Would you start here?

[Tesla]

Hello all,

 

Have been hanging around here for a while, picking up good advice and enjoying the banter. Having got very close to buying a narrowboat a few months ago and getting cold feet, I am still trawling through apolloduck and other sites trying to establish what would be a good option for a first boat. The fact is that I am constrained by cash, longer term (2-3 years) we plan to liveaboard at which stage I would hope to buy a decent 50+ footer, however I don't want to wait that long (sound familiar?) and so am looking t cheap alternatives, like this -

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=236335

 

If you were me (and luckily your not) would you go for something like this? Obviously a survey is required, and the hull thickness seems suspect, but what else stands out, good or bad? Baring the unexpected, could you run a boat like this for around £200 a month including mooring on the south Oxford? Or am I just dreaming?

 

Thoughts, advice and warnings of insanity gratefully received...

 

Laz

[Leni]

Looks OK for a starter to me. I'd say, get a survey, and all being OK add the cost of blacking the bottom to your 'immediate needs' budget and go for it! However, I think your £200 a month is a bit optimistic. It might be possible to survive the summer on that plus a bit for emergencies, but if anything serious goes wrong with the boat you would be stuffed. You need to budget for those little (and sometimes not so little!) emergencies as well. Don't forget things like batteries and other etceteras, too.

 

Good luck!

[mrsmelly]

Hello all,

 

Have been hanging around here for a while, picking up good advice and enjoying the banter. Having got very close to buying a narrowboat a few months ago and getting cold feet, I am still trawling through apolloduck and other sites trying to establish what would be a good option for a first boat. The fact is that I am constrained by cash, longer term (2-3 years) we plan to liveaboard at which stage I would hope to buy a decent 50+ footer, however I don't want to wait that long (sound familiar?) and so am looking t cheap alternatives, like this -

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=236335

 

If you were me (and luckily your not) would you go for something like this? Obviously a survey is required, and the hull thickness seems suspect, but what else stands out, good or bad? Baring the unexpected, could you run a boat like this for around £200 a month including mooring on the south Oxford? Or am I just dreaming?

 

Thoughts, advice and warnings of insanity gratefully received...

 

Laz

 

Hi Laz

 

There are too many variables to answer, cost will depend hugely on what your idea of " Living " is. The South Oxford is certainly not a cheap area to be. I was on there until recently for quite some time. As for the boat, how much space do you need ? what will you be happy with ? how many of you are there ? The condition is something else which you would need to look at carefully. What do you mean by " Run a boat " If you are going to be legitimate with a mooring, licence, Bss and live full time with electric and heating to consider and basic maintainance then NO not a hope in hell of doing all that for less than fifty quid a week. Sorry if this sounds negative but its better to hear the truth rather than maybe's. I have said this many times over the years but living on a boat is decidedly NOT a cheap option and those that do it for cost reasons rather than genuinely wanting to do it often find it is not for them.

[casper ghost]

Building hulls with 5mm thick steel was fairly common around that time. Being 1974 i'd guess it must have had some overplating or be in need of some. A survey will tell.

Casp'

[Tesla]

Leni, mrsmelly,

 

Thanks for the input. I should have made it clearer in my post that the liveaboard option is, sadly, still 2-3 years away. For now i just want to be on the water (have sailed & cruised for years but never owned). So would need a non-residential mooring...

[casper ghost]

 

Thanks for the input. I should have made it clearer in my post that the liveaboard option is, sadly, still 2-3 years away. For now i just want to be on the water (have sailed & cruised for years but never owned). So would need a non-residential mooring...

£200 a month will probably get you the licence, mooring/permit, insurance. But no contingency.

Casp'

[Tesla]

Building hulls with 5mm thick steel was fairly common around that time. Being 1974 i'd guess it must have had some overplating or be in need of some. A survey will tell.

Casp'

 

 

£200 a month will probably get you the licence, mooring/permit, insurance. But no contingency.

Casp'

 

Casper, thanks, did not know that about older hull thickness.

 

While a liveaboard nb is our long term plan, would a grp cruiser be a better option for now given my limited funds, say a little Viking? I just need to be back on the water before I go even more loopy, not sure I can wait until the kids move out

[casper ghost]

 

While a liveaboard nb is our long term plan, would a grp cruiser be a better option for now given my limited funds, say a little Viking? I just need to be back on the water before I go even more loopy, not sure I can wait until the kids move out

I can't really comment much on grp, i like steel. There are some nice short boats about, maybe go for an even shorter boat, 30/35 feet or so. It will save you a lot on the costs.

Casp'

[Arthur Brown]

It looks like a fair boat for a fair price. Whether it suits you, only you can say. The "master bedroom" is a double and the other two berths are a double in the lounge cabin area so this may not suit your children.

 

The survey should give some clues about the state of the steel and may perhaps check the insulation. Insulation may not matter too much on a summer boat but will become essential for life there after about mid october for six months.

[ditchcrawler]

Hello all,

 

Have been hanging around here for a while, picking up good advice and enjoying the banter. Having got very close to buying a narrowboat a few months ago and getting cold feet, I am still trawling through apolloduck and other sites trying to establish what would be a good option for a first boat. The fact is that I am constrained by cash, longer term (2-3 years) we plan to liveaboard at which stage I would hope to buy a decent 50+ footer, however I don't want to wait that long (sound familiar?) and so am looking t cheap alternatives, like this -

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=236335

 

If you were me (and luckily your not) would you go for something like this? Obviously a survey is required, and the hull thickness seems suspect, but what else stands out, good or bad? Baring the unexpected, could you run a boat like this for around £200 a month including mooring on the south Oxford? Or am I just dreaming?

 

Thoughts, advice and warnings of insanity gratefully received...

 

Laz

Well your mooring and licence will take up about £150 a month so that leaves £50 for insurance, diesel, gas, coal and any repairs so its going to be a bit more than tight.

[Tesla]

Hmm, maybe I need to be more patient then, guess I am not the first person to have struggled to keep to the original plan :(