Are you new to boating?? CLICK HERE

[Bilal]

Thanks Jodansgang!

[lampini]

Hi Bilal,

If you do facebook, go onto the London Boaters page. There's a pinned post or something there with a very handy list of coal/gas diesel boats on there.

Welcome!

[Bilal]

Will do lampini. Thank you so much for that useful info.

[junior]

Will do lampini. Thank you so much for that useful info.

You have the choice of a few 'coal boats' in London. One of the is staying out west at the moment due to Camden stoppages but I believe Dom on 'Baron' and Mike on 'Victoria' should be passing you in the next few days. As someone else has suggested, get on the London Boaters Facebook page as the regulaly post their locations and direction of travel on there.

[Bilal]

Thank you 'junior'. I've gotten on to that FB and as you both say, it's a mine of useful information!

[Rob Rowley]

Hi All!

 

I am a mechanic and fabricator in Cheshire, near the Anterton Boat Lift and the Salt Barge pub. I am currently searching for my first NB, looking ideally for a cheap boat to do as a project..... limited budget due to a promised sale that fell through and an unspent loan!

 

Cant wait to get my hands on my first boat!

[fernand]

Just in the process of purchasing a 70' semi-trad and doing homework on power onboard.The boat has 3 leisure batteries and has a 2000w Victron inverter. Is it safe and possible to plug in a sinwave generator and run it through the system to achieve the 240v required to run Microwave freezer and the all important hairdrier for she who must be obeyed? Any comments and advice on this would be appreciated Ta Andy

[bottle]

Welcome fernand

Simple answer is yes if all the required wiring and equipment is there.

Sorry to be vague but we will really need to know what is on the boat.

For instance is the 'inverter' a combi (inverter charger) or do you have a stand alone charger.

It would be better to start a new thread in, Equipment

[Ex- Member]

Just in the process of purchasing a 70' semi-trad and doing homework on power onboard.The boat has 3 leisure batteries and has a 2000w Victron inverter. Is it safe and possible to plug in a sinwave generator and run it through the system to achieve the 240v required to run Microwave freezer and the all important hairdrier for she who must be obeyed? Any comments and advice on this would be appreciated Ta Andy

 

It is but for how long?, you mention Freezer which would require constant supply. We use a generator in the way you mention but that's for charging batteries, whilst doing that it also runs all the 240v equipment on the boat. as soon as we finish charging we switch back to the inverter.

 

With the electrical goods you mention I suggest 3 leisure batteries are insufficient unless you're on shore line. We have 700 ah of battery bank and a 3kw inverter for the similar amount of 240v equipment you mention, although we don't have a freezer as they can draw a lot of power.

[johno38]

Just bought our first boat 52ft trad exciting! !! Can't wait to get going but need to find an insurance company and maybe rescue service any recommendations?

[ditchcrawler]

ok mate no intentions of going up the leeds and liverpool ,we have taken on a 70 footer semi trad and yes its like looking down the length of wembley football pitch but i,m sure with a few bumps and scrapes well eventually master it. (157 locks and 2 tunnels from walsall to Cambridge) hey bring it on.

With that length your timing through Salters Lode is critical as you can only go out on a level tide with the lock gates open at both ends, so you may have to hang around on the Middle Level for a while. Contact Paul at Salters Lode when you get to Peterborough. The last town you will pass through before Salters Lode is March, so make sure you are stocked up with with food and water for a few days. If you have a pump out loo empty it at Peterborough, if its a Portapotty then empty at March

Just in the process of purchasing a 70' semi-trad and doing homework on power onboard.The boat has 3 leisure batteries and has a 2000w Victron inverter. Is it safe and possible to plug in a sinwave generator and run it through the system to achieve the 240v required to run Microwave freezer and the all important hairdrier for she who must be obeyed? Any comments and advice on this would be appreciated Ta Andy

What do you mean by "sine wave generator"?

[Beaker]

Just bought our first boat 52ft trad exciting! !! Can't wait to get going but need to find an insurance company and maybe rescue service any recommendations?

 

Some insurance policies include the basic RCR package in the premium, you'll probably pay just under £200 fully comprehensive.

 

Welcome to the forum, BTW.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Beaker

[johno38]

Thanks for the welcome Beaker,

Is there a list of companies on here?

[Beaker]

Thanks for the welcome Beaker,

Is there a list of companies on here?

 

I'm fairly new here myself, someone will be along shortly possessed of more knowledge on the subject than me.

[Bettie Boo]

Thanks for the welcome Beaker,

Is there a list of companies on here?

Not sure of a "list", but someone on here recommended College & Partners to us, been in contact and they are very customer service friendly 01843 295 925 and easy to deal with. No idea how they are when / if a claim is put in.

 

B~

 

Edited phone#

Edited December 19, 2013 by Bettie Boo

[johno38]

Thanks for that appreciated.

John

[bottle]

There are lots of insurance companies a search (top right) will find previous threads.

 

As for rescue I think there is only one, http://www.rivercanalrescue.co.uk/ look for membership offers in the magazines etc.

 

Of course you can always start a thread on the forum and I will almost guarantee that someone will have had the problem before and will advise.

 

If someone is nearby and can help they will.

[Phil Ambrose]

With that length your timing through Salters Lode is critical as you can only go out on a level tide with the lock gates open at both ends, so you may have to hang around on the Middle Level for a while. Contact Paul at Salters Lode when you get to Peterborough. The last town you will pass through before Salters Lode is March, so make sure you are stocked up with with food and water for a few days. If you have a pump out loo empty it at Peterborough, if its a Portapotty then empty at March

 

What do you mean by "sine wave generator"?

Inverter genny?

Phil

[Tom Richmond]

Hi all.

 

I've been lurking around for a few weeks now, thought I'd better introduce myself properly. My partner and I are looking for a liveaboard in which we will cruise, we both work freelance and so I think it'll suit. We both spent some time living on a Thames Barge a few years back (in fact that's where we met), and loved every minute of it! So, a need for a change recently got us thinking; what about a boat of our own?

 

So we've managed to scoop a bit of money together (it's great to have good friends who have run off to the city and made lots of money!) and have been keeping our eyes on apolloduck... We have around £15k to spend at the moment, and hope to get at least a 40' boat. Obviously a narrowboat is the only thing we can consider in that price bracket. We'd very much like to avoid a GRP or wood topped boat because of some of the horror stories we've heard, but if that's the boat that comes along, so be it!

 

I have worked as both a carpenter and an electrician in the past, and plumbing and mechanics, while not my forte do not scare me overly much. So a boat which requires work (yeah, I know; which boat doesn't!) won't be a problem. In fact it's good, we want to build a home, so it's unlikely that anyone else will have managed to fit it out how we want it...

 

Anyway, that's us... I'll be knocking around asking all sorts of awkward questions over the coming weeks and months I'm sure!

 

Tom.

[clarebear84]

Hi there, I'm new to boating! Just bought a narrowboat down in Brentford, called Wandering Swan. She's in a bit of a state but seems to be a fairly decent boat. Engine is sound and hull is in good nick. She has a fibre-glass roof which is a bit knackered and beaten up - does anyone have experience of fibre-glass boats? She needs some TLC anyhow, so I hope I'll be able to improve on what's there.

 

Cheers, all!

 

Clare

[Beaker]

 

 

 

 

Anyway, that's us... I'll be knocking around asking all sorts of awkward questions over the coming weeks and months I'm sure!

 

 

 

Tom.

 

Welcome Tom, rest assured that you'll get plenty of helpful answers, plus a few not so!

 

Hi there, I'm new to boating! Just bought a narrowboat down in Brentford, called Wandering Swan. She's in a bit of a state but seems to be a fairly decent boat. Engine is sound and hull is in good nick. She has a fibre-glass roof which is a bit knackered and beaten up - does anyone have experience of fibre-glass boats? She needs some TLC anyhow, so I hope I'll be able to improve on what's there.

 

Cheers, all!

 

Clare

 

Welcome to the forum Clare, see above!

[junior]

Hi there, I'm new to boating! Just bought a narrowboat down in Brentford, called Wandering Swan. She's in a bit of a state but seems to be a fairly decent boat. Engine is sound and hull is in good nick. She has a fibre-glass roof which is a bit knackered and beaten up - does anyone have experience of fibre-glass boats? She needs some TLC anyhow, so I hope I'll be able to improve on what's there.

 

Cheers, all!

 

Clare

Hi and welcome to the forum. Have you got a mooring down in Brentford? I'm a little bit up from you but I think there are a few forum members in Brentford.

[June]

Hello,

My name is June, I am single and seriously thinking of working towards living on a boat but am quite anxious of the fact that I am on my own. Can I ask... are there many out there like me? Am I mad to even consider such a way of life on my own? I have wanted to take the plunge for years now and don't want to look back on my life and think 'what if... ' and regret not doing anything about it. I am in my early fifties but am very fit for my age. I would welcome any advise or thoughts to help me work out what to do. I reckon by 2015 I should be in a position to buy a comfortable boat and want this to be a workable goal. Its having the courage though.....

[Ex- Member]

Hello,

My name is June, I am single and seriously thinking of working towards living on a boat but am quite anxious of the fact that I am on my own. Can I ask... are there many out there like me? Am I mad to even consider such a way of life on my own? I have wanted to take the plunge for years now and don't want to look back on my life and think 'what if... ' and regret not doing anything about it. I am in my early fifties but am very fit for my age. I would welcome any advise or thoughts to help me work out what to do. I reckon by 2015 I should be in a position to buy a comfortable boat and want this to be a workable goal. Its having the courage though.....

 

Hi June and welcome. There are a lot of singles living on boats, quite a few post on here so some good advice will be forthcoming

 

All I would say personally is do it, if it doesn't work out then sell the boat and go back to bricks & mortar. Doing some good research though is a must, so here is a good start. There are other sites and publications available though.

 

Good luck!

[Chop!]

Hello,

My name is June, I am single and seriously thinking of working towards living on a boat but am quite anxious of the fact that I am on my own. Can I ask... are there many out there like me? Am I mad to even consider such a way of life on my own? I have wanted to take the plunge for years now and don't want to look back on my life and think 'what if... ' and regret not doing anything about it. I am in my early fifties but am very fit for my age. I would welcome any advise or thoughts to help me work out what to do. I reckon by 2015 I should be in a position to buy a comfortable boat and want this to be a workable goal. Its having the courage though.....

Hi June

 

Welcome to the forum, if you are a little mad it helps! I can assure you that there are loads of single ladies living on boats as there are many single guys.

Go for it, you only live once, if you don't try then you'll never know!

Just make sure you don't buy the first boat you see and definitely get a survey on it before you buy!

 

The very best of luck, hoping you take the plunge.

 

Safe & happy 2014 (Can you keep us posted please?)

Chop & Glenda

Hi there, I'm new to boating! Just bought a narrowboat down in Brentford, called Wandering Swan. She's in a bit of a state but seems to be a fairly decent boat. Engine is sound and hull is in good nick. She has a fibre-glass roof which is a bit knackered and beaten up - does anyone have experience of fibre-glass boats? She needs some TLC anyhow, so I hope I'll be able to improve on what's there.

 

Cheers, all!

 

Clare

Hi Clarebear

 

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on getting your first boat!

There is a very good book on fibreglass restorations, I'll be needing it myself soon (to restore the micro-caravan I tow with my bubblecar)

I'll let you know the ISBN number when I find it.

 

Good luck and safe and happy boating in 2014

Hi all.

 

I've been lurking around for a few weeks now, thought I'd better introduce myself properly. My partner and I are looking for a liveaboard in which we will cruise, we both work freelance and so I think it'll suit. We both spent some time living on a Thames Barge a few years back (in fact that's where we met), and loved every minute of it! So, a need for a change recently got us thinking; what about a boat of our own?

 

So we've managed to scoop a bit of money together (it's great to have good friends who have run off to the city and made lots of money!) and have been keeping our eyes on apolloduck... We have around £15k to spend at the moment, and hope to get at least a 40' boat. Obviously a narrowboat is the only thing we can consider in that price bracket. We'd very much like to avoid a GRP or wood topped boat because of some of the horror stories we've heard, but if that's the boat that comes along, so be it!

 

I have worked as both a carpenter and an electrician in the past, and plumbing and mechanics, while not my forte do not scare me overly much. So a boat which requires work (yeah, I know; which boat doesn't!) won't be a problem. In fact it's good, we want to build a home, so it's unlikely that anyone else will have managed to fit it out how we want it...

 

Anyway, that's us... I'll be knocking around asking all sorts of awkward questions over the coming weeks and months I'm sure!

 

Tom.

Hi Tom

 

Welcome to the forum, good luck with your boat hunting. Make sure you get it surveyed.

Also be careful, any DIY will have to pass Safety Certificate regulations.

 

Hope you find your dream boat, we did!