That was f'ing awesome

[Psycloud]

Picked up our boat (Davy Jones) from Harefield on Saturday lunchtime and began our journey north on the GU. Got through 9 locks and moored up until we can continue next weekend. What a beautiful day we all had! None of us had previous experience but we now know for sure that we made the right decision to buy one

 

I would also like to say a huge thank you to the crew of the Sans Souci (who also picked up their boat at the same time) and offered to pair up with us for the first half of the journey, their advice was invaluable and made our maiden voyage so much less worrying than it would have been.

 

David

[Theo]

Picked up our boat (Davy Jones) from Harefield on Saturday lunchtime and began our journey north on the GU. Got through 9 locks and moored up until we can continue next weekend. What a beautiful day we all had! None of us had previous experience but we now know for sure that we made the right decision to buy one

 

I would also like to say a huge thank you to the crew of the Sans Souci (who also picked up their boat at the same time) and offered to pair up with us for the first half of the journey, their advice was invaluable and made our maiden voyage so much less worrying than it would have been.

 

David

 

Are the owners of Sans Souci on here?

 

Pleased that you had a great time. Did you really mean that you had no previous experience, net even hiring?

 

N

[mykaskin]

Picked up our boat (Davy Jones) from Harefield on Saturday lunchtime and began our journey north on the GU. Got through 9 locks and moored up until we can continue next weekend. What a beautiful day we all had! None of us had previous experience but we now know for sure that we made the right decision to buy one

 

I would also like to say a huge thank you to the crew of the Sans Souci (who also picked up their boat at the same time) and offered to pair up with us for the first half of the journey, their advice was invaluable and made our maiden voyage so much less worrying than it would have been.

 

David

 

So glad you enjoyed it - good on the canals init?!

 

Mike

[Athy]

Referring back to your topic title - f'ings ain't what they used to be. Glad you've got off to a good start. Are you going further than Blisworth? If you still like boating after going through that "f'ing" tunnel, then you probably always will.

[Psycloud]

Are the owners of Sans Souci on here?

 

Pleased that you had a great time. Did you really mean that you had no previous experience, net even hiring?

 

 

I don't know if they are on here, we did thank them at the time of course. Just wanted others to know how lovely they were

 

I did mean no experience (except for a week cruise around the med on a 15 deck liner so not sure that counts). We plan to move onto the boat in the next few weeks.

 

So glad you enjoyed it - good on the canals init?!

 

 

Yes very, and it needs to be as it will be home for the forseeable

 

Referring back to your topic title - f'ings ain't what they used to be. Glad you've got off to a good start. Are you going further than Blisworth? If you still like boating after going through that "f'ing" tunnel, then you probably always will.

 

Fings ain't what they used to be? I bloody well hope not as I am moving to the canal to relax rather than work a 16hr day, live in a cabin space of 8'x6' and be expected to get from Brum to London in 5 days Seriously though, I don't have anything to compare it too so my experience will be positive and I will probably be telling someone in ten years time that fings aint what they used to be

 

Blisworth won't be on our first run (mooring at Willowbridge for the winter) but I think we will probably go and do it one weekend just for the challenge

[BargeeSpud]

So you've got to Cassiobury Park then. Going to be on the mooring at Bourne End next weekend so look out for us as you go past, probably Sunday morning depending on how well you do, I'll be looking out for you. Our moorings are above the next lock through the Winkwell swing bridge. Have fun skipper.

 

[Starcoaster]

Did you get over your fear of sharing double locks?

[Psycloud]

So you've got to Cassiobury Park then. Going to be on the mooring at Bourne End next weekend so look out for us as you go past, probably Sunday morning depending on how well you do, I'll be looking out for you. Our moorings are above the next lock through the Winkwell swing bridge. Have fun skipper.

 

 

Just at the start (West Herts Golf Club), will keep an eye out

 

Did you get over your fear of sharing double locks?

 

Yes, although we may well have put the crew of the other boat off for life

[bigcol]

Glad you had a great weekend!!!

happy its all working out for you

 

will look out for you when you get to willowbridge

enjoy the journey, and your new home

 

Col

Edited October 1, 2012 by bigcol

[Psycloud]

Glad you had a great weekend!!!

happy its all working out for you

 

will look out for you when you get to willowbridge

enjoy the journey, and your new home

 

Col

 

Thanks Col - and also thank you to everyone on here who has been encouraging and helpful with my seemingly daft questions - alas they may continue for some time

[Dave_P]

You put it perfectly. Boating IS f'ing awesome!

 

I love that you just went for it with no previous experience. Learn by your mistakes I say.

[Nine of Hearts]

I love that you just went for it with no previous experience. Learn by your mistakes I say.

 

Me too. I never understand this pussyfooting around wasting time and money hiring first malarkey. More strength to your elbow!

[BargeeSpud]

I never understand this pussyfooting around wasting time and money hiring first malarkey.

Maybe it has to do with seeing if you like boating before shelling out thousands buying a boat you might end up only using once. It would be a bit like buying a barrel of whiskey when you don't know if you'll like it or you've never even tasted the stuff.

Edited October 2, 2012 by Spuds

[Theo]

Maybe it has to do with seeing if you like boating before shelling out thousands buying a boat you might end up only using once. It would be a bit like buying a barrel of whiskey when you don't know if you'll like it or you've never even tasted the stuff.

 

Some people get put off by what you might think are trifling matters. that's why I would advise people to hire for a goodish spell before hiring. I believe that you need to have a very clear idea of the disadvantages living on a boat. Things like emptying the loo, having a really little shower, not having a bath, standing out in the wet when it starts raining when you are cruising.

 

If you want to be sure then I think you need to have tried it first.

 

Nick

[Psycloud]

Some people get put off by what you might think are trifling matters. that's why I would advise people to hire for a goodish spell before hiring. I believe that you need to have a very clear idea of the disadvantages living on a boat. Things like emptying the loo, having a really little shower, not having a bath, standing out in the wet when it starts raining when you are cruising.

 

If you want to be sure then I think you need to have tried it first.

 

Nick

 

We spend around 5 weeks a year at festivals living out of a tent so the boat is luxury by comparison We're also going to hang on to our house for at least 6 months (rent it out) and have winter moorings so we are easing into this gently so to speak. This is just one of those things that we have to do. I've never wanted to be tied to bricks and mortar but it just seemed to happen that way, however recently I was made redundant and we have been lucky enough to buy the boat outright. Unless we sink the boat or let it rot away then it is a relatively low risk strategy as we can always move back to land and sell it if we hate it. I've spent 26 years banging on about how I always wanted to live on a bus - a narrowboat seems like a far more practical option and will still allow the freedom to roam when we choose. Goodbye corporate world - hello waterworld...

[sooz]

Sounds fab, we too bought our first boat this weekend (though did have a little previous experience). Rather envious of your moving onto it, sadly that's not remotely imminent for us - we live a good two hours from our mooring and t'other half's youngest still has a good twelve years of schooling left (if it wasn't for those pesky kids.. =S )

 

Hope you continue to love it =]

[BargeeSpud]

 

 

If you want to be sure then I think you need to have tried it first.

 

Nick

Abso-chuffin-lutely.