement is not generating any money it has been funded solely by Duncan since he was moved to start it. This is why I am offering a holiday boat swap if anyone may be interested. I am sure there are fine details to be worked out but it is not you or I renting out our boats but more lending it to a friend you don't know yet which I am sure does not invalidate our insurance or mooring rights.
Maybe this is a silly idea that won't work out but it seems a waste of money for me to hire a boat when I have a perfectly good one sitting in the wrong part of England!
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As soon as I get to the boat again (haven't been there since I bought her!) to winterize her I will take some photos.
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Thank you all so much for your valuable input. After all that, I bought a 2017 25' Aintree Beetle moored at Pyrford Marina! Now I just need to find a waterways map I can download to my iPad, having trouble finding a Nicholson's but there must be something I can download that shows me the whole network!
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5 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:
If the registration details are correct she does look to be a very narrow, narrowboat, and surprisingly 'shallow' if she is indeed a V-Hull.
Solitude Built by Total - Length : 10.36 metres ( 34 feet ) - Beam : 2.07 metres ( 6 feet 9 inches ) - Draft : 0.48 metres ( 1 foot 7 inches ). Metal hull N/A power of 20 HP. Registered with Canal & River Trust number 46617 as a Powered Motor Boat. ( Last updated on Friday 20th April 2012 )
Thank you for that Alan! I will arrange to view her and also visit Whilton Marina next week.
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6 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:
It looks very much like my boat."Popsie"original steel spec,6,5,3mm.Built 1978,and has had the swim plate overplated at some time,but the rest of the hull is fine according to a recent survey.
I value her around 12-15K,because of size and age,and the boat you have pointed out ,I think a little more,perhaps 15-18K,perhaps the price is a bit inflated because of the desirable mooring.
The asking price may well be just a guide. As a matter of interest two boats that have been sold recently at my mooring one was initially priced at 22K,then reduced to 171/2K,and sold for 15K.The other 26K and sold for 18K.
PS Are you the person who posted recently with the poor eyesight?
Thank you Harold. I have just spoken to Whilton Marina who have a few boats around the length I am interested in from £15k-£26k, I will take a trip up there next week. Yes I am the visually impaired prospective boater, hence the short length boat!
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I agree Alan, it is worth a look and in retrospect, as the mooring fee is only £1,300 a year it may be worth hanging on to it. I will sell the boat in a couple of years time anyway (probably) and the mooring may add value to the boat. If I got half of the purchase price back in 2 years time that would be acceptable. I know boating is not cheap! I can only go by what the vendor tells me Mike!
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10 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:
It may not be, go and look at it if you are interested, that way you will know the boat exists
Luckily for me the boat owner also lives in Sussex and the first opportunity he has to show prospective buyers is the end of the month, I may be cheeky and see if I can get a lift with him from here when he goes down!
3 minutes ago, philjw said:Whilton is about 2.5 miles from Long Buckby station. It is quite doable on foot. Turn left out of the station and stop when you come to the bridge over the cut. Go down the steps to the tow path and again turn left towards the bottom lock. Alternatively there may be a taxi or phone number for one at the station.
Thanks Phil, I will give the Marina a call and see what they have for sale that may suit.
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Thank you again for your input. I will look up Whitton Marina and see about taking a trip there once I have contacted them. Brighton is way off the network so I fully appreciate that it will almost certainly be the Midlands where I will find the greater number of boats for sale. I think the price may indeed reflect the value of the mooring unfortunately - I don't want the mooring as it is difficult for me to get to and I intend to have a continuous licence and keep on the move for now at least. The owner did say that some boaters will actually buy a boat they don't want just to obtain one of those moorings. If I do take a mooring it would probably be on the Basingstoke. closer to Bath or somewhere near Ely as all are accessible to me by train.
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Thank you for your advice, I am a little reassured now. I also think the price is a little high but as so much has ben done recently it is a place to start negotiations. I was offered a 30yo ex-hire boat for the same price yesterday. I am not sure where to go to find boats to be honest, I have looked at Apollo Duck and found one that had potential but didn't receive a reply to my enquiry. A boatyard or marina with a few for sale would be good as I am on public transport. One thing I am not is a dreamer I have the budget to buy a boat but want to find the right one, I don't have time to waste of my own!
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2 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:
Not a Springer, steel thickness right for the age. The spec looks good but it is an old boat
The spec and the length suit me well, not particularly but off by the age unless I should be? No really a fan of buying a boat on eBay, I was just looking to see what kind of boats were available when this one caught my eye, it is only half the amount I had budgeted for which is good. Why a V hull though, any ideas?
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1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:
Sounds like an old Springer
I am not entirely sure to be honest, it is on Evilbay, maybe you could advise me?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Handsome-Narrow-Boat-Live-Aboard-34ft-with-optional-mooring/192663277844
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I am currently looking at a 34' narrowboat that has a V hull. I was unaware that this was an option and assumed all narrowboats were flat bottomed. The construction is 6-5-4, again, I thought that most boats were 10-6-4 but I really know nothing about boats! Can anyone advice me the difference / advantage / disadvantage of a V hull and the thickness construction?
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17 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:
I think that may be taken as a joke - much like some of the car 'bumper stickers' you see.
On a serious note, in the event of an accident (your fault or not) it could be almost taken as an admission of liability - much like the signs that people have saying (something like) "Dangerous Pug Dog Lives Here" and they get bitten. You have acknowledged responsibility in advance.
I do see your point Alan but think it only fair to inform people like the guy who would not share a lock with me, at least he would know. How about I strap my white cane to the front of the boat? Only joking!
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On 09/08/2018 at 16:29, Phil Ambrose said:
Go for it, don't let MD rule your life. You know your limitations and strengths so just work with them and I'm sure you will be fine.
Phil
Thank you for your support Phil. I don't let MD rule my life, I have had it for two thirds of my life and have to find solutions to many problems, you just have to think laterally sometimes! I completed the Birmingham mini ring from Warwick, I did 63 miles and 91 locks without incident. I don't profess to be any kind of expert and I know there is a lot to learn but I an sure I can do it - what could possibly go wrong??!! Haha
On 09/08/2018 at 16:44, Opener said:Once you have your system sorted can you also get a sign made to go on the roof to explain what's happening to other boaters! I passed a shortlist narrow last year and went to say 'hello' to the steerer. But there was no-one on the back deck. Gulp! Thinking back all I could recall was the couple sitting in comfy armchairs on the front deck under the cratch. V civilised!
I was actually thinking that I would have a sign made up to go on the roof at the front saying something like 'caution visually impaired skipper' and hope it doesn't scare anyone!
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I am currently on the Stratford canal on a 54’ boat with rear steering, I have tuned the boat in a winding hole, entered a lock on my own and operated all the Hatton flight of locks, I have proved to myself that I can handle a boat and most things single handed I believe apart from seeing the front of the boat from the back! A smaller boat (maybe 30’) with centre steering just passed us, may be a Sea Otter? I think I could handle one of those. I mean, you travel at walking pace - what could possibly go wrong?!
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Thank you all fro your responses. It would seem that what I was thinking about has already been done which is reassuring. I think I will post a wanted ad for such about and see what comes out of the woodwork!
Best place to find someone up for an adventure?
in Crew Swap
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