Dearhound

Ha! That explains everything!

No we are not experienced boaters at all yet, which is why I'm asking silly questions. Trying to figure out which kind of boat to live on, & where. Before we get any kind of boat on any kind of water we'll make sure we know a good deal about what we're doing. We are living in Ireland until next year when we move to the UK, which is home for me - my mother lives in Surrey. Also, at the moment anyway, dealing with a small budget, & being handy handy people we're tending towards the idea of a boat that might need some work doing, interior-wise anyway. I do like the idea of going a bit coastal, as long as we knew what we were doing We are both pretty sensible.

Thank you dear Tumshie! It is absolutely true that we're starting from the beginning so apologies everyone for the stupid questions. But we will live on a boat next year someway somehow!

Perhaps we are on the wrong forum after all.

I know.... Bonkers. So perhaps living on a river is a better option. I don't know.

& next year might be much, much worse? Are you on a narrow boat?

Ok! Thank you - I do appreciate all this advice.

I have an elderly mum in Guildford, but apart from that we are free spirits & would like to travel the waterways as much as we can. I suppose we don't necessarily need to be on the canals but that had been our original plan until I started wondering if they - the canals - are really getting too busy & started wondering if GRPs might be more economical as well as more versatile in a way....

30 ft would be fine I think. To start with anyway.

I was trying to find out about this kind of boat. Surely there are plenty of cruisers on the canals?

... what I meant to say was wouldn't it be nice to find a boat that could cope with a lot of the canals if not all, & also cope with rivers & estuaries.

Somewhere nice ! On some water! So most of the cruisers that one sees on the canals are more in the family of Dawncraft & Norman & Ormelite I guess?

That's the dilemma - looking for a boat that has some versatility with 'the ever shallowing canal system.' & the potential for increasing difficulties for liveaboards....

Merc 636 engine 1971

Live on it.