Are we too old?

[Mike on the Wey]

12 hours ago, Dizz said:

We aren’t interested in travelling very far,if at all.I’ve always wanted to live aboard but it’s taken me ages to persuade hubby.I just love the idea of looking out the window or sitting on the boat looking at water and it’s wildlife instead of a grotty little side street.We have a large dog too.

If you're not interested in actual boating, then I would strongly recommend that you don't buy a boat. Sitting in a marina staring at other boats will shatter your dreams.

You have a large dog? Remember that you won't be able to just let it out into a garden. Morning and night, rain or snow etc, you will have to walk the dog from the boat to an appropriate area in the (expensive) marina every time it wants to do its business.

You'd be better keeping the mortgage-free house and going on occasional boating holidays in fine weather.

[Lady M]

How about moving to a house with a better view/surroundings?

[ditchcrawler]

31 minutes ago, Higgs said:

 

Think £8,000 plus, in at least one marina I'm aware of, in the Midlands. The fee you've given is more along the lines of a narrowboat. 

 

 

I think most charge the equivalent of 2 slots

[PD1964]

42 minutes ago, Higgs said:

 

Think £8,000 plus, in at least one marina I'm aware of, in the Midlands. The fee you've given is more along the lines of a narrowboat. 

 

 

I think there are people who just don’t realise how rare and expensive official residential moorings are for widebeams.

  Yes they’re out there but maybe not anywhere near where you want them or in your budget. As there have been many people, like the OP with the same idea over the last couple of years.

  

 

[doratheexplorer]

12 hours ago, rusty69 said:

I would say it is more physically demanding than house dwelling. 

 

 

Physically  you will have to deal with 

 

1.fuel handling, be it coal/diesel /wood /gas. 

 

2. Toilet emptying 

 

3.Water tank filling

 

4 Boat maintenance 

 

All of these things are much easier in a marina than not, but still not comparable with house dwelling. 

 

I know many people in their 70s that successfully do so, but the majority have an exit plan to escape to bricks and mortar when the time comes. 

 

There is also little security of tenure. 

 

Good luck. 

I don't really see that any of those things are harder than maintaining an average sized garden, which many elderly people in houses do.

 

Maybe the number 1 on your list, but there are ways round that.  A boat with a diesel stove and a pump-out toilet would mean virtually no heavy lifting.

[PD1964]

13 hours ago, Dizz said:

Hi all,would appreciate as much advice as possible please…..

Im 62,reasonable fitness ,hubby is 65,quite fit.We are considering selling up and buying a widebeam which would be moored in a residential marina,We aren’t interested in travelling very far,if at all.I’ve always wanted to live aboard but it’s taken me ages to persuade hubby.I just love the idea of looking out the window or sitting on the boat looking at water and it’s wildlife instead of a grotty little side street.We have a large dog too.We know very little ourselves but do have a friend who lives on a widebeam who could help us out when needed.But I worry we may be too old as I read it’s more physically demanding than living in a house.We would be spending around 120,000 to 130,000 so would expect it to have most mod cons. It will cost us more than at present as we have no mortgage but I’m more interested in wether you think we may struggle due to being older .Thankyou for any advice

Have you secured residential moorings or enquired on availability?

  As this is the main stumbling block, not a boat. As said above you could be looking out the window both sides at a boat 2’ away with no scenic countryside view in a Marina, it can get a bit claustrophobic especially in the dark nights of the Winter months with nothing to look forward too if your not cruising the Summer months.

[Higgs]

37 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I think most charge the equivalent of 2 slots

 

People with money are looking for cheaper moorings. And marina mooring isn't that great. You'll end up looking at another boat on both sides, only feet away. 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2023 by Higgs

[PD1964]

2 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

 

Maybe the number 1 on your list, but there are ways round that.  A boat with a diesel stove and a pump-out toilet would mean virtually no heavy lifting.

But could be expensive with an elderly retired couple. Diesel prices/Pumpout = money, keeping warm/weak bladders = Old people.

[Higgs]

8 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I don't really see that any of those things are harder than maintaining an average sized garden, which many elderly people in houses do.

 

Maybe the number 1 on your list, but there are ways round that.  A boat with a diesel stove and a pump-out toilet would mean virtually no heavy lifting.

 

The thing is, moving a widebeam in an enclosed area is not for the faint-hearted. The pump-out and diesel will make that necessary. 

 

[Higgs]

23 minutes ago, PD1964 said:

I think there are people who just don’t realise how rare and expensive official residential moorings are for widebeams.

  Yes they’re out there but maybe not anywhere near where you want them or in your budget. As there have been many people, like the OP with the same idea over the last couple of years.

 

Options will be limited. I'd hire a narrowboat first, to at least get used to the environment on the canal

 

[Hudds Lad]

A lot might depend on the marina you choose. 

For example, when we had the shareboat and it was at Overwater, we were moored next to a lovely old couple who lived on for most of the year. When needed, the marina staff would move their boat to the service dock for them and tank up the diesel and pump out the loo, all whilst they sat on board. No idea if they paid extra for this, they were both prodigious wafflers and i never managed to steer the conversation to that subject  

 

Before the OP asks, this was a narrowboat, not a chonky widebeam.

 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2023 by Hudds Lad
remove some ambiguity

[Momac]

5 minutes ago, Higgs said:

 

The thing is, moving a widebeam in an enclosed area is not for the faint-hearted. The pump-out and diesel will make that necessary. 

 

That could be paid for crew when necessary

A live aboard widebeam  near me moves about once a year which is presumably for diesel. (Refuelling at the mooring is likely to be prohibited in a marina).

I would have thought a cassette toilet a better arrangement than a pump out.

A good marina will have showers and toilets  and laundry facilities ashore which   are a consideration when selecting a marina . 

[Higgs]

Just now, MartynG said:

That could be paid for crew when necessary

A live aboard widebeam  near me moves about once a year which is presumably for diesel. (Refuelling at the mooring is likely to be prohibited in a marina).

I would have thought a cassette toilet a better arrangement than a pump out.

A good marina will have showers and toilets  and laundry facilities ashore which   are a consideration when selecting a marina . 

 

It would be quite normal to move twice a year, under the residential planning permissions prevailing. Cassettes would be an option, if they don't mind the emptying duties. And yes, good marinas can provide lots of facilities, for a price. 

 

 

[doratheexplorer]

31 minutes ago, Higgs said:

 

The thing is, moving a widebeam in an enclosed area is not for the faint-hearted. The pump-out and diesel will make that necessary. 

 

Did the OP say they were faint-hearted?

[Higgs]

2 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

Did the OP say they were faint-hearted?

 

We don't know. It's best not to gloss over what they could be facing. 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2023 by Higgs

[Tony Brooks]

3 minutes ago, Higgs said:

 

We don't know. It's best not to gloss over what they could be facing. 

 

 

 

And that includes the very first practical hurdle. Getting a proper residential mooring is no easy for a narrowboat, let alone a wide beam.  As we so often say, finding a don't as, don't tell marina that fails to see you living on your boat (doing a Nelson) is perhaps easier, but that raises other issues like lack of long term security and not using the marina address to receive packages and mail. The advice to find a mooring first is very sound.

 

There are long term online moorings, but few I suspect are official live aboard ones. mooring online gets the view from at least one side of windows but raises another whole set of considerations like regularly moving the boat to get water, fuel, and dispose of refuse and sewerage and probably having no electrical hook up. Some moorings might have water available and possibly rubbish disposal. So start actually looking at moorings and marinas.

[David Mack]

2 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

mooring online gets the view from at least one side of windows but raises another whole set of considerations like regularly moving the boat to get water, fuel, and dispose of refuse and sewerage and probably having no electrical hook up.

And you can shout at passing boats for going too fast!

[Higgs]

3 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

And that includes the very first practical hurdle. Getting a proper residential mooring is no easy for a narrowboat, let alone a wide beam.  As we so often say, finding a don't as, don't tell marina that fails to see you living on your boat (doing a Nelson) is perhaps easier, but that raises other issues like lack of long term security and not using the marina address to receive packages and mail. The advice to find a mooring first is very sound.

 

There are long term online moorings, but few I suspect are official live aboard ones. mooring online gets the view from at least one side of windows but raises another whole set of considerations like regularly moving the boat to get water, fuel, and dispose of refuse and sewerage and probably having no electrical hook up. Some moorings might have water available and possibly rubbish disposal. So start actually looking at moorings and marinas.

 

Hiring a boat would help them familiarise themselves with some of the practical skills they would find valuable. But if they're looking for all the bells and whistles in a marina, having deep pockets would help. 

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, PD1964 said:

I think there are people who just don’t realise how rare and expensive official residential moorings are for widebeams.

 

Are you sure ?

There are some (one in particular) on the forum who says there is not a shortage of residential moorings you are just not looking in the right place and then produces a map of moorings with one available near Luton and the other one in Sheffield.

 

By far - the majority of boaters will say that a residential mooring is hard to find - particularly if you want to be in a certain area - getting a Widebeam residential mooring is even more difficult.

 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[Mad Harold]

11 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Are you sure ?

There are some (one in particular) on the forum who says there is not a shortage of residential moorings you are just not looking in the right place and then produces a map of moorings with one available near Luton and the other one in Sheffield.

 

By far - the majority of boaters will say that a residential mooring is hard to find - particularly if you want to be in a certain area - getting a Widebeam residential mooring is even more difficult.

 

 

 

Nice photo Alan.I can now put a face to a name .I generally try to imagine what posters on here look like, and generally picture grumpy old Gits or Bag Ladies.😜

[Dav and Pen]

To me a boat is for moving and seeing other places plus the test of steering them! All the maintenance etc that goes with them is part of it unless you are wealthy enough to pay others to do it for you. At the ages of the OP and with a mortgage free house buying an expensive new build seems like a big mistake. People who do this rarely can get back into the housing market and my advice would be to downsize and by a reasonable used boat once you have both decided that you really like the idea of living aboard after trying out a couple of rental holidays, this gives you the option of living aboard during the warmer months and in the house during the winter. We started boating 60 years ago with a small cruiser and over the years finished up with a Dutch barge on the continent where we spent 17 years cruising between April and October. We finally came ashore full time 3 years ago at the ages of 78 and 80 as my wife was becoming very unsteady and as it turned out very Poorly. You never know what’s in store.

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

I don't really see that any of those things are harder than maintaining an average sized garden, which many elderly people in houses do.

 

Maybe the number 1 on your list, but there are ways round that.  A boat with a diesel stove and a pump-out toilet would mean virtually no heavy lifting.

The bit about convincing her husband worries me, if they aren't both up for it 100% I don't see it working for long

[doratheexplorer]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Are you sure ?

There are some (one in particular) on the forum who says there is not a shortage of residential moorings you are just not looking in the right place and then produces a map of moorings with one available near Luton and the other one in Sheffield.

 

By far - the majority of boaters will say that a residential mooring is hard to find - particularly if you want to be in a certain area - getting a Widebeam residential mooring is even more difficult.

 

 

 

Please don't misquote me.  I was responding to earlier posts which essentially said resi moorings don't exist and there was no point looking.  The OP on that thread was open to a mooring pretty much anywhere outside of Birmingham.  I therefore directed him to a site with a choice of available resi moorings.  I'm sorry that it upset you so much.

10 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

The bit about convincing her husband worries me, if they aren't both up for it 100% I don't see it working for long

Agreed.

[Tracy D'arth]

Don't do it.  The canals are already cluttered up with coffin dodgers.

I am considerably older than you both and have 30+ years experience on the cut and of boats ----- and with your parameters I would not do it.

No experience, no idea what is involved services wise living on a boat, don't intend moving, no idea where to find a residential mooring, never sailed a boat AND you want to buy a massive hard to steer hard to moor expensive fat boat with all your cash by selling a house?

 

One half is unsure too!

 

Are you mad? 

You will be after a winter trapped in a marina watching the paint fade whilst writing out cheques for mooring/repairs/maintenance/fuel.

Edited February 10, 2023 by Tracy D'arth

[doratheexplorer]

I'm always amazed at the responses on here from those who claim to be boaters yet seem to hate it.