Average age of boaters.

[anhar]

I think it's a desirability issue rather than an just an age issue. There are plenty of people in my business circle in their 30's and 40's who have bought second homes for hols or a 'big boy's toy' of some description who aren't the slightest bit interested in boats. There's another group who are interested in boats - sailing boats - and most of them cost easily the price of a decent narrow boat plus some.

These individuals aren't 'rich' people - a lot have bought their 'toys' on finance deals rather than climbing higher up the property ladder by mortgaging themselves further....

As David suggests Denis, it isn't really an "issue" at all, just a fact that most boaters are the wrong side of 50. Although some readers here have told us this may not apply to their particular marina etc. overall, that is the figure for the fairly obvious reasons David and others have shown. Whether that actually matters or not I'm not sure. It might in certain narrow circumstances I guess.

 

Put it this way, if I decided I wanted a young girlfriend, if anyone would have a rich old fart like me, then I wouldn't be looking amongst canal boaters where 80% are one foot in the grave! I would gravitate to where they are likely to hang out which if BW's figures are accurate, aint the canals.

 

regards

Steve

[Bones]

As David suggests Denis, it isn't really an "issue" at all, just a fact that most boaters are the wrong side of 50. Although some readers here have told us this may not apply to their particular marina etc. overall, that is the figure for the fairly obvious reasons David and others have shown. Whether that actually matters or not I'm not sure. It might in certain narrow circumstances I guess.

 

Put it this way, if I decided I wanted a young girlfriend, if anyone would have a rich old fart like me, then I wouldn't be looking amongst canal boaters where 80% are one foot in the grave! I would gravitate to where they are likely to hang out which if BW's figures are accurate, aint the canals.

 

regards

Steve

 

 

ah, but if you were female you probably would! It seems there are plenty of "young" divorced men moving onto boats!

[Denis R]

Fair point Steve, I guess I was attempting a theory on why 80% of boaters are over 50 and suggesting it was lifestyle related. Based on what I've seen, I won't be looking for a young girlfriend here either!!

[anhar]

ah, but if you were female you probably would! It seems there are plenty of "young" divorced men moving onto boats!

Good point Bones. I think you'll find though that a lot of those men you describe are not the type that the ladies to whom you refer would find attractive.

 

regards

Steve

[Bones]

Good point Bones. I think you'll find though that a lot of those men you describe are not the type that the ladies to whom you refer would find attractive.

 

regards

Steve

 

 

OOh I don't know - the ones I have met usually are!!!!!

[minerva]

Yuss it seems to be the place for divorced men.....

 

if your a female boater...

 

anhar: its not all about looks..... you can be the best looking guy around and be a total arse...

 

[anhar]

Yuss it seems to be the place for divorced men.....

 

if your a female boater...

 

anhar: its not all about looks..... you can be the best looking guy around and be a total arse...

 

Yes indeed min I agree. You misunderstood me, I was not referring to looks at all.

 

regards

Steve

[minerva]

Do you guys want to know what a woman looks for?.....honestly?

[Janet S]

Do you guys want to know what a woman looks for?.....honestly?

 

 

Don't do it! Don't tell 'em!

 

Janet

[Moley]

Do you guys want to know what a woman looks for?.....honestly?

Yes, go on, give it to us straight.

'cos maybe we'd understand a whole lot better if your lot quit talking in riddles.

 

Enlighten us please

[Bones]

Sounds intrigueing... do tell!

[Denis R]

Time to move over to the pub and start a towpath dating directory?

[Alec Gatherer]

its not all about looks..... you can be the best looking guy around and be a total arse...

 

I object - I'm not a total arse!

[Bones]

I object - I'm not a total arse!

 

but surely you have a beloved! In which case you don't qualify!!!!

[Alec Gatherer]

but surely you have a beloved! In which case you don't qualify!!!!

How dare you! I don't have a beloved- I'm married!!

 

I don't qualify anyway. I was trying to mislead everyone into thinking I was the best looking guy around. I might get away with it if they never meet me.

[Bones]

How dare you! I don't have a beloved- I'm married!!

 

I don't qualify anyway. I was trying to mislead everyone into thinking I was the best looking guy around. I might get away with it if they never meet me.

nutter!

[AllanW]

Yuss it seems to be the place for divorced men.....

 

Well that's me... 48 and divorced!

 

Er... So where do all the female divorcees go then?

 

Purely out of academic interest of course

 

Allan

Edited July 21, 2006 by AllanW

[GRPCruiserman]

What is this fixation about age all about?? Unless you live on a boat, or are so rich that you do not have to work much, a boat is an expensive luxury. Before I retired (very early I might add!!), I worked quite a few weekends, and had five weeks holiday a year, so I would have had precious little time to use a boat if I owned one at that time. Now that I have a lot more time, I can justify the money I spent buying the boat by the amouint of usage it gets. Furthermore I would not have been able to afford to buy a boat without the Redundancy lump sum which accompanied my premature retirement. Surely that is the position of many private boat owners, so it is hardly suprising that the average age is over 50 yrs old.

 

You are obviously very new to boating.

 

A boat should not be an expensive luxury. I have owned boats since I was eight years old (admittedly I didn't pay for the first few!!) but only started to use the canals about fifteen years ago. The first canal boat I bought cost me £400 with the engine, £160 licence, and £150 all in for mooring for the year. As it only had a small engine and was not so big, petrol was miniscule, and the insurance cost £50 per year.

 

Even now, with the groos increase in costs, and my wage being considerably less than it was then, I still spend less on the boat than my friends spend on smoking or drinking.

 

It is the press's fixation with a culture that it narrow boat only, and BW's change in policy with regards to section 8 boats which used to be auctioned for a couple of hundred pounds but are now destroyed if worth £1000 or less (what a waste of licence payer's money) which has created this impression of boating being an expensive hobby.

 

I sold a boat for £700 last year with the engine. We'd used that boat for four years and had many a fortnight and week on it, not to mention the countless weekends. It is people such as yourself who by way of comments such as this promote this high cost culture. We should campaign for old GRP boats to be sold, as they used to be, to potential low cost purchasers. On line moorings continue to be lost and shouldn't be as this forces up the average cost of mooring beyond the reach of most, just so tht shiney boats don't have to slow down. Lets get back to basics and encourage a few less well healed boaters back on the canals. Perhaps in twenty years or so we'll still have some boaters young enough to work the locks.

[GRPCruiserman]

Do you guys want to know what a woman looks for?.....honestly?

 

I'm married now, so the following no longer applies to me but........................

 

When I was single, I prefered to go out with ladies who were shall we say, a little ampler in certain regions. That way they had more leverage on the heavier lock gates, and more whomph to get those more dificult paddles up and down.

 

Never really known what a woman is looking for in a man, is that necessary? Just found my wife through luck I suppose. She has lost weight since I met her, so we go through less locks now.

[Christine]

I'm married now, so the following no longer applies to me but........................

 

When I was single, I prefered to go out with ladies who were shall we say, a little ampler in certain regions. That way they had more leverage on the heavier lock gates, and more whomph to get those more dificult paddles up and down.

 

Never really known what a woman is looking for in a man, is that necessary? Just found my wife through luck I suppose. She has lost weight since I met her, so we go through less locks now.

 

 

Brilliant

 

There's hope for me yet!

 

I saw an advert in the lonely hearts section of a French newspaper - Normandy area. 'Happy woman (good cow milker) seeks a kind man.'

 

I think I'll put an ad in a narrowboat mag: 'Strong woman seeks rich man with luxury liveaboard and a dicky ticker.

 

Chrissie

[minerva]

I nearly fainted then Christine....the last couple of words in your reply, I thought it said dick tickler! you should get plenty of replies....me thinks...

[wrigglefingers]

We're 45/17.

 

We've no chance of help with heavy stuff now as we are now officially 'sturdier than they look' according to the gathering of boys on our jetty. Their average age 57 (I checked), two are divorced and one is married ('mostly to his boat though'). Otherwise there's four wives, two divorcees and one single female (that's Elly) on our patch. With the exception of Elly, all the liveaboards are older than me, there are a few boaters who are younger but not many.

 

I'd like to meet a bloke who occasionally communicated intelligently face to face; not by addressing my chest.

 

Jill

[minerva]

can't be done....

[Bones]

 

 

I'd like to meet a bloke who occasionally communicated intelligently face to face; not by addressing my chest .

Jill

 

 

hmm... sounds like your stuck with internet dating and a long distance relationship!!!!!!!!!!!

[minerva]

well i thought she was stuck with a toy boy od 17?.....................

 

or am i getting it all wrong?