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CCing and working as a live-in carer two weeks on two weeks off...


Jacsprat

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Hello all! 

Need to pick some brains again! Having bought Kizzie as a liveaboard last week, I've just now been offered the above position. The dream would be to cruise the other two weeks of the month (once lock down is lifted), and avoid having a home mooring in a marina. Not necessarily to save money, but for the joy of using my boat as God intended! Travel!! My question is, would it be reasonably easy to find temporary safe, mooring along the way for the two weeks when I'm off my boat and working? I realise it would involve a little forward planning, and it would obviously cost, but does anyone else have experience of doing this? 

 

Thank you in advance - I can't tell you how anxious I am to get aboard Kizzie and start boat life...two more weeks to go!

 

Jacquie

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There are security gadgets for your boat which would give you peace of mind, I think they would be a good investment, obviously a slightly scruffy boat might attract less attention than one with fancy attachments, and there are some hefty padlocks which would deter the casual thief, when on board, you need to be aware of your fire escape, ie don't lock yourself in!

Edited by LadyG
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You can travel a long way in two weeks, it will depend on how far you want to travel back to your place of work and by what means car/train and if you want to leave the boat on a secure mooring unattended for two weeks or just on the tow path side for two weeks. Or do you want to travel out for a week then travel back for a week to the same location, then go to work for two weeks?

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Yes, but I don't think I could relax just leaving it anywhere  - I was really wondering if there are enough marinas and other types of more secure moorings on the network who offer temporary mooring of up to two weeks. But certainly, no matter where I leave her, security devices will be used.

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1 minute ago, PD1964 said:

You can travel a long way in two weeks, it will depend on how far you want to travel back to your place of work and by what means car/train and if you want to leave the boat on a secure mooring unattended for two weeks or just on the tow path side for two weeks. Or do you want to travel out for a week then travel back for a week to the same location, then go to work for two weeks?

Indeed - I would probably frog-hop my car, I would definitely prefer a secure mooring at a cost. Just wondering how easy they are to find for two weeks at a time on the network.

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1 minute ago, Jacsprat said:

Yes, but I don't think I could relax just leaving it anywhere  - I was really wondering if there are enough marinas and other types of more secure moorings on the network who offer temporary mooring of up to two weeks. But certainly, no matter where I leave her, security devices will be used.

Most if not all marinas welcome temporary moorers as they bring in app twice as much income!

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1 minute ago, Halsey said:

What is Kizzie we need details/photos - are you a Roots fan or am I showing my age........

Ha!! Yes, Roots was the first thing to spring to mind when I saw her name - Ms Kizzie (I too am of a certain age!)! I think in this case, she's named after a Romany character... 

Put her name in the search facility, and you'll find an earlier post with photos and even a video.

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Most marinas will do short term at any time. We have left our boats all over the country on the towpath and elsewhere many many times over more than thirty years without problem. We used to years ago do holiday relief to the licensed trade for between 2 weeks and 3 month hits and often just rocked up at boatyards etc and paid. We then used to cruise between a month and up to a year depending in how many beer tokens we had saved. Its all very doable. Better than a secure tied down job if you are lucky enough to be able to do it like we were.

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Just now, Richard10002 said:

Where are you near? Boat and job? Sounds like it might be worth getting a marina berth for a year, and see how it goes.

I'm in Tewkesbury - pretty pricey. I was thinking of moving her to Yelvertoft marina when we get the system moving - want to be in proper canal country. The job is in North Norfolk.

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A smaller boat would certainly be easier to find a mooring, and cost less than a 57 foot narrowboat, plus with all the excitement of boat ownership, you will soon find a long list of things to do, and being in a marina might be easier for a few weeks, but a marina owner is not going to be able to use your berth on the two weeks you are out, so it will be relatively expensive

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4 minutes ago, Halsey said:

Most if not all marinas welcome temporary moorers as they bring in app twice as much income!

Yes, I certainly expect it to come at a cost. I don't mind if I end up paying what I would for a home base, but worried I'd have to abandon her somewhere dodgy if I couldn't find marinas along the way.

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6 minutes ago, Jacsprat said:

Ha!! Yes, Roots was the first thing to spring to mind when I saw her name - Ms Kizzie (I too am of a certain age!)! I think in this case, she's named after a Romany character... 

Put her name in the search facility, and you'll find an earlier post with photos and even a video.

All good very nice boat not my style but that is irrelevant - James is a VG broker so that's a nice buy.

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4 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Most marinas will do short term at any time. We have left our boats all over the country on the towpath and elsewhere many many times over more than thirty years without problem. We used to years ago do holiday relief to the licensed trade for between 2 weeks and 3 month hits and often just rocked up at boatyards etc and paid. We then used to cruise between a month and up to a year depending in how many beer tokens we had saved. Its all very doable. Better than a secure tied down job if you are lucky enough to be able to do it like we were.

Good news. Proper adventure! The master plan is starting to take shape . thank you for the info!

Just now, Halsey said:

All good very nice boat not my style but that is irrelevant - James is a VG broker so that's a nice buy.

In all honesty, she's not really my style either, but I think she's a safe buy and pretty for what she is. A damn good starter boat in any case. 

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7 minutes ago, Jacsprat said:

I'm in Tewkesbury - pretty pricey. I was thinking of moving her to Yelvertoft marina when we get the system moving - want to be in proper canal country. The job is in North Norfolk.

VG marina but B***dy expensive

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8 minutes ago, PD1964 said:

Most Marina’s have visitor spots where you can leave the boat for a few weeks but they will charge you for this, something like £10 a night £50 a week. 

Ooohhhh - now you're talking! Just a matter of doing advance planning to make sure I end up somewhere safe. It would be too stressful to completely wing it when I have a client waiting for me to come to work. Thank you!

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3 minutes ago, Jacsprat said:

she's not really my style either, but I think she's a safe buy and pretty for what she is. A damn good starter boat in any case. 

And that's all that matters as your first boat probably won't satisfy you for more than 2 years if you are lucky

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1 minute ago, Halsey said:

And that's all that matters as your first boat probably won't satisfy you for more than 2 years if you are lucky

I reckon that's 100% correct. I'd like a bigger boat for certain - this wee one will be a fun to learn with, and if I can keep her in good shape, should be a doddle to sell when the time comes to move up. 

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2 minutes ago, Halsey said:

And that's all that matters as your first boat probably won't satisfy you for more than 2 years if you are lucky

Agreed. I think our first boat we owned for 4 years. We loved it but moved on.

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I think I would take a mooring for 3 months in a marina and then do a week out and week back on my time off. Its only 3 trips per quarter. in some places you could cover lots of places. Say Wigrams Turn, a trip to Oxford, a trip to Foxton, Trip to Coventry. Thats 3 month and you have not been to the same place twice.

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As above why don’t you enquire about a mooring in a nearby Marina until you get to grips with it all?

 Some Marina’s do extended stay moorings which are cheaper then official residential but don’t come with all the benefits. Try talking to local Marinas about the 2 week on the boat and 2 week off situation.

  This type of mooring would be better to learn the ropes about canal life and less stressful with also starting a new job with everything happening at once.  

  Living on the canal while continues cruising and keeping a full time job is not as easy as these YouTube Vloggers make out, so please don’t believe all they say if you watch them.

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3 minutes ago, PD1964 said:

As above why don’t you enquire about a mooring in a nearby Marina until you get to grips with it all?

 Some Marina’s do extended stay moorings which are cheaper then official residential but don’t come with all the benefits. Try talking to local Marinas about the 2 week on the boat and 2 week off situation.

  This type of mooring would be better to learn the ropes about canal life and less stressful with also starting a new job with everything happening at once.  

  Living on the canal while continues cruising and keeping a full time job is not as easy as these YouTube Vloggers make out, so please don’t believe all they say if you watch them.

Very true, but I was planning on staying at Tewkesbury for at least a few months anyway - locked in now for at least two months and the rest will depend on the covid situation. And don't worry about the youtube vloggers! I've very much enjoyed many of them, but I'm savvy enough not to see it through the old rose-tinted specs! 

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3 minutes ago, Jacsprat said:

Very true, but I was planning on staying at Tewkesbury for at least a few months anyway - locked in now for at least two months and the rest will depend on the covid situation. And don't worry about the youtube vloggers! I've very much enjoyed many of them, but I'm savvy enough not to see it through the old rose-tinted specs! 

Just get settled in with everything and it’s all about making life easier not harder and stressful, If it means living in a Marina just do it and just be happy. Good Luck

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