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Sam

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Hi all

 

my names chaz i owned a norman 23ft with inboard deisel enging now for about 3 months i bought it off a chap were it was sat in a field for 2 and a half years the chap had done intensive restoration on hull and complete new inside

i know got a bsc for it were it failed on little thing with help of my sisters hubby paul he s helped me along the way it now runs well and i am in process of making a rudder for the z-drive i am moored on macclesfield canal a poyton

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Hi all

 

my names chaz i owned a norman 23ft with inboard deisel enging now for about 3 months i bought it off a chap were it was sat in a field for 2 and a half years the chap had done intensive restoration on hull and complete new inside

i know got a bsc for it were it failed on little thing with help of my sisters hubby paul he s helped me along the way it now runs well and i am in process of making a rudder for the z-drive i am moored on macclesfield canal a poyton

 

Welcome and a boat for me `perfectionist` i am told i am one lol. Get some pics on, love to see a nice cruiser.

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Hello all!

 

My wife and I have just bought a 48ft Springer narrowboat as a liveaboard. We're currently moored on the Thames but about to take it onto the Kennet and Avon with the intention of wintering around during the Bristol area. Already fearing the Caen Hill lock flight!

Do you have a mooring in the Bristol area or are you going to cruise continuously?

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Hello Everyone.

 

My significant other and I are having a boat built and hope to live on it in the very near future. House has already been sold, so this better happen sooner then later or we will be sofa surfing or sleeping rough! The mooring is already in the bag, just need the boat in it!

 

I have little nb experience but grew up on the sea with sailing boats etc. The inland waterways and narrowboat bug first bit back in '88 ... after much water flowing under the bridge and years later, the bug has bit again with a vengeance. No turning back now ....

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Hi,

 

I have just bought a 40' Hancock and Lane, Norseman S40, which is permanently moored in Hebden Bridge.

 

"Mary" is a very distinctive purple with a fuschia pink rear deck and grab rails.

 

Powered by a BMC1500 with PRM Newage gearbox - Mary is believed to be from the early 1980's.

 

I have only had two weekends with Mary - so we are still getting to know each other.

 

There's a bit of modernisation and refitting to do - but hey, nothing happens quiclky with narrowboats.

 

If you are on the Rochdale Canal near Hebden Bridge railway station - you can find us close to HX7 8NU.

 

 

Ken

 

 

Blog: http://summatabootmary.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/theres-something-about-mary.html

Edited by monsonite
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Hi...my husband and I have been living aboard for almost 3 months. We bought a 62 foot trad stern with a gorgeous Russell Newbury engine, named Augusta. The forum has been very helpful so far

Oh, so you're the people that made me grumpy.... I had my eye on August but you beat me to it.

 

(drop me a line if you get bored with it )

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Folks,

 

My name is Phil and I'm a retired teacher who has just managed to persuade his wife that we should have a narrowboat.

 

I'm in the very early stages of planning buy and then to fit out a 57 foot sailaway. I have always been a builder and frustrated engineer and having built houses, extensions, Motorhomes "this is the latest one http://www.ourworldtraveller.com"the project itself doesn't frighten me. I am about to embark on the research and intend getting onto as many boats and talking to as many boaters as possible.

 

I'm hoping to be able to pick some of your brains but my biggest fear at the moment is trawling my wife around boatyards and putting her off with boats she doesn't like and folk who don't enthuse. Where are the best places/shows to go to, and who are the best people to talk to.

 

Cards on the table we have been on a hire boat in the past and we both loved the experience but the wife hated the boat, in her words "a dump" in other words "a hire boat". I know we love the mobile life and I know I can build a boat to the standard she would want. I just need to get there!

 

Phil

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Welcome Phil.

 

If you want to impress your wife with boats fitted out to a high standard, then I recommend taking her to the Crick boat show next end of May Bank holiday.

 

There you will see several boats, but I recommend you buy the relevant issue of Waterways World or Canal Boat magazine in order to identify the builders and call them to reserve a viewing slot first.

 

Ask away with questions, and you will be given the answers (probably several conflicting ones) :)

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Welcome aboard Phil, look at as many boats as you can, the good, the bad and the ugly that way you will be able to decide what would suit the pair of you best. Thus armed when you start your sailaway you should have a very good idea of what will work for you.

I suggest you visit Whilton Marina, they will let you have the keys to boats so you can look without a salesman looking over your shoulder.

Phil

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Hi All!

 

I've been reading the forum for a couple of weeks now and thought I should introduce my self. I've hankered after a narrowboat for awhile, although as yet I've never set foot aboard one, so with that in mind we have a short holiday booked to dip in our toes in the water, so to speak. This is with a long term view of getting our own boat and eventually living aboard. Initially we would be either in a Marina or on a long term mooring due to work requirements. Hopefully, should boating life agree with us we would like to CC.

 

I shall be trawling the forum for tips and will probably have a few questions along the way

 

Thanks, Chas

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Hi All!

 

I've been reading the forum for a couple of weeks now and thought I should introduce my self. I've hankered after a narrowboat for awhile, although as yet I've never set foot aboard one, so with that in mind we have a short holiday booked to dip in our toes in the water, so to speak. This is with a long term view of getting our own boat and eventually living aboard. Initially we would be either in a Marina or on a long term mooring due to work requirements. Hopefully, should boating life agree with us we would like to CC.

 

I shall be trawling the forum for tips and will probably have a few questions along the way

 

Thanks, Chas

 

100% like me Inverted. Although I have already done the holiday thing, and am in the "convince wife to do it" phase....

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hi, a marina resident expressed their concern

cheers

Well as you now own the boat whatever the condition you can grit your teeth and do what you need to do. Whatever crops up you post your questions on here and get lots of good advice.

Phil

Edited by Phil Ambrose
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Welcome Phil.

If you want to impress your wife with boats fitted out to a high standard, then I recommend taking her to the Crick boat show next end of May Bank holiday.

There you will see several boats, but I recommend you buy the relevant issue of Waterways World or Canal Boat magazine in order to identify the builders and call them to reserve a viewing slot first.

Ask away with questions, and you will be given the answers (probably several conflicting ones) :)

Welcome aboard Phil, look at as many boats as you can, the good, the bad and the ugly that way you will be able to decide what would suit the pair of you best. Thus armed when you start your sailaway you should have a very good idea of what will work for you.

I suggest you visit Whilton Marina, they will let you have the keys to boats so you can look without a salesman looking over your shoulder.

Phil

Thanks for the welcome guys

 

Some good advice already and I know I have lots to learn but I am looking forward to the journey, gaining a lot already just by reading on here.

 

Phil

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hi, a marina resident expressed their concern

cheers

 

In my experience more angst is caused by "helpful" fellow boaters than actual help. AS regular forum reader know I do the technical Q&A for a canal magazine and also respond on their forum. I have lost count of the number of questions that say "we have been told" and what follows is highly questionable in at least 50% of the time. This is not to say there are not some very knowledgeable and helpful people out there but how do you know which camp this particular boater falls into.

 

What you have been told may or may not be correct but you own the boat. We hear of instances of very poor overplating work but when one considers how many boats are being overplated the number is relatively small so the chances are that your overplating is OK, at least for now. Within the next two to four years you should have the boat out of the water for re-blacking so at that time think about getting another opinion on the state of the hull and overplating.

 

Now lets consider the hull above the waterline. The worst that can happen is it rusts through so you get a hole. This may let rain get in and if so I think a blob of body filler on the inside will provide a temporary fix.

 

I bet you have not been given details about the what "a bad way" means. If its rusty you can spend time sanding/grinding/wire brushing to got rid of the worst rust and then repaint. The worst that can happen is that the rust pits show or you make a hole in it - if so body filler again. The window to cabin side joints may well leak but they are fixable on a DIY basis.

 

You may have bought a boat with a GRP top and they tend to leak through the hand rail fixings or through the cabin to hull joint. Neither is beyond short term solutions that you can apply but as far as the cabin to hull joint is concerned it may be very temporary.

 

The real problem is that you may have bought a wooden top. That is a steel hull with a wooden cabin. These can be a pain and if you have one of these I tend to agree with what you have been told. It will be a constant battle to keep it watertight.

 

It is perfectly possible to replace a GRP or wooden cabin top with steel but unless the boat has consider bale historic interest I doubt the expense will be worth it. In that case do he boat up at minimal expense and sell it one, taking a loss if needed.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Tony Brooks
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Hi All,

 

Been thinking about getting a boat to live on, on and off for probably a year now and occasionally looking at this site to see if I could quickly find any info regarding what is in involved in getting a boat so I thought the best way to do that is to sign up and ask. The questions I have are below

 

Do you need a licence to own a houseboat/motorboat?

What are the costs in owning and up keeping a boat?

What are the main pitfalls when looking for a suitable boat and or moorings? I am looking probably for moorings around the Leeds area

Looking to get a boat that I could live on for under 10k are there any good makes and models for around that price?

 

 

This is all new to me so if anyone has any important websites or useful information that they could give me to have a look at and get started on that would be great.

 

Thank you

 

Benjamin

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