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Help sought re living on a boat & finding one first!


Salopgal

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Why do CWF discussions so frequently degenerate into silly squabbles?

 

My theory is that most people aren't really suited to the idyllic, low-stress, back-to-nature, peaceful, life that the canals are said to provide. With the birds singing outside, the willows weeping, the water gently lapping on the hull, the typical NB owner is within, hammering the life out of his keyboard and sending vitriolic messages to CWF and (VERY occcasionally) NBW.

 

The truth is that these people MISS the high-pressure, testosterone-fuelled, normal world, and want to create virtual-reality mini-conflicts on their computer screens to compensate.

 

So, another illusion shattered. Not only is living on a boat MUCH more expensive than living on land, but if you thought you'd escape the office bear-garden, think again.

  • Greenie 1
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I don't whether to be impressed you can live on a tenth of the cost in a house as on a boat (ps my friend's house needs a new flat roof, and the boiler needs a service and...) or impressed that you spend £4,000 a month on your boat.

 

Well as an owner of both boats and houses, I write from experience about which cost me more to maintain. A boat costs me WAY more than a house in general running costs, purchase costs excluded.

 

Maybe its different for you.

 

MtB

Edited by Mike the Boilerman
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Salopgal....make whatever decisions keep you 'afloat' for the time being...these decisions do not need to be permanent ones, and at this stage of your life are probably best being just 'survival' decisions. Whichever way you go now, or later, things can, and inevitably will, change. Allow for that...and try and look forward to that aswell.

Support often comes from places you least expect it, at the times you least expect aswell, so keep your options open, don't rule anything out except things that are bad for you, keep your chin up, and be proud to be the survivor of a bad situation. This time next year will be a lifetime's difference to right now, with all the turmoil you are currently experiencing....look ahead, and just see what happens. Good luck with those decisions! :)

  • Greenie 1
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Salopgal....make whatever decisions keep you 'afloat' for the time being...these decisions do not need to be permanent ones, and at this stage of your life are probably best being just 'survival' decisions. Whichever way you go now, or later, things can, and inevitably will, change. Allow for that...and try and look forward to that aswell.

Support often comes from places you least expect it, at the times you least expect aswell, so keep your options open, don't rule anything out except things that are bad for you, keep your chin up, and be proud to be the survivor of a bad situation. This time next year will be a lifetime's difference to right now, with all the turmoil you are currently experiencing....look ahead, and just see what happens. Good luck with those decisions! :)

Amen to that. :)
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Hello all

 

Well, rightly or wrongly, my Mum has committed us to buying this particular narrowboat and so I am going on a test run tomorrow. She got a bit ahead of herself on Saturday and put down a deposit, even though we had agreed on the drive down to Nantwich to think it over for 48 hours...!!!

 

I know this is really short notice and lots of you may not be online tonight, but in case you are, you may find some time to advise me. I'm not sure what questions to ask tomorrow. I've made a bit of a list, but you experts out there might think of something obvious that I've missed!

 

If you can think of anything, I'll check my mails before I leave at 9.45am tomorrow morning and look forward to reporting back how I got on.

 

Bye for now!

 

K x

 

I may post this under a separate heading too - just in case...! :wacko:

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It's Swanley. What horrors do I need to know? :help:

 

No worries then - I don't know anything about the boat or that marina's boats. I thought it MIGHT have been another. Basically, there is a boat at a marina near me where it was brought in because the crank had snapped, now its up for sale. There's possibly an innocent explanation though, like the owner couldn't afford the new engine or repair, so the brokerage/boat sales took it off him and are funding the work and reselling, etc. But don't worry its not your boat!!

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If you really want to go for a boat to live on and not necessarily to travel the canal network then I would suggest a wide beam...

 

...so second hand you should pick something up that's ready to live in and decent quality from 20k up, could go cheaper...

 

WTF? Julynian, get real! Where's she going to get a decent quality widebeam that's ready to live in for £20k? :unsure:

 

My advice is to get yourself a decent quality secondhand narrowboat with good resale possibilities for around £40 - 50k and leave yourself a decent wedge in the bank.

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Thank you SOOOOOO much for your messages of support and help.

 

The test run went really well - better than I could have hoped and I am absolutely certain that this is the boat for me.

 

The boat is in fabulous condition and the owners have taken amazing care of her. Having survey done next Tuesday.

 

The couple are in their 60s and have had Delilah for 10 years. They has spent a small fortune getting her fully maintained at all times and there's even a brand new tv aerial just 6 weeks old. They are selling for very personal reasons.

 

We spent over 4 hours together and we went out on the boat through two locks and then back again and then they showed me throughout the boat. The more time I'm on her, the more the "I can't wait" feeling strikes me!!

 

I've asked the gentleman to make a detailed list of all the maintainance tasks and suggestions annually, biannuallly, monthly, weekly, daily etc. He's incredibly organised and utterly methodical in his approach to keeping the boat in tip-top condition and keeping all the paperwork, receipts, codes etc. He has spent a small fortune on top of the range stuff. The engine is immaculate and all of the systems work brilliantly. He even had the central heating fully serviced this week on my behalf and we tested everything out.

 

Once the survey conclusions are in, we'll exchange and he'll spend a couple of days with me going through absolutely everything in fine detail so that I am au fait with all the tasks. I am really looking forward to putting my back into caring for her 100% and will make it my life's work whilst I have her in my care. I am so excited about living aboard now. No colly wobbles at all and I just can't wait!!

 

Really today could not have gone better!!

 

Thank you again - I am the happiest bunny alive...

 

K :P

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Thank you SOOOOOO much for your messages of support and help.

 

The test run went really well - better than I could have hoped and I am absolutely certain that this is the boat for me.

 

The boat is in fabulous condition and the owners have taken amazing care of her. Having survey done next Tuesday.

 

The couple are in their 60s and have had Delilah for 10 years. They has spent a small fortune getting her fully maintained at all times and there's even a brand new tv aerial just 6 weeks old. They are selling for very personal reasons.

 

We spent over 4 hours together and we went out on the boat through two locks and then back again and then they showed me throughout the boat. The more time I'm on her, the more the "I can't wait" feeling strikes me!!

 

I've asked the gentleman to make a detailed list of all the maintainance tasks and suggestions annually, biannuallly, monthly, weekly, daily etc. He's incredibly organised and utterly methodical in his approach to keeping the boat in tip-top condition and keeping all the paperwork, receipts, codes etc. He has spent a small fortune on top of the range stuff. The engine is immaculate and all of the systems work brilliantly. He even had the central heating fully serviced this week on my behalf and we tested everything out.

 

Once the survey conclusions are in, we'll exchange and he'll spend a couple of days with me going through absolutely everything in fine detail so that I am au fait with all the tasks. I am really looking forward to putting my back into caring for her 100% and will make it my life's work whilst I have her in my care. I am so excited about living aboard now. No colly wobbles at all and I just can't wait!!

 

Really today could not have gone better!!

 

Thank you again - I am the happiest bunny alive...

 

K :P

Best start looking for a mooring now. It will soon be yours. :captain:

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Good on you. I have watched this post with interest and am delighted that it has worked out. I have just brought my boat and, like you, am going to live aboard just as soon as the route down here reopens. Exciting and nervous times.

 

Lots of advice here would seem to be trying to put you off but all they are really doing is helping point out pitfalls, and am delighted that they didn't put you off.

 

This is fun isn't it.

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