Thersil

Yes, I'm new to this, and I have lots to learn. The houseboat experiance is something I want, but if i choose this or that, I'm not sure of yet.. I have a lot of Research to do. There are however People bonkers enough to cross the channel in a narrowboat, so it's not impossible, nothing ever is. LOL https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1451294/Retired-couple-conquer-the-Channel-in-a-canal-boat.html Not for me though, but still. I think you are right Sally, it would be wise to rent first and then commit. Try out different types of boats and consider if I'm satisfied With cruising the Canals of England, living there permanently on an continous cruising licence, I've understood that mooring is both expensive and very hard to find. Or if if I would like to travel more and see Europe either in a barge of somekind or a motorsailer. and thanks for the Insight Alan. The Thames is probably thame to the rivers up North , and thanks for all the input, you've all been very nice to someone utterly naive and inexperianced

Yeah, that is true. I am sick and tired of Norway though, so my home country is out of the question. I would like to live abroad, and I love the canalboats. A motorcruiser would make it easier getting about, but I don't feel confident enough to sail about/cruise about the sea, and I know nothing about sailing, so I would mainly just use the engine. I would like to cruise the Thames and the canals in France and the Netherlands, so something I could cruise in rivers and big canals with, I'm not sure if there exist canalboats that can cruise to France from England?

Omg! That is narrow!

Hmm, well you have certainly given me food for thought, and perhaps a motorcruiser would fit more with my other longterm ideas as well. Which is buying a property in Portugal and making it my homecountry. Cheap country to live in and no tax for 10 years sounds Sweet when living on a small disability pension. How are the maintance costs? It says in the advert that it is possible to cruise the French Canals With, are they wider than the English ones? If you know?

You have a lovely boat! ❤️ And yes it is light and airy and probably way out of my Budget Do you live on it and can you cruise the Canals With it?

Per now about 20 000 pounds, but that is why I'm asking. But thanks for the advice. Sail life will be watched, but due to space, lack of headroom and the cramped feeling I would not consider a sailing boat. I have gotten advice from Norwegians that if I want to liveaboard in Norway a sailboat is the best option, but I would not like it, I like to have windows and light and feel like it is a home, that feeling I get when viewing the different canalboats, they feel more like homes and feel more spacious even though they are narrow and small. Besides my cat wouldn't like a sailboat I imagine Felix walking around on a canalboat I don't have to live in Norway so it does not need to be seaworthy, but a riverbarge is not a dumb idea. I loved the little barge you linked to. I would need a little work to make it liveable and is somewhat within my budget after saving some more. As a Norwegian, what do you mean by contingency fund? Like a fund for repairs and such? We have as I know of one Canal in Norway, The Telemark Canal, but I think it is deep water/river. So if I were to buy one and work on it and live Close by while doing so that would perhaps be doable with a tjalk of some kind. And I would like to cruise the Canals in the Netherlands, France and Germany too, so if that is possible... Yeah, I could most definetly consider a tjalk. :)

Yeah, and I would like to avoid it becoming a horrorstory. A foreign newbie that have no experiance is easily fooled. Yeah, better off With a boat that needs a lot of work than having absolutely nothing, but I hope to avoid that too..

Thank you so much, I don't mind delaying the dream. It's just hard saving up the money on a little disability pension 20 000 Nkr before tax, That is about 2000 pounds a month before tax. I'm considering taking on a loan, but boatloans have 6-7 % interest, so i'm not sure about that either. I don't own and pay a lot in rent. What is a good Budget for a good boat? Thank you for the advice, I will seek up the Dutch Barge Association. I'm not leaving you at all, You have all been so Nice and give good advice to a newbie

Wow, thanks a lot for that advice, as a Norwegian I didn't catch that it was only a cellphone and I have no clue what is considered a respectable firm. An d doing payments along the way and perhaps the Company goes bankrupt in the meantime…. A big no no... That would be a nightmare.. Scratching my head With a shell half finished..

Yeah, I kind of thought about that, but figured I buy stuff used and upcycle stuff I find, get cheap and for free. As long as everything regarding electrics, gas(I will never touch) and other installments are done by professionals. But you are probably very right. I'm a single gal With a cat and no experiance doing this, but I got so inspired by a girl who bought a Dutch barge for 18 000 pounds and though she got Professionals to help her she ended up doing a beautiful and upcycled boat by her self. But it might be a bit of the romantic dream and not realistic for me. Thanks so much for the advice! I don't really know what a good boat is though What are big no no's? I'm imagining that I eventually will learn the basics, but I think that repairs, having the boat looked over I would have to utsource to People With skill and knowledge.

Yeah.. The interior, woodwork etc I can manage, but gas and eletrical is an absolute no. With installations what do you mean? Shower and such?

So, I've fallen for tve dream about living on a houseboat. In Norway the options are not to my taste, sailboats beeing the best alternative if not buying workingboat shell and diy fixing it up. I'm a little conserned about taking on such a big project, it's costly and I know too little. It feels too overwhelming. I'm also scared of buying the cat in the bag, beeing stuck with a horrible boat. After seeing a lot of boats I really like the dutch barges done well, they feel spacious,the same with the widebeams too. Stumbled upon something on Ebay, companies that make shells and "sailaway" boats, the interior missing, but insulated and with engine and the mecanics in order.. I think perhaps I could handle building the interior , after doing research and how too's, but I dont know if the engine they provide is a good one, are the shells any good.. ? My budget is for around 20-30 000 pounds. In case I opt for something like this, which company do you recommend? pros/cons to buying a boat in good condition to buying something like this: In sailaway condition. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SAILAWAY-WIDEBEAM-BUILD-SLOT-AVAILABLE-IN-FEBRUARY-nr-London/254054354120?hash=item3b26d1ccc8:g:8CkAAOSwUWtb3bwD