Are you new to boating?? CLICK HERE

[Phil Ambrose]

Hiya Ginaa, so you have found us and a very nice cyber place it is too. As you have already discovered the place is crawling with characters and bursting at the seams with knowledge. Any questions will be answered rapidly so do check back often, and remember, the only silly question is the unasked one.

Phil

[John V]

Hi Gina, As Phil says the answers to questions can come thick and fast..........where taste and personal choice comes in you will get the full range, usually a major problem working out who to follow......on technical questions the hows and whys of boating (or anything else for that matter) the wealth of knowledge and experience available here is positively gob smacking.....there are a few grumps and you have to be VERY secretive about where you keep your donuts!!! Welcome to the mad house

[Ginaa_x]

Aww you guys are to kind!

[patty-ann]

Welcome from me to..as the boys said ask away you will soon work out who's who.

Ask before you do summit boat wise cos thats best..

[DavidExpert]

Hello,

 

I am - perhaps naively, maybe foolishly - about to leap headlong into living the narrowboat dream. My house is on the market, my resignation letter drafted. The plan is to buy a 57" trad or semi trad on which to live aboard as a continuous cruiser, ploughing along the (mainly Midlands) waterways twixt Worcestershire & Northants.

 

I have already spent several happy weekends driving up - I currently live in Kent - to brokerages in Northants (Rugby Boats, ABNB, the infamous Whilton, plus Braunston) as well as Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire. I'm getting a great idea of what I want and what kind of money buys what.

 

A million questions persist of course and I'm hoping the many lovely, vocal, not-short-of-an-opinion folks on here will be kind enough to offer assistance.

 

Regards

David

[Phil Ambrose]

Welcome David, you have come to the right place for opinions, good luck with your venture, you're going to love it. Any questions you have, just fire away and replies will come fairly quickly so do check back often. Just remember you have a steep (but fun) learning curve ahead of you.

Phil

[John V]

Let me add my welcome as well Dave........Oh boy, if your hooked then you've definitely had your chips !!! (but guard your donuts carefully)

[Bobby-Joe]

**Big Waves**

Hiya everyone

Im sooo glad iv found you all here cos iv been lurking around on facebook for a few months reading the NUG group but cant join as FB just likes to shout your business to the world and at the moment its a secret that we are running away from home to buy a narrowboat ( heehee makes us sound all young n daft but really fella is 42 n im 44)

Wev been wanting a project to do up and seen one on gumtree but it doesnt give much info and says to email for more .. right apart from when was it last blacked does it have a safety cert and Can we hear the engine running do you have a copy of the last survey is there anything else ??

I feel right cheeky introducing my self then jumping in with questions but iv seen just what lovely lovely helpful folks you all are

Thankyooooo xx

[bottle]

Welcome Bobby Joe

 

May be needs thread of its own but all of the above is only enough to plan whether to go and see the boat, if you go and like it and the answers you get, have your own survey done by your own independent surveyor.

[Bobby-Joe]

Thankyou lots for the welcome bottle

 

Ooo yep il deff get our own done before commiting. To say iv been reading lots its all so new and exciting my brains fizzing and i just dont have a clue how to go about it and now wev actually seen one im pretty much having a giddy melt down lol.

Oooops i didnt realise i needed a new thread.

The boat is on at 15000 ono so i expect theres lots to do but how do i ask if shes fit n well without upsetting the person? We do up and sell cars so know how touchy some folks can be lol

Xx

[bottle]

If you start a new thread/topic say here link you will probably get more answers, on your specific questions

 

Do have a search (top right) though because many of your thoughts, question etc. will have been answered before.

 

You are buying the boat ask all the question you want, if they get 'upset' then that is their problem, you will be handing out the cash.

 

Now, you need to stop, have a cold shower and put brain into gear.

 

Yes, buying a boat will have the heart involved but it needs to be controlled.

 

Try to visit as many brokers etc and see lots of boats, take notes and photo's, take it all home and then look at them them in the cold light of the next day.

 

Look to buying in, say about three months time, it has been known for it to take longer to find the correct boat.

 

Don't buy the first one you see.

 

Good luck in your search.

[Bobby-Joe]

Thankyou for the link to where to post il see to that inabit

Im sure il have a million questions when we do actually go and look at a boat but wasnt sure about the important ones i might not know to ask.

Ooooo i dont know about a cold shower ... the one iv seen has a rayburn oven/stove i think its that that got me all excited.

Iv sent an email anyway so waiting to hear back. In sunday we are going to chesterfield canal festival so hopefull get to talk to some folks there

Thankyou again for your help

X

[Verboaten]

Hello fellow boaters

My name is Cal, this is a joint account for myself and my father (Vinnie) who have recently purchased a boat after completing a Helmsman course and loving it.
We are yet to 'collect' the boat but it is currently moored on one of the navigations near the Great Ouse.

We are hoping you guys and girls could help answer any of our questions (which I'll make a seperate thread for) but just wanted to introduce us and say hello.

Edited July 2, 2015 by Verboaten

[John V]

Hi Cal (and un-named Father ) welcome !!! If you've been lurking you have probably realised that replies come back very fast and you have to keep a sharp lookout for them.....cheers John

[Phil Ambrose]

Hi Bobby Joe also Cal and Vinnie, welcome aboard.

Bobby Joe take heed of Bottle , he speaks the truth

Phil

[Bobby-Joe]

Hiya Phil

Thankyou for the welcome ? im having alovely time on here reading all sorts of interesting stuff. Iv had the most amazing offer from peterboat to have a few hours on his boat. Im utterly gobsmacked at the friendlyness and cant wait. Me n fella have never been on a boat let alone done a lock so im soooooo excited.

No doubt afterwards il need tying up and putting in the cuboard cos i very much doubt il be able to wait for my own boat ?

[Phil Ambrose]

Bobby-Joe you are not AKA Harry Potter are you?

Phil

[Bobby-Joe]

Bobby-Joe you are not AKA Harry Potter are you?

Phil

How strange you ask that .... yes im a Witch

[Joff]

Hi, new to boating yes, new to being on the water, No. Did 22 years as a marine engineer in the RN, I have been working as a civil servant for the last 13 years and come next year turn 55. My wife and I are looking at moving onto a wide beam boat at this time and taking life slower. Just found this forum so look forward to having a good look at all the blogs.

[Bettie Boo]

Hi Joff and welcome to the forum - there are a few of us WBer's on the forum (not many, but some) - be prepared for some light hearted jibbing from some of the skinny boat enthusiasts.

 

Dean of this parish has a great blog relating to his fit out of his WB well worth checking out.

 

Where are you planning on basing yourself or do you plan to cc?

[Phil Ambrose]

Hey Bettie, who you calling skinny?

Welcome aboard Joff, don't forget any questions you have just fire away.

Phil

Edited July 13, 2015 by Phil Ambrose

[Joff]

Fitting a boat out sounds like a good idea, you get what you want then, I'm in no rush, so where is the best place to get a new wide beam hull, say 60' x 12' and how much am I looking at to fit out myself

[Bettie Boo]

Best off to ask questions by starting a new thread, I'd recommend "general boating" for the questions you asked above...sorry I can't be of more help than that Joff, we bought ours as a fully finished boat and we are only 10.10 x 57 so no real comparison for what your looking for.

 

But I'm sure others will be able to give some advice regarding builders and such

[Morticiah]

another newbie here!

 

After too many years of being told NO I'm hoping to fulfill the dream/nightmare of living afloat soon.

I'm looking for suitable boats at the moment. My wish list may be weird/unique.

 

I am not a total novice, but my confidence levels have taken a beating recently and I'll be floating solo some of the time :-).

 

All support/help/patronising/urine extraction much appreciated.

 

p.s. Alledgedly I'm a bit odd eccentric, but I'm a great cook, have a unique SOH and there is ALWAYS alcohol and music!

 

p.p.s This is one helluva scary move for me!

[Phil Ambrose]

Welcome Morticiah, you sound as though you have all the right qualities and should fit in very well.

Phil