How soon is now?

[Pepe]

Everybody has their own story of how they found themselves afloat, I guess.

I am currently I'm the Navy for 4 more ( long, long, years) and am already planning , researching and Vlog overdosing! Am torturing myself seeing perfect boats that are for sale now .Im hoping for a 56 ft ish cruiser with dinette, budget to buy £30k -£35k and a couple of k for surveys, repairs etc and a £11 k annual budget. I intend to be a CC'er with maybe a winter moor up, up North. Doable?

short question long, when did everyone else start planning?

cheers Pepe

 

[Athy]

Welcome to CWDF, Pepe. I'm sure you'll get plenty of replies.

 

Planning? Some folks do it and some folks don't. My wife and I had annually hire-boat holidays from 1994 to 1997, and intended continuing to do so. Then one evening, after greatly reducing the contents of a wine box, we decided that we wanted our own bot, went hunting with no more precise idea than "We don't want one that's too long", and by the year's end we were the owners of a 39 foot trad. We've had three more since then, of which two have been built for us. Beware - it gets you - but there are worse bugs you could catch.

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

14 minutes ago, Pepe said:

Everybody has their own story of how they found themselves afloat, I guess.

I am currently I'm the Navy for 4 more ( long, long, years) and am already planning , researching and Vlog overdosing! Am torturing myself seeing perfect boats that are for sale now .Im hoping for a 56 ft ish cruiser with dinette, budget to buy £30k -£35k and a couple of k for surveys, repairs etc and a £11 k annual budget. I intend to be a CC'er with maybe a winter moor up, up North. Doable?

short question long, when did everyone else start planning?

cheers Pepe

 

Welcome

 

It all seems well thought out and planned to me as long as you spend time to find an older boat in good condition, otherwise you may not hit your price range. I stated planning/hoping well over 60 years ago and we bought our own about 20 years ago that we have just sold because I was struggling to look after it.

[Guest]

My parents took us on hire boat holidays when I was nipper, from about age 1 to 11. Did a couple more boat holidays in my early 30s with them by which point I'd already been thinking about buying my own for several years, although I think the seed was already planted many years before. 

 

So probably started planning since age 1, eventually bought it when I was 33. 

[matty40s]

Cracking toon....

 

[TheBiscuits]

3 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

we bought our own about 20 years ago that we have just sold because I was struggling to look after it.

Do you know there are courses you can do that explain how to look after your boat?

 

 

 

Sorry, couldn't resist! 

[Tony Brooks]

[Pepe]

I have just started looking into diesel maintenance courses etc, would be nice to wangle as forces resettlement courses?

[Momac]

7 hours ago, Pepe said:

 

 when did everyone else start planning?

 

 

I started with my first boat  in 2008 and haven't retired yet .

 

[wandering snail]

When our teenagers were being teenagers.....

[Pepe]

?

[GUMPY]

What is this planning to be afloat you speak of?

I've been on and off various types of boats since I was 8, being on the water has been part of my life for the last 60 years.

Moved aboard in 1993 when I left my first wife, just upped and did it.

No longer live aboard but still have my NB.

[Tam & Di]

On 13/04/2020 at 16:07, Pepe said:

I have just started looking into diesel maintenance courses etc, would be nice to wangle as forces resettlement courses?

We used to operate as a barge handling school in France and over the years we had a handful of people retiring from the navy (army too, I believe) who did exactly that - they paid us direct but the fees were reimbursed to them.

 

Tam

[Pepe]

Yes that’s what I’m hoping to do, handling, maintenance etc ?

[PD1964]

  Having done the thing your thinking, I wouldn't waste my resettlement grant on a boat handling course or engine maintenance, as it's simple to pick up as you go along. Maybe look at a course that could be more useful long term, you'll be far better off going on a boat surveyors course or sign writing/boat painting course or a course that could make you money, get you work on the canal and meet usefully contacts.

  Your yearly pension/budget of 11K will be fine for CCing, you'll live to your budget. Forget about a boat handling course or engine course, as I say a waste of money. Use your resettlement grant on a course that is more beneficial as you won't get another chance of a free course once your on the canal, but you'll have loads of time to learn how to handle a boat and learn about your engine.

Edited April 14, 2020 by PD1964

[Pepe]

Many thanks for your advice, seem like sensible  suggestions. I just wish I was ready now rather than waiting my last 4 yrs well 3 before I look at courses. Again thank you.

[Alastair]

Narrowboats are easy to handle. 

Most of the waterways (that are suitable for narrowboats) don't have the complications of currents or tides, so that part of the handling complication is removed.

 

Getting used to controlling a boat in a crosswind takes time; you mostly need to take your time, keep speed down and don't rely on gunning your engine to control the boat. Patience is important, as well as remembering that boats don't have brakes. 

I wouldn't bother with a boat handling course.  More valuable to go with someone through a few locks. Locks are where it can get complicated.

[Tam & Di]

14 hours ago, PD1964 said:

  Having done the thing your thinking, I wouldn't waste my resettlement grant on a boat handling course or engine maintenance, as it's simple to pick up as you go along. Maybe look at a course that could be more useful long term, you'll be far better off going on a boat surveyors course or sign writing/boat painting course or a course that could make you money, get you work on the canal and meet usefully contacts.

I think that is probably good advice if the OP intends to boat in the UK. Our training is in France, as I said, and certification for boat handling and VHF use is mandatory on continental waterways.

 

Tam

[Nightwatch]

14 hours ago, Pepe said:

Many thanks for your advice, seem like sensible  suggestions. I just wish I was ready now rather than waiting my last 4 yrs well 3 before I look at courses. Again thank you.

This, of course, depends if they let you out.

 

As has been mentioned, a good resettlement course could be A BSC inspectors course.  No idea of cost but I’m sure the MOD can afford it. (Tongue in cheek comment).

 

We owned a couple of boats prior to moving permanently onboard for some twelve years. Waited for the necessity to earn a living to cease and took the plunge. A good move we have to say. 

[canals are us?]

What with Coronavirus, life's to short to think things over too much. If you fancy buying and living on a boat, then go for it. If you buy something sensibly priced, and in good condition and you don't end up liking boating then shouldn't loose too much.

 

I lived with my Grandparents till I was 32 and returning to the UK and thinking of housing and viewed 6 boats until I found the one that spoke too me! This was 8 years ago and I don't regret it at all. Paid 25k. The only regret I have is I'm Marina based as self employed and haven't got out the Marina! Was going to go last year and didn't as I put work first, as that's what pays the bills. I'm hoping this year to at least do local trips out. 

Work has dried up at the moment but have a bit of savings and get £39pw working tax credits, so better than most and may get the self employed government funds in June.

 

I'm loving solar. Gave them a clean, as been a while!  Unplugged the landline at 12 and running my 12 volt fridge and seperate freezer great. Currently 14 volts showing. Was thinking the voltage would plummet as trojan T105's are 6 and 2 years old. I have a bank of four.

 

My plans for this year are take the windows out de-rust, paint and reseal. Paint roof a more cream colour and get out cruising!

 

James.

[Pepe]

Hi James thanks for reply, I’m itching to get up and go, though my last 4 years of service are like a slow torture! But I suppose all good things come to those who wait. Have a budget already though who knows how much everything will be in 4 years or what quality of boat I will get for my money.?

[LadyG]

Perhaps you could think outside that BSC box, and work for a business which fits out steel boats, you would be part of a team rather than being reliant on your own knowledge base. The money is likely to be in the high end, so you might look at contacting the likes of https://www.piperboats.com/ to find out where the demand lies. It's unlikely to be in narrowboats or even bog standard widebeams for about ten years [imho]

The BSC course, I know little about, except the Regulations are so wooly as to be contradictory. Without a solid background you would be reliant on your lecturer's opinion rather than your own experience.

I am not sure where your interests lie, but I know that it takes a number of years to build up a knowledge of anything mechanical, but the diesel engine is probably the simplest, and therefore lots of folks can sort them. Narrowboat engines are many and varied, so a "diesel engine course" might not be the best thing.

I know those who are able to work competently on boats and are thin on the ground are electricians and electronics. 

It's really tricky to know what is the best way forward, often it is best to add to one's current skills than branching out on something very different.

Edited May 3, 2020 by LadyG

[LadyG]

On 13/04/2020 at 16:05, TheBiscuits said:

Do you know there are courses you can do that explain how to look after your boat?

 

 

 

Sorry, couldn't resist! 

you are sooooooooooooo bad!

[LadyG]

On 14/04/2020 at 18:26, Loddon said:

What is this planning to be afloat you speak of?

I've been on and off various types of boats since I was 8, being on the water has been part of my life for the last 60 years.

Moved aboard in 1993 when I left my first wife, just upped and did it.

No longer live aboard but still have my NB.

................ and a trail of wives?

I agree, even though I had a succession of boating experiences from age 12, to my RYA yachtmaster in 2004, I never thought of it as anything other than something I do rather than anything else. Things were different and those Certificates of Competence were few and far between, I never even went on a "sailing course" as far as I remember, except in the Solent [ a saucer of gravel with signposts every mile as far as I remember]. Nice fireworks

I just build a canoe, then a dinghy, and so on., I think we all did, wooden boats came in kit form!

When I got a boat with an engine, I learned to change the oil, and to source experts to sort the rest.

I can't quite think through this idea that OP is  suddenly driven to do courses to maintain boats, it does not feel quite natural. I may well be wrong.

Edited May 3, 2020 by LadyG

[LadyG]

On 14/04/2020 at 18:51, Pepe said:

Yes that’s what I’m hoping to do, handling, maintenance etc ?

but you need the experience before you are going to be employable