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Going back onto the cut


FluffyVal

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Hi,

I have managed to sell my house, after nearly a year.

 

After a great deal of thought I am going to buy a boat and return to living, at least part time, on the waterways.

I have some friends who will rent me a room should I need it and they are going to store the small amount of flotsam that I want to keep but is not required on voyage.

 

I last lived on the Canals between 1978 -1992, and I realise a lot has changed, more boaters, Waterways Board morphed into CRT, boat prices, etc.

I want a boat I can cruise on and, very kindly in another thread, I understand what engine I should be looking for, thanks to all who contributed.

However, having read the thread about surveys, I am interested in getting people's ideas of how to best go about buying said vessel.

 

I believe that, optimally, I should:-

See the boat in dry dock prior to painting, to check the hull 

Assess the quality of the finish

Take her layout and fittings into account

Make sure the engine and other working parts are serviced and working

Go for a trial run, ideally for about an hour including a lock

Check on this website if anybody else knows the boat and its history

Assuming that goes well, cross my fingers and buy the boat and sail off to LaLa land

 

Anyway back in the real world I am reaching out to get pointers to :-

Prospective boats (I am looking for about 55' trad stern, no front seating well, solidly built narrowboat about £20 - £30,000)

Moorings, I am retired and will be away from the moorings a lot so I may not need a residential mooring as such

Cost of moorings today

Costing of fuel, is red diesel still around?

Places to meet up with people, apart from on this website ?

Good Chandlers

Essential equipment, has it changed?

Being self contained and not relying too much on services

The words to "Along the British waterways, I'm sorry to relate" by David Blagrove

and some of the many verses to the song whose chorus includes the words titty fa la, titty fa ley" and "burned a gallon a stroke"

 

All help appreciated

Val

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35 minutes ago, FluffyVal said:

Costing of fuel, is red diesel still around?

I don't have my very old (70's - 80's) log books handy, but

22/7/2001 I filled up with 230 litres (@ 29p per litre)

26/7/2001 I filled up with 386 litres (@ 21p per litre)

1/8/2001 I filled up with 367 litres (@ 20p per litre)

 

There was a big difference in prices even in those days.

 

Todays prices are a 'bit over' £1 per litre.

And you will still find big differences in the prices.

 

The difference 'today' is that you must make a legal declaration as to what percentage of the fuel will be used for 'propulsion' and what percentage will be used for 'domestic' use as the two different uses attract different rates of duty / tax.

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42 minutes ago, FluffyVal said:

See the boat in dry dock prior to painting, to check the hull 

Welcome back to the canals! Your optimal plan sounds good. If you've paid to have a boat taken out the water a few hundred pound more on getting a surveyor give the hull an ultrasonic thickness check is a good idea, particularly with the boat price point.

44 minutes ago, FluffyVal said:

Moorings, I am retired and will be away from the moorings a lot so I may not need a residential mooring as such 

Cost of moorings today

What part of the country are you planning to base yourself. Your location says Bradford, but is that op north Bradford, or K&A Bradford? As with most things, more expensive darn sarth.

46 minutes ago, FluffyVal said:

Costing of fuel, is red diesel still around?

Yes, red diesel is still a thing. See @Alan de Enfield's post above.

47 minutes ago, FluffyVal said:

Essential equipment, has it changed?

More/most people regards having 240V available on board as being essential. Equipment tends to be more house style, rather than caravan style. Televisions, washing machines, mobile broadband based wifi etc. These have downsides in that more batteries and charging is required, plus inverters and complicated wiring. Fridges more likely to be electric than gas. Cooking most likely still gas. Heating most likely solid fuel stove, but some have oil, either as the main source, or backup. Solar panels help with electric during the summer and have plummeted in price over the last decade. Toilets these days mostly either cassette, or pump out. A source of much debate over which is best. Composting as a wild card. See endless arguments on the forum!

 

55 minutes ago, FluffyVal said:

Good Chandlers 

A lot of stuff can be got on-line, if you have somewhere it can be delivered. There are still Chandlers on the cut. Depends where you are based. Midland Chandlers (aka Midland Swindlers) have four branches across the Midlands (surprise!). There are plenty of others.

 

50 minutes ago, FluffyVal said:

Being self contained and not relying too much on services 

As above. With washing machine on board (camping twin tub, or auto), cooking, heating, etc, you'll just be reliant on shops for food, CaRT, or other navigation authority for elsan, water, rubbish disposal. Depending on where you are there are fuel boats for diesel, coal, gas, or places on the bank.

 

Jen?

 

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Thanks @Jen-in-Wellies 

that just about fills in the gaps, obviously as a first pass before I get into complications.

I am currently in Bradford, West Yorkshire, but I intend to do a lot of cruising. As my friends who are offering me a room when I need it are up here then I am going to try and get a firm mooring as near as I can.  

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13 minutes ago, FluffyVal said:

Thanks @Alan de Enfield Re diesel prices. Wow they have shot up, oh well, hasn’t everything ?

It sounds a bit tricky, I am rubbish at paperwork. Presumably not absolute accuracy is required, just a guesstimate?

HMRC have indicated that if you make a 60/40 claim they will be unlikely to query it.

 

Many suppliers will only take a 60/40 split because working out the different tax rates for different 'splits' appears to be too hard for them.

When you buy fuel if you have no idea on 'real split' just fill the paperwork in as 60/40.

  • Happy 1
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These are exciting times for you!

I can see one stumbling block in your description of your dream boat: most boats of that length do have a longish well deck, often with some built-in seating. The exception which springs to mind is the design built by South West Durham Steelcraft in the 2000s, in 45' and 55' lengths. They have either no well deck at all or a minimal one, are well aid out and have a reputation for sturdiness. However, they are cruiser-sterned. They sell for a bit above your price estimate (as do most boats of that size which are in good condition). One thing you will find is that your perfect boat probably doesn't exist and that you will need to make some compromises.

   Have a look at 'Lazy Dayz' for sale by Blue Water at Thorne in Yorkshire for an idea of what you might get for the money. Her boat safety certificate appears to have expired three years ago, which rings an alarm bell, you'd have to ask the boatyard to explain this.

   

Edited by Athy
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