cherrycolouredfunk

Thank you!! The utility info is super helpful - I'd read bits and pieces, but never really seen a summary laid out that plain. Will read up on electricity management. Copy that on the network restrictions (and the dislike of cruising wide boats).

Ah nice! Will plan a trip to Whilton and see what we see

Makes sense - I love the idea of not being tied down and being closer to nature. My DIY skills are decent (I'm comfy with anything besides plumbing/electrics), but there's always more to learn. Adjusting my lifestyle isn't too daunting (was very seriously considering a skoolie conversion before I moved), but I'm not on my own anymore. Was trying to juggle both halves but that might not be possible! Got it, I'll get off YouTube and go speak to some folks on the towpath 😄

Nah, not negative at all - appreciate the info. We're not huge Cambridge fans, so no desire to stay in/around the area. I'll check out Newhaven harbour. Read a few posts about Kennet and Avon moorings yesterday - it seemed super tricky. I'll also check out Liverpool and Leeds, but I suspect it'll get an immediate veto from the other half (he's vehemently opposed to moving North).

Aha! So generally speaking, calls won't yield the best result or even reliable info. That explains where I was going wrong. Understood - is there any way of knowing which ones "some" is, or is that just a matter of getting out there and seeing what's around? Oh yeah, I've heard the waiting list is like 10+ years long - insanity. I have no interest in living in Cambridge, so no problem there

Long-time lurker, first-time poster 🙂. I'm a late 20s US expat here since 2019. I'm married and have family out here, so the UK is home for the foreseeable future. The property market and mortgage system are wild to me, so I've been researching alternatives since last summer. My husband is open to living aboard as a potential alternative but isn't keen about it as a lifelong living solution – I'm keeping this in mind as we search. I'm based in Cambridgeshire and have seen plenty of narrowboats, barges, and the like. For research, I've: Watched hours of boating YouTube (Cruising the Cut, Chugging along, Canice Bannon, etc.) Kept up with the forums here and downloaded resources where I can (like the solar calculator) Called brokerages/marinas for info on the purchasing process and moorings We also plan to do a weekend stay on a boat and ask some Cambs boaters about their experiences. Even so, I know I've just scratched the surface and most of this is trial by fire. We've got the budget to buy a boat up to 70k and resources/family to help with minor reno work aboard (excluding specialty electricians and plumbing). I work remotely, can live anywhere, and don't mind getting my hands dirty with maintenance jobs. Boat-wise, we're aiming for a barge. I'd be cool with a narrowboat, but I'm trying to keep things as analogous to regular living as possible (currently in a flat). My partner has more requirements. He wants to remain in the South and have a generally fixed location, which eliminates CC'ing. Ideally, we'd like to be near Brighton or Bristol & Bath as we like cities and they offer the links to London needed for my work. We're viewing our first boats this weekend (two widebeams without mooring), so my big questions are: Assuming we find a boat we like and get most mod-cons (wifi, power enough for PC remote work/PS5s/TV, sufficient hot water - BIG IFs, I know), how are y'all mooring/navigating the waters? How does one go about designing power systems, heating, and hot water storage to sustain no-utility moorings? The advice here is "mooring first, boat second", but all the marinas are full and folks seem to suggest asking about moorings in person or using leisure moorings as a "don't ask, don't tell" option. Seems like Bristol's opening up some Capricorn Quay spots in the next year or so, but demand is still wildly high. CRT moorings for wide beams look pretty rare, and we have little desire to live in/around London. Any resources or advice for a hopeful newbie? Boat life remains attractive to me because of the freedom and community aspects, so not looking at it as a "quick fix". In all my research it feels like I'm on the cusp of understanding things, but still missing info enough to speak the language/get the inside scoop. Apologies for the long post, thanks in advance!