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[jon.h]

16 hours ago, cuthound said:

Hi jon.h. Welcome to the wonderful world of boating. 

Thanks Cuthound

[jon.h]

16 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I guess that during your research you have found that in addition to Insurance you need to have a Boat Safety Certificate (Like an MOT inspection), and a Boat Canal Licence.

 

Despite many years of 'Lumpy Water' boating I wouldn't be even tempted to take a Cara Cruiser on the Sea.

 

Its a 'fun thing' but a seaworthy boat it isn't, use it and enjoy it on the canals where you will be safe.

Yeah I discovered the need for the recommendation of a BSS and Canal Licence, once I've got the insurance sorted out then I'll get those sorted out too. There's a chap locally who does the BSS certification, hopefully it won't have much to do to get it 'ship shape'.

 

About sea-going, I thought it too dinky to be suitable for the sea but then received the manual and it mentions being able to use it in the Mediterranean as an example of a family holiday. I think your advice is sensible though and so I won't be planning to go out to sea with it. I suspect they may have been over enthusiastic in their marketing claims. Furthest I would go would be an estuary and not until I've got a lot more experience behind me.

 

 

[jon.h]

7 hours ago, BilgePump said:

Absolutely!

 

Welcome to the forum jon.h.

 

Caracruisers are brilliant things with cavernous space for such a small boat but they are totally unsuitable for the coast. Fantastic for the canal, where you will get a lot of enjoyment and safely learn some boating basics.

 

If you then fancy the coast, it's second boat time!

 

Yes the space inside is amazing, it was one of the deciding factors as to why I chose it. Being on water is new for me so I didn't want to put myself in new environment and have an issue where I felt claustrophobic in a tight sailing boat all at once.

 

I had the idea of a second boat in the back of my head so that makes sense. After all the comments I won't even attempt to take it to sea...not that I would have for a long time hehe. Still got so much learning to do.

4 hours ago, howardang said:

As others have said, please don't think about coastal cruising in this boat. It is totally unsuitable,  and the fitting of an echo sounder will not make a scrap of difference.    Enjoy your boat on the safety of the inland waterways and when you think you may fancy exploring further afield look around for a more suitable boat which is at least designed for the purpose. 

 

Howard

Thanks Howard, advice taken, she's staying away from salty water.

 

It's really nice seeing there's a community here to talk to about the experience. Thanks to everyone again for all your comments.

[jon.h]

1 hour ago, Keeping Up said:

Interesting. I didn't know they'd issued numbers in the 9xxxx range.

Yeah I think that's just for show because from what I read online they only ever made 33 of these. I don't know how true that is but that's what I've read.

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, jon.h said:

Yeah I think that's just for show because from what I read online they only ever made 33 of these. I don't know how true that is but that's what I've read.

The reference was to the BW / C&RT registration number (the same as a car number plate) 96368

 

It is not the number of boats built by the company.

 

Each navigation authority (there are 22 different navigation authorities) has their own system of 'boat number plates', so if it had moved off C&RT waters onto another authorities waters it would have a very different registration number.

 

 

Edited June 27, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[jon.h]

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The reference was to the BW / C&RT registration number (the same as a car number plate) 96368

 

It is not the number of boats built by the company.

 

 

Ahhh, well that shows how little I know. Thank you for that clarification 

[Alan de Enfield]

Just now, jon.h said:

Ahhh, well that shows how little I know. Thank you for that clarification 

No problem, none of us know anything until we are told it or taught it.

 

You have a big learning curve coming up - enjoy it.

[MidnightStroller]

On 23/06/2020 at 07:30, Dr Bob said:

Welcome to the forum.

Tell us a bit about your new boat and how you get on!

She was moved from Caversham (near Reading) to Bray. All in all 22 miles and 10 locks. Fortunately, the former owner very kindly came and helped/taught me for a day about the boat and showed me correct manoeuvring drills (I am inexperienced so this was gratefully received).

 

She has been newly blacked by Butcher Marine and looked very smart as the counter had been freshly painted too. We almost didn't make it out though as the fuel tank was almost empty. It seems this had been 'borrowed' whilst waiting for collection in a Marina in Northamptonshire. At least 150 litres gone.....

 

Anyway, we are there now. It was very enjoyable and I am looking forward to some pottering for the rest of the year.

[jon.h]

4 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

No problem, none of us know anything until we are told it or taught it.

 

You have a big learning curve coming up - enjoy it.

Thanks, everything seems to move so slowly. I'm trying to get insured straight away and get the CRT to register the boat, and get the BSS certification and pay the marina and everything is so much slower than I'm used to. It may help me calm down from the intense work life I've had for the last few years and take a rest.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, MidnightStroller said:

We almost didn't make it out though as the fuel tank was almost empty. It seems this had been 'borrowed' whilst waiting for collection in a Marina in Northamptonshire. At least 150 litres gone.....

A good lesson learnt early in your ownership.

During your daily 'pre-engine start' check routine, include the fuel tank. Your experience is not unique. Fitting a padlock helps, but with battery angle grinders is no guarantee against theft - but at least when you do your checks you'll notice the lock is cut.

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, jon.h said:

Thanks, everything seems to move so slowly. I'm trying to get insured straight away and get the CRT to register the boat, and get the BSS certification and pay the marina and everything is so much slower than I'm used to. It may help me calm down from the intense work life I've had for the last few years and take a rest.

The boat is already C&RT registered (that's the 'number plate' that is already on the boat).

You need a boat licence from C&RT but you cannot apply for that until you have a BSS 'pass' and (a minimum of) 3rd party insurance.

[ditchcrawler]

5 minutes ago, jon.h said:

Thanks, everything seems to move so slowly. I'm trying to get insured straight away and get the CRT to register the boat, and get the BSS certification and pay the marina and everything is so much slower than I'm used to. It may help me calm down from the intense work life I've had for the last few years and take a rest.

You require BSS / insurance to get your CRT licence in that order. I would get the insurance first as you are at financial risk without it

Edited June 27, 2020 by ditchcrawler

[jon.h]

15 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

A good lesson learnt early in your ownership.

During your daily 'pre-engine start' check routine, include the fuel tank. Your experience is not unique. Fitting a padlock helps, but with battery angle grinders is no guarantee against theft - but at least when you do your checks you'll notice the lock is cut.

 

 

 

The boat is already C&RT registered (that's the 'number plate' that is already on the boat).

You need a boat licence from C&RT but you cannot apply for that until you have a BSS 'pass' and (a minimum of) 3rd party insurance.

Ah ok, well that's good to know. I will apply for insurance today. I have had quotes of £57 per year or up to £95 for Third Party. For fully comprehensive it would cost around £120-£141. Also I don't know how to explain to them in the quote forms that the trailer is a custom trailer and thus if lost or damaged it would be like losing the boat because to replace it would be very hard and to sell th boat without it would mean the boat was devalued. I think I'll just have to find a broker to talk to about it.

[Alan de Enfield]

31 minutes ago, jon.h said:

Ah ok, well that's good to know. I will apply for insurance today. I have had quotes of £57 per year or up to £95 for Third Party. For fully comprehensive it would cost around £120-£141. Also I don't know how to explain to them in the quote forms that the trailer is a custom trailer and thus if lost or damaged it would be like losing the boat because to replace it would be very hard and to sell th boat without it would mean the boat was devalued. I think I'll just have to find a broker to talk to about it.

When I have insured 'trailer boats' the form (the person) just asks for :

Boat value

Engine value

Trailer value

Value of anything else.

 

You will need the serial number of the Boat, engine and trailer to apply for 'fully comp' insurance.

 

It really isn't complicated, but I agree that talking to a person is the way to go.

Edited June 27, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[BilgePump]

That's a cracking boat and glory is you can easily slip it and tow to places that would take ages to get to by water. The amount of space you could get in a 15' coastal boat is a fraction. 

 

I have a Sunspot trailer sailer on estuary/inshore, a dirt cheap dinghy with lid,  https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunspot_15

Nothing like the cabin space.

 

and on the canal a Shetland 19 which came from coastal waters but still just as cramped in the cabin as the 15' sailboat. 

 

You'll have a lot of fun with that boat on the canal, and sounds like you already have. They are also a cult boat, so not knowing what you paid, having got one of the finer examples, you should have a good investment, so it's understandable you want to insure fully comp. 

 

For the trailer, guessing you would need a few quotes for one custom built to original spec. Unlike most other boats the hull and trailer are matched by design. Putting one on a non-specific one would diminish appeal and value.

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, jon.h said:

Ah ok, well that's good to know. I will apply for insurance today. I have had quotes of £57 per year or up to £95 for Third Party. For fully comprehensive it would cost around £120-£141. Also I don't know how to explain to them in the quote forms that the trailer is a custom trailer and thus if lost or damaged it would be like losing the boat because to replace it would be very hard and to sell th boat without it would mean the boat was devalued. I think I'll just have to find a broker to talk to about it.

As I said earlier, see if you can join the Wilderness boat club. They have years of experience of that sort of thing. https://www.wilderness.org.uk/

[Clockwork]

Hello,

My name is Steve and am new to boating. Have been watching many of the youtubers and have been thinking of getting a boat (to live aboard) for a number of years now. Any advice on books to read other websites to visit or just general advice on how to get started would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

Steve

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, Clockwork said:

Hello,

My name is Steve and am new to boating. Have been watching many of the youtubers and have been thinking of getting a boat (to live aboard) for a number of years now. Any advice on books to read other websites to visit or just general advice on how to get started would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

Steve

Try before you buy

[Awayonmyboat]

Hi all,

Time to introduce myself. I've been a reader for the last year hoovering up a vast amount of useful (sometimes confusing, sometimes contradictory) information. So before I go any further thank you to ask those of you who spend a considerable amount of time sharing your knowledge.

 

About myself.  I was born in the UK and lived there until my twentieshave when the speak of adventure and sunshine saw me move to Australia. I still live there but regularly come back to the UK and have had a number of canal and Broads holidays over the years. I'm luck enough to be semi-retired relatively early in life and try and spend 6-8 months a year traveling - the last few years slowly around the world by motorbike. Having done that for awhile I decided it was time for a change and late last year bought a narrow boat to give me both a place to stay in the UK and something to use for new adventures. She is a slightly tired 2006 Liverpool Boat Company 58 footer.  The grand plan, as much as I have one, is for the next few years cruise on it for  up to 6-9 months at a time returning to Australia periodically, especially during the British winter (I  remember them well enough not to have any great desire to regulary repeat the experience). Unfortunately the plan has not got off to a good start for the obvious Covid reason.

 

The buying of the boat didn't follow the normal pattern. Years ago I learnt I dislike spending a huge amount of time looking at multiple options trying to find the perfect item, whilst often not really knowing what you want. I tend to buy something that is close enough to what I want and learn to live with it, and better still modify it to suit. So once I decided to buy a boat I simply viewed a few during a visit to the UK on the summer of 2019 to work out what was important to me (decided reverse layout, semi-trad) and what I could get for the money I was willing to spend (max £40k). Then whilst back in Australia I watched the brokers listing and when I saw one I liked phoned the broker, had a lot of photos taken, made an offer, had a survey done - and two weeks later owned a boat without ever actually seeing it. At Christmas I came back to the UK and checked out what I had bought - and fortunately it met expectations. It is no means perfect, but it was as I largely expected -  quite scruffy inside and out but seems sound and offers me the chance to do a progressive renovation (something I enjoy) whilst still having enough initial outfit to allow for immediate cruising.

 

I'm now hoping to get back to the UK in about a month for a delayed start to this new adventure. The sticking point is Australia has imposed overseas travel bans - we are locked in our country, as much as you are locked out. I have applied for a travel exemption but at this stage do not know if it will be granted or not. Fingers crossed. If it is not I will see you in 2021.

 

If anyone is interested in details of the boat follow this link - it is to an article in Canal Boat written by a previous owner. She does not seem to have changed much since he owned her.

https://www.canalboat.co.uk/canal-boats/the-story-of-a-liveaboard-1-4150639

 

Anyway, sorry for the long intro - and thanks again to you all who so freely offer your knowledge and opinions on all things canal boat and hopefully in time contribute some of my own views.

[Tony Brooks]

On 27/06/2020 at 13:56, MidnightStroller said:

She was moved from Caversham (near Reading) to Bray. All in all 22 miles and 10 locks. Fortunately, the former owner very kindly came and helped/taught me for a day about the boat and showed me correct manoeuvring drills (I am inexperienced so this was gratefully received).

 

She has been newly blacked by Butcher Marine and looked very smart as the counter had been freshly painted too. We almost didn't make it out though as the fuel tank was almost empty. It seems this had been 'borrowed' whilst waiting for collection in a Marina in Northamptonshire. At least 150 litres gone.....

 

Anyway, we are there now. It was very enjoyable and I am looking forward to some pottering for the rest of the year.

I hope I have sorted this very long & confusing topic correctly but people are on abaout CRT licenses, Bray needs an EA Thames license

[TheBiscuits]

On 27/06/2020 at 12:33, Keeping Up said:

Interesting. I didn't know they'd issued numbers in the 9xxxx range.

 

 

 

[Green Man 59]

Hi, I don’t currently have a boat because of family commitments but it is a long term ambition, perhaps even as a live aboard.

Cheers

Green Man 59

[JoshS]

On 11/12/2004 at 14:42, Sam said:

Are you a newbie to boating?

 

Well introduce your selves right here!!

 

And everyone will get to now you!!!

So I've been lurking here for nearly a year, initially trying to decide whether buying a boat was the right thing for us. But since I've now bought a boat and started asking questions elsewhere on the forum, I thought I should introduce myself! Our plan is to sell all our land-based stuff and move aboard in the next couple of months, and then to live off some of our savings whilst continuously cruising for a good few months. At least whilst we figure out if it really is what we want to do, and if so how to make it sustainable. I'm a digital artist by trade so freelance/contract work will always be available, but giving ourselves time to get used to a life afloat initially without the additional stresses of work sounds sensible.

 

This is our boat btw, Tallymae. She's a 57' Tim Tyler hull from 2004.

https://imgur.com/a/vUE6Qzg

 

Expect many questions about 12V electrics and paint in the near future, since those are the major things we need to work on initially!

 

 

Edited August 5, 2020 by JoshS

[Alexis Gkantiragas]

Hi all! 

Looking to move onto a narrowboat in the next year or so and continuously cruise! 

 

I have many, many questions!

 

Best, 
Alexis

[Racer_96uk]

Hi all,

 

I'm Nigel, I'm in the process of buying my first narrowboat (scary) which will eventually become a live aboard when I retire. I'm sure this is covered somewhere else but can anyone recommend a good insurance company?

 

Thanks...

[Andrew77]

Hi Everyone,

 

Hope you doing well,

 

My name is Andrew and I am newbie here and in boating I am noob yet. My hobby is to build model boat kits.