retirement boat

[terryvanman]

Morning all.

I need some help I'm thinking of going down to Spain for a couple of weeks with the van, My other half Nada will be escourting me and navigating as I've never been to Spain in a vehicle. We intend to go in September from Portsmouth to Santander and travel after the school holidays {when are the school holidays over?] that way we should get a fair price on the ferry.

we want to stay in good, clean and safe campsites or even Bed and Breakfast's so can any of you wonderful travelers give me some idea of campsites and B&B that you have stayed in/on. we are not too worried about which way we go so long as there's some sun, so we will probably head south and see how far we get. Maybe someone can recommend a good travel book

 

thanks darlings

[Mary 1]

Terry

If you are going to live on your boat then I would say 60ft boat would be minimum requirments.

As you will be solo then reverse layout is ideal for when you want to make cups of tea/coffee etc. I have now mastered being able to make tea without the need to moor up.

Lastly I purchased my boat from New Boat Company and would recomend them to anyone purchasing a new boat there after sales service is second to non.

 

Shame they are not so kind to the secondhand boat buyers. Mary 1

 

OK guys and gals

 

I spent yesterday looking at boats Blisworth was first, Brian [a very nice man] showed me an aqualine Madison only 2 years old with just 50 hours on the clock [or should that be engine] its called Bluenote and is in very good condition, the price is £75.000 all but fifty quid, it didn't have the dinette that I want but it did have a breakfast bar with granite tops. the outside was bashed about a bit and needed a touch up, the inside was used and in need of a good clean To be honest I was very tempted with this one as its not often that a Madison comes up for sale. Brian told me that it would be best to have a survey and while its out of the water have the bottom blacked [£1,400] then he told me that moorings are about £2500 a year, so I said I'm very interested.

We left to go to Crick and on the way I started to think about the cost. {remember that I cant really use it till I retire 4weeks hols and the odd weekend].

If I brought a new Madison with the same spec it would cost about 87K [ OK the price will no doubt go up] with the dinette I want etc and its brand new. so a saving of about £13.000, then I added in the mooring fees 3 years @ £2.500 X 3 years = £7.500 plus survey and blacking £1400, insurance £1000 for 3 years? and I would probably have to buy new batteries and then there's the service cost for the engine and certificates for the MOT or whatever its called for boats, and another blacking in 3 years time, plus the licence £1500

So I buy this boat and park it up [sorry moor it up] for basically 3 years and use it maybe 10 weeks [i have to visit relatives over Christmas every year]and a few weekends in that time, all at a cost of ???? £11.000 ???? So it occurred to me that I would be better off holding off till about 6 months before I retire and place an order for a brand new boat ready for delivery as near to my retirement date so that I can go cruising straight away. I would save the cost "as above" and save for another 2-3 years towards the new boat.

That's what I've decided, unless any of you can see something I've missed To be honest Its a bit of a relief to finally make a decision as to what I'm going to do, now I can sit back and wait a couple of years without getting stressed and spending all my time as to what I'm going to do.

 

I thank you all for giving me the chance to suck your very intelligent brains and I intend to stick around [if you'll have me] and learn more about the wonderful world of canal life.

 

terry

 

Brian is wrong about the moorings,the newboat co do not run the marina, Its is owner by another man, £3000 + and there is a £300 maintenance fee a year, the manager and his wife are horrid, really rude and off hand with people. I know this first hand. I will not leave my boat there after the Inverter fob off is sorted out.

Mary1

[terryvanman]

Shame they are not so kind to the secondhand boat buyers. Mary 1

 

 

 

Brian is wrong about the moorings,the newboat co do not run the marina, Its is owner by another man, £3000 + and there is a £300 maintenance fee a year, the manager and his wife are horrid, really rude and off hand with people. I know this first hand. I will not leave my boat there after the Inverter fob off is sorted out.

Mary1

 

thanks for the heads up mary darling I will stay well away from the marina side of things at blisworth

£3000 a year?????for that kind of money I can get a mooring nearer to london

 

terry

[sueb]

Terry

If you are going to live on your boat then I would say 60ft boat would be minimum requirments.

As you will be solo then reverse layout is ideal for when you want to make cups of tea/coffee etc. I have now mastered being able to make tea without the need to moor up.

Lastly I purchased my boat from New Boat Company and would recomend them to anyone purchasing a new boat there after sales service is second to non.

58ft is the longest you need for comfort and ability to travel the system. I would consider 60ft not fit for purpose.

Sue

[terryvanman]

58ft is the longest you need for comfort and ability to travel the system. I would consider 60ft not fit for purpose.

Sue

the madison comes 60ft as standard, but the company will make one offs to 58ft

it just means you lose a bit of living room space

Edited April 20, 2009 by terryvanman

[bargeeboy]

the madison comes 60ft as standard, but the company will make one offs to 58ft

it just means you lose a bit of living room space

 

Keep an open mind and pop down to see us. You might be very surprised.

 

www.narrowcraft.co.uk

Edited April 21, 2009 by bargeeboy