lone Female new to boating

[Mad Harold]

1 hour ago, Didne said:

Hello … not wanting to hijacker’s this thread but … could a GRP boat make a suitable year-round liveaboard ? … are they especially difficult to keep warm in in the winter ? … xxx

Yes they can, but not usually as offered for sale.

Heating is usually a diesel blown air heater, Chinese ones are cheap and easy to fit being aware of BSS guidlines.

They are rarely insulated apart from some thin carpet, so need insulating sheets sticking to the hull and the carpet putting back.This requires flexible insulating sheets as most grp cruisers have compound curves inside.

The big greenhouse windows can be easily double glazed with polycarbonate sheets held on with velcro or double sided tape.

Some grp cruisers do have woodburner/multifuel stoves but extra care is needed with the gas and fuel installation (especially petrol)

Hot water and a shower although not essential are nice to have.

If outboard powered a solar panel will be needed as outboard generators are just usually enough to keep the starter battery topped up.

A grp boat can be made quite livable but most will need work and equipment to make them so.

Thats why steel canal boats are the more popular choice to live on, as they will have (usually) all the stuff ready fitted for comfortable living.

 

[ditchcrawler]

6 hours ago, Loubeloo said:

yes Im on facebook, please could you let me know the name of the group? 

 

Contact Kate Saffin as its a closed group for obvious reasons  (2) Kate Saffin | Facebook

[mrsmelly]

10 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Contact Kate Saffin as its a closed group for obvious reasons  (2) Kate Saffin | Facebook

Kate is as mad as a box of frogs and a lovely lady, she even extols the virtues of composting bogs bless her cotton socks.

[Wanderer Vagabond]

8 hours ago, Loubeloo said:

I know that you shouldn't rush into boating but I have the opportunity to secure a mooring at a marina about 10 mins walk from my house. They are rare as hens teeth. 

 

Im a single female - and the only experience I've had with narrowboats is a holiday with another person. 

 

Would it be best to secure the mooring first then get the boat? 

 

My heart is telling me to go for it- it wouldn't be a liveaboard so I would be looking for a boat 35ft or less. 

 

I don't have a huge amount of money- would a boat costing about 17/18k be up to scratch?

 

There just seem to be various things falling into place that make me think its time to take a plunge. 

 

How difficult is it for a single middle aged female to operate a narrowboat on their own and navigate locks etc. 

 

can anyone direct me to useful advice? 

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In terms of could you do it? absolutely certainly, I'd tend to go more for the 'why' would you do it? You say that it isn't going to be a liveaboard, so I'm guessing that it will just be for trips out during the season. Before retirement (when I became free to go wherever on the system I wanted) I had a time share that was supposed to have given me access to about 6 marinas in different parts of the country. When I ditched it, that had reverted to just one marina (Sawley). If you are still working then the time you will have to use the boat will be limited and if you are based in one marina (as in my time-share at Sawley) what that often boils down to is being able to go out of the marina and turn left for a week and then back (if you are out for a fortnight) and next time go out of the marina and turn right for a week. You will soon get to know the local area very well.

 

What I'd tend to do in your position would be to gain loads of experience on other people's boats (hiring) when they will have all of the worry of licensing,insuring,BSS,maintenance,etc.etc. You will also have the opportunity to go anywhere on the system to hire, rather than overdosing on your local area.

 

If however you are coming up to retirement, go for it!

[peterboat]

9 hours ago, Loubeloo said:

I know that you shouldn't rush into boating but I have the opportunity to secure a mooring at a marina about 10 mins walk from my house. They are rare as hens teeth. 

 

Im a single female - and the only experience I've had with narrowboats is a holiday with another person. 

 

Would it be best to secure the mooring first then get the boat? 

 

My heart is telling me to go for it- it wouldn't be a liveaboard so I would be looking for a boat 35ft or less. 

 

I don't have a huge amount of money- would a boat costing about 17/18k be up to scratch?

 

There just seem to be various things falling into place that make me think its time to take a plunge. 

 

How difficult is it for a single middle aged female to operate a narrowboat on their own and navigate locks etc. 

 

can anyone direct me to useful advice? 

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree with the others, fiberglass cruiser easy found at your budget, inboard diesel is best and blown air diesel central heating. When I decided to go boating the first thing I secured was the moorings you do the same, then there is no panic when you buy the boat. On our moorings we might have a Dutch cruiser coming up, it's nice but wants finishing, its steel with a new engine and diesel heating, and its within your budget, so yes look around and enjoy life. Dutch lady is big enough to live on though as she is fairly well designed