Fulfilling a Dream

[CCW]

Hi Everyone,

I just joined as a new member. I had a little Springer (28ft) about 14 years ago. and mainly crise up and down the Grand Union. It has always been a dream (unfortunately not shared by my wife!) to cruise all the UK canals in one long break away. Now I have taken early retirement, I like to realise this dream.

 

As I no longer have a boat anymore, I realise to fulfil this dream, the cheapest option would be to buy one rather than hire one for 3-6 months or boat share. Unless some one out there is prepare to lend me their precious boat for a fee!

 

I wonder whether anyone in the forum has such experience. I probably would need to sell the boat after the trip as I normally live in France. Any idea how many % of the purchase price I would lose when it come to sell it? I'm thinking of buying through a reputable broker rather than privately with the intention to re-sell the boat through them. Any recommendation?

 

As I will be mainly on my own, I'm restricting to no more than 50' boat preferable 35' -45' to make it more manageable in the lock by myself. I would want a boat with permanent double and 2 temporary single for friends visiting me. Prefer shower over a half bath or full bath than shower tray. Do I need washing machine on-board? Any particular recommendation on the engine make I should go for?

 

Example of boat that may be of interest are:

http://www.abcboatsales.com/boat-sales/dundas-dawn/

http://www.abnb.co.uk/boat_pages/2601web/2601abnb.php?BoatID=2601

http://www.abnb.co.uk/boat_pages/2545web/2545abnb.php?BoatID=2545

 

Any advise would be much appreciated from the forum.

 

Thanks.

[junior]

I'm not really experienced enough to offer you specific answers to all your questions but I'll give you my thoughts....

 

My boat is 50ft and I single hand it with no problems. I can't imagine my boat being any harder than a 35ft boat. Likewise I skipper a 70ft boat in London sometimes and have single handed it on a few occasions and found it no different to my own shorter boat, so to restrict your search on the basis of single handing through locks is a bit silly.

 

Also, finding a permenant double AND 2 make up singles will be easier in bigger boats. Having said that, you don't need to go right up to 70ft to find what you want. Perhaps look at boats 45-55ft.

 

I don't know the market well enough to suggest a figure in a percentage that you might expect to loose if you sold after 6 months. I'd guess there is a little bit of luck involved, but I guarantee you'll loose less than you might paying someone like 'Escape the Rat Race' £1500 a month for a long term rental.

 

How much of the system do you intend to see?

 

If you were to buy a boat I expect you'd end up hooked and not be selling it as quickly as you think!

[Alan de Enfield]

I think that a 3-6 month "cruise all the UK canals in one long break away" is slightly optimistic.

 

There are 2000 miles of canals, cruise at an average of 2 miles per hour = 1000 hours

If you were to cruise for 5 hours per day EVERY day that would be 200 days.

 

Each to their own (as they say) but cruisng the canal is a leisure pastime - not a marathon- there are folks who after 5 years have still not complted "all the UK canals"

 

If you intend to live aboard and need 4 berths I would suggest that you will need something above 45 foot for comfort and privacy - I know there ar people happliy surviving on 23 foot boats but presumably you want a bit of comfort and not having to use motorway services to get a shower.

NB - does the handle "CCW" = Continuous Cruiser Wannabe ?

[Graham Davis]

My personal choice to do what you want to do would be Temptress. She looks "right".

[Athy]

Soyez le bienvenu, Monsieur.

Si vous choississez un bateau qui n'est plus tres jeune, en ce qui concerne l'argent vous ne risquez pas beaucoup perdre au moment de la revente.

Quant a votre choix de bateaux, faut dire que vous avez le bon gout. Sachez qu'Eastern caravans c'etait un fabriquant de bateaux bon marches, tandis que Colecraft et R&D construisaient des bateaux pour des prix plus eleves, et peut-etre donc avec une meilleure qualite.

 

Oooh, my brain hurts now.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Athy

[CCW]

Thank you to Junior, Alan, Graham and merci Athy for all your advise. Never thought CCW=Continous Cruiser Wannabe when I first set up the user name. Quite appropriate. Also thank you for your opinion on the choices so far. Continous looking and research at the moment. Will keep everybody inform on this forum in due course.

[magictime]

I think that a 3-6 month "cruise all the UK canals in one long break away" is slightly optimistic.

 

There are 2000 miles of canals, cruise at an average of 2 miles per hour = 1000 hours

If you were to cruise for 5 hours per day EVERY day that would be 200 days.

 

Those figures arguably make it sound more doable than it is! Aim for 75 miles per 37.5 hour cruising week, which hardly seems excessive, and you've pretty much covered 2000 miles in six months. But that's not allowing for all the miles you'd have to cruise twice - either where planned rings overlap, or where stretches like the K&A have to be cruised out-and-back.

 

Still, CCW probably doesn't literally want or expect to cruise every last mile of canal on the system in six months. And that still seems like plenty of time to do a pretty grand tour!

[Peter Reed]

Is the wife under the patio?

[Peter X]

Are there many people who have covered every mile of currently navigable canal and river in the connected waterways, including all the arms? Here I'm excluding for example the Medway and the South Wales canals where you'd have to brave some scary estuary waters.

[CCW]

My wife did not enjoy as much as I did when we had a little springer. Perhaps it was because ours boys were very young then (7 &5). Now they are 23 & 21! She is alive and kicking! I realised it is probably impossible to cover every single miles of the canal. 90% will do.

My latest idea on the boat front is probably going for a long term hire depending on the replies of the cost. But www.longtermnarrowboathire.co.uk seems very reasonable at £750 per month for my venture. If I cruise for 3 months say, it would cost me £2250 on hire cost. A 6% commission to re-sell the boat after the trip would cost £1800-2400 for a selling price of £30K-£40K. And I don't need to shell out a big load of cash and worry whether I can get rid of the boat afterwards. I would not have consider long term hire if I live in UK as I will probably keep the boat afterwards for enjoyment.

Anyone have experience with these companies?

[David Mack]

www.longtermnarrowboathire.co.uk

 

Looking at that website:

 

"Whilst aboard, WARWICK Long term Narrow Boat Hire gives you sole occupancy of the boat by making you a minority owner for the duration of your time aboard. You relinquish that ownership when your journey ends. This shared ownership ensures complete insurance cover."

 

and

 

"Boats are on a 'continuous cruising' license"

 

So despite the website name this is not actually a genuine hire operation, and not licenced as such. Which probably means the boat doesn't comply with the BSS requirements for hire boats either.

 

I would check carefully with CRT and the insurers before parting with any money!

[Ronniesonic]

Soyez le bienvenu, Monsieur.

Si vous choississez un bateau qui n'est plus tres jeune, en ce qui concerne l'argent vous ne risquez pas beaucoup perdre au moment de la revente.

Quant a votre choix de bateaux, faut dire que vous avez le bon gout. Sachez qu'Eastern caravans c'etait un fabriquant de bateaux bon marches, tandis que Colecraft et R&D construisaient des bateaux pour des prix plus eleves, et peut-etre donc avec une meilleure qualite.

 

Oooh, my brain hurts now.

 

Blinkin nora Athy. I nearly spat out my tuna Sandwich trying to read the above. I hope it's not a mucky story, written to fool us. LOL.

 

I stwugle wiv onglish me does...............

[Taslim]

I go with #4. Tempterss is tempting. Having been looking for a boat (for too long) and have seen some that I fancied but was unable to cash up for at the time, to be sold then come back on the market. The canal life did'nt suit the owners.

 

The boat looks quality & I have noticed quality 'YO-YO' boats don't lose much in asking price the second time around..

 

What ya going to do with the Misus?

[CCW]

Hi Everyone,

An update to my dream adventure since 2 weeks ago. I have decided to hire a boat long term for 3 months instead of purchase. Reason is if I purchase a boat, at the end of the adventure, I have to sell it through a broker as I do not normally live in UK. That's 6% on a 30K- 40K = 1800 - 2400 pounds plus taking it out for survey at the time of purchase. It will be 3K-3.5K upfront cost with the additional worry of whether I can re-sell the boat with 30-40K tied up. I managed to hire it for 3 months for 2250 pounds including insurance, licence, recovery.

 

Route has been planned:

Starting on 1st May from Oxford South -> GU (S) towards London -> Paddington Arm -> Regent's Canal -> Back up GU (N) -> GU (Leicester) -> Trent & Mercy -> Llangollen -> out towards Maccelsfield -> Rochdale towards Leeds -> Leeds & Liverpool (W) across the Pennies -> Shropshire towards Birmingham and then back to Oxford. Ending 30th July. According to Canal & River Rescue route planner, this will be a total of 995 miles and 502 hours. may be too ambitious and no venture no gain. I will need a lot of help to piggy back on other boats to use the lock. Please say hello to me if you come across me in the next 3 months.

 

I'll probably give an update whilst on the canal from time to time.

 

If I was living in UK, I'll probably would have my own boat. Let's see whether I survive the next 3 months!

[Chagall]

Wow! you don't hang about do you...well done...and good luck.

 

Keep a diary. Take plenty of photographs.

 

Take care.

[Beaker]

Hi Everyone,

An update to my dream adventure since 2 weeks ago. I have decided to hire a boat long term for 3 months instead of purchase. Reason is if I purchase a boat, at the end of the adventure, I have to sell it through a broker as I do not normally live in UK. That's 6% on a 30K- 40K = 1800 - 2400 pounds plus taking it out for survey at the time of purchase. It will be 3K-3.5K upfront cost with the additional worry of whether I can re-sell the boat with 30-40K tied up. I managed to hire it for 3 months for 2250 pounds including insurance, licence, recovery.

 

Route has been planned:

Starting on 1st May from Oxford South -> GU (S) towards London -> Paddington Arm -> Regent's Canal -> Back up GU (N) -> GU (Leicester) -> Trent & Mercy -> Llangollen -> out towards Maccelsfield -> Rochdale towards Leeds -> Leeds & Liverpool (W) across the Pennies -> Shropshire towards Birmingham and then back to Oxford. Ending 30th July. According to Canal & River Rescue route planner, this will be a total of 995 miles and 502 hours. may be too ambitious and no venture no gain. I will need a lot of help to piggy back on other boats to use the lock. Please say hello to me if you come across me in the next 3 months.

 

I'll probably give an update whilst on the canal from time to time.

 

If I was living in UK, I'll probably would have my own boat. Let's see whether I survive the next 3 months!

 

Sounds good, can't you persuade the missus to go?

[Bettie Boo]

Sounds like you've got a wonderful summer planned, I hope you and your wife fully enjoy it.

 

Happy cruising

[CCW]

Missus joining in July.

[Bettie Boo]

 

Sounds good, can't you persuade the missus to go?

Beaker!!! where the devil you been, I haven't see you posting in what feels like a very long time, really nice to see you back