MrsM

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/buy-your-boat-licence

£90k would buy a lovely NB as others have suggested. Save a healthy chunk of that by buying a cheaper used NB. Travel the system to find out whether you like the lifestyle and spy out some nice places to live. Sell your first boat and buy your next one once you have more experience under your belt (or keep it if, like us, your first boat suits your needs). A decent used NB shouldn't lose much money given today's market. Good luck.

Managed our first short run yesterday - Newark to Farndon and back. Managed to moor outside the pub, much to our surprise. Didn't see another NB on the move and very few yoghurt pots considering the location and gorgeous weather.

We've also got a 40bhp Barrus Shire. It is easy to service (according to o'h) and it hasn't missed a beat. Very happy with it. However it's our first boat so nothing to compare it with.

We visited yesterday. There was a great atmosphere and large numbers of volunteers. Wish the dry dock was available to the public but I expect the insurances etc would be too much.

My son decided to do an apprenticeship after sixth form rather than go to university and rack up £50K of debt like his older sister, much to the disgust of his school. (Kids that didn't want to go to uni were generally viewed as failures.) He is now 3.5 years into an advanced apprenticeship in classic car restoration and he loves it. He works at an Aston Martin specialist restorers. Every 6-7 weeks he has a week at the Heritage Skills Academy based at the Brooklands motor museum. Completely agree that apprenticeships should be given more respect as an option for young people.

Good luck with your search James. The right boat will tell you!

I like Roland's 'investing in life' concept. We bought our boat for holidays not to live aboard. Now that hubby can work from home we get at least 14-16 weeks away on it each year (not counting odd weekends). We reckon a week's holiday would cost us roughly £1k so we are getting good value out of our boat (even with our mooring fee added in) and a much better, happier and healthier quality of life.

She really did! Extremely refreshing to see.

Good luck to the OP. I hope you get the boat sorted and your sister has many happy years on it. Absolutely blown away by the professionalism and decency of the vendor. If only all boat sellers behaved like this!

I was involved in setting up a cancer support charity some years ago that started as a Facebook group. It was a lot of work and the reporting regulations for charities are pretty tough.

If you are planning on buying a boat and spending a lot of time overseas (2 weeks +) please think about getting yourself a mooring. It will be an extra expense but will keep you from abusing the system by abandoning your boat on the towpath. Alternatively you could book onto visitor moorings at marinas if you don't want the committment of a full time mooring. Depending on how often you are away this could work out cheaper.

What are the bongos?

Deep water is too scary for me, with all the krackens, sea serpents and man-eating giant squid!

10th Jan to 18th March Newark Town lock is scheduled to be closed for repair too. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/19540-newark-old-lock-and-lock-13-newark-town-lock-river-trent

This is a Facebook group you might find useful if you launch in Newark (Trentlink - safe navigation of the tidal Trent): https://www.facebook.com/groups/666937220961360/?ref=share

CRT do a very basic handling video on their website.

Hi Jo. Welcome back! Hope you've been ok. Marianne

And historic properties - owners of old or significant properties are often referred to as 'custodians' too.

We live in Lincoln but moor our boat in Newark (half an hour away) because we like the convenience of being on the Trent.

Best of luck. It's an exciting world on the waterways and there are so many experienced boaters on here that are happy to give their time advising others. If you see boats you like feel free to share for feedback.