Second viewing tips, what to look for?

[seanyseanyseany]

Thanks everyone for your awesome recommendations, all were added to our second viewing checklist and it the boat passed most. We are now putting in an offer :-)

[Bettie Boo]

Good Luck - hope its accepted

[Southern Star]

I reckon my 36 foot narrowboat is costing me about £8000 per year to keep in the water including mooring costs,

Out of interest, how do you break that figure down? I'm doing costings at the moment and although I intend to CC and so will save on mooring costs, my per annum figure is nowhere near that. I'm currently working on about £3,000 per annum so I'm wondering what I have missed?

[colin1325]

Open all the drawers and cupboards, stick you head in and have a good old sniff - check for damp smell

 

Lift mattresses off of beds to check for damp

 

Shut and open all doors to ensure they haven't warped

 

If it has hardwood floors, lift any mats/carpets to check the condition of the floor under

 

Cigarette lighters on boats are Very useful - wish we had one

 

Ask them to take you out for a wee spin, where you can hear/see the engine run, check the amount of vibration in the rudder, ensure your source of hot water is working, flush the loo, sound the horn, turn on the tunnel light, turn on the gas stove & oven, check the pump for the shower tray works

 

I'm sure the guys will be along shortly to give you much more advice on mechanical things to check; the above is what I looked for when we viewed our boat (most were suggestions received from this forum)

 

Make sure you have read and understand the info re continuous cruising on the C&RT website and that you are willing & able to abide by them, it's not a case of moving from one side of the river to the other. Read through some of the threads on this forum regarding live aboards and car shuffling.

 

Just a few suggestions, good luck

sorted cheers

[Tim Lewis]

Not at all I am not in London so if you go there it wont affect me.

Living aboard is not cheap. Its cheaper for me to live in my cottage about £4k a year including council tax

The boat costs £5k but then I do have a mooring.

CRT are stepping up enforcement you will have no time at weekends as you will be moving the boat either to get water etc or just to comply with your licence conditions.

 

I don't see it as the idyll its portrayed to be, and unlike some on here I got rid of my rose tinted specs some 10-15 years ago having been on and off boats of all kinds for some 50years.

 

A half decent flat in London will cost you approx £16,000 a year in rent and bills - not difficult to see why people put up with the few downsides of CCing in London.

 

Tim

 

Tim

[Lady Muck]

More like £25k p.a. now for a flat plus bills, Tim. A room could be £16k in rent and bills. So. Budge up everyone!

I wonder if the OP bought their boat and if they are still onboard?

[widebeamboy]

More like £25k p.a. now for a flat plus bills, Tim. A room could be £16k in rent and bills. So. Budge up everyone!

I wonder if the OP bought their boat and if they are still onboard?

 

IF you can find one you can have a lovely residential mooring for less than half of that (circa £1000 pm + VAT if not a zero rated qualifying ship) for the biggest boat options in Limehouse.