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Narrowboat Budgeting


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33 minutes ago, peterboat said:

 

But that's red and the OP says in a couple of years when red is just a distant memory and white is what you have to use

Indeed, I was just pointing it out in response to an earlier post asking where people are getting it for less than £1 a litre. 

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10 minutes ago, Rumsky said:

Indeed, I was just pointing it out in response to an earlier post asking where people are getting it for less than £1 a litre. 

Got ya, no probs. In truth we have no idea what our costs for diesel will be in 2 years do we? I buy kerosene in bulk and anthracite in bulk once a year, every year is more expensive than the last ?, and that's without any carbon based taxes that might happen to discourage us from being warm and travelling

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1 minute ago, peterboat said:

Got ya, no probs. In truth we have no idea what our costs for diesel will be in 2 years do we? I buy kerosene in bulk and anthracite in bulk once a year, every year is more expensive than the last ?, and that's without any carbon based taxes that might happen to discourage us from being warm and travelling

We don't really know what anything will cost in a few years time relative to what we earn or have saved/invested. Some things like technology get cheaper over time, other things more expensive, some stay relatively the same. Its not really worth worrying too much about any of it, nothing is set in stone. As long as you have some sort of plan that works for you, whatever the future might hold.

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6 minutes ago, Rumsky said:

We don't really know what anything will cost in a few years time relative to what we earn or have saved/invested. Some things like technology get cheaper over time, other things more expensive, some stay relatively the same. Its not really worth worrying too much about any of it, nothing is set in stone. As long as you have some sort of plan that works for you, whatever the future might hold.

I do electric drive loads of solar means that electric is free and so is hot water in the summer at least most summers 

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3 minutes ago, peterboat said:

I do electric drive loads of solar means that electric is free and so is hot water in the summer at least most summers 

Which I'm sure will become standard at some point, unless some other magic technology comes along which shows more promise. Until it does become standard though its out of reach or impractical for most people, so we just plod along with what we've got. 

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I've lived aboard for 7 years, no mooring, 35ft boat. My total costs average a shade short of £2K a year. This includes a top end engine rebuild, 2 sets of batteries that I knackered because I didn't understand how to charge them properly, installation of solar panels, a full repaint and re fit of living area. All apart from the rebuild done by myself. I don't cruise too much, range around 50 miles a year. The keys to keeping costs down are a good solar array, a small genny that isn't thirsty for the winter months. A gas fridge costs £25 a month to run but I reckon that's cheaper than replacing batteries regularly or running engines or genies for hours every day. A small boat engine helps, you don't need 40hp to creep along narrow, shallow canals. Calorifiers might be all the rage but you need to run the 40hp lump to make them work. Better to have an old fashioned morco for hot water, will save you lots of money. 

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12 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

He has made no mention (no budget) for Solar and I already mentioned it / asked the question.

 

Hey there! In the original description I said I would fit it out with solar panels + a compost toilet. I didn't include it in the budget since it is a one time cost - I do actually have a seperate tab on the spreadsheet for those haha 

 

7 hours ago, The Welsh Cruiser said:

I've lived aboard for 7 years, no mooring, 35ft boat. My total costs average a shade short of £2K a year. This includes a top end engine rebuild, 2 sets of batteries that I knackered because I didn't understand how to charge them properly, installation of solar panels, a full repaint and re fit of living area. All apart from the rebuild done by myself. I don't cruise too much, range around 50 miles a year. The keys to keeping costs down are a good solar array, a small genny that isn't thirsty for the winter months. A gas fridge costs £25 a month to run but I reckon that's cheaper than replacing batteries regularly or running engines or genies for hours every day. A small boat engine helps, you don't need 40hp to creep along narrow, shallow canals. Calorifiers might be all the rage but you need to run the 40hp lump to make them work. Better to have an old fashioned morco for hot water, will save you lots of money. 

Bloody hell thats cheap! Mind if I ask what solar panels you use? 

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11 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

Alexis, have you really looked into the ins and outs of composting toilets and the maturing then disposal of both the solid and liquid waste - especially in London, not many hedge rows you can distribute the MATURE waste along. They are probably excellent if you have your own ground where you can compost and mature the waste and distribute the liquid but otherwise you my have probelms.

Hey there, 

 

So the solids waste aren't too much of an issue since that container needs emptying far less frequently. With respect to the urine one people seem to either empty it on the ground (which I think is questionable unless it is in a very quiet area!) or empty it into public restrooms. The latter seems fairly viable for this. Also worth mentioning London isn't a given - it's just the most tricky circumstance to handle so thats the one Im planning for!  

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It's the time between the container being full, and the compost being ready for use, approx 6 months.

The real question is, where on a boat do you keep this container/contents, whilst the composting process takes place?

 

Bod.

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1 hour ago, Bod said:

It's the time between the container being full, and the compost being ready for use, approx 6 months.

The real question is, where on a boat do you keep this container/contents, whilst the composting process takes place?

 

Bod.

That's it. Probably an ideal toilet solution if you have your own land but CC ing in London?

 

I just want to ensure the OP has not been taken in but the marketing speak and claims made by those who have invested in a composting toilet and seem blind to any drawbacks. As long as  she gives a bit of time to thinking it through I am happy.

Edited by Tony Brooks
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1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

That's it. Probably an ideal toilet solution if you have your own land but CC ing in London?

 

I just want to ensure the OP has not been taken in but the marketing speak and claims made by those who have invested in a composting toilet and seem blind to any drawbacks. As long as  she gives a bit of time to thinking it through I am happy.

Good point! Will have to revisit practicalities. Thanks for your help!

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On the gas front, I don't think two bottles a year is overly unrealistic. I've yet to run out on this boat since I got it - I swapped one bottle at the very beginning of lockdown as both were low (inherited from the previous owner), and over four months later it's still plodding on. And I've been home every single day, mostly all day. That's a lot of tea and cheese toasties! On the previous boat gas would last 3-4 months, but the only source of hot water was a gas instant water heater so consumption would have been a bit higher.

 

Another obvious saving to make is getting handy with a set of spanners. The more running maintenance you can do yourself, the less running the boat will cost.

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  • 3 weeks later...

 I like the spreadsheet, but the first thing is size of boat, you must have a proper little bed, 6x4 if you intend to gave a partner, I am solo, I'd prefer 3ft six to avoid 'narrowness'

I never use the diner/bed ... pullman diner, a traditional [Ebay] kitchen table about 4ft 6 by 3ft is best, two matching chairs, and you have an office/diner.

You need one comfy chair, but a two person sofa might be better if you have a guest.

Size, 30ft is too small, 52 ft too expensive, so about 45ft, don't bother about the stern style but try to get a good boat with solid fuel stove and/or diesel [radiator] heatiing.

If you don't have any of these things you will have to buy them, or you will not like winter.

Keep £2-5K for unbudgeted expenses Year1.

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On 06/08/2020 at 11:23, The Welsh Cruiser said:

I got 3 x 125w panels, wire and decent controller from Bimble solar for around £500. You could probably get the same kit now for a bit less than that.

I think your costs are exceptional, I liveaboard in comfort, but not luxury, spartan living is not for me, first year costs of converting my boat from full time marina 'liveaboard' set up to off grid liveaboard has been about £2K, though half that was non essential, I intend to travel, no great distances, but I have diesel heating and a stove, fuel costs in winter [30 weeks] £750, less if you are at work, I keep boat [57ft, well insulated boat reasonably warm 24/7, ad lib hot water [stove back boiler / engine  /Webasto].

see Sortofinteresting on youtube, he sold his tiny Springer, sofa bed lifestyle and bought Abel's Ark for a great price [I saw it in appolloduck and pointed it out to him]

So good boats do come along, if you can wait.

 

Edited by LadyG
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Thanks for your thoughts @LadyG! RE size 30ft is enormous in comparison to the spaces I have lived in in the past :') Recently realised that the time I have spent in cockroach and mice infested student rooms have cost me more than a boat would... rather bleak realisation! 

 

Going to be spending a few weeks aboard a 30ft ish boat though so I suppose we will see! 

 

 

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