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Hello, So I know that this is a much discussed topic, and sometimes a hopeless case, but I thought I'd ask for advice anyway. My boyfriend and I live aboard in Cropredy at the moment on a 9 month short term permit from CRT. We work in schools, so were hoping to cruise over the summer and then get another 9 month permit in September. However, there do not seem to be any more short term permits being offered at Cropredy or nearby. Now I know there are off-side moorings up and down from where we are at the moment, but you seem to have to know someone (and I'm not quite sure who) to get in with a chance of them (which is perfectly fair, as I'm sure I'd do it the same way if I was renting out my land). So I was hoping some of you lovely people might have some suggestions as to who we need to get to know, how we could get to know them, or how we could prove that we are trustworthy, responsible and a delight to rent to! Any suggestions greatly appreciated. Alison

hi there, Im matthew and i am soon to begin a life on the river. Intitially i wiill be renting a permenant mooring on a 55ft narrowboat and intending to purchase my own boat and moorings sometime next year if everything goes according to plan so wish me luck! Having done rather alot of reseach the only obstacle i forsee is that of securing permenant residential moorings at good price as they do seem to cost alot. My question is as follows: Where should i look to find available moorings preferably within the midlands but not too far away from worcester? Any help will be greatly apprieciated Regards Matthew

Hello Everybody! My names Rich, I'm new to the forum and this is my first post. I'm looking to get a Narrowboat to live aboard full time within the next year and I'll need a residential mooring somewhere around Sandwell, Dudley or perhaps just outside either as I currently work full time but I'm having trouble finding any anywhere, let alone in a viable location. If anyone has any suggestions as to where to start looking or who would be good to talk to that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Hi Im currently based in a Marina, and would like to buy or rent land or similar in the area, either alone or with a group, for mooring. I can imaging finding suitable land and getting mooring permission is difficult otherwise everyone would do it. Can anyone offer advice of the best place to start please. Thanks for any help offered. And if you are interested in this also please let me know, particularly if you might be interested in looking for a location as a group. Mark

Hello everyone I'm new to this, so forgive me if I'm in the wrong place! I need advice. My family own a field by the river, and we've had people mooring up there for ever (well, all of my life and I'm 40, and dad can't remember a time they wasn't boats either) So, we don't charge much and we leave people to get on with whatever they want to get on with, live and let live and all that. We take good care of the land, keep the willows safe and the gate and drive good. We rent out mooring, not as a residential mooring, but like I say, we don't interfere with the boat people, some have made little allotments next to their boats, some have a little shed. Everything has been fine until this week. We get a letter saying we have had breeched planning permission and changed the use of the land? (It's been like this for 60 years at least) Saying we could face fines and wanting to know lots of info on what happening on the land. So, what's the law on this? How long can people stay on their boats a year? Can I make them residential moorings or is that an expensive can or worms? As a land owner do I have a say on what I want to happen? Any advice will be gratefully received, I want the people who have their boats to be able to continue to do as they wish with their boats. Rare x

Hi, I am shortly moving abroad, and have a 70' narrowboat which I have lived on for the past few years. She is in great condition, recently repainted, etc, but because of the age of the hull (late 80s) and the typical broker's bleat about the resale market being at rock bottom right now, I'd like to rent her out ("houseboat" only type basis, so no cruising permitted). And at least I will still have my home if things don't work out for me overseas! I rented another boat out about 12 years ago, to a wonderful couple who really appreciated and looked after her, but unfortunately the agent who helped me to set everything up has sadly passed away. My question is, does anyone know of anywhere that allows subletting to tennants (or will at least "turn a blind eye" to the fact that someone else is "looking after the boat" in my absence!!)? I was based in London, but although the marina I was in were quite happy to take the blind-eye approach to people living aboard, threw up objections when I raised the subject of letting. The boat is currently on brokerage, but I'm really not happy about the situation. I would prefer the boat to stay within striking / commuter distance of London if at all possible, but I'm open to other suggestions, and all suggestions will be gratefully recieved! Thanks in advance, folks :-)

Hi, I'm looking into moving onto a widebeam in the Surrey (Surbiton) area. I've heard residential moorings are hard to come by, so I'm wondering if it's possible to find a local farmer or land owner, with land backing onto the Thames and renting a mooring off them? What license would I need? Would the land owner need planning permission? What else would I and the land owner need to stay legal? Thanks Andy

Hi I have residential moorings in Cheshire but am relocating south next year due to work. I have heard about moorings at Hampton Hall Farm on the GU Canal but i cannot locate any contact details for them to see if i can add to the waiting list. Does anyone have any contact details for them or indeed any other suitable moorings in the area. I am quite flexible with location anywhere south of tring on the GU, anywhere on the kennet and avon up to bath and anywhere on the paddington arm of the GU would be do-able. Its a little difficult with not actually living in that area at the moment to find good information so any help appreciated. Moorings not needed until June / July 2014 but am willing to either go on a waiting list and if needed pay in advance to secure. Its for a 70ft narrowboat Thanks

Hi all, I’m new here and would really appreciate some help... I have a residential mooring, which I’m considering selling. I have no idea where to start with valuations. The local estate agents haven’t dealt with moorings before didn’t give me much confidence. I can’t find comparable plots on line for comparison. Does anyone know a specialist in this type of valuation? thanks in advance. Brizz

Hi everyone, If you're reading this, thank you! I have just stumbled across this site while investigating this evening, and as I am struggling to find information elsewhere I would really really appreciate it if anyone could give me some advice and tell me whether this idea I've had is viable. At the end of next year, I will (hopefully!) be off to University. This has been quite a scary thought for me for some time, mainly because I am really something of a recluse and the idea of having a kitchen and living space and in some places a bathroom and bedroom shared with strangers frightens me. I am also very attached to my pets, and I don't like the thought of leaving them behind as one is required to do in student accommodation. When my parents were young and still together, they lived aboard a canal boat with my older brother as well. While I was born later when they'd moved into a house and so have never lived aboard a canal boat, I've heard a lot about it from the three of them and from my dad's friends who live on the canal, and about a week ago I realised that this could be an option for me when I go to university. I've done some research and found that you can get a smaller boat for under £10,000, sometimes only £6000. However, I've struggled to find out about moorings - my dad mentioned two week free moorings that he could use when he had his boat, but that was twenty years ago and there is no mention of that online. A lot of the moorings I find as well seem to only be for holidays; while I would go home at the end of term, the boat would really be my main residence. I'd really like to know more about mooring costs or whether it is possible to moor a boat in some places for free. Also, other living costs; would I have to spend a lot on fuel and electricity and such? Particularly useful would be information about moorings near universities of Warwick (Coventry), York, Bristol, Oxford, Birmingham, Nottingham, Durham and Lancaster, so if anyone lives around there I would love to hear from you! And just generally, I'd like to know more about what it's like to live aboard a canal boat. What are the most challenging things about it, and what are the things you enjoy the most? Thank you. Rosie

Early stages of now looking for a mooring I'm buying a widebeam so clearway need marinas as well as canals that will fit. looking for marinas that have residential mooring ideally something rural. Just looking for marina names as there doesn't seem to be a simple way of finding a list of marinas that offer residential as well as suitable for widebeam If people live on the marinas even better Thanks

Hey, I've been looking into living on a narrowboat for around a year now after it being a life long dream! I am currently in the process of trying to secure a mooring spot in Manchester. I am struggling to find any websites or direct contacts too the marinas etc based in Manchester, in order to pop my name down on the waiting list or whatnot. Therefore, I was wondering if anyone could advise me on the process of getting hold of a mooring spot in Manchester?! Any advice would be amazing Thanks Chloé

Twenty seven years ago I sold a boat having previously suggested, not entirely tongue in cheek, that I would be carried off the cut in a box. I'm now living in a four bedroom bungalow that is driving me bonkers and get all gooey whenever I wander into Worcester and see the boats around Diglis Basin. I'd like to move back onto a narrowboat ( I'd prefer to move to Grundarfjordur in Iceland, but that s way out of my price range ) but, staid person that I have become.... would like to seriously chat to someone who is living aboard their boat as I realise a lot has changed since the heady days when I used to untie on a Friday to go moor in Camden for another wild weekend at Dingwalls . I'm interested to find about about the availablity and cost of moorings, fuel costs, insurance, and ... oh! what it is to grow old and mature?... the quality of 'phone/internet reception on the cut. Thank you

My partner and I are in the process of buying our first live aboard Narrowboat. We're looking for a residential mooring in the Hertfordshire area however we're having real trouble finding one, all the marinas we've contacted are full and have basically told us there's no point going on the waiting lists as they're so long. Does anyone know of any residential moorings or have any tips on how to go about getting one? Many thanks for any advice ?

Hi. I am looking for some permanent moorings near Leeds where I can live on my 57' narrowboat. I'm not too fussy about the facilities (i.e. hook-ups, water points..etc) but somewhere reasonably secure would be great. Thanks