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Hi all, We have a 1908 Dutch tjhalk 60ft (18m) ,11.5 ft wide (3.5m) which we have been renovating since last summer when it was in dry dock. It is nearly finished and my daughter and I have been living on her in Castelmoron-sur-Lot in the South of France during the week when she has been in school doing her A Levels. Now she is heading to London to do a course near Farringdon/Barbican. We were wondering whether anyone would be interested in a 10 month barge swop starting in September. We have asked if she would like to go into student accommodation but she would rather live in the barging community because she says "people on boats are much friendlier". Obviously the closer she is to where she will be studying the better. I guess we are talking Regents Canal, Lee or Limehouse Cut. Our boat is currently on the Lot which is absolutely stunning. It is only a half day journey from the Canal des Deux Mers, alternatively called Canal Lateral. The trip involves a piloted trip up part of the Garonne and then onto the river Baise although passage does depend on river water levels. You can then follow the Baise or pass through a lock onto the Canal which will take you towards Bordeaux or Toulouse continuing along the Canal du Midi towards the Med. We would probably not want to move the barge we borrow for our daughter but we are happy for our own boat to be moved provided it is back in the area of Toulouse by the end of the period. In order to move our barge you would need to have your ICC which may need you to do the RYA CEVNI course (£20) which we did online and then RYA issue an ICC based on your IWHC. We haven't really thought about mooring fees etc - who would pay what - but if we can find someone interested then I'm sure we can work this out. Really interested to see if we can make this work.
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First post in any type of online forum in my life, so please correct me gently in the event I go about this the wrong way! My partner Catherine and I are a couple of horticulturists from the eastern US. I spent time at the RHS garden Wisley, in Surrey, in the early 1990's. We're looking for an affordable narrowboat holiday in the UK, and had the idea to offer up our Appalachian mountains wilderness cabin in trade. However, in doing my homework on this site and others, I've learned of the several potential pitfalls for a private boat owner in the UK, who is not in proper compliance for hire, loaning out their boat in this way. Seems some of that is up for debate if no money changes hands, but just the same... l fully appreciate the concerns of the many boat owners on here who might tangle with a private boat being operated by someone without the owner aboard. So, having said all of that, we're not at all opposed to having the owners on board while cruising for a holiday of a couple of weeks, and of course we'll pitch in with all of the duties! Seems a fantastic way to learn the finer points of canal boating, and make international friends! In return, either before or after our UK holiday, we'd like to host the boat owner and family as our guests at our mountain cabin. In truth, while things are far less complicated compliance-wise on our end, we really need to spend at least a day or two getting visitors to our cabin acquainted with its functional quirks, and oriented to the forest. We want to be excellent guides and hosts, so that our guests can make the most of their wilderness holiday amid 190,000 acres of protected state forest--after we depart and let them have the cabin to themselves! We would love to discuss this opportunity further with anyone interested. Just like you, we want to have a great time, without exposing ourselves to undue risks in the process. Catherine and I have prepared a document fully and honestly describing our rustic, secluded cabin and it's amenities and limitations, as well as all of the opportunities for recreation in the surrounding forest. It also outlines our intent to allow you to have this holiday for little more than the cost of your food, as we intend to provide ground transportation and generally facilitate your family's needs as your hosts. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, we've also created a Google video and photo gallery where you'll meet us and see exactly what Raven Rocks cabin and the Moshannon State Forest have to offer. The Hilton, it is not, but with a little effort, you can have a hot bath or shower, and the forest is sublime. Please reply in the forum, or email interloc001 at gmail dot com for further information. (Apparently, if I type it out that way, the spambots won't pick up and abuse my email address!) Thanks for reading! -Glenn and Catherine