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Further to my earlier question on renting a boat! Got some options!

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It looks like I've got a couple of choices for a medium/long term rental so it looks like I'm going to be moving onto a boat within the next two weeks! I'm incredibly excited and took a cycle down Regent's Canal last night which has got me fired up about the prospect!

 

I shall be planning to cruise around the west side of Camden Lock over winter - I hear Camden Lock will be closed for maintenance over winter? - as I work in NW London and for the time being it'll obviously be easier for me to get to work from that side of Camden.

 

So! What do I need to know? Where to start?

 

While I've spent a fair bit of time on boats - I've done a reasonable amount of sailing in Australia and around the south of England and operated motor-powered boats on and off - I'm new to narrowboats. I suspect the handling and navigating of the boat isn't going to be the least of my worries. I will be living on it on my lonesome for most part although a mate will be living on it with me about one week each month. It's probably more the actual day to day living which will be quite a shock to the system.

 

Is there a "You're new to narrowboat living - this is what you need to know!" book, website, PDF or FAQ that is essential reading?

 

Thanks very much in advance and hope to bump into you (figuratively speaking) somewhere around the GU canal or further!

 

Cheers,

 

welly

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Paul's Nulife4-2 Influencer

Paul's Nulife4-2

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Hi ya Welly, & congrats

Ime sure if you keep your mouse hovering not far from this forum, there will always be someone about to help with any questions or problems within a click or two.

Good luck,& ime sure you will be fine.

Edited by Paul's Nulife4-2
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Athy Veteran II

AthyDonate to Canal World

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Brian, there's been correspondence about this sort of situation on here before, which I am sure the forum's impeccable search engine would find. In brief, I think the answer could be both!

Edited by Athy
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I won't be going through any nefarious means. As far as I can tell, it's all above board (ho ho ho) and legitimate.

 

To get the thread back on track, let's pretend I've bought a boat and am a new narrowboater because there's no point in going over previously covered ground.

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mrsmelly Veteran II

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I won't be going through any nefarious means. As far as I can tell, it's all above board (ho ho ho) and legitimate.

 

To get the thread back on track, let's pretend I've bought a boat and am a new narrowboater because there's no point in going over previously covered ground.

Hi Welly

 

i dont think you will have any problems anyway. If the you know what hits the fan and you do loads of damage or sink the boat then I think the owner would have to carry the can. Having worked with hire fleets and seen some long term rentals also, I wouldnt rent my boat out for all the tea in china legitimately or otherwise.

 

Tim

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Hi Welly

 

i dont think you will have any problems anyway. If the you know what hits the fan and you do loads of damage or sink the boat then I think the owner would have to carry the can. Having worked with hire fleets and seen some long term rentals also, I wouldnt rent my boat out for all the tea in china legitimately or otherwise.

 

Tim

 

He may not have a problem but anybody he hits and damages is sure as heck going to be unhappy when the owners insurance refused to pay out if the T&C's of his insurance have been breached.

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He may not have a problem but anybody he hits and damages is sure as heck going to be unhappy when the owners insurance refused to pay out if the T&C's of his insurance have been breached.

 

I've been assured that the boat I'm looking at is correctly insured and licensed as needed as a rental boat.

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Posted
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I've been assured that the boat I'm looking at is correctly insured and licensed as needed as a rental boat.

 

Fairy nuff.

 

You appeared to less sure before (Quote - As far as I can tell)

 

but as long as you have properly checked it out (including the BSS) all should be fine if anything goes wrong.

Edited by The Dog House
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Jo_ Proficient

Jo_

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I think Welly needs to read Starry's post about things she learned after living aboard for a while. The one that has become apocryphal ... so much so that I can't remember what the thread was called, so failed to find it when I did a search!

 

But if someone posts a link, it might give Welly a good heads-up to be getting on with!! laugh.png

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Alright, I have some actual questions now! I'm going to be on a continuous cruising license to these questions are relevant to that.

 

  1. What do you do about getting mail? I was thinking about probably getting a PO Box for general mail but wondering if there's a better alternative?
  2. Would I be correct in assuming there are gauges to tell you the amount of water and diesel you have? And for pump out toilets when your "poop holding tank" is full? Or is there not?
  3. Mooring - specifically online moorings. I get the impression you can pretty much moor up anywhere along the towpath. Is this correct? I did notice tonight as I was walking along the towpath that there are certain areas that have a number of boats moored up. Would this be a safety in numbers/community thing or there are certain restrictions as to where you can actually moor up? I'll assume there are only certain parts along the towpath that you can actually tie your boat up?
  4. Security - from chatting with a guy on Sunday, he said security is an issue, as far as break-ins go. Is it as big an issue as he implied? What kind of devices do you use (if any) for warning off potential tea-leaves? Is a car alarm worth installing?
  5. Can anyone recommend any contents insurers who will insure contents kept on boats?

I think that's it for now!

 

Thanks very much in advance!

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Duchess Omnium Contributor

Duchess Omnium

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1. Most people use a friend's address, although they might also have a PO box. A PO box address doesn't work for all purposes; sometimes you need s real address, so a willing friend is useful.

 

2. Have you looked at the boat you are renting? Some have gauges for some things, some have none, some have all. Some of them work...

 

3. You can moor anywhere except where it says you can't. Expect time limits to be enforced in central London.

 

4. Security is an issue. If you fit a car alarm, make sure it is one that doesn't go off every time another boat goes by or it will be your neighbours throwing a rock through your window to disable it.

 

5. I guess if you don't own the boat, the first thing contents insurers will want is evidence that the rental is all above board.

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

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1. Most people use a friend's address, although they might also have a PO box. A PO box address doesn't work for all purposes; sometimes you need s real address, so a willing friend is useful.

 

2. Have you looked at the boat you are renting? Some have gauges for some things, some have none, some have all. Some of them work...

 

3. You can moor anywhere except where it says you can't. Expect time limits to be enforced in central London.

 

4. Security is an issue. If you fit a car alarm, make sure it is one that doesn't go off every time another boat goes by or it will be your neighbours throwing a rock through your window to disable it.

 

5. I guess if you don't own the boat, the first thing contents insurers will want is evidence that the rental is all above board.

Hi Duchess, waved to you today as we passed. I hope you get a better internet signal there than you did above Bakers Lock.

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KJT Proficient

KJTDonate to Canal World

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Alright, I have some actual questions now! I'm going to be on a continuous cruising license to these questions are relevant to that.

 

  1. [*]What do you do about getting mail? I was thinking about probably getting a PO Box for general mail but wondering if there's a better alternative?

[*]Would I be correct in assuming there are gauges to tell you the amount of water and diesel you have? And for pump out toilets when your "poop holding tank" is full.

 

Thanks very much in advance!

There are a couple of mail holding/forwarding companies that advertise in the likes of Canal Boat magazine (www.boatmail.co.uk is one). They may not be suitable for your needs however they do have a facility to copy and email your mail.

 

There are contents gauges available for water, diesel and waste tanks, though not all boats have them fitted.

 

Ken

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Beaker Rising Star

Beaker

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Alright, I have some actual questions now! I'm going to be on a continuous cruising license to these questions are relevant to that.

 

2. Would I be correct in assuming there are gauges to tell you the amount of water and diesel you have? And for pump out toilets when your "poop holding tank" is full? Or is there not?

 

We can judge the level in our water tank from the height of the bows; diesel, we have a length of dowel I use as a dipstick; when our pumpout is getting full, the boat lists slightly to that side plus we can see the level when flushing. wub.png

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There are a couple of mail holding/forwarding companies that advertise in the likes of Canal Boat magazine (www.boatmail.co.uk is one). They may not be suitable for your needs however they do have a facility to copy and email your mail.

 

There are contents gauges available for water, diesel and waste tanks, though not all boats have them fitted.

 

Ken

 

Thanks Ken, I'll have a look at those options. Might work - it's just for general mail. Any parcels or anything important I'll get sent to work.

 

We can judge the level in our water tank from the height of the bows; diesel, we have a length of dowel I use as a dipstick; when our pumpout is getting full, the boat lists slightly to that side plus we can see the level when flushing. wub.png

 

Thank you!

1. Most people use a friend's address, although they might also have a PO box. A PO box address doesn't work for all purposes; sometimes you need s real address, so a willing friend is useful.

 

2. Have you looked at the boat you are renting? Some have gauges for some things, some have none, some have all. Some of them work...

 

 

I'm looking at a couple this weekend.

 

 

5. I guess if you don't own the boat, the first thing contents insurers will want is evidence that the rental is all above board.

Are there any/many insurers who work specifically with people living on boats? If so, any recommendations?
Thanks!
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Athy Veteran II

AthyDonate to Canal World

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We often carry a length of garden cane to dip the tanks and ascertain their levels - clean end for the water tank, stained end for the diesel tank.

 

This method is not recommended for pump-out tanks.

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