living afloat in europe

[steve999]

Hi, does anyone live afloat in europe that reads this forum, it seems a lot cheaper than in the UK.

Any views ??

[NB Alnwick]

Hi, does anyone live afloat in europe that reads this forum, it seems a lot cheaper than in the UK.

Any views ??

 

Take a look at the web pages of Bill Davis:

 

http://www.billybubbles.demon.co.uk/index.html

 

Edited to add: Check out the 'Problems of Boating in Europe' and then check the site map its all there!

Edited December 20, 2007 by NB Alnwick

[steve999]

Just been looking at Bills site and reading through his logs I have been in stitches of laughter - sounds as though he is having one heck of an adventure !!!

[Boaty Jo]

Hi, does anyone live afloat in europe that reads this forum, it seems a lot cheaper than in the UK.

Any views ??

 

We live in Holland on a barge.

We'll have been here for a year by the time we leave next April and the mooring will have cost us 750 Euros.

Included in that is water, some good advice and a small christmas cake!

 

Metered electric is 30 eurocents a kilowatt. We plug in and use roughly 10 euros per week. I believe other places charge up to 50 eurocents per kilowatt

a 10.5kg gas bottle is 26 euro

Just had 1000 litres red diesel delivered by tanker (for heating and genny only) @ about 92 eurocents a litre (ouch!).

Last white diesel we got (august I think was just over one euro per litre but it may be slightly more now.

 

Tobacco one third price of UK

Booze about 20% cheaper

Vegetables 25% more expensive here!

If you want Bisto, bovril or Fray Bentos pies they are really pricey as you have to get a ferry back to the UK.

Chandlery averages out similar to UK I would think.

 

Jo

[steve999]

NB Alnwick,

Just being looking at your site and where your boat was built and by coincidence I bought a lister SL2 from one of the chaps that works there and am currently building a generator with it !!!

 

Steve

[NB Alnwick]

NB Alnwick,

Just being looking at your site and where your boat was built and by coincidence I bought a lister SL2 from one of the chaps that works there and am currently building a generator with it !!!

 

Steve,

 

Boatyards are always fascinating places and Phil Trotter's emporium at Saul Junction particularly so - there are so many interestiing engines and bits of engines lurking in the yard!

 

Like you, I have always yearned to try boating around mainland Europe but it would require many sacrifices - it is often said that you never really appreciate something until it is no longer available . . .

Edited December 21, 2007 by NB Alnwick

[honey ryder]

quote "3. Getting things you need. Getting spares for the boat can be tricky. This problem divides into two parts - explaining what you need to someone who may not speak good English, and then sourcing it. Sourcing things is complicated by being in a state of carlessness. I've recently given up on Lucas batteries - I couldn't find them anywhere within a 20 mile radius of the boat." end quote

 

Im not sure if he is being sarcastic here... mentioning that you would explain something in ENGLISH... in a foreign country? either hes trying to be funny and i dont get it or hes another mental brit thinking everyone in the world should speak english! howabout this, to raise your chances of getting cheaper stuff and fitting in better and finding a decent mooring.. try learning the language appropriate to the region.. or at the very least try!

[blackrose]

If you want Bisto, bovril or Fray Bentos pies they are really pricey as you have to get a ferry back to the UK.

Fray Bentos pies? Isn't it funny how even crap food from home can taste good when you're abroad. I wouldn't touch these things at home.

 

Im not sure if he is being sarcastic here... mentioning that you would explain something in ENGLISH... in a foreign country? either hes trying to be funny and i dont get it or hes another mental brit thinking everyone in the world should speak english! howabout this, to raise your chances of getting cheaper stuff and fitting in better and finding a decent mooring.. try learning the language appropriate to the region.. or at the very least try!

Well, linguistically speaking there are two schools of thought on this: It's always wise to be as culturally sensitive as possible by spending time learning the local language, along with showing some interest in local customs and culture, or you can live in your own little cultural bubble that you brought with you and just SHOUT LOUDER IN ENGLISH! Edited December 21, 2007 by blackrose

[steve999]

Hello Jo,

Nice to hear from someone in Holland, your moorings are certainly cheap especially considering that you are in quite a large boat but then you have to bear in mind the other things that are more expensive.

Cost is only part of the picture the other part for me is the adventure.

Interesting that vegetables are dearer, I suppose that the Dutch eat lots of tulips !!

 

Steve

[Boaty Jo]

Hello Jo,

Nice to hear from someone in Holland, your moorings are certainly cheap especially considering that you are in quite a large boat but then you have to bear in mind the other things that are more expensive.

Cost is only part of the picture the other part for me is the adventure.

Interesting that vegetables are dearer, I suppose that the Dutch eat lots of tulips !!

 

Steve

 

No one is forcing you to eat veg!

Bear in mind that if we lived near a large city, moorings would probably be more expensive.

As far as adventure is concerned, you don't need to have a large boat to have fun. It all depends on what level of comfort you feel you need, also whether or not you wish to liveaboard. We know a couple who have just spent the whole summer cruising in a small cruiser, around 20/ 25 ft at a guess. Advantages are that mooring, which you often pay for by length, is cheaper, you can access tiny canals and waterways not suited to bigger craft, you don't need ICC (under 15m I believe), running costs are less etc.

Disadvantages pretty self-evident.

There are literally thousands of good cruisers for sale, built for inland waterway cruising and the majority below 15m. Not the traditionalists cup of tea I grant you but certainly built for a job. Have a google.

 

Jo

[saltysplash]

I have friend who moved his 120ft dutch barge from Hoo on the Medway to France entering the canal system at Dunkirk Last Spring.

 

So far he still hasnt paid for a single mooring (still in france) and at his current long term winter mooring he even gets lifts to the shops with his local lock keeper.

 

Oh to be retired

[Pie Eater]

I've noticed that Bill Davies has not updated his website since October last year. Does anyone on the forum know him as I have enjoyed reading his blog about the waterways abroad.

 

His website is www.billybubbles.demon.co.uk/

 

Thanks

Steve

[NB Alnwick]

I've noticed that Bill Davies has not updated his website since October last year. Does anyone on the forum know him as I have enjoyed reading his blog about the waterways abroad.

 

His website is www.billybubbles.demon.co.uk/

 

Thanks

Steve

 

I don't think this is necessarily significant - his website is updated by family members in England using text and pics sent either by email or post and there are often delays at this time of the year.

 

We are also looking forward to the latest updates . . .

 

Edited to add that his latest update (28 December 2007) has just appeared!

 

Click here to see it!

Edited January 5, 2008 by NB Alnwick

[bargemast]

Fray Bentos pies? Isn't it funny how even crap food from home can taste good when you're abroad. I wouldn't touch these things at home.

 

Well, linguistically speaking there are two schools of thought on this: It's always wise to be as culturally sensitive as possible by spending time learning the local language, along with showing some interest in local customs and culture, or you can live in your own little cultural bubble that you brought with you and just SHOUT LOUDER IN ENGLISH!

 

I'm living in France on the waterways since 1979, and I have a lot of English friends, but it seems very common for a lot of english visiters, to think that everbody in the world will understand them, if they don't, they are probably deaf, so to make yourself understood you speak louder, and louder, if the french still don't understand they must be stupid.

But if they don't want to bother to learn the language, they will sooner or later regret, as they will miss out on many things.

There are however several english owned boatyards in the country, and one address that exists more then 30 years, of someone that has almost everything for boats, and what he hasn't, he'll be able to get you, or help you out otherwise, and even after all those years, you will never hear a bad word about him, or his business. I don't try to make publicity for him, as his business is going well enough, but just for the people in France that need something they can't get; try Ted Johnson, trading under the name of "Marine-Diesel" tel. 00-33-386-20-14-80, he can also find you good mechanics, if you need one.