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On 07/08/2020 at 13:43, Racer_96uk said:

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...

Depends on age of boat - once its 20, 25, or 30 year sold depending upon company most will demand a survey. Some will not for third party only cover so it depends on what you have and the cover you want. Its possible some won't insure you contents for live aboards. One popular insurer is Craftinsure

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Hello ! I’m Paul , I’m 18 and autistic. I’ve developed a really big interest in Narrowboat’s and I’d love to learn more about them and get some experience with them : o) One day I would like to create an eco friendly life aboard ( ideally a less than 40”! , love the idea of tiny homes ) 

Currently situated in a Liverpool , if anyone is passing by I’d love the opportunity to visit and be educated by a captain!

 

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56 minutes ago, Cardboard_Frog said:

Hello ! I’m Paul , I’m 18 and autistic. I’ve developed a really big interest in Narrowboat’s and I’d love to learn more about them and get some experience with them : o) One day I would like to create an eco friendly life aboard ( ideally a less than 40”! , love the idea of tiny homes ) 

Currently situated in a Liverpool , if anyone is passing by I’d love the opportunity to visit and be educated by a captain!

 

40" really is incredibly tiny.

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As it seems fashionable to be pedantic to Cardboard_Frog, I should mention that no canal boat will be passing by Liverpool, they'll go there and back away again as it's a dead end, unless they're adventurous enough to take a canal boat across the Mersey, but I suppose that's possible and sometimes done. Sorry Paul.

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10 hours ago, Andrew77 said:

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.

Find one on a big enough scale, build it and you'll have a proper boat!

My brother and I had fun building the Airfix kit of the Bismarck in about 1968, but we weren't going to sink HMS Hood with it.

Sorry people, I seem to be in silly mode this afternoon. I can only offer my current rather drasctic medication, and the heat down here in the sunny south, as excuses.

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15 minutes ago, Peter X said:

As it seems fashionable to be pedantic to Cardboard_Frog, I should mention that no canal boat will be passing by Liverpool, they'll go there and back away again as it's a dead end, unless they're adventurous enough to take a canal boat across the Mersey, but I suppose that's possible and sometimes done. Sorry Paul.

What a bummer : o( I am right by Aintree canal , but apart from Leeds I don’t believe there’s much other of a path to anywhere ... 

 

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My name is Clyde and my partner is Symantha (Sam). We're technically not new to boating but we are to this lifestyle, so we do consider ourselves newbies. We have a small Prout catamaran in Florida and a small sailboat on the Columbia River in Oregon. I lived on the Prout for many years, so we're somewhat used to close quarters. We're retiring/semi-retiring in November and hope to purchase a NB in the spring and spend 6 months a year in the UK. We're looking forward to experiencing this lifestyle and meeting many of you wonderful people. Thank you, in advance, for all your advice, support, and encouragement.

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3 hours ago, Cardboard_Frog said:

What a bummer : o( I am right by Aintree canal , but apart from Leeds I don’t believe there’s much other of a path to anywhere ... 

 

There are a few boats go down to Liverpool most days. the time they can travel is restricted by the Canal and River trust so you should be able to watch them leave Eldonian and head down Stanley Locks, I think it is at 1  or 2 PM the ones leaving come up in the morning

Edited by ditchcrawler
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Hard to argue with that statement. I love both my boats but the Prout 31 is my favorite. The other is a classic 1964 Cal 28. Fun to sail..and it's in fresh water! One of the things I'm looking forward to with the canals!

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12 hours ago, Peter X said:

Find one on a big enough scale, build it and you'll have a proper boat!

My brother and I had fun building the Airfix kit of the Bismarck in about 1968, but we weren't going to sink HMS Hood with it.

Sorry people, I seem to be in silly mode this afternoon. I can only offer my current rather drasctic medication, and the heat down here in the sunny south, as excuses.

Thanks for guidance...!! 

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8 hours ago, clyde said:

Hard to argue with that statement. I love both my boats but the Prout 31 is my favorite. The other is a classic 1964 Cal 28. Fun to sail..and it's in fresh water! One of the things I'm looking forward to with the canals!

 

Not much sailing to be had on the UK's canals. The low bridges put paid to that. ??

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On 11/08/2020 at 13:53, Cardboard_Frog said:

Hello ! I’m Paul , I’m 18 and autistic. I’ve developed a really big interest in Narrowboat’s and I’d love to learn more about them and get some experience with them : o) One day I would like to create an eco friendly life aboard ( ideally a less than 40”! , love the idea of tiny homes ) 

Currently situated in a Liverpool , if anyone is passing by I’d love the opportunity to visit and be educated by a captain!

 

I think Foxes Afloaat from Narrowboat Silver Fox had aaaa vlog on this .... youtube:

 

Edited by LadyG
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Hello Everybody,

 

My name is Mark, I am new to 'canal boating' but having spent my career of 40+ years at sea, I have a fair idea about things that float. (UK Master Mariner Unlimited and International Institute of Marine Surveyors Accredited vessel inspector)

Currently working and living  based in SE Asia but still have property and family in UK. I have had a passion for Narrow Boats for many years, but previously circumstances did not permit me to buy one. 

I am looking towards semi retirement shortly, with a plan to buy a narrow boat and hopefully we will spend approximately 6 months in UK gentle canal cruising and in the colder months sunbathing back in Philippines. 

I have already watched many videos, downloaded the Canal Maps and other docs, even played around with the excellent Narrow Boat Simulator App, but this Forum has proven to be the best source of information so far.

 

Being just the 2 of us, for the moment, I am looking for a well fitted out, up to 20 yr old, 45-55 ft boat with ability to accommodate an extra 2 adults when necessary. Budget is set at £50k all in and from what i have seen it looks very doable.

 

I would appreciate advice on the plan to have a regular 6 month Winter Mooring in a half decent location/price, as the boat will be cared for and may also be used by other close family members in our absence, but not full time.

 

As for all my other ideas on engines, electrics, generators, inverters, batteries etc, even though I consider myself fairly competent mechanically,  I will start by browsing in the relevant sections of the forum as surely my questions will have already been answered somewhere by the very well informed folk here.

 

Nice to be here and look forward to meeting some of you 'on the cut' in the next 12 months or so.

 

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Mark, go for it and enjoy! There are a lot of very well informed  folk on this forum, people with expert knowledge of all aspects of inland waterways and others with experience of the sea.

In fact it's a great place to seek advice about almost anything, because think of just about any subject and there are people on this forum who are experts on it, and we're all very helpful. I say we because I have my own specialist areas of knowledge and have often pitched in to contribute to related topics. The first thing I ever wrote about on the forum was in 2014 part way through the epic topic about Pillings Lock Marina, as I recall it covering the roles of directors and shareholders in limited companies, what options CRT might have had in chasing a debt the marina owed, and the possible outcomes.

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On 21/08/2020 at 12:54, MarkH2159 said:

Hello Everybody,

 

My name is Mark, I am new to 'canal boating' but having spent my career of 40+ years at sea, I have a fair idea about things that float. (UK Master Mariner Unlimited and International Institute of Marine Surveyors Accredited vessel inspector)

Currently working and living  based in SE Asia but still have property and family in UK. I have had a passion for Narrow Boats for many years, but previously circumstances did not permit me to buy one. 

I am looking towards semi retirement shortly, with a plan to buy a narrow boat and hopefully we will spend approximately 6 months in UK gentle canal cruising and in the colder months sunbathing back in Philippines. 

I have already watched many videos, downloaded the Canal Maps and other docs, even played around with the excellent Narrow Boat Simulator App, but this Forum has proven to be the best source of information so far.

 

Being just the 2 of us, for the moment, I am looking for a well fitted out, up to 20 yr old, 45-55 ft boat with ability to accommodate an extra 2 adults when necessary. Budget is set at £50k all in and from what i have seen it looks very doable.

 

I would appreciate advice on the plan to have a regular 6 month Winter Mooring in a half decent location/price, as the boat will be cared for and may also be used by other close family members in our absence, but not full time.

 

As for all my other ideas on engines, electrics, generators, inverters, batteries etc, even though I consider myself fairly competent mechanically,  I will start by browsing in the relevant sections of the forum as surely my questions will have already been answered somewhere by the very well informed folk here.

 

Nice to be here and look forward to meeting some of you 'on the cut' in the next 12 months or so.

 

Hi Mark

It looks like a plan and I am sure you will get all the advice you need (and sometimes some you might not!) when you start to identify a potentially suitable boat,  and of course there is also a plethora of information to be found using the search facility. You may be pleased to know that there a few ex seafarers on the forum already with very similar backgrounds/qualifications to yourself so you should feel right at home. Enjoy the forum and good luck with the search for the boat. Have you considered a couple of hires when next in the UK which may help to consolidate your thoughts? It might be worth trying a couple of trips just to get the feel.

 

Howard

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2 hours ago, howardang said:

Hi Mark

It looks like a plan and I am sure you will get all the advice you need (and sometimes some you might not!) when you start to identify a potentially suitable boat,  and of course there is also a plethora of information to be found using the search facility. You may be pleased to know that there a few ex seafarers on the forum already with very similar backgrounds/qualifications to yourself so you should feel right at home. Enjoy the forum and good luck with the search for the boat. Have you considered a couple of hires when next in the UK which may help to consolidate your thoughts? It might be worth trying a couple of trips just to get the feel.

 

Howard

Thanks Howard,

 

I began looking at boats seriously only about a month ago, and then only through the online adverts.

Finding a few that might suit requirements, unfortunately I did not have time to go and physically inspect any of them before work beckoned and I am currently in Taiwan.

I have considered the 'hire to try' idea as a good option, but my next chance for a UK visit could be mid October for a few weeks only, I may not have the time for that.

Not being one to suffer cold weather I shall hopefully return to Philippines and Taiwan for the UK winter period.

This will still mean I continue my search, albeit online, but intentions are to purchase a boat for spring 2021 start of the 6 month plan. This still all depends on work and financials but hopefully I can juggle it all into place over the next year or so.

 

Cheers, M

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Mark, in my experience October is a very good month to go boating, the weather is often just right, not too hot or cold or wet. I have a nice trip on the Thames pencilled in for 8-24 October myself. Go on, get to the UK in October if you can, and enjoy yourself. I've never actually hired a narrow boat myself because I crew for other people, but I would guess that most of the hire boat companies could offer you a good deal for that time of year.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm here to post late to the party with Jack Bracken:

838317903_2020-09-0112_32_08.jpg.25fc95f8e001cef7d50909583f125852.jpg

 

 

Also, thanks to the Environment[dash]Agency having a very nicely formatted for email name, my registration is rather delayed. Somehow the "-" got swapped for a "‐". See the difference? Nope, me neither till I double checked carefully on the computer. One is slightly shorter than the other, so the email was getting sent to a nonexistent place.

I've no idea where the short dash even is on my keyboard, and only the long dash even types on this PC!!!

 

So, new to boating, and *very much* learning the hard way... I'll not even go into the repairs/failures/bolt heads snapping off I've had to deal with. But all the more fun! ;)

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