Living Aboard - Mooring and Utility Questions

[cherrycolouredfunk]

Long-time lurker, first-time poster 🙂. I'm a late 20s US expat here since 2019. I'm married and have family out here, so the UK is home for the foreseeable future. The property market and mortgage system are wild to me, so I've been researching alternatives since last summer. My husband is open to living aboard as a potential alternative but isn't keen about it as a lifelong living solution – I'm keeping this in mind as we search.

 

I'm based in Cambridgeshire and have seen plenty of narrowboats, barges, and the like. For research, I've: 

• Watched hours of boating YouTube (Cruising the Cut, Chugging along, Canice Bannon, etc.)
• Kept up with the forums here and downloaded resources where I can (like the solar calculator)
• Called brokerages/marinas for info on the purchasing process and moorings

 

We also plan to do a weekend stay on a boat and ask some Cambs boaters about their experiences. Even so, I know I've just scratched the surface and most of this is trial by fire. We've got the budget to buy a boat up to 70k and resources/family to help with minor reno work aboard (excluding specialty electricians and plumbing). I work remotely, can live anywhere, and don't mind getting my hands dirty with maintenance jobs.

 

Boat-wise, we're aiming for a barge. I'd be cool with a narrowboat, but I'm trying to keep things as analogous to regular living as possible (currently in a flat).

 

My partner has more requirements. He wants to remain in the South and have a generally fixed location, which eliminates CC'ing. Ideally, we'd like to be near Brighton or Bristol & Bath as we like cities and they offer the links to London needed for my work. We're viewing our first boats this weekend (two widebeams without mooring), so my big questions are:

 

• Assuming we find a boat we like and get most mod-cons (wifi, power enough for PC remote work/PS5s/TV, sufficient hot water - BIG IFs, I know), how are y'all mooring/navigating the waters?
• How does one go about designing power systems, heating, and hot water storage to sustain no-utility moorings?

 

The advice here is "mooring first, boat second", but all the marinas are full and folks seem to suggest asking about moorings in person or using leisure moorings as a "don't ask, don't tell" option. Seems like Bristol's opening up some Capricorn Quay spots in the next year or so, but demand is still wildly high. CRT moorings for wide beams look pretty rare, and we have little desire to live in/around London.

Any resources or advice for a hopeful newbie? Boat life remains attractive to me because of the freedom and community aspects, so not looking at it as a "quick fix". In all my research it feels like I'm on the cusp of understanding things, but still missing info enough to speak the language/get the inside scoop.

 

Apologies for the long post, thanks in advance!

[LadyG]

When you telephone a marina you are going to be the hundredth person this year asking about a mooring to live on. 

So, this is a problem straight away.

There are very few official Residential Moorings, that is to say very few marinas have Planning Permission for residential moorings. Official Residential Moorings with PP are subject to Council Tax.

People who live on their boats full time are probably (essentially) contravening the Terms and Conditions of the marina's own PP!

Some marinas just will not allow this. Some will charge extra to those users who are heavy users, that is to say they use more facilities than a leisure user, and are so charged extra.

Generally speaking some marinas allow you to use their address as your address, eg for driving licence , accepting post etc etc. Some do not.

Here endeth the lesson.

Next question please

PS there is something unusual about linear moorings in Cambridge, try the search facility on here, top right. I think the waiting list is closed.

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by LadyG

[Tony Brooks]

2 hours ago, cherrycolouredfunk said:

Long-time lurker, first-time poster 🙂. I'm a late 20s US expat here since 2019. I'm married and have family out here, so the UK is home for the foreseeable future. The property market and mortgage system are wild to me, so I've been researching alternatives since last summer. My husband is open to living aboard as a potential alternative but isn't keen about it as a lifelong living solution – I'm keeping this in mind as we search.

 

I'm based in Cambridgeshire and have seen plenty of narrowboats, barges, and the like. For research, I've: 

• Watched hours of boating YouTube (Cruising the Cut, Chugging along, Canice Bannon, etc.)
• Kept up with the forums here and downloaded resources where I can (like the solar calculator)
• Called brokerages/marinas for info on the purchasing process and moorings

 

We also plan to do a weekend stay on a boat and ask some Cambs boaters about their experiences. Even so, I know I've just scratched the surface and most of this is trial by fire. We've got the budget to buy a boat up to 70k and resources/family to help with minor reno work aboard (excluding specialty electricians and plumbing). I work remotely, can live anywhere, and don't mind getting my hands dirty with maintenance jobs.

 

Boat-wise, we're aiming for a barge. I'd be cool with a narrowboat, but I'm trying to keep things as analogous to regular living as possible (currently in a flat).

 

My partner has more requirements. He wants to remain in the South and have a generally fixed location, which eliminates CC'ing. Ideally, we'd like to be near Brighton or Bristol & Bath as we like cities and they offer the links to London needed for my work. We're viewing our first boats this weekend (two widebeams without mooring), so my big questions are:

 

• Assuming we find a boat we like and get most mod-cons (wifi, power enough for PC remote work/PS5s/TV, sufficient hot water - BIG IFs, I know), how are y'all mooring/navigating the waters?
• How does one go about designing power systems, heating, and hot water storage to sustain no-utility moorings?

 

The advice here is "mooring first, boat second", but all the marinas are full and folks seem to suggest asking about moorings in person or using leisure moorings as a "don't ask, don't tell" option. Seems like Bristol's opening up some Capricorn Quay spots in the next year or so, but demand is still wildly high. CRT moorings for wide beams look pretty rare, and we have little desire to live in/around London.

Any resources or advice for a hopeful newbie? Boat life remains attractive to me because of the freedom and community aspects, so not looking at it as a "quick fix". In all my research it feels like I'm on the cusp of understanding things, but still missing info enough to speak the language/get the inside scoop.

 

Apologies for the long post, thanks in advance!

 

No navigable river or canal near Brighton, although there is the Ouse at Newhaven. Brighton has a marina and I expect there is one in Newhaven harbour.

 

Bath and Bristol are arguably the most difficult part of the canal network to get moorings, especially for official residential use.

 

I trust that you are aware that long term moorings on the Cam are even more difficult than Bath and Bristol. I bet the new Bristol moorings will be eyewateringlly expensive.

 

Electricity is in short supply on most boats so you will probably need a marina mooring or one of the very few on line moorings with a shoreline connection for reliability.

 

You may find it easier to get a suitable mooring on the Northern Waterways between Liverpool and Leeds. The midland canals are out unless you get a narrowboat.

 

Sorry this sounds so negative.

[cherrycolouredfunk]

2 hours ago, LadyG said:

When you telephone a marina you are going to be the hundredth person this year asking about a mooring to live on. 

So, this is a problem straight away.

There are very few official Residential Moorings, that is to say very few marinas have Planning Permission for residential moorings. Official Residential Moorings with PP are subject to Council Tax.

 

Aha! So generally speaking, calls won't yield the best result or even reliable info. That explains where I was going wrong.

 

Quote

People who live on their boats full time are probably (essentially) contravening the Terms and Conditions of the marina's own PP! Some marinas just will not allow this. Some will charge extra to those users who are heavy users, that is to say they use more facilities than a leisure user, and are so charged extra. Generally speaking some marinas allow you to use their address as your address, eg for driving licence , accepting post etc etc. Some do not.

 

Understood - is there any way of knowing which ones "some" is, or is that just a matter of getting out there and seeing what's around?

 

 

Quote

PS there is something unusual about linear moorings in Cambridge, try the search facility on here, top right. I think the waiting list is closed.

Oh yeah, I've heard the waiting list is like 10+ years long - insanity. I have no interest in living in Cambridge, so no problem there

[Mad Harold]

A marina that is on paper a leisure mooring but does allow living aboard (or turns a blind eye)  possibly with limits on the time you can spend aboard will not usually divulge this information over the phone to a complete stranger.

They could get hassle from  CRT or the local council.

Best to visit the Marina in person and ask.

[cherrycolouredfunk]

2 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

No navigable river or canal near Brighton, although there is the Ouse at Newhaven. Brighton has a marina and I expect there is one in Newhaven harbour.

 

Bath and Bristol are arguably the most difficult part of the canal network to get moorings, especially for official residential use.

 

I trust that you are aware that long term moorings on the Cam are even more difficult than Bath and Bristol. I bet the new Bristol moorings will be eyewateringlly expensive.

 

Electricity is in short supply on most boats so you will probably need a marina mooring or one of the very few on line moorings with a shoreline connection for reliability.

 

You may find it easier to get a suitable mooring on the Northern Waterways between Liverpool and Leeds. The midland canals are out unless you get a narrowboat.

 

Sorry this sounds so negative.

 

Nah, not negative at all - appreciate the info. We're not huge Cambridge fans, so no desire to stay in/around the area. I'll check out Newhaven harbour. Read a few posts about Kennet and Avon moorings yesterday - it seemed super tricky.

 

I'll also check out Liverpool and Leeds, but I suspect it'll get an immediate veto from the other half (he's vehemently opposed to moving North).

 

[dmr]

All the stuff that Tony says, plus boat life is not that much cheaper than house life, if you have limited DIY skills, and if you factor in house price growth then boat living might cost more. Boat living should only be done if you love boats and canals, and if you feel that you want a boat that is closer to a flat then maybe think again.

It is quite possible to live off grid, but much easier if you are moving rather than static, and again you do need to adjust the lifestyle to suit the boat rather than expecting the boat to be like a house.

 

YouTube is not always the best source of knowledge, go and talk to real boaters rather than amateur film-makers/personalities.

A 70 foot narrowboat is quite big, but is rather narrow 😀

[Tony Brooks]

1 minute ago, cherrycolouredfunk said:

 

Nah, not negative at all - appreciate the info. We're not huge Cambridge fans, so no desire to stay in/around the area. I'll check out Newhaven harbour. Read a few posts about Kennet and Avon moorings yesterday - it seemed super tricky.

 

I'll also check out Liverpool and Leeds, but I suspect it'll get an immediate veto from the other half (he's vehemently opposed to moving North).

 

 

If sea based marinas are a possibility then there are more options, but I am no sure about the residential aspect in them. Brighton has a marina and Sovereign Harbor at Eastbourne. Loads around the Portsmouth/Southampton area.

[dmr]

3 minutes ago, cherrycolouredfunk said:

 

Nah, not negative at all - appreciate the info. We're not huge Cambridge fans, so no desire to stay in/around the area. I'll check out Newhaven harbour. Read a few posts about Kennet and Avon moorings yesterday - it seemed super tricky.

 

I'll also check out Liverpool and Leeds, but I suspect it'll get an immediate veto from the other half (he's vehemently opposed to moving North).

 

 

We spent many years South and Midlands then took some sort of wrong turn and found ourselves in the North.

In the North the bad bits are really bad (some of the towns) but the good bits are really good (some of the smaller towns etc) and the hills are bigger, though it does rain a lot.

 

K&A is possibly on the tipping point between just about ok, and just too full.

[Mad Harold]

1 minute ago, cherrycolouredfunk said:

 

Nah, not negative at all - appreciate the info. We're not huge Cambridge fans, so no desire to stay in/around the area. I'll check out Newhaven harbour. Read a few posts about Kennet and Avon moorings yesterday - it seemed super tricky.

 

I'll also check out Liverpool and Leeds, but I suspect it'll get an immediate veto from the other half (he's vehemently opposed to moving North).

 

A point to bear in mind with living on a leisure mooring, is that you have no security of tenure. You could be asked to leave with little or no notice.

As a Northerner, I will stand up for my part of the country.

The cost of living is much cheaper than the south.The beer is better and cheaper.Boats are cheaper up here, and the people are friendlier and speak proper english.(at least we do in Yorkshire)

 

[Tony Brooks]

1 minute ago, dmr said:

 

We spent many years South and Midlands then took some sort of wrong turn and found ourselves in the North.

In the North the bad bits are really bad (some of the towns) but the good bits are really good (some of the smaller towns etc) and the hills are bigger, though it does rain a lot.

 

K&A is possibly on the tipping point between just about ok, and just too full.

 

I suspect things might be slightly easier at the Reading end of the K&A. I know there are live-a-boards on some non-CaRT moorings downstream of Burghfeld (Southcote moorings I think) and probably in Newbury.

[Silent Flight]

23 minutes ago, cherrycolouredfunk said:

Oh yeah, I've heard the waiting list is like 10+ years long - insanity. I have no interest in living in Cambridge, so no problem there

Believe the list for Cambridge is closed as it’s over 25 years long!
 

I’ve recently made the move to inland waterways. My thinking being that the more you live the lifestyle and speak to people, opportunities and information will come up. on moorings, marinas, land with mooring rights 

 

Best of luck with the boat search 

[cherrycolouredfunk]

2 hours ago, dmr said:

All the stuff that Tony says, plus boat life is not that much cheaper than house life, if you have limited DIY skills, and if you factor in house price growth then boat living might cost more. Boat living should only be done if you love boats and canals, and if you feel that you want a boat that is closer to a flat then maybe think again.

It is quite possible to live off grid, but much easier if you are moving rather than static, and again you do need to adjust the lifestyle to suit the boat rather than expecting the boat to be like a house.

 

YouTube is not always the best source of knowledge, go and talk to real boaters rather than amateur film-makers/personalities.

A 70 foot narrowboat is quite big, but is rather narrow 😀

 

Makes sense - I love the idea of not being tied down and being closer to nature. My DIY skills are decent (I'm comfy with anything besides plumbing/electrics), but there's always more to learn.

 

Adjusting my lifestyle isn't too daunting (was very seriously considering a skoolie conversion before I moved), but I'm not on my own anymore. Was trying to juggle both halves but that might not be possible!

 

Got it, I'll get off YouTube and go speak to some folks on the towpath 😄

[Tony Brooks]

4 minutes ago, cherrycolouredfunk said:

Makes sense - I love the idea of not being tied down and being closer to nature. My DIY skills are decent (I'm comfy with anything besides plumbing/electrics), but there's always more to learn.

 

I get the impression that electrics, especially batteries, and charging when away from the shore line cause the most problems for most new boaters.

[LadyG]

11 minutes ago, cherrycolouredfunk said:

 

Makes sense - I love the idea of not being tied down and being closer to nature. My DIY skills are decent (I'm comfy with anything besides plumbing/electrics), but there's always more to learn.

 

Adjusting my lifestyle isn't too daunting (was very seriously considering a skoolie conversion before I moved), but I'm not on my own anymore. Was trying to juggle both halves but that might not be possible!

 

Got it, I'll get off YouTube and go speak to some folks on the towpath 😄

I think you're ready to go and look at a few boats in your budget range, Whilton Marina has an open door policy and loads of boats, after looking at a dozen or so,  if still interested have a look at some brokers websites. They have a lot of useful information, and  often a few interesting boats. Do not touch any project boats, you want plenty of bells and whistles.

[cherrycolouredfunk]

2 hours ago, LadyG said:

I think you're ready to go and look at a few boats in your budget range, Whilton Marina has an open door policy and loads of boats, after looking at a dozen or so,  if still interested have a look at some brokers websites. They have a lot of useful information, and  often a few interesting boats. Do not touch any project boats, you want plenty of bells and whistles.

Ah nice! Will plan a trip to Whilton and see what we see

[Lady M]

30 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I think you're ready to go and look at a few boats in your budget range, Whilton Marina has an open door policy and loads of boats, after looking at a dozen or so,  if still interested have a look at some brokers websites. They have a lot of useful information, and  often a few interesting boats. Do not touch any project boats, you want plenty of bells and whistles.

 

Lady G - have you looked at Whilton's website recently?  They appear to have four boats on sale at the moment, all narrowboats.

[howardang]

1 hour ago, Mad Harold said:

A point to bear in mind with living on a leisure mooring, is that you have no security of tenure. You could be asked to leave with little or no notice.

As a Northerner, I will stand up for my part of the country.

The cost of living is much cheaper than the south.The beer is better and cheaper.Boats are cheaper up here, and the people are friendlier and speak proper english.(at least we do in Yorkshire)

 

And the fish and chips are a million per cent better!

 

Howard

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, howardang said:

And the fish and chips are a million per cent better!

 

Howard

 

I expect the OP will apprecaite this ....................

 

1st time in the US I asked in the hotel for a well done steak with chips and onion rings, received some odd looks but hey-ho.

 

The meal arrived with a nicely done steak some slices of onion and a 'bag of crisps on the side'.

 

They don't make chips like we do !

[Laurie Booth]

5 hours ago, cherrycolouredfunk said:

Long-time lurker, first-time poster 🙂. I'm a late 20s US expat here since 2019. I'm married and have family out here, so the UK is home for the foreseeable future. The property market and mortgage system are wild to me, so I've been researching alternatives since last summer. My husband is open to living aboard as a potential alternative but isn't keen about it as a lifelong living solution – I'm keeping this in mind as we search.

 

I'm based in Cambridgeshire and have seen plenty of narrowboats, barges, and the like. For research, I've: 

• Watched hours of boating YouTube (Cruising the Cut, Chugging along, Canice Bannon, etc.)
• Kept up with the forums here and downloaded resources where I can (like the solar calculator)
• Called brokerages/marinas for info on the purchasing process and moorings

 

We also plan to do a weekend stay on a boat and ask some Cambs boaters about their experiences. Even so, I know I've just scratched the surface and most of this is trial by fire. We've got the budget to buy a boat up to 70k and resources/family to help with minor reno work aboard (excluding specialty electricians and plumbing). I work remotely, can live anywhere, and don't mind getting my hands dirty with maintenance jobs.

 

Boat-wise, we're aiming for a barge. I'd be cool with a narrowboat, but I'm trying to keep things as analogous to regular living as possible (currently in a flat).

 

My partner has more requirements. He wants to remain in the South and have a generally fixed location, which eliminates CC'ing. Ideally, we'd like to be near Brighton or Bristol & Bath as we like cities and they offer the links to London needed for my work. We're viewing our first boats this weekend (two widebeams without mooring), so my big questions are:

 

• Assuming we find a boat we like and get most mod-cons (wifi, power enough for PC remote work/PS5s/TV, sufficient hot water - BIG IFs, I know), how are y'all mooring/navigating the waters?
• How does one go about designing power systems, heating, and hot water storage to sustain no-utility moorings?

 

The advice here is "mooring first, boat second", but all the marinas are full and folks seem to suggest asking about moorings in person or using leisure moorings as a "don't ask, don't tell" option. Seems like Bristol's opening up some Capricorn Quay spots in the next year or so, but demand is still wildly high. CRT moorings for wide beams look pretty rare, and we have little desire to live in/around London.

Any resources or advice for a hopeful newbie? Boat life remains attractive to me because of the freedom and community aspects, so not looking at it as a "quick fix". In all my research it feels like I'm on the cusp of understanding things, but still missing info enough to speak the language/get the inside scoop.

 

Apologies for the long post, thanks in advance!

Rent a flat in Bath

 

[LadyG]

2 hours ago, Lady C said:

 

Lady G - have you looked at Whilton's website recently?  They appear to have four boats on sale at the moment, all narrowboats.

Lol, probably so busy they haven't got time to update. They do have a sister marina, but OP would be advised to ring first.

[David Mack]

Narrow boats up to 58 ft long (60 at a pinch) can go anywhere on the connected main waterways network ( England and a bit of Wales). Narrow boats 58-70ft can do the southern and Midland waterways but are too long for the transpennine and some northeastern waterways.

Wide boats are restricted to three separate chunks of the network - south (including the K&A, Thames and Grand Union Main Line up to Birmingham), North (Liverpool and Manchester across to Yorkshire, Yorkshire waterways, River Trent and Soar) and Anglian (Nene below Northampton, Great Ouse below Bedford plus tributaries and Middle Level). (And anything over 7ft beam is too wide for the main Midlands network). To get between these three areas in a wide boat you need to go by sea or by lorry. So a wide boat will be much more restrictive in terms of where you can go.

 

If you have been browsing the forum for any length of time you may have seen a certain antipathy towards wide boats. Mainly because even the nominally wide canals (in the south particularly) are not really big enough to accommodate them with ease, they can be slow moving, and are sometimes moored in places which makes passage more difficult for others. On the other hand, a wide boat in a marina which rarely moves troubles nobody.

6 hours ago, cherrycolouredfunk said:

How does one go about designing power systems, heating, and hot water storage to sustain no-utility moorings?

Heating - diesel fired boiler feeding radiators and or solid fuel stove is what most people use. Having both gives you some redundancy.

Hot water - either a gas fired instantaneous water heater, or a calorifier (fancy name for a hot water tank) which can be heated by any or all of engine cooling system, diesel central heating boiler, back boiler from solid fuel stove, electric immersion heater (only when on shore line power supply).

Electricity - the biggest problem for newbies. Unlike a house or flat (or a boat with a shore line connection) you have to generate it all yourself - by some combination of your main propulsion engine, a generator and solar panels. Solar is great in summer, and all but useless in winter. And because you have to generate it all yourself you need to be much more frugal in how much you use. And between generating it and using it you have to store it in batteries. And if you don't manage the battery charging properly you will pretty quickly wreck the batteries.  Remember that batteries don't make electricity, they only store it, so everything you take out has to be put back (+ at least 10% more because the charging process is not 100% efficient). There's lots on the forum about how to manage electricity and look after your batteries, but it can all seem very daunting for a newbie.

[Drayke]

9 hours ago, cherrycolouredfunk said:

Long-time lurker, first-time poster 🙂. I'm a late 20s US expat here since 2019. I'm married and have family out here, so the UK is home for the foreseeable future. The property market and mortgage system are wild to me, so I've been researching alternatives since last summer. My husband is open to living aboard as a potential alternative but isn't keen about it as a lifelong living solution – I'm keeping this in mind as we search.

 

I'm based in Cambridgeshire and have seen plenty of narrowboats, barges, and the like. For research, I've: 

• Watched hours of boating YouTube (Cruising the Cut, Chugging along, Canice Bannon, etc.)
• Kept up with the forums here and downloaded resources where I can (like the solar calculator)
• Called brokerages/marinas for info on the purchasing process and moorings

 

We also plan to do a weekend stay on a boat and ask some Cambs boaters about their experiences. Even so, I know I've just scratched the surface and most of this is trial by fire. We've got the budget to buy a boat up to 70k and resources/family to help with minor reno work aboard (excluding specialty electricians and plumbing). I work remotely, can live anywhere, and don't mind getting my hands dirty with maintenance jobs.

 

Boat-wise, we're aiming for a barge. I'd be cool with a narrowboat, but I'm trying to keep things as analogous to regular living as possible (currently in a flat).

 

My partner has more requirements. He wants to remain in the South and have a generally fixed location, which eliminates CC'ing. Ideally, we'd like to be near Brighton or Bristol & Bath as we like cities and they offer the links to London needed for my work. We're viewing our first boats this weekend (two widebeams without mooring), so my big questions are:

 

• Assuming we find a boat we like and get most mod-cons (wifi, power enough for PC remote work/PS5s/TV, sufficient hot water - BIG IFs, I know), how are y'all mooring/navigating the waters?
• How does one go about designing power systems, heating, and hot water storage to sustain no-utility moorings?

 

The advice here is "mooring first, boat second", but all the marinas are full and folks seem to suggest asking about moorings in person or using leisure moorings as a "don't ask, don't tell" option. Seems like Bristol's opening up some Capricorn Quay spots in the next year or so, but demand is still wildly high. CRT moorings for wide beams look pretty rare, and we have little desire to live in/around London.

Any resources or advice for a hopeful newbie? Boat life remains attractive to me because of the freedom and community aspects, so not looking at it as a "quick fix". In all my research it feels like I'm on the cusp of understanding things, but still missing info enough to speak the language/get the inside scoop.

 

Apologies for the long post, thanks in advance!

Try looking on Apollo Duck for moorings there is one being advertised on the K&A around Newbury at the moment.

https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/boats-for-sale/marinas-and-moorings/residential-moorings

 

[Steve56]

10 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

If sea based marinas are a possibility then there are more options, but I am no sure about the residential aspect in them. Brighton has a marina and Sovereign Harbor at Eastbourne. Loads around the Portsmouth/Southampton area.

I have seen a few wide beam boats moored in Portishead Marina and people live aboard, but unofficially. Even though it exits onto the Severn Estuary its a relatively easy job to go on up into Bristol and on to the canal network. Also over the years I have seen a few wide beam boats moored at some of the marinas and boat clubs within Cardiff Bay. Maybe some help to you.

[Peanut]

Newhaven marina said they would evict me if they found me living aboard.  I paid for a berth in Eastbourne but gave it up as I found a better location for me. Eastbourne, which is surrounded by a housing estate, is not the most friendly place. They are a bit sniffy about people living aboard, and local residence phone the office and complain. I doubt if you would get away with it there.