starcry Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 Hi Everyone, I'm looking to buy 2 boats, one for myself and later another for my parents. However I'm very new to all this and whilst it's totally okay for me to make a mistake my parents boat needs to go smoothly. It would be really helpful if I could find a mentor to guide me whilst I look at all the various options and try out different solutions. I'm doing a ton of my own research but there is no substitute for hearing and learning from some one who has been there already. I'm based in London but in all probability I will end up leaving London and quite possibly moving to Sheffield because it's got great rock climbing :). If anyone would like to be my mentor so that I can provide a great home for my parents please respond to this thread. Have a great day Aidan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 Crikey, that's a lot of responsibility you're taking on. Personally I would let them sort out their own boating path and then you can concentrate on your own. The 'drifting along, relaxing while the world passes by' is a very small and rare event. The worry about permanent, affordable and safe moorings is always in the background, the rules and regs can be oppressive if you are a worrier, the running costs are more than a house and so on. Do you intend to live on the boat (s) ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcry Posted April 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 Yes it is but it's mine none the less :). I'm not a worrier but I do like to know all of the details. Them sorting it out will be essentially impossible as they are currently living in South Africa so it's really up to me to sort out everything so that they can have a home when they move. To answer your question though, yes we do plan to live aboard our boats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booke23 Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 Have you or your parents spent any time on a canal boat, hiring or anything like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 19 minutes ago, starcry said: Yes it is but it's mine none the less :). I'm not a worrier but I do like to know all of the details. Them sorting it out will be essentially impossible as they are currently living in South Africa so it's really up to me to sort out everything so that they can have a home when they move. To answer your question though, yes we do plan to live aboard our boats. Next question then. Have you read, understood and fully digested exactly how far CaRT expect you to travel, how long you can moor in one place or have you priced and checked the availability of marina moorings for live aboard boaters. That could make you rethink your plans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 21 minutes ago, starcry said: Yes it is but it's mine none the less :). I'm not a worrier but I do like to know all of the details. Them sorting it out will be essentially impossible as they are currently living in South Africa so it's really up to me to sort out everything so that they can have a home when they move. To answer your question though, yes we do plan to live aboard our boats. Seems a sensible move to me to ask someone along for advise. Remember though you will get some conflicting advice from people for a whole host of reasons. Just as a for instance, In my opinion, unlike a prior poster, I would say one of the easiest thing about living on a boat in the UK is the virtual lack of any onerous legislation. there are a couple or three very basic easy to comply with rules and thats it. Maybe a few visits and chat with some liveaboards could be arranged? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcry Posted April 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 wow, Everyone has responded so fast I'll admit that I've not read all of the rules, I didn't know they had been extensively codified, I'll look those up so thank you Tony. Booke23, we haven't no but they are coming over for a holiday in August and the plan then is to take a holiday on a boat and see how we feel about it. Mrsmelly that's an excellent idea and I was really hoping for that, I would love to meet up with someone in the London area for a few hours one weekend and learn as much as I can. Is there anyone in the London area? I'd love to buy you a drink/tea/coffee and absorb as much as I can one Saturday or Sunday 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 1 minute ago, starcry said: wow, Everyone has responded so fast I'll admit that I've not read all of the rules, I didn't know they had been extensively codified, I'll look those up so thank you Tony. Booke23, we haven't no but they are coming over for a holiday in August and the plan then is to take a holiday on a boat and see how we feel about it. Mrsmelly that's an excellent idea and I was really hoping for that, I would love to meet up with someone in the London area for a few hours one weekend and learn as much as I can. Is there anyone in the London area? I'd love to buy you a drink/tea/coffee and absorb as much as I can one Saturday or Sunday I dont do Farcebook, but I understand there is a " London boaters" group or some such thing? That may be a good starting point? Will add though that, boating other than London will be far easier and nicer these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcry Posted April 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 Quote I dont do Farcebook, but I understand there is a " London boaters" group or some such thing? That may be a good starting point? Will add though that, boating other than London will be far easier and nicer these days. Fantastic, thank you, I'll go find them and see if can meetup with anyone. Thank you so much 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PD1964 Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 I don’t think it will be as easy with your second part, as few moorings available especially residential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcry Posted April 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 Quote I don’t think it will be as easy with your second part, as few moorings available especially residential. Nothing in life worth doing is easy, if it's possible I'll make it happen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 28 minutes ago, starcry said: I'll admit that I've not read all of the rules, I didn't know they had been extensively codified, I'll look those up so thank you Basically if you want to remain within the CaRT regulations the maximum time you can moor in one spot could be anything from 2 hours (rare) up to 14 days depending upon local notices if any. Then you need to move on in a continuous journey. Shuttling back and forth between two or three spots is unlikely to be acceptable by CaRT. CaRT also say registering as a continuous cruiser may not be compatible with working at a fixed place or having children in school. As MrSmelly says, once you grasp the rules many do manage a job and keeping within them but much depends upon where you locate yourself. Also be aware that CC type moorings in London are not plentiful. In the end ignoring the rules could get your boat confiscated and broken up or sold on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcry Posted April 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 4 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said: Basically if you want to remain within the CaRT regulations the maximum time you can moor in one spot could be anything from 2 hours (rare) up to 14 days depending upon local notices if any. Then you need to move on in a continuous journey. Shuttling back and forth between two or three spots is unlikely to be acceptable by CaRT. CaRT also say registering as a continuous cruiser may not be compatible with working at a fixed place or having children in school. As MrSmelly says, once you grasp the rules many do manage a job and keeping within them but much depends upon where you locate yourself. Also be aware that CC type moorings in London are not plentiful. In the end ignoring the rules could get your boat confiscated and broken up or sold on. Thank you, that's really helpful. For the moment I'm based in London but I'm fully remote and my parents are retired so location isn't really an issue, we can be pretty much anywhere in the UK and still be perfectly fine. I'm only based in London at the moment because pre-pandemic I had to be in an office. I will give the CaRT rules a careful read though and pass it on to my parents, you are correct though, I don't wanna put in all that hard work, only to have my boats taken off me so thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 1 minute ago, starcry said: I don't wanna put in all that hard work, only to have my boats taken off me so thank you That would not happen very fast. You would be given plenty of opportunity to resolve the situation to CaRT's satisfaction. I would also point out that I gave up boating at 76 because I was finding the maintenance and other work increasingly difficult. The age varies from person to person but it is something you need to consider carefully for your parents. Only a few weeks ago an elderly boater had his boat sink at Banbury because of a lack of funds and an inability to maintain it. Also consider what happens if one of your patents needs to undertake long term hospital treatment so may have difficulty moving. If you tell CaRT they will normally help but I am not sure how long they would wave the mooring requirements. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendorr Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 You mentioned Sheffield, maybe worth getting on their list https://www.watersidemooring.com/356-tinsley-marina-residential-l1 https://cvmarine.co.uk/victoria-quays/ and several others along the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcry Posted April 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 4 minutes ago, Kendorr said: You mentioned Sheffield, maybe worth getting on their list https://www.watersidemooring.com/356-tinsley-marina-residential-l1 https://cvmarine.co.uk/victoria-quays/ and several others along the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation. brilliant, thank you, I haven't settled on Sheffield yet, there's a boat festival in London this weekend so I'm going to go to that, talk with some people and see what I can organise, I'll probably make a final decision then as to where I'm going to moor my soon to buy boat , thank you though, I really do appreciate all the help I'm getting. 15 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said: That would not happen very fast. You would be given plenty of opportunity to resolve the situation to CaRT's satisfaction. I would also point out that I gave up boating at 76 because I was finding the maintenance and other work increasingly difficult. The age varies from person to person but it is something you need to consider carefully for your parents. Only a few weeks ago an elderly boater had his boat sink at Banbury because of a lack of funds and an inability to maintain it. Also consider what happens if one of your patents needs to undertake long term hospital treatment so may have difficulty moving. If you tell CaRT they will normally help but I am not sure how long they would wave the mooring requirements. This is a concern of mine to and exactly why I'll be making sure that wherever they end up we'll be together, so that if anything goes wrong or they need help with anything I'm right there. That's great of CaRT to be understanding about these things, it gives me some breathing room Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booke23 Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 I'd certainly recommend you hire a narrowboat for a couple of weeks and you all spend time seeing how you like it before buying. Living on a narrowboat isn't for everyone, as they're pretty compact compared even to a small flat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcry Posted April 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 Just now, booke23 said: I'd certainly recommend you hire a narrowboat for a couple of weeks and you all spend time seeing how you like it before buying. Living on a narrowboat isn't for everyone, as they're pretty compact compared even to a small flat. agreed and that's exactly what we plan on doing when they come visit in August Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBiscuits Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 Just now, starcry said: agreed and that's exactly what we plan on doing when they come visit in August Have you already booked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcry Posted April 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 Just now, TheBiscuits said: Have you already booked? not yet no but I probably will in the next month or so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBiscuits Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 Just now, starcry said: not yet no but I probably will in the next month or so I suspect you'll already have very limited choices if there is anything available at all. Don't leave it another month or you won't be hiring a boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcry Posted April 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 4 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said: I suspect you'll already have very limited choices if there is anything available at all. Don't leave it another month or you won't be hiring a boat. good point, I'll keep an eye on that and get everyone to make a decision fast, thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 6 minutes ago, starcry said: not yet no but I probably will in the next month or so Ensure you have deep pockets. Hiring a boat in the August school holidays is stupidly expensive. And as pointed out already availbility will be limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcry Posted April 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 9 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said: Ensure you have deep pockets. Hiring a boat in the August school holidays is stupidly expensive. And as pointed out already availbility will be limited. We have all of September too, so I'm sure I'll be able to carve out a few days somewhere as I have a whole month and can get them pretty much anywhere in the UK or Ireland but thank you though, that's a good point, organise that early and I won't pay through the nose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 Just now, starcry said: We have all of September too, so I'm sure I'll be able to carve out a few days somewhere as I have a whole month and can get them pretty much anywhere in the UK or Ireland but thank you though, that's a good point, organise that early and I won't pay through the nose. You will be amazed by how much the price drops in September. Personally I wont contemplate hiring a boat over any bank holidays or school holidays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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