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Hello - we are new to boating. Currently looking for a narrowboat to moor near Gloucester or Brecon (upgrading from a Kayak!). We've spent an insane amount of time researching all things boats in the past month or so and we're hoping to do a course soon. 

 

Thanks for having us!

 

Julia and James

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5 minutes ago, clyroroberts said:

Hello - we are new to boating. Currently looking for a narrowboat to moor near Gloucester or Brecon (upgrading from a Kayak!). We've spent an insane amount of time researching all things boats in the past month or so and we're hoping to do a course soon. 

 

Thanks for having us!

 

Julia and James

Welcome aboard. Some nice moorings in Gloucester Dock but I guess they cost a bob or two

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  • 6 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Hi All,

 

I don't yet have a boat and i'm looking at widebeams at the moment as it'll be a full time liveaboard. Also never had a boat so i'm doing a fair bit of reading to try and educate myself. Any recommendations on experience days (the type where you learn stuff) not too far from london would be greatly appreciated.

 

Hope to see you all on the cut before too long.

 

Derek

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6 hours ago, DerekB said:

Hi All,

 

I don't yet have a boat and i'm looking at widebeams at the moment as it'll be a full time liveaboard. Also never had a boat so i'm doing a fair bit of reading to try and educate myself. Any recommendations on experience days (the type where you learn stuff) not too far from london would be greatly appreciated.

 

Hope to see you all on the cut before too long.

 

Derek

Hi Derek and welcome to the forum. As you are new to boating and are based close to London you could do a lot worse than spend several days browsing this site. Many people have been in your situation and have probably asked the questions that you are thinking, and had them answered. In order for people here to help you in a useful way it would be good if you provided more information about what you want from your boat - will you be cc'ing etc? An oft repeated recommendation if you are not planning to cc is to find a mooring first. As I understand it widebeam moorings in the London area are not easy or cheap to come by. Happy browsing!

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18 minutes ago, MrsM said:

Hi Derek and welcome to the forum. As you are new to boating and are based close to London you could do a lot worse than spend several days browsing this site. Many people have been in your situation and have probably asked the questions that you are thinking, and had them answered. In order for people here to help you in a useful way it would be good if you provided more information about what you want from your boat - will you be cc'ing etc? An oft repeated recommendation if you are not planning to cc is to find a mooring first. As I understand it widebeam moorings in the London area are not easy or cheap to come by. Happy browsing!

Hi MrsM, 

 

Thank you....I lost a few hours today browsing a few topics on here and I bet I’ll be losing quite a few more 🙂

 

I will be cc’ing as there are quite a few canals near where I work so even with movement requirements I should be able to stay within cycle distance. As for moorings I did a quick search and nothing free anywhere nearby but that was just a cursory search. May investigate more depending how much work is required on whatever boat I end up with. So far I’m still deciding exactly what I’m after   but have spotted a couple of boats that tick the boxes I’ve decided on so far.
 

I’m hoping to find an instructional experience day but the two I’ve seen don’t have dates available for a few months so I might have to wing it a bit if I find a boat I like...slightly daunting but not the first time I’ve had to jump into something feet first.

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2 minutes ago, DerekB said:

Hi MrsM, 

 

Thank you....I lost a few hours today browsing a few topics on here and I bet I’ll be losing quite a few more 🙂

 

I will be cc’ing as there are quite a few canals near where I work so even with movement requirements I should be able to stay within cycle distance. As for moorings I did a quick search and nothing free anywhere nearby but that was just a cursory search. May investigate more depending how much work is required on whatever boat I end up with. So far I’m still deciding exactly what I’m after   but have spotted a couple of boats that tick the boxes I’ve decided on so far.
 

I’m hoping to find an instructional experience day but the two I’ve seen don’t have dates available for a few months so I might have to wing it a bit if I find a boat I like...slightly daunting but not the first time I’ve had to jump into something feet first.

Best of luck. It's an exciting world on the waterways and there are so many experienced boaters on here that are happy to give their time advising others. If you see boats you like feel free to share for feedback.

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11 minutes ago, MrsM said:

Best of luck. It's an exciting world on the waterways and there are so many experienced boaters on here that are happy to give their time advising others. If you see boats you like feel free to share for feedback.

Many thanks....I dare say I shall be posting a few questions 🙂

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Hi all

 

not currently looking to buy a boat but doing plenty of research for when the day comes 

we will be hiring 2 or 3 times next year to see how we get on 

fist one booked in wales  with Cambrian cruisers and looking for somewhere around the midlands


I have had a river cruiser a while ago but realised short trips at weekends wasn’t for me

so this time waiting for the wife to retire so we can spend a few months of the year travelling around 

 

we live not far from Boston so are not sure what moorings are available in this part of lincolnshire 

 

not sure whether to buy a project or one fully usable 

also thinking about the possibility of hiring out during the peak times to get some of the running costs back. Good idea or bad ?

 

towards the end of next year is when I think we will be ready to buy if it’s a project to give me a while to renovate but would need somewhere close by to work on it

 

cheers

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, vmax666 said:

also thinking about the possibility of hiring out during the peak times to get some of the running costs back. Good idea or bad ?

 

 

In that area for prolonged cruising you may need three licenses. Environment Agency, Middle level Commissioners and CaRT. The EA and CaRT one can be combined into one Gold License. Then there is the one from the Cam Commissioners as well.

 

To hire out legally your boat needs to be built and regularly examined to a different standard , more demanding, than a private boat, will need more expensive licence(s), different, and more expensive insurance, plus whatever "operating base" requirements the licensing authority. Then there is the question of how you cope with the inevitable breakdowns. It is generally considered not to be viable. There has been at least one case of someone hiring "under the radar" loosing their boat.

 

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2 hours ago, vmax666 said:

also thinking about the possibility of hiring out during the peak times to get some of the running costs back. Good idea or bad ?

 

BAD BAD BAD

There are all sorts of legal requirements and the safety requirements for a 'hire boat' are very much higher than for a private boat (it can even be difficult for a private boat to meet all of the requirements)

 

You will need :

Commercial hire boat insurance

An enhanced boat safety certificate

Landlords gas and electric certificates

Somewhere to moor the boat (that allows hire boat operations)

etc etc

 

There are a number of pages on the Canal & River Trust website that explain the requirements, here is one for a starter :

 

New licence introduced for boat renting | Canal & River Trust (canalrivertrust.org.uk)

 

32539-canal-and-river-trust-introduces-new-licence-for-boat-renting.pdf (canalrivertrust.org.uk)

 

You may also need licences from other navigation authorities depending on where you plan to operate from.

 

 

Edit to add :

Tony's reply was not on view when I started to reply. I do not know why that happens, but we agree its not a good idea.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

In that area for prolonged cruising you may need three licenses. Environment Agency, Middle level Commissioners and CaRT. The EA and CaRT one can be combined into one Gold License. Then there is the one from the Cam Commissioners as well.

 

 

 

Boston is on CRT waters and is connected to most of the other CRT waters around the country.  No need for any other licence.

 

Agree that the hiring out idea is probably a non-starter, although some existing hire boat companies do have privately owned boats on their books on a sort of retainer basis.  I know Kate Boats in Warwick do this so it might be worth VMax contacting them to discuss how it works as it could have a bearing on what boat they buy.

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3 hours ago, vmax666 said:

we live not far from Boston so are not sure what moorings are available in this part of lincolnshire 

 

There are one or two mooring providers on the Witham at Dogdyke and Chapel Hill (but they are a bit 'ramshackle'), there is of course the marina itself in Boston.

 

There are proposals for a new canal and marina near Woodhall Spa, and another Marina at Cherry Willingham (both of these developments have 'gone quiet' for the last couple of years, maybe down to Covid ?)

Cherry Willingham marina with 155 homes set for approval (thelincolnite.co.uk)

 

C&RT moorings at Bardney Lock,

 

Moorings in Brayford Pool (Centre of Lincoln),

 

Moorings /  marina at Burton Waters and

 

Moorings at Torksey (above the Lock)

 

From Boston the only other direction of Travel is 'out to sea' which is not an easy option due to the ever shifting sands, tides etc. A pilot is oft used for canal boats leaving Boston.

 

 

 

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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53 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

Agree that the hiring out idea is probably a non-starter, although some existing hire boat companies do have privately owned boats on their books on a sort of retainer basis.  I know Kate Boats in Warwick do this so it might be worth VMax contacting them to discuss how it works as it could have a bearing on what boat they buy.

Also known as sponsored boats. The usual model is that the hire company builds the boat, or buys it from a boatbuilder, to their own specification, and then sells it to the owner. The hire company hires it out, retaining a proportion of the hire fees, with the owner getting the rest. The hire company manages the hiring side and does all the routine maintenance. The owner can use the boat for a certain number of weeks in the main hire season, and for longer off season (subject to any maintenance requirements). The agreement usually lasts for around 3 years, after which the owner can either take the boat away or negotiate a new agreement. 

The advantage is that although the owner is paying a new boat price up front it generates an income, and the owner has use of the boat for a few weeks a year, which is enough if the owner is in work. The downside is that you get a standard hireboat layout, and the boat carries the hire company branding. And when you get it back at the end of the agreement it will inevitably bear the scars of intensive use in mainly inexperienced hands.

If you are just looking for a financial return on your capital there are probably better options, but as a way of providing cheaper boating it works for some people.

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Thanks for the replies

renting out was just a thought so not so import 

What other areas are good for renting to get a good idea of the network

i have no intention to venture out to sea and mooring can realistically be anywhere not to far away as long as I can park a car while I am using the boat

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11 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Also known as sponsored boats. The usual model is that the hire company builds the boat, or buys it from a boatbuilder, to their own specification, and then sells it to the owner.

 

At least one of our members bought an ex hire boat which obviously meets the requirements. 

 

This boat is available for hire from a different hire firm as the owners are too busy to use it.

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4 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

At least one of our members bought an ex hire boat which obviously meets the requirements. 

 

This boat is available for hire from a different hire firm as the owners are too busy to use it.

Is it actually available to hire? It was looking rather sorry for itself, and not presentable enough for hire when I saw it a week ago.

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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

BAD BAD BAD

There are all sorts of legal requirements and the safety requirements for a 'hire boat' are very much higher than for a private boat (it can even be difficult for a private boat to meet all of the requirements)

 

You will need :

Commercial hire boat insurance

An enhanced boat safety certificate

Landlords gas and electric certificates

Somewhere to moor the boat (that allows hire boat operations)

etc etc

 

There are a number of pages on the Canal & River Trust website that explain the requirements, here is one for a starter :

 

New licence introduced for boat renting | Canal & River Trust (canalrivertrust.org.uk)

 

32539-canal-and-river-trust-introduces-new-licence-for-boat-renting.pdf (canalrivertrust.org.uk)

 

You may also need licences from other navigation authorities depending on where you plan to operate from.

 

 

Edit to add :

Tony's reply was not on view when I started to reply. I do not know why that happens, but we agree its not a good idea.

Can you actually have a Landlords Gas Certificate on a boat?

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1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

Can you actually have a Landlords Gas Certificate on a boat?

 

C&RT say you must have a "gas safe" certificate, and have previously called it a 'landlords certificate' as the requirements for renting a boat are apparently the same as renting a house.

 

Maybe @MtB can elucidate further.

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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

C&RT say you must have a "gas safe" certificate, and have previously called it a 'landlords certificate' as the requirements for renting a boat are apparently the same as renting a house.

 

Maybe @MtB can elucidate further.

I have a Landlords Certificate for the bungalow I rent out, I don't think it would be very applicable to a boat.  I think we also need to be careful when talking of what is required and what is best practice/good idea etc.

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