Full time boaters - any regrets?

[boathunter]

Junior, being forced by circumstances to get to intimately know your boat is a good thing in the long run though it's a shame it's all coming at once. There's nowt like a baptism of fire! It sounds like in the near future you'll have been over it from one end to the other. If nothing had gone wrong, you'd know a lot less than you already do? Knowledge is power and that's why it's £40/hour. The work will be relatively simple with the right tools, but knowing what to do is the tricky bit.

 

If the alt is turning, the belt is unlikely to be slipping enough for your batteries not to be charging? I can ruin batteries really easily, simply run them down and leave them for a bit without re-charging. Do it a few times and dead battery. If you've been going off for your 2 weeks work without fully charging the batts until you get back that might be your problem? I can wreck a leisure battery in about 3 months by behaving badly to the point the stereo cuts out and the eber won't work even after appaerntly fully charging them. Take one out, take it to the nearest scrappy and ask them to test it - they all have testers. Only downside is if it's on it's way out, testing it will finish it off but at least you'll be in the right place to weigh it in for a tenner.

 

Top tip - look at all the simple cheap possiblities first, you never know your luck. New belt would be on that list.

Edited February 15, 2014 by boathunter

[Athy]

A greeno to our Mr. Hunter for post 46, which I hope has inspired young Junior!

 

All I can add, as a far from practical man is, Junior, you have bought one of very few boats that I have seen in the last five years that I would even dream of trading in 'Trojan' for. She's a beauty and worth persevering with.

Edited February 15, 2014 by Athy

[Happy Go Lucky]

All lives have their ups and downs. We ended up on a boat due to a major down. We followed the plan we'd made and moved back onto land once we were back up.

 

We hated it and are now back on a boat again. If everything went smoothly all the time there wouldn't be anything to go in the fourth book

[Martin Megson]

After a hectic weekend with the help of a good friend my house is now empty and on the market to let. I left the boat as a leisure boater but have returned as a live aboard and it feels great. Now if the rivers will get back to normal I can begin my new life as a continuous cruiser.

[MoominPapa]

Now if the rivers will get back to normal I can begin my new life as a continuous cruiser.

Let's hope it stops raining. Our new cruising life depends on escaping the Nene too.

 

MP.

[madcat]

Junior, I think the exhaust will soldier on , just keep patching it up. Pity you are so far away.

 

My boat didn't charge when I got it, a friend drew me a diagram and I re wired the charging circuit and it's worked fine ever since. Only problem has been death of alternator bearings, I carry a spare made up ready to fit usually although I have just realised I forgot to take it back to the boat after it came home when I emptied as much as I could out for being craned onto the bank.

 

The weather has been foul for so long and we are all feeling really damp and slightly dismal but things should be looking up soon. I'm at least two months behind with all my boat work and pretty cross about it but not depressed . I know I can fix it if I just get off my fat backside and do something instead of hiding in a nice warm house.

 

Hang on in there, see you on the BCN challenge.

[Taslim]

A greeno to our Mr. Hunter for post 46, which I hope has inspired young Junior!

 

All I can add, as a far from practical man is, Junior, you have bought one of very few boats that I have seen in the last five years that I would even dream of trading in 'Trojan' for. She's a beauty and worth persevering with.

Another green to Mr. H. too for talking realistic common sence.

 

junior. As Athy said you have a realy exceptional boat there.

 

I had a VERY though look at it and since it was being worked on I got to see the hidden bits. It is a wonderfully un-complicated tube and I had plans involving angle grinder+ insulation & big bed with storage under the tug deck with tool makers lathe in the engine room. The boat was not what I was looking for but I would have raised the dosh.

 

You saw it first though so I did the right thing and walked. Reluctantly.

 

You have a job. This relys on learned skills? Learing in itself is a skill, skills are tranferable.

[comfortably numb]

We bought our boat around the time Junior bought his and we have had some problems with it. Having been office based all my working life and had company cars I had no practical skills whatsoever, but retiring early with a subsequent limited income meant that I have to try and tackle things that go wrong myself as well as doing basic servicing.

 

I went on one of those 2 day RCR courses and I learnt much from them. I've managed to put that to good use at times as well as managing to do some things myself following help from this forum. But there has been stuff where I've had a go myself but in the end had to get a professional in. I'm lucky in that I can go out and get a bit of casual work as and when the need arises in order to pay for this, and some can get overtime at their workplace, but if you're on a fixed income then it must be difficult.

 

Like Junior probably did, I researched all aspects of living afloat and thought that I'd allowed for every eventuality, but sometimes you just don't know what is going to crop up. With hindsight I shouldn't have embarked upon this with such a tight budget, and my advice to anybody would be to work out a budget and then add a good chunk of contingency funds to it.

 

It has got me down at times but do I have any regrets? Not on your nelly. After nearly a year we love the life and will do all we can not to have to move back onto the land. Stick in there Junior and I'm sure you'll get through it and come out of the other side with no regrets.

[junior]

We bought our boat around the time Junior bought his and we have had some problems with it. Having been office based all my working life and had company cars I had no practical skills whatsoever, but retiring early with a subsequent limited income meant that I have to try and tackle things that go wrong myself as well as doing basic servicing.

 

I went on one of those 2 day RCR courses and I learnt much from them. I've managed to put that to good use at times as well as managing to do some things myself following help from this forum. But there has been stuff where I've had a go myself but in the end had to get a professional in. I'm lucky in that I can go out and get a bit of casual work as and when the need arises in order to pay for this, and some can get overtime at their workplace, but if you're on a fixed income then it must be difficult.

 

Like Junior probably did, I researched all aspects of living afloat and thought that I'd allowed for every eventuality, but sometimes you just don't know what is going to crop up. With hindsight I shouldn't have embarked upon this with such a tight budget, and my advice to anybody would be to work out a budget and then add a good chunk of contingency funds to it.

 

It has got me down at times but do I have any regrets? Not on your nelly. After nearly a year we love the life and will do all we can not to have to move back onto the land. Stick in there Junior and I'm sure you'll get through it and come out of the other side with no regrets.

That sums it up very well CN and is definitely the advice I would pass on to others.

[Captain Fizz]

Junior, I am back in London next week so will bring the test gear down and we can investigate the charging problem.

I can probably fit in the welder/generator as well so we can splint up the exhaust which will do untill you get a bit closer to my base next month. We can then effect a permanent repair.

It's all the joys of boating!

[carlt]

I'm having a succession of faults develop on my boat at the moment. I can't fix them myself and I can't afford to have a boatyard sort them. I'm at the point now where I can't use my boat for what I bought it for and it's starting to get me down.

I do empathise.

 

So far this winter my bathroom roof has developed a leak and I'm scared of heights so i can't fix it, the central heating boiler has broken and I'm not Gas-Safe registered so I'll have to pay someone to repair it, the chimney needs sweeping and, after the mess I made last time I'm not allowed to do it myself and the garden is an absolute tip and CRT won't come round and mow it for me (and I hate gardening).

 

The really annoying thing is that I am quite capable of doing all of those jobs on a boat (apart from the gardening) so it really is costing me an arm and a leg living in a house at the moment (and the car's just failed its MOT).

Edited February 21, 2014 by carlt

[boathunter]

I do empathise.

 

So far this winter my bathroom roof has developed a leak and I'm scared of heights so i can't fix it, the central heating boiler has broken and I'm not Gas-Safe registered so I'll have to pay someone to repair it, the chimney needs sweeping and, after the mess I made last time I'm not allowed to do it myself and the garden is an absolute tip and CRT won't come round and mow it for me (and I hate gardening).

 

The really annoying thing is that I am quite capable of doing all of those jobs on a boat (apart from the gardening) so it really is costing me an arm and a leg living in a house at the moment (and the car's just failed its MOT).

Now that's made me think. My house is similar despite my earlier post full of have-a-go positivity. It's got so bad I'm looking at far into 5 figures to sort it all out but I have an excuse. I can either take 3 months off and get stuck in or pay a large bill or two and live in a building site. Neither option looks good because when done the house would sell for a lot more and my soon-to-be-ex will snaffle up half the extra profit without lifting a finger or being put out in any way. One might say I'm cutting off my nose to spite my face but it's a frustrating situation where I can't afford to buy her out or I would. I'm very much looking forward to cutting the ties and being able to do what I want - for me. What do they say? Find someone you hate, buy them a house, then go and enjoy the rest of your life...

 

Bring on the spannering and circuit testing in a boat! A duff charging system and a hole in the exhaust look piffling from here, but may look different sitting in the dark with a full pump-out.

 

I think I'm trying to say that we all have personal pressures that make us react differently to similar situations, but one thing I know is that people are more inclined to help each other fix boats and classic cars than they are houses. My camper needs some attention, but I'm more likely to be found helping a mate fix theirs.

[Phil Ambrose]

Wow reading Carl and BH's posts have certainly put things in perspective, have been in both their shoes at one time but thankfully in the distant past though having my memory jogged it is still a painful memory.

Makes my stress on my impending BSC seem quite piddling. Good luck chaps.

Phil

Edited February 21, 2014 by Phil Ambrose

[junior]

Also it's worth remembering how quick things can change. My new alternator belt should arrive soon and I have my fingers crossed it's this. Another reason I have my fingers crossed is that if it is the alternator belt, it will mean I have pretty much diagnosed and fixed another fault myself, which helps with overall confidence doing practical things around the belt. I've also had a kind offer of help from a forum member if it turns out not to be the belt.

 

I've also just been given a weeks overtime at work which will enable me to pay my license fee in one lump sum AND take the boat to a boat yard should the battery charging fault be something serious. And probably have some left over for a trip to Hooters.

 

Add to that the fact I give up my mooring next week to become a CC'er and within a week of feeling like all the jobs were getting the better of me, everything is looking rosy!

[carlt]

Good luck chaps.

 

The upside, of course, is that houses on my street are selling within days for up to £40k more than my mortgage.

 

This would never happen if it was a boat that was my financial burden.

 

Solution....sell house, buy a boat and be both quids in and happier in one fell swoop then wait for the current bubble to burst before stepping back on to the bricks and mortar merry-go-round.

[boathunter]

The upside, of course, is that houses on my street are selling within days for up to £40k more than my mortgage.

 

This would never happen if it was a boat that was my financial burden.

 

Solution....sell house, buy a boat and be both quids in and happier in one fell swoop then wait for the current bubble to burst before stepping back on to the bricks and mortar merry-go-round.

Good news for me as well. Though houses in my city have only risen 5% in the last 2 years, houses like mine are going crazy and my conveyancing solicitor tells me I should ask for £60k more than I thought.

[Phil Ambrose]

Glad for you both, reading your posts put a smile on my face.

Phil

[boathunter]

Glad for you both, reading your posts put a smile on my face.

Phil

Doesn't mean I'll get it.

And ex will get half for dragging her feet + not chipping in with the mortgage while the price went up. Every silver lining has a cloud.

[Retro69]

Hi Junior,

It could be a bad earth connection I had same problem with my alternator not charging and it was a bad earth connection. Check for any loose wires around your engine.

Don't let it get you down mate. I know it can though I had things go wrong with my boat. I think its a common theme on boats I bought my boat just over a year ago and moved on to it april last yea,r and while cruising thinking this is the life the next minute watching steam come up from my engine bay, turns out to be the stern gland bearing under pressure from the engine being out of alinement, it broke the nuts and locking tabs on my drive coupling so the next couple of days down the engine bay in the rain ( this is the life ) sorting it out and cycling around engineering companys to cut me out some tabs. But I persevered and I done it it felt good that I fixed it. I also changed the gland packing whilst I was fiddling with my nuts...........OOOhh matron. It will all work out in the end as my dad used to say, and im glad things are looking rosier for you good luck mate. I think I past albion at bulls bridge last summer shes a fine looking craft, shes just testing your resolve. Ive learned that boats do that sometimes : )

[HappyBunny]

There are a lot of one sided views on this thread so I thinks it's only right to give a different view. Wether that be for the OP or anyone reading this in the future.

 

Boats and boating is not cheap. If you don't have the expertise, knowledge or equipment to repair most things for yourself, you need to prepare yourself that getting even the smallest thing repaired is going to cost.

 

I'm having a succession of faults develop on my boat at the moment. I can't fix them myself and I can't afford to have a boatyard sort them. I'm at the point now where I can't use my boat for what I bought it for and it's starting to get me down. This morning having tried to bodge (and failed) another repair, I'd almost go as far as to say I regret buying it and have thought about selling it feels like there is no end in sight.

 

So there you go, just thought I'd throw that in amongst all the 'wish I'd done it sooner' posts.

 

your boat is amazing ... we met in a lock in Berko .... and sometimes it feels overwhelming, but it is a rollercoaster back up to the dizzying heights when you sort stuff, which you do .... but as they say

 

"Never trade the thrills of living for the security of existence"

 

me, I have no regrets

[boathunter]

"Never trade the thrills of living for the security of existence"

I've never heard that one, sheltered life I suspect! That so exactly sums up me (the first bit) and soon-to-be-ex (the second bit). Drove me nuts living with someone so risk averse.

Thanks for posting.

[Martin Megson]

Well everything moved very quickly and my first tenant moves into my house on Monday. I am now officially a live aboard boater and looking forward to enjoying life afloat without worrying about the house. Not to mention the extra income which will help fund upgrades such as solar panels. Just need the river Nene to settle down so I can make the 2 day trip back into the GU.

[tree]

That's pretty much the point I was trying to make and just wanted to point out that is not all waking up in the morning and feeding the swans out of the side hatch.

learning to fix things yourself IS important, but you have to start somewhere. Through no other reason than having no other option, I have diagnosed and repaired quite a few things myself, but everyone has to start somewhere. I had to have an engineer out twice before xmas to replace 2 fuel pumps that seized within a week of each other. There's no way I could have diagnosed or repaired them myself, but I watched what was being done by the engineer and asked loads of questions. I'm confident I could do one myself next time, but that didn't help me when it originally went.

My batteries are not charging. Rather than get a marine elecrician out, I removed the alternator and too it to a specialist thinking it was broken. Turns out it's not so I've re-fitted it. Maybe it's the belt, so I've ordered a new one and will fit it with my fingers crossed. If that's not it then sadly I'll have to go down the expensive route of having a marine elecrician out to delve a little deeper. Then we're talking at least £40 for a call out plus £40ph for their time before they've even told you what's wrong.

Now my exhaust pipe has rotted through under the heat shield. I discovered this 2 days ago and at the moment it's just one thing after another. I've bodged it together this morning with an exhaust bandage and some Gun Gum from Halfords. That's not going to last forever, but at least I've had a go at it myself. I can only afford to get one of those 2 things repaired properly when I get paid this month. Eventually it wears you down and can start to outweigh the pleasure had from actually being out boating.

I'm not crying about it, and I'm getting on with it. I just wanted to even this thread up a bit and warn people that it's not all pretty countryside and feeding the ducks.

Aww.junior sorry to hear that you are having a few issues, but with help from your friends on here, moi is sure things will get a lot better. Fwiw moi some times has grotty days especially when moi is unable to get owt done on moi boat due to the river mucking about grr..

 

Before my boat sank she was perfick and even though moi is now living on her, and all moi has is the floor down, the inside only ' battened out and insulated',a make up bed, camping stove and a oil filled rad to keep moi cosy and warm,my cassette and moi has to fill up water bottles, and poodle to the shower block..moi knows tis only temporary ,and moi will get my boat back ship shape again, and that spures me on, plus living back on a boat and the wonderful IMO way of life, out weighs moi lickle boaty problems.

It will get better and the mostest important thing is to try and get off the boat and be around friends, when things seem too much to handle all at once.

Like you moi works away ( in moi case 2wks on and 2 wks off), and came back Monday thinking yippee got plenty of time off..so can get people to help moi get on with work on moi boat..but nope grr..not possible due to present temp mooring and the ruddy river going up and Dow like a flipping 'yoyo'. Its so frustrating so rather than sitting aboard getting grumpy, moi phoned one of my good friends pykebird..Help!! Carnt do owt on moi boat, totally +''+&-;-;-: off so can moi come and doss on your boat for a few days lol

It really helps to sometimes get away and then you tend to come back to your boat revitalised and raring to get the boaty niggles sorted out. Hope this helps

[blackrose]

Been living aboard full time for 11 years, now on 2nd boat.

 

I regret not buying a house to rent out...

Edited March 5, 2014 by blackrose

[John Williamson 1955]

Been living aboard full time for 11 years, now on 2nd boat.

 

I regret not buying a house to rent out...

Always a handy plan "B", owning a house as well. If I'd had to sell the house, I'd not be afloat.