[Sailaway or Knacker?]

1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

I completely agree. 45k is enough to buy a very reasonable boat not very old in good serviceable order from day one. 

OK - I appreciate this nudge in the direction I wasn't currently thinking of! I will also look at this price bracket too. I guess I need to see some boats!

 

Thank you !

[Sailaway or Knacker?]

Hi gpspadi,

 

So much of this is just where I am at too! 

 

Same kind of budget and same types of boat choices, although I'm thinking more around a 50' .

 

I am 6'2" so also need to watch the internal height!

 

I have however done a huge amount of carpentry, kitchen fitting, house refits and three panel van to camper van conversions though, so the sailaway option is where my research is at the moment (I appreciate that narrowboats aren't the same as houses and vans, but I'm just saying that I'm reasonably "handy" and also set up with all the gear and used to the routine of long hard physical working days).

 

…...However, like yourself, if the right £25-£30K boat came along then that is really interesting as it would mean I'm afloat this year rather than next!

 

I think I have decided that its either a £25-£30K boat and spend a bit on it as I go (and maybe do a sailaway in the future), OR a sailaway now.

 

I just don't seem to be drawn or tempted into spending £45-£50K on a boat even though my overall budget is about that, as I am fairly sure I would pull the boat interior apart anyway! 

 

I guess the  challenge is finding a £25-£30K boat with a sound hull, engine and gearbox. I'm not sure if this is correct (and just the state of my own probably poor research), but there are a few ex-hire boats that come in the £25-£30K bracket and for me personally I would probably need a stove and solar fitting almost from the off. It seems that decent stoves and flues are just shy of £1000 in total and a decent solar set up is again about another £1000 - but again, I may be wrong on both of those prices, I'm just trying to suss it all out myself.

 

I was recommended to pop over to Wilton Marina - and am going to do just that in the next few weeks.

 

I promise not to hog your thread gpspadi ( ! )  but I  will be interested to see what some of the experienced members of this forum might have to say.

 

Oh, and I wish you all the very best in your hunting for a boat. I hope you keep this thread going and share it with us. 

 

Good luck!

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On 25/02/2020 at 09:59, cuthound said:

 

If I were you I would spend a day or two looking at the boats for sale at Whilton Marine.

 https://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/

 

They have the largest number of boats for sale of any broker, and let you view unaccompanied.

 

You will be able to see every stern type and most layouts, which should help you focus on what you like on a boat.

 

Thank you …...but funny you mentioned that, but I've just booked a few days off work in a couple of weeks time to do just that ! 

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1 minute ago, WotEver said:

Hi, and welcome

 

As for “fitting out a sailaway or buy second-hand” definitely the latter. You won’t know what you want until you’ve lived with one for a while. 

Yes, that's a good point and also it might come down to timing too.

 

Thank you for your "welcome"......nice to meet you!  ?

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Hi Sam here.

 

My parents used to own a boat and spent much of their time on it at the end of their life (sadly they passed away many years ago and the boat was sold). My grandfather was a lockkeeper apparently (but before I was born), living around the Market Harborough area. So I have kind of grown up (well actually I am not sure I have actually grown up!) with narrowboats in my blood. Very fond memories of my mum and dads boat.

 

However, I was the boring one till recently having only hired for holidays. Now at the age of 55 I am going to seek out my own boat in the next year. At the moment I am still working out whether to C.C. full time or have a mooring and be part time boater (living elsewhere).  Also pondering fitting out a sailaway or buy second-hand. In fact, I don't even know if I prefer cruiser, trad or semi trad yet....and as for toilets...no idea!!! So at the moment I am at the "all options" stage, which will be honed in soon. Ive a fair idea on the relative merits of various things, its how other aspects of life unfold that will guide the boat (although that might be the wrong way round perhaps!).

 

I have been watching far too much YouTube and to be honest most of the channels there (of which there seem to be more every single day...is it possible I wonder to have a narrowboat these days without videoing everything and putting it on YouTube?) seem to me to be about just getting people to "click, like and subscribe" and then make comments - I guess to earn money (not all of them of course, and Im not saying there is anything wrong with that either!)  I'm just not convinced I am getting a true picture of narrowboat life that way...or am I ?

 

…..So, I am saying "hi" here to chat with a few folk from the boating community.

 

 

Im sure I will ask numerous dumb questions as I progress, but until then I am looking forward to meeting you all.

 

Sam