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I already know that this is an awkward question to be asking...


daumal

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Hello!

 

Well I've been playing around with the idea of maybe getting some sort of boat affair up and running for a while now, and just recently I've decided it's something that I'd really like to do. Any potential investment is an awful long way off though, as I'd basically be starting saving now; probably converting my part-time job (which gives me just enough to live off) to a full-time job and saving the difference for as long as it takes.

 

Which is my question, really: how long WILL it take? I'm really interested in knowing what realistically the minimum amount is that I'd require to get a boat out that I can live on for all or part of the year. It would be continuous cruising and can be as small as necessary; I've spent my life living in single rooms and bedsits (under some pretty rubbish conditions at various points) so I should have fairly cheap tastes in that regard, although I do like - forgive me - a fairly alright toilet. I just really need a bed, some sort of basic stove, a toilet and basin - hopefully shower although I've done without them before - and a bit of room for books as well as heating, a modest amount of electricity, &c. All the basics in other words. :cheers:

 

I'm not rushing into this; I'm just at the beginning of a very long road. Any suggestions and thoughts would be very useful...

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as an example of what is on the market for what price have a look at this site http://www.canalia.com/waterwaysdirectory/brokera.htm

got a good list of Brokers etc selling narrowboats.

 

i am also currently looking to buy a boat (in the next few months or so).

 

mooring seems to be the main obstacle for me, but as you want to CC then that's not so much of an issue.

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Personal opion but if you have the time to take over it and your willing to spend the time saving I would be tempted to be thinking about what you want opposed to what you can do without. Also are you good with electrics or anything like that because you can save a fair wack even on a new boat if you can do some of the more time consuming jobs yourself.

 

Try writing a list of all the things you want and work backwards from there. No point in ruling things out until you know you have too.

 

But absolutly spot on when it comes to mooring bane of all boaters lives.

 

Chrisy

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Any suggestions and thoughts would be very useful...

 

Well first of all, stop looking at narrowboats, and look at cruisers. £5000 will get you a clean 24ft boat with ample living space for one, which should be in good mechanical condition........of course you'll have to do your homework, and be a bit lucky.

 

A few years ago someone sold a 28ft centre cockpit Dawncraft with no real problems, with a 1500 BMC diesel that was fully equipped for ........... £1500. Just wanted rid as his wife had got cancer. More room than a 36ft NB I've just seen (see other posts) that went for £8000 I think......and the Dawncraft was 10 times the boat.

 

The saving on maintenance alone of a cruiser over a narrowboat will save enough to replace it every 10???? years or so, even if you had to throw it away (highly unlikely).

 

£8000 or so would buy you a boat in a similar condition with the same space as £30odd thousand for a Narrowboat.

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You can buy a narrowboat for about £10-15k. How long you would stay sane living on it - well only you would know.

A longer, semi-decent boat would be nearer £30-40k.

The problem is; once you've saved your money, bought your boat and are continually cruising, how do you hold down a job to pay the living expenses ?

The BW licence, insurance, fuel and gas bills and general maintenance are not inconsequential.

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......a boat out that I can live on for all or part of the year.

You'll need a mooring for the time that you are working and that's the hardest part.

 

I know exactly what type of boat I want and i've seen a few perfect ones come and go,

but until i've secured a mooring I can't buy one.

 

Try and find yourself a nice landowner with a bit of canalside land they could rent to you.

 

 

 

My latest plan is to find my parents a nice canalside house to enjoy retierment in :cheers:

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We started here

 

Once you believe that you have 'thought it thru' start again, there is an awful lot to learn but it's good fun learning. :D

 

Just one proviso on the link, the costings are for October 2005, so are two years old but will give some idea, frightening ain't it. :cheers:

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Hello!

 

Well I've been playing around with the idea of maybe getting some sort of boat affair up and running for a while now, and just recently I've decided it's something that I'd really like to do. Any potential investment is an awful long way off though, as I'd basically be starting saving now; probably converting my part-time job (which gives me just enough to live off) to a full-time job and saving the difference for as long as it takes.

 

Which is my question, really: how long WILL it take? I'm really interested in knowing what realistically the minimum amount is that I'd require to get a boat out that I can live on for all or part of the year. It would be continuous cruising and can be as small as necessary; I've spent my life living in single rooms and bedsits (under some pretty rubbish conditions at various points) so I should have fairly cheap tastes in that regard, although I do like - forgive me - a fairly alright toilet. I just really need a bed, some sort of basic stove, a toilet and basin - hopefully shower although I've done without them before - and a bit of room for books as well as heating, a modest amount of electricity, &c. All the basics in other words. :cheers:

 

I'm not rushing into this; I'm just at the beginning of a very long road. Any suggestions and thoughts would be very useful...

 

 

Go on call me bigoted, racist. rude etc etc. but this has got the makings of a future bridge hopper if I'm not mistaken. (with what sounds like a bad case of the runs to me.) God more trees, wheelbarrows, plastic sheets, dont forget to budget for them

Edited by Maverick
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Go on call me bigoted, racist. rude etc etc. but this has got the makings of a future bridge hopper if I'm not mistaken. (with what sounds like a bad case of the runs to me.) God more trees, wheelbarrows, plastic sheets, dont forget to budget for them

 

Not calling you any of those things, Mav, but on what evidence do you call the man out? He can breast up outside my home mooring (when I get it) whenever he wants.

 

Ian

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Not calling you any of those things, Mav, but on what evidence do you call the man out? He can breast up outside my home mooring (when I get it) whenever he wants.

 

Ian

 

Your quite right Ian he is a first time poster and deserves better. My appologies. Welcome to the forum and looks like Ian has sorted you out with a mooring already so thats your biggest problem solved.

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  • 2 weeks later...
You can buy a narrowboat for about £10-15k. How long you would stay sane living on it - well only you would know.

A longer, semi-decent boat would be nearer £30-40k.

The problem is; once you've saved your money, bought your boat and are continually cruising, how do you hold down a job to pay the living expenses ?

The BW licence, insurance, fuel and gas bills and general maintenance are not inconsequential.

 

 

generally what would be the overall costs , average , lol of running a 50 -57 footer , broken down to include maintinnce , ie which i would imagine would increase slightly yearly , anyone done any rough costings for this ?

 

might be handy for people thinking off getting their feet wet , even a rule off thumb guide might help clue up a few off us , though this sites a diamond , ive been walking thinking for 6 months lots to see , the more i see the more i see i need to see

 

i think the more choice you have the more their is too consider , and yes i want to hold down my job through choice for the time being , and as its 12 hr shifts on a rotating shift system , i carnt aford that much time travelling , i also need to consider otheirs, i mean im going to be tiptoeing down the path at 6.20 am ish on a dark winter morning , may put the wind in the willows for a few otheir boaters ? , ratty on the prowl etc .

and at weekends im getting up at 4.40 am , earlier if i need to travel further , having found a local mooring ? i offerd to pay the rent, well 3 months off it , without having a boat , and they could rent the mooring out , ie id wait a couple off weeks to move onto it once id got crafted , no refund , cash . and i got told come back when you have brought one ?

that started alarm bells ringing as who turns free cash down ? . i still need the mooring , and he has a sailaway built for sale at anotheir boat yrd , will it drop in price ?, as its now comming winterish , would imagine sales kind off go slack during winter ?.

but moving aboard this time off year would be harsh in a saleaway basic but bearable and improving lmao, i need to jump before im pushed , but im off along the waterway tomorrow looking and learning . :lol:

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if I was starting out and wanted to live aboard on my own I wouldnt consider a narrowboat.

 

I would defintiely go down the grp route. they are far cheaper to buy. they are also very well equipped generally with the basics, ie shower, toilet basic electrics and modest comfort as far as space goes. Easy to handle too.

a 26 footer is plenty for one person to live on, you could go smaller but you would need to have a look inside a few.

 

I suggest a starter budget of around £5000, that should be enough to buy a nice little boat to get started on in decent condition. the bonus of a smaller boat is the lower licence fee. and if you decide to moor it where you need to pay for moorings, they wuold be cheaper too.

 

.

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