Liveaboards in the South West

[Hannah Jones McVey]

Hi all,  

 

This topic was covered a very long time ago but I wanted to get the up to date version.

 

My wife has applied for a job in Exeter. It would start in 14 months time. It feels like it's likely that we would have to give up our life on board and I'm having a hard time coming to terms with it.

 

We have two kids and currently live on a 50x10ft boat. This is our second boat and we wouldn't be averse to moving boat again to match a waterway. 

 

I keep looking at the B&A longingly as I've always fancied living there but I think the commute would be mad (2 hours?) 

 

If all else fails any advice on how to transition to live on land in a way which doesn't feel as claustrophobic as the thought of it does would be appreciated!

[GUMPY]

Moved back on land in 2019 after 25 years on board. We still have the boat and now when we visit it feels really small and cramped compared to home.

As for the boat, AFAIK there are no moorings available on any* of the Canals in the SW  so that's out. That really only leaves you the choice of various harbours none of which will be affordable for a boat that size.

 

 

* Exeter, Bude, Gt Western, Bridgewater and Taunton.

[mrsmelly]

We moved off the boat after many years about one year ago 28th june. We live in a beautiful area in a " nice " house. We did this purely for health reasons as neither of us wanted to live on land ever again. We still greatly miss the boat. We would still prefer living on a boat over a house any day, but hand was forced realy. We did change boats many times over the years to boats suited to where we wanted to be at that time. We are all different so different replies will come, make sure you only isten to the ones from people who have actualy lived aboard!! You sound still to be quite young as you say two kids at home? so if twer me I would find any way I could to stay living on a boat. Things to consider. There are other boats and there are other jobs. I wouldnt consider a two hour commute personaly. As for the claustrophobic house feel!! thats a tough one. The house we bought has plenty of rooms ( wasted unnecesary space ) and a nice garden we use a lot. However its no where even close to being as nice as living on the boat, even with less physical space.

[blackrose]

1 hour ago, Hannah Jones McVey said:

My wife has applied for a job in Exeter. It would start in 14 months time. It feels like it's likely that we would have to give up our life on board and I'm having a hard time coming to terms with it.

 

What does your wife think?

 

She's only applied for the job at this time. Once she's got the job then you can weigh up your options. I've rented rooms before after getting a new jobs in different areas and just came back to the boat on weekends. That may or may not be an option for your wife, but you might want to consider it because even if she gets the job it might not work out so you shouldn't sell up until she's been there for a few months. On the other hand, if she's living in and getting to know the new area during the week you both might find somewhere you really like and then don't mind selling up and moving off the boat. 

 

It sounds like you've done pretty well bringing up two kids on a boat. Most people give up as soon as they become pregnant. 

 

[Hannah Jones McVey]

Thanks for your thoughts. 

 

Wife was more open to a house than me but is wavering on that at the moment and is considering the commute....it's just weighing it all up. Yes it's only an application at the moment but I think it's got a good shot so doing some thorough thinking is needed (if it's not this job it will need to be another because her contract will be expiring and there are limited places that do what she does). 

[magpie patrick]

There are boats on the Exeter Canal (not very many but they do exist) so it might be worth asking the Canal Authority, which happens to be Exeter City Council, what they will and will not accept.

 

You'll need a crane to get there and you won't be going far, the canal is five miles long, has one very large lock and a humongous lift bridge that closes one of the main roads around Exeter when it's opened - you have to book boat movements through the lock and the bridge the local radio station announces any planned bridge openings in advance

[magpie patrick]

12 hours ago, Loddon said:

 

* Exeter, Bude, Gt Western, Bridgewater and Taunton.

Only just noticed Loddon's contribution, sorry!

 

Bude canal is a fair way from Exeter - only about a quarter mile available below Falcon Bridge and I don't know of any boats above it (Falcon Bridge has only about 3 foot headroom). Owned and operated by Cornwall Council - you can always ask but be prepared for "no" - they may be okay with the mooring but living aboard needs planning consent and they'd put themselves in a very tricky position if they agreed.

 

Grand Western - again local authority owned - don't allow liveaboards

 

Bridgwater and Taunton - CRT, subject to usual licensing conditions. There is one ccer on there. Also watch what happens next at Bridgwater Docks, I believe the Town Council (who are not the planning authority) have taken over.

 

Exeter Canal - although it's owned by Exeter City Council they are the harbour authority so its operated under different powers to most local authority owned canals - which means the rules are those of a harbour authority, which might be why there are a few boats which appear to be liveaboards. 

[RichM]

Go with your gut feeling if you can. Sold my boat 2 years ago, regretted it ever since. People often say the best day of owning a boat is the day you buy it and the day you sell it. For me that couldn't be any further from the truth!

Being in a house is more convenient for me especially during the lockdowns along with the requirement to work from home, but I do miss boat life, the community and pretty much everything that went with it, bar the maintenance! Now I'm pretty much priced out of buying another narrowboat. Maybe that will change in future though. 

 

The Gloucester & Sharpness canal is ideal for widebeams but is a good 2 hours away from Exeter. Despite being a simple journey straight down the M5, the area around the Bristol does get somewhat congested during peak times as you'd probably expect. 

[Alan de Enfield]

12 minutes ago, RichM said:

The Gloucester & Sharpness canal is ideal for widebeams but is a good 2 hours away from Exeter. Despite being a simple journey straight down the M5, the area around the Bristol does get somewhat congested during peak times as you'd probably expect. 

 

But C&RT have declared that the canal is not acceptable for a CCer, so unless you have a mooring or are prepared to travel 'wider' than the G&S you will have problems.

 

C&RT revoked a boat licence, there was an appeal in which the waterways ombusman came down on the side of C&RT. 

[ditchcrawler]

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

But C&RT have declared that the canal is not acceptable for a CCer, so unless you have a mooring or are prepared to travel 'wider' than the G&S you will have problems.

 

C&RT revoked a boat licence, there was an appeal in which the waterways ombusman came down on the side of C&RT. 

You can always go up the Severn now and again

[RichM]

5 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

But C&RT have declared that the canal is not acceptable for a CCer, so unless you have a mooring or are prepared to travel 'wider' than the G&S you will have problems.

 

C&RT revoked a boat licence, there was an appeal in which the waterways ombusman came down on the side of C&RT. 

I know many "Cc'ers" who have been "based" on that canal for years without any issues, myself included. They do venture up the severn for the odd weekend in the warmer months. 

[Alan de Enfield]

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

You can always go up the Severn now and again

 

 

Thats what C&RT told the G&S boaters but they said rivers were '.dangerous'

 

Extract from the Ombudsman decision :

 

 

As to whether allowances should be made for boaters on the G&S because of the geographic limitations, the Trust said that while it did accept that there were some difficulties in cruising away from the canal, it did not accept that the difficulties were of such a nature that it was prepared to reduce the maximum cruising range. That is a policy matter for the Trust which I cannot influence.

The Trust’s key point was that no matter how frequently a boat moved, it could not remain on the G&S for the licence period and be compliant. It said that compliance could be achieved only if the boat left the G&S. It added that in this case the time spent away from the G&S was not sufficient to achieve compliance.

I concluded that the Trust did recognise the difficulties of navigating beyond the extremes of the canal, in particular at the southern end, where exit into the Severn estuary would require a pilot. However, while it also accepted that a northbound exit might be difficult in certain conditions, it did not accept that navigation up the River Severn was not possible.

I was satisfied that the Trust had, either before or during the complaint process, provided an explanation of why the complainants had been issued with a restricted licence, and also what a neighbourhood or locality was.

 

Just now, RichM said:

I know many "Cc'ers" who have been "based" on that canal for years without any issues, myself included. They do venture up the severn for the odd weekend in the warmer months. 

 

 

In which case I'm sure you are aware of the boats that had their licence refuse and the history of the enforcement and the involvement of the Ombudsman - and - his decison that C&RT are correct.

[David Mack]

23 minutes ago, RichM said:

The Gloucester & Sharpness canal is ideal for widebeams but is a good 2 hours away from Exeter. Despite being a simple journey straight down the M5, the area around the Bristol does get somewhat congested during peak times as you'd probably expect.

 

I can't speak for the OP but she talks about family life with two kids, and that isn't really compatible with one parent spending 4 hours+ per day commuting.

[Alan de Enfield]

2 hours ago, RichM said:

I know many "Cc'ers" who have been "based" on that canal for years without any issues, myself included. They do venture up the severn for the odd weekend in the warmer months. 

 

 

I have been reading thru the case and the Ombudsmans conclusions and decision ;

 

Interesting that after the "we cannot go on rivers because they are dangerous" failed they accused C&RT of discrimation based on their age, as they were of working age they could not be expected to move because they had to go to work, whilst retired people could move because they didn't have to stay in one place for work, when that argument failed they said that because they were a widebeam they could not get a mooring and so could only get a 'boat without a home mooring' licence, but, the CC rules should not be applied to them because they could not get a mooring.

 

Sound like a load of 'chancers' who decided that they would not actually meet the licence conditions to which they signed up for.

 

 

More extracts from the Ombudsmans ruling :

 

 

On the issue of whether the Trust had discriminated against the complainants because of their age, and the fact that they work, I did not conclude that it had. Under the Equality Act 2010 age is a protected characteristic. However, I could not see that the Trust could be regarded as having discriminated against the complainants on the basis of their age. The complainants said that the discrimination was based on the fact that they still worked, but being employed is not a protected characteristic. I said that given that the Equality Act prohibited discrimination on the basis of age (apart from any exceptions which must be justified) there could be no link between age and being employed, adding that a person above the state pension age, for example, but still in employment, could equally make the same argument.

Having considered all aspects of the complaint, I did not uphold it. The complainants said that they had a widebeam boat and that it was difficult to find permanent moorings, but I could not regard that as a reason for the Trust to disapply its continuous cruising guidance.