Aspire to boat

[Inspire_to_Boat93]

Hi all,

 

in the future I plan to live aboard a narrowboat alone and in September I am going to study plumbing. I wonder if this is a pipe dream if I continuous cruise or does anyone know anyone who made it work.

 

I don't know if I can specialise in canal and home systems and was wondering if anyone had a van they moved around with their boat and if they'd had any trouble?

 

please respond

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 19:55 by Inspire_to_Boat93
wrong use of their

[Bacchus]

16 hours ago, Inspire_to_Boat93 said:

I am going to study plumbing. I wonder if this is a pipe dream

 

-I wanted to write a book about dragons, but it was just a fantasy

-I wanted to be an oneirologist but I was living in a dream world

-I wanted to be a baker for British Airways, but it was just pie in the sky

-I thought I was narcoleptic, but I was just day-dreaming

Etc. etc. etc.   (any more?)

I believe that many people do game the system and hold down full time work/studies whilst “cruising”. Personally I think you would be better off living on a mooring and using your spare time for cruising. Coordinating moving boats, using public transport, and moving vans whilst working/studying is no kind of life!

[LadyG]

16 hours ago, Inspire_to_Boat93 said:

Hi all,

 

in the future I plan to live aboard a narrowboat alone and in September I am going to study plumbing. I wonder if this is a pipe dream if I continuous cruise or does anyone know anyone who made it work.

 

I don't know if I can specialise in canal and home systems and was wondering if anyone had a van they moved around with their boat and if they'd had any trouble?

 

please respond

 

 

All sounds a bit desperate. I suggest you get an unfinished project

 

[MtB]

I dreamed I'd written "Lord of the Rings", but I was just Tolkien in my sleep....

 

 

[Arthur Marshall]

I would learn plumbing first, then you could afford a boat! It's not a particularly cheap way of life any more.

[LadyG]

2 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I would learn plumbing first, then you could afford a boat! It's not a particularly cheap way of life any more.

I think i could manage modern plumbing, they just push fit plastic pipes..

Its not rocket science and I dont think there is a big demand.

Edited Wednesday at 12:19 by LadyG

[Tony Brooks]

16 hours ago, Inspire_to_Boat93 said:

 

I don't know if I can specialise in canal and home systems and was wondering if anyone had a van they moved around with their boat and if they'd had any trouble?

 

You would be leaving your van in a very public space unless you moor into a marina. I can see two problems. You stand a better than average chance of having all your tools etc. in the van stolen, and I suspect the van's insurance might be problematical.

1 minute ago, LadyG said:

I think i could manage modern plumbing, they just push fit plastic pipes..

Its not rocket science and I dont think there is a big demand.

 

So you know all the regulations affecting plumbing for house in the UK.

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I would learn plumbing first, then you could afford a boat! It's not a particularly cheap way of life any more.

 

I did it the other way around. Bought a boat to live on, learned plumbing, bought a house, bought more boats! 

 

Pretty well impossible to run a plumbing business without a land base to work out of, I'd say. Work for someone else as a PAYE plumber whilst CCing, much easier. 

 

 

 

 

[LadyG]

51 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

So you know all the regulations affecting plumbing for house in the UK.

No need for that nonsense. Cash only.

49 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

I did it the other way around. Bought a boat to live on, learned plumbing, bought a house, bought more boats! 

 

Pretty well impossible to run a plumbing business without a land base to work out of, I'd say. Work for someone else as a PAYE plumber whilst CCing, much easier. 

 

 

 

 

You are soo sensible, today...

The lads who recently sorted my boat internals were not phased, though a few eyebrows were raised. Combined experience about 100 years.

Ive got copper pipes.

Some houses had lead pipes, there may be a few left.

Boats are not like houses.

Houses are not like boats.

If you want a job. I suggest you phone a few companies. Get a job, learn a trade.

 

Edited Wednesday at 13:11 by LadyG

[ditchcrawler]

14 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I think i could manage modern plumbing, they just push fit plastic pipes..

Its not rocket science and I dont think there is a big demand.

You haven't seen the number of posts on FB "I need a plumber" 

[LadyG]

23 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

You haven't seen the number of posts on FB "I need a plumber" 

I dont do FB, but im sure they dont want someone with no experience.  What can possibly go wrong?

Pull the washing machine out from the wall and shove the pipes back in place.,?

 If that doesn't work tell them its redundant and you'll take it away for £30....

If its electrics, charge £70 callout fee, suggest they find an electrician.

Edited Thursday at 12:32 by LadyG

[MtB]

13 minutes ago, LadyG said:

If you want a job. I suggest you phone a few companies. Get a job, learn a trade.

 

I haven't had a job for almost 50 years now. I've been self-unemployed all that time! 

 

I wasted 20 years buying houses, doing them up and selling them. I still have a few left. 

 

I have to admit, I'm still not sure if being self-employed is going to work out ok....   

 

 

[LadyG]

Just now, MtB said:

 

I haven't had a job for almost 50 years now. I've been self-unemployed all that time! 

 

I wasted 20 years buying houses, doing them up and selling them. I still have a few left. 

Im adressing OP,

PS dont you have a jobvacancy for him.

PPS you would be well advised to sell up and emigrate, while you can....

[MtB]

1 minute ago, LadyG said:

PS dont you have a jobvacancy for him.

 

Anyone dopey enough to take a job working for me, I wouldn't want them! 

 

[blackrose]

40 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I think i could manage modern plumbing, they just push fit plastic pipes..

Its not rocket science and I dont think there is a big demand.

 

You seem quite bullish in this thread regarding the simplicity of household plumbing and confidence in your own skills. It's quite surprising when set against the number of other threads in which you obviously have no clue and no practical skills. 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 12:59 by blackrose

[LadyG]

19 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

You seem quite bullish in this thread regarding the simplicity of household plumbing and confidence in your own skills. It's quite surprising when set against the number of other threads in which you obviously have no clue and no practical skills. 

 

 

Exactly so, however im not starting out, and im not interested in plumbing.

Ive had houses and boats for fifty years, and never employed a plumber.

When I buy a house its generally got plumbing, as do boats.

Generally employing someone ad hoc is a problem. If they are good enough to employ, they are usually in employment.  Imho.

Having been self employed for a short time, it is not easy. The customers are an absolute pia, like to interfere, change the plan half way tbrough and dont like to pay for things like your overheads!

Edited Thursday at 08:53 by LadyG

[IanM]

50 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Exactly so, however im not starting out, and im not interested in plumbing.

Ive had houses and boats for fifty years, and never employed a plumber.

When I buy a house its generally got plumbing, as do boats.

Generally employing someone ad hock is a problem. If they are good enough to employ, they are usually in employment.  

 

Is it just me who can't understand what that post is meant to mean?

 

Are you saying that you never have needed a plumber in the past and if you did need one you wouldn't get one because they would be all off working for other people?  And if one was available you wouldn't want them to do work for you anyway as obviously they're no good as they would be working for other people if they were?

 

No wonder you've had issues with tradespeople in the past with that attitude!

[Arthur Marshall]

I'm not sure what the term "plumbing" covers. If it's just connecting water pipes up, it's not exactly rocket science  but once you get into adding toilets, boilers and heating systems it all gets a bit more complex. It's also work most people don't want to do for themselves due to it being physically onerous.

Boat plumbing is pretty basic, though!

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

2 hours ago, LadyG said:

I think i could manage modern plumbing, they just push fit plastic pipes..

Its not rocket science and I dont think there is a big demand.

What about gas boilers, hot water systems, central heating systems, brazing & soldering pipework, pressurised systems? I think if you want to be totally competent and professional it’s a lot harder than just joining together Seedfit pipe and fittings from Screwfix. Obviously the more recognised qualifications you have with gas, boilers etc the more jobs you can do which equates to more work/money. Why limit yourself to Speedfit?😂

[cuthound]

1 hour ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I'm not sure what the term "plumbing" covers. If it's just connecting water pipes up, it's not exactly rocket science  but once you get into adding toilets, boilers and heating systems it all gets a bit more complex. It's also work most people don't want to do for themselves due to it being physically onerous.

Boat plumbing is pretty basic, though!

 

Being pedantic, the term "plumbing" should only apply to working with lead pipes...

Edited Wednesday at 15:53 by cuthound
phat phingers

[mrsmelly]

3 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

Being pedantic, the term "plumbing" should only apply to.working with lead pipes...

Dont mention it thanks 😁 

[MtB]

54 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

Being pedantic, the term "plumbing" should only apply to working with lead pipes...

 

Is that why more an more youngsters write "plumming" and "plummer" on FB etc these days?

 

 

[Russ T]

5 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Is that why more an more youngsters write "plumming" and "plummer" on FB etc these days?

 

 

You could always block them.Have you not heard of a plummer block?

[Inspire_to_Boat93]

Hi 

 

I have a vision of continuous cruising and maybe working from a boat maybe something remote.

 

my IT knowledge is not too great can operate word and excel but not fluent in any programming languages etc.

 

I would be open to creative field suggestions I used to know Adobe premiere and Photoshop but haven't used them in over 12 years.

 

I don't really want to start a YouTube channel as I like my privacy.

 

I am willing to learn new skills am an ok cook and enjoy making very amateur music but I am still learning this.

 

any help in making me realise my dream to help me cruise would be appreciated 

[Gybe Ho]

53 minutes ago, MtB said:

Is that why more an more youngsters write "plumming" and "plummer" on FB etc these days?

 

Get with the 21st century @MtB who wants lead in their pipes or grammar when you can have an extra  'm' for microplastics.

 

Edited Wednesday at 17:37 by Gybe Ho