Advice for a two year narrowboat experience

[DandV]

We have discovered this forum and found it enlightening The thread “What boat do you need” was very useful until it got sidetracked on the quality of English water and its containers!.

 

My wife and I will become New Zealand pensioners in early 2004. Our intention is start our retirement with two six month narrowboat cruising holidays in the 2004 and 2005 seasons. We are both experienced boaties (though on the lumpy stuff) but have spent time on UK canals.

 

It would be our intention to have guests (two maximum) for short durations.

An options is to lease, Escape the Rat Race, at say 950GBP/mth, are there other companies? Leasing is obviously cheaper for one year, but two years? Perhaps more.

 

Alternatively we buy a boat between 45 and 55ft and resell at the end.

Pros and Cons of ex hire boats?

 

For pension considerations we would probably have to return to NZ for six months between seasons, so if we bought we would need secure mooring, not too far from an airport that is served by long haul Middle Eastern, Asian or Australasian airlines (Heathrow , Manchester and perhaps Birmingham).

How do we find such a thing?

For this moored time would we require mains power?, or could we rely on an aligned solar panel, and/or employing somebody to do a monthly engine run to keep the batteries charged and the bilge pump operational?

 

We currently have a shared ownership in an “off grid” and remote solar powered holiday house so are familiar being away from unlimited 230v power and doing minor repairs but our intention is a good look at canalside Britain not the contents of the bilge, engine, heads and electrical panels so a reliable boat is essential.

 

Also what are the must haves, nice to haves. best to avoids. And absolute pitfalls.

We know we have a lot to learn but time is on our side.

 

DandV

[Grace and Favour]

Well......I. guess you'll have to start by dropping your plans for a n

arrowboat. .......and start looking for a time machine if you're going to retire in 2004.

 

Sorry, I forgot my manners! Welcome to the forum. ... I'll have to postpone any advice , for at the moment I'm on a 'phone, and fingers are too big for the keyboard (it's taking ages to type ), though I'm confident that you'll get some great advice from others. .........when they awake from their slumber.

Edited August 1, 2010 by Grace & Favour

[DandV]

We have discovered this forum and found it enlightening The thread “What boat do you need” was very useful until it got sidetracked on the quality of English water and its containers!.

 

My wife and I will become New Zealand pensioners in early 2004. Our intention is start our retirement with two six month narrowboat cruising holidays in the 2004 and 2005 seasons. We are both experienced boaties (though on the lumpy stuff) but have spent time on UK canals.

 

It would be our intention to have guests (two maximum) for short durations.

An options is to lease, Escape the Rat Race, at say 950GBP/mth, are there other companies? Leasing is obviously cheaper for one year, but two years? Perhaps more.

 

Alternatively we buy a boat between 45 and 55ft and resell at the end.

Pros and Cons of ex hire boats?

 

For pension considerations we would probably have to return to NZ for six months between seasons, so if we bought we would need secure mooring, not too far from an airport that is served by long haul Middle Eastern, Asian or Australasian airlines (Heathrow , Manchester and perhaps Birmingham).

How do we find such a thing?

For this moored time would we require mains power?, or could we rely on an aligned solar panel, and/or employing somebody to do a monthly engine run to keep the batteries charged and the bilge pump operational?

 

We currently have a shared ownership in an “off grid” and remote solar powered holiday house so are familiar being away from unlimited 230v power and doing minor repairs but our intention is a good look at canalside Britain not the contents of the bilge, engine, heads and electrical panels so a reliable boat is essential.

 

Also what are the must haves, nice to haves. best to avoids. And absolute pitfalls.

We know we have a lot to learn but time is on our side.

 

DandV

 

 

Well......I. guess you'll have to start by dropping your plans for a n

arrowboat. .......and start looking for a time machine if you're going to retire in 2004.

 

Sorry, I forgot my manners! Welcome to the forum. ... I'll have to postpone any advice , for at the moment I'm on a 'phone, and fingers are too big for the keyboard (it's taking ages to type ), though I'm confident that you'll get some great advice from others. .........when they awake from their slumber.

 

 

Oops,sorry about that! Should have done a date check. (perhaps it shows wishful thinking on our part) Thanks, DandV

[spacecactus]

950 per months for an Escape the Rate Race boat seems to much to me! There is normlly decent stuff on Apollo Duck for about £750 per months, make an offer and get it £650 to £700.

 

The people next door to me have just rented a narrow boat and central london mooring on 12 month agreement for £1000 per month for example.

 

 

 

 

Packet boat marina would put you very close Heathrow airport, dunno about space or prices however.

 

Sometimes british waters moorings come up around Cowely...

 

http://www.waterscape.com/services-directo...oat-marina-bwml

[bottle]

D and V

 

Welcome, two of your countrymen persons have done just what you wish to.

 

There blog and websites are available: http://www.gypsyrover.co.nz/

[Guest wanted]

We have discovered this forum and found it enlightening The thread “What boat do you need” was very useful until it got sidetracked on the quality of English water and its containers!.

 

My wife and I will become New Zealand pensioners in early 2004. Our intention is start our retirement with two six month narrowboat cruising holidays in the 2004 and 2005 seasons. We are both experienced boaties (though on the lumpy stuff) but have spent time on UK canals.

 

It would be our intention to have guests (two maximum) for short durations.

An options is to lease, Escape the Rat Race, at say 950GBP/mth, are there other companies? Leasing is obviously cheaper for one year, but two years? Perhaps more.

 

Alternatively we buy a boat between 45 and 55ft and resell at the end.

Pros and Cons of ex hire boats?

 

For pension considerations we would probably have to return to NZ for six months between seasons, so if we bought we would need secure mooring, not too far from an airport that is served by long haul Middle Eastern, Asian or Australasian airlines (Heathrow , Manchester and perhaps Birmingham).

How do we find such a thing?

For this moored time would we require mains power?, or could we rely on an aligned solar panel, and/or employing somebody to do a monthly engine run to keep the batteries charged and the bilge pump operational?

 

We currently have a shared ownership in an “off grid” and remote solar powered holiday house so are familiar being away from unlimited 230v power and doing minor repairs but our intention is a good look at canalside Britain not the contents of the bilge, engine, heads and electrical panels so a reliable boat is essential.

 

Also what are the must haves, nice to haves. best to avoids. And absolute pitfalls.

We know we have a lot to learn but time is on our side.

 

DandV

 

Hello,

 

We rent our boat which is on a London residential mooring. A good place for rent listings is www.gumtree.com. I found my Job,cat,and boat on Gumtree!

 

For a 55ft on a cc license I wouldn't pay much more than £600 a month, you may be able to find cheaper. NB on CC license pop up fairly regularly. If I can see any i'll send you the links. If we won the lotto last night then you can have this one!

 

Good luck

 

maybe a bit bit small.....

 

but it shows it's all possible

 

 

http://www.gumtree.com/london/26/61899626.html

[Tiny]

If you buy a ex hireboat Blackprince are bombproof but cost a bit.

 

On the other hand our marina sells some private boats and looking at them , knowing their history as they were moored in the marina some seem to be at bargin prices. You can buy a 50' 2002 4 berth boat for £44,000 or a 45' 4berth 1997 for £37.500. With the current massed local marina building the marina also normally offer a berth (cost extra) with a sold boat in one of the top tourist areas.The Marina is an hours drive (by private taxi who do a lot of this sort of thing) from Manchester or Birmingham Airports. As the marina is owned by a company with a number of marinas having a mooring at one allows you some free mooring at others.

Edited August 1, 2010 by Tiny

[Tim Lewis]

<Snip>

 

maybe a bit bit small.....

 

but it shows it's all possible

 

 

http://www.gumtree.com/london/26/61899626.html

 

 

I would hardly call a 400' long narrowboat small!

 

Tim

[Guest wanted]

<Snip>

 

maybe a bit bit small.....

 

but it shows it's all possible

 

 

http://www.gumtree.com/london/26/61899626.html

 

 

 

I would hardly call a 400' long narrowboat small!

 

Tim

 

I hadn't noticed that! fun to turn I imagine!

[Odana]

Sheffield Narrowboats Linky here do long term hire - top people. Not the cheapest by the sound of it, but they have great atrention to detail.

[Lady Muck]

<Snip>

 

maybe a bit bit small.....

 

but it shows it's all possible

 

 

http://www.gumtree.com/london/26/61899626.html

 

 

 

I would hardly call a 400' long narrowboat small!

 

Tim

 

Oh no, not THAT boat again.

 

I would run a mile from this particular boat *cough* rental. The OP needs to be really sure to check who/what you they are dealing with if they are going to rent.

[Guest wanted]

Oh no, not THAT boat again.

 

I would run a mile from this particular boat *cough* rental. The OP needs to be really sure to check who/what you they are dealing with if they are going to rent.

 

care to elaborate?

[Mrs Tawny Owl]

I thought I had heard the name gumtree recently.

 

This is a link to an email from confused.com I had today.

Possible scam

 

The text here.

 

Most of us have rented accommodation from time to time, and some of us for longer periods than we would have liked, but there is a new scam on the go, which you should be aware of, as Sharon Flaherty, editor of Confused.com explains.

 

Unsuspecting potential tenants, particularly ones from overseas, are being duped by adverts on the Gumtree website, according to the National Landlord's Association (NLA).

 

Don't fall for this scam

 

This latest scam, relates to the advertisement of rental accommodation in the UK. In case you’re not aware, most of the Gumtree website allows people to advertise for free, so say you or me could advertise a room to rent, but it seems someone has taken this a step too far..

 

After e-mail exchanges, potential tenants are being asked to send money to the ‘landlord’ but then rather predictably, when the tenants attempt to make contact with the ‘landlord’ or, indeed, collect keys to the property, the ‘landlord’ is uncontactable and the potential tenant is left out of pocket.

 

In fact, in this latest scam, the ‘landlord’ advertising on Gumtree claims to be a member of the NLA uses the NLA logo and has created fake stationary copying that produced by the bona fide, service.

 

Director of operations, at the National Landlords Association said: "Tenants, no matter where they are from, should not send payment to advertisers before they are certain that the advertiser is genuine.

 

"Overseas applicants needing to secure accommodation before they arrive in the UK would be well advised to first seek the help of the employer or university they are coming to. They will be knowledgeable of standard practices in the UK and often have lists of accredited landlords and local letting agents."

 

Take advice on landlords where you can

 

So, what is the moral of the story? Don’t send money unless you know it’s genuine and do proper checks on prospective landlords, for example by checking whether they are a member of the National Landlords Association.

 

In the meantime, if you have fell victim to this scam, or any such similar scams, warn other readers here by posting your comments below and informing the NLA on info@landlords.org.uk.

 

I have no experience of any of this, just thought I'd post it as I saw it today.

 

Sue

Edited August 2, 2010 by Mrs Tawny Owl

[Guest wanted]

I thought I had heard the name gumtree recently.

 

This is a link to an email from confused.com I had today.

Possible scam

 

The text here.

 

Most of us have rented accommodation from time to time, and some of us for longer periods than we would have liked, but there is a new scam on the go, which you should be aware of, as Sharon Flaherty, editor of Confused.com explains.

 

Unsuspecting potential tenants, particularly ones from overseas, are being duped by adverts on the Gumtree website, according to the National Landlord's Association (NLA).

 

Don't fall for this scam

 

This latest scam, relates to the advertisement of rental accommodation in the UK. In case you’re not aware, most of the Gumtree website allows people to advertise for free, so say you or me could advertise a room to rent, but it seems someone has taken this a step too far..

 

After e-mail exchanges, potential tenants are being asked to send money to the ‘landlord’ but then rather predictably, when the tenants attempt to make contact with the ‘landlord’ or, indeed, collect keys to the property, the ‘landlord’ is uncontactable and the potential tenant is left out of pocket.

 

In fact, in this latest scam, the ‘landlord’ advertising on Gumtree claims to be a member of the NLA uses the NLA logo and has created fake stationary copying that produced by the bona fide, service.

 

Director of operations, at the National Landlords Association said: "Tenants, no matter where they are from, should not send payment to advertisers before they are certain that the advertiser is genuine.

 

"Overseas applicants needing to secure accommodation before they arrive in the UK would be well advised to first seek the help of the employer or university they are coming to. They will be knowledgeable of standard practices in the UK and often have lists of accredited landlords and local letting agents."

 

Take advice on landlords where you can

 

So, what is the moral of the story? Don’t send money unless you know it’s genuine and do proper checks on prospective landlords, for example by checking whether they are a member of the National Landlords Association.

 

In the meantime, if you have fell victim to this scam, or any such similar scams, warn other readers here by posting your comments below and informing the NLA on info@landlords.org.uk.

 

I have no experience of any of this, just thought I'd post it as I saw it today.

 

Sue

 

Good shout, I think it's wise that we are all aware of the possible scams. I would however suggest that it's not just sites like Gumtree, these scams have been happening for years. It's a case of protecting yourself. I would never send money in the post for a flat/boat or whatever. But then some are convinced more easily.

 

On the positive side, like I said, I have found numerous Jobs from the site, two flats and this boat I am on now and even a pasta machine from a bloke called dave in layton! It aint all bad.

 

Lady Muck, could you give us the heads up on this boat that I flagged up? I haven't seen it before but it would be handy to know whats what as I have lots of peeps asking about rentals all the time.

 

Cheers

[bottle]

post #11 + post #13 = answer.........................................I think.

 

Of course I may be totally wrong.

[RichardH]

I concur with buying and then re-selling. You shouldn't lose anything like £950 per month for the time you have it and if you can afford it you can choose exactly what you want.

 

Suggest a subscription to RCR for your time afloat.

 

We receive quite a few long term rental enquiries. We always quote a fair price substantially discounted from a normal hire but never hear from people again.

 

Quite simply we would not remain commercial at £950 pcm for a quality boat (it wouldn't even cover fixed costs)

[Guest wanted]

post #11 + post #13 = answer.........................................I think.

 

Of course I may be totally wrong.

 

Got it......I think