Thinking about buying a boat

[Isher1883]

With rent so expensive and mortgages through the roof me and my partner are thinking about buying a boat to live on full time. How ever we wouldn't be cruising continuously it would just be our home and still be working around south Manchester. I think Victoria pit would be an ideal location but I've read mooring have to be residential to live there permanently. Does anyone know if this is the case? And does anyone know if there are any residential moorings near Stockport?

[Tracy D'arth]

Here we go again.   There are dozens of similar threads on here and many sensible answers. Can I suggest that instead of expecting us all to go through it again you use the search function and read some of those threads first then come back to us?

 

Residential moorings are controlled by unicorns and run by chickens with teeth. 

[Isher1883]

Thanks for your reply no need for the sarcasm. Was just asking a question. I've read the other threads and as someone who is new to it found it a little confusing. 

[PaulJ]

There are a few places to moor along that bit- have a look on google maps- probably worth  your time to have a wander and chat to people face to face. Theres some farm moorings close to Victoria Pit for instance.

You will find the vast majority of boaters helpful and happy to talk/help.

I started boating on a whim,wreck of a boat and no knowledge and havent looked back. If there were forums about when I started I wonder if it would have scared me off 😀

[Isher1883]

Thanks Paul great response I will take a walk down that way for sure. It seems like a great life and at 30 years old something that is really appealing to me

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, Isher1883 said:

Thanks for your reply no need for the sarcasm. Was just asking a question. I've read the other threads and as someone who is new to it found it a little confusing. 

 

The search function is a bit difficult to master and can be a PITA, a bit like the way some long standing members welcome new members, as you have just found.

[magnetman]

Usual advice is if you are new to it make sure you have a mooring secured before getting the Boat. 

 

Not always easy but if you don't do this you end up 'continuously cruising' which is probably not what you want to be doing and is liable to cause problems later.  

 

Don't take too much notice of people saying how wonderful it is or people saying it is rubbish and be very careful about living on a Boat purely for financial reasons. It may seem like a clever way around the problem but it is so different from living in a conventional dwelling its hard to explain.

 

Financial constraints is not a good reason to buy a Boat. 

 

It might seem like a good reason but it actually isn't. 

[Sue68]

How much time have you spent on a boat? It is a depreciating asset so not cheap. Good luck finding a residential mooring. The alternative is living under the radar. 

[Isher1883]

Thanks for all the responses I'll take it all on board

[Tracy D'arth]

56 minutes ago, Isher1883 said:

Thanks for your reply no need for the sarcasm. Was just asking a question. I've read the other threads and as someone who is new to it found it a little confusing. 

No sarcasm at all, just frustration with folk who think living on a boat is cheap housing and a piece of cake but expect chapter and verse from the forum without expending any effort.

[Tony Brooks]

To try to spell the mooring thing out.

 

There are few proper residential moorings where you have security of tenure, and they tend to be expensive, although things may be a little easier where you are. Council tax is usually payable in one way or another.

 

There are some leisure moorings that do a Nelson and don't mind you living aboard or charge you a bit more for "intensive use", but you need to keep a low profile and usually not have any post or packages addressed to the mooring. Some demand to see your home address. If the mooring owner changes, the local council start asking about people living aboard or you make yourself unpopular, you may be ordered off the mooring forthwith.

 

If you think that you can moor for long periods against the canal bank and ignore CaRT's rules and any order to move on, then CaRT may refuse to license the boat and that can lead to it being taken and disposed of. Basically you have to move on every 14 days or a lesser period if so signed. There are a few 2-hour moorings and many more three or seven day ones.

 

I suspect that living on a boat on a proper residential mooring is likely to cost as much as a flat, and possibly more. That is without starting to think about getting water, fuel, sewage & rubbish disposal, and most importantly keeping the batteries charged.

 

[phillarrow]

4 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

No sarcasm at all, just frustration with folk who think living on a boat is cheap housing and a piece of cake but expect chapter and verse from the forum without expending any effort.

It's such a shame that this forum puts all of its posts in one place, thus forcing long-standing members to work hard to find the threads they are interested in engaging with.

 

It would be so much better if they would split the forum into different sections based on topic titles. They could even have a specific section for those of us who are new or prospective boaters. They could even call it something like, oh I don't know, "New to Boating", for example. This would mean that older/grumpier members wouldn't be forced against their will to read the same old questions posed by inexperienced or new members.

 

I might suggest this to the forum Gods. I think it would help make it better for new and old/grumpy alike. 😉

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, phillarrow said:

It would be so much better if they would split the forum into different sections based on topic titles.

 

Your wish is our command - if you look at the index page you 'may be surprised' to find many distinct sections covering everything from 'New Boaters' to Get Togethers, to Living Aboard.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

No sarcasm at all, just frustration with folk who think living on a boat is cheap housing and a piece of cake but expect chapter and verse from the forum without expending any effort.

 

And this affected you how exactly?

[Guest]

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Your wish is our command - if you look at the index page you 'may be surprised' to find many distinct sections covering everything from 'New Boaters' to Get Togethers, to Living Aboard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You clearly missed the point.

 

 

 

Too subtle perhaps?

[magnetman]

I wonder if the OP wants a wide Boat or a narrow Boat.

 

This could alter perceptions and also inform advice.

 

 

[dmr]

If you factor in the ever increasing value of houses then living on a boat is actually more expensive than living in bricks (but cheaper than renting).

Boat living has many big disadvantages but for most of us this is offset by the pleasure of going boating. Static living, especially in a marina, can be the worse of both worlds though a few people get on ok with it.

[phillarrow]

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Your wish is our command - if you look at the index page you 'may be surprised' to find many distinct sections covering everything from 'New Boaters' to Get Togethers, to Living Aboard.

 

 

 

 

 

Wow! Who'd have thought that eh?! You mean we actually have a choice about the topics we read?!

 

I wonder why the forum Gods force some members to visit the sections they don't like then?! It's just odd!! 😉🥴

[magnetman]

Also worth checking what sort of lavatory is on the Boat. Not a lot else matters.

[phillarrow]

2 minutes ago, MJG said:

 

You clearly missed the point.

 

 

 

Too subtle perhaps?

Surely not! Surely he was being equally sarcastic?! 

[magnetman]

Didn't Metallica do a song about Boat lavatories?
 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, MJG said:

 

You clearly missed the point.

 

 

 

Not at all - rather if the OP have read that 'new to boating'  or 'marinas and moorings' he may have found some answers, rather than repeating qiestions that have already been asked, and answered.

That may then lead him to ask some specific questions rather than ......................

 

2 hours ago, Isher1883 said:

I've read mooring have to be residential to live there permanently. Does anyone know if this is the case?

 

The subject of 'proper' liveaboard moorings with planning permission Vs a leisure mooring where you can live aboard if you keep your head down, but if ou upset anyone you can be kicked out and have to move your boat 'within minutes' have been discussed ad nauseum

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Not at all - rather if the OP have read that 'new to boating'  or 'marinas and moorings' he may have found some answers, rather than repeating qiestions that have already been asked, and answered.

That may then lead him to ask some specific questions rather than ......................

 

 

The subject of 'proper' liveaboard moorings with planning permission Vs a leisure mooring where you can live aboard if you keep your head down, but if ou upset anyone you can be kicked out and have to move your boat 'within minutes' have been discussed ad nauseum

 

You weren't replying to the original poster...

[nealeST]

I think you are in a better place to start with if your reasons are along the lines of

I love being outdoors especially in winter in the rain and blustery wind.

I enjoy constantly seeing changing landscape at a slow pace.

I have an overwhelming desire to be nomadic and just can’t stand the thought of spending years and years in the same place.

Am self employed and don’t need to be fixed to any particular location.

I accept it will be just as expensive as the running the costs of a flat or small house and saving money isn’t my main priority .

I’m very resourceful and enjoy adapting to all kinds of situations which can even potentially be injurious to my health.

 

 

I might be back later with a bunch more…I think my basic point is you want the lifestyle. One other thing I’d like to mention is that the aesthetics of traditional narrowboats and canal architecture really speaks to me. The canals call to me….being near canals makes me happy…if I’m on a boat or not. Can’t explain that one….

 

Edited December 18, 2023 by nealeST
Missing word

[Isher1883]

I'll just not bother, if that makes people happy. Who'd have thought asking a question about canal boats on a canal boat forum would cause such an inconvenience to people. I just go for it on my own. Have a nice life people 🤘