Please Please help me....

[NB Alnwick]

Right on brother!

 

John has a right to his opinion but I acxtually find it quite offensive for him to suggest that my lifestyle should be outlawed when I have broken no laws. Also like you I don't understand the logic of how I'm living my life is at everyone's else's expense? In any case I don't care how many times he says it, I'm a fully paid up member of society & I'll continue to live on board.

 

Just to play devil's advocate for a second, in my opinion those who don't live on board are the villians because their boats are just expensive hobbyist's toys which since they already have homes they don't need and are a waste of space & resources. They also clog up the waterways are spoiling it for the real liveabord boaters!

 

I think this all started when John replied to a post that I made earlier - ironically, although we aspire to the 'live-aboard' lifestyle - we do own a house with a garage and two cars - all paid for from my hard earned wages. I also pay council tax, TV licence, car taxes etc. etc. After 44 years of very hard work, I don't need to work anymore - does that make me a parasite? Nevertheless, Jane and I spent 11 months of last year on the boat and loved it - but that doesn't come cheap either with £800 paid to BW for a 'Gold Licence' and a further £600 for a Winter Mooring - under the circumstances I reckon that we have certainly paid our way!

 

I am sure his remarks were mean't to be inflammatory but I don't understand why - especially as he is trying to sell his own boat - surely thats one occasion when he ought to be cultivating friends . . .

 

Best wishes,

 

Graham - who is training hard to be 'A Grumpy Old Man!'

[bottle]

SNIP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Graham - who is training hard to be 'A Grumpy Old Man!'

 

Well that's one thing you are not good at

[blackrose]

I am sure his remarks were mean't to be inflammatory but I don't understand why - especially as he is trying to sell his own boat - surely thats one occasion when he ought to be cultivating friends . . .

 

Cultivating friends? That'll be the day!

 

I pay £3950/annum mooring fees + £850/annum for my licence and someone has the gall to tell me I'm not paying my way?

 

As well as trying to be inflammatory I suspect there's also an element of jealousy. Some people are simply not hard enough to live on board all year round. Either that or they're under the cosh & their other half won't let them!

 

(I can be inflammatory too!)

[Jason King]

> I will not be going so far from Reading

 

Is that continuous cruising? Maybe if you're travelling up and down the Thames, the K&A and Grand Union it is.

 

> I am about to start looking at large amounts of boats in the Midlands.

 

Consider going up to Crick, Braunston and Whilton marinas, you can see a lot of boats in a single day.

 

> What size invertor would I need? What size invertor would I need if I had a washing machine on board?

 

I've been managing lately with a 150 watt inverter. I had a 500 watt one that broke and was never replaced because I've never needed that much power anyway.

 

> How essential is a washing machine/tumble drier?

 

I never use mine. You'll find there are various lists published of laundrettes near canals. I've had no problem.

 

> I want to use a laptop. I can charge this elsewhere but if I wanted to use this for several hours each evening what sort of problems would this pose for my electrics?

 

I'm using a laptop most days, they don't use that much power. It's things with moving, spinning parts or appliances that heat up (irons, kettles) that are problematic.

 

> The idea of locks while continious cruising seems difficult

 

On the Thames it's easy because lock-keepers do most of the work for you and they're generally very helpful. On the canals it's not difficult either, you just take it slowly and tie up carefully. Plenty of people manage solo.

 

> particularly if I have to move the boat every so often, then get a train back to where my car is parked.

 

You could ditch the car. Can you use public transport instead?

 

> There potentially could be nobody at my boat for a week at a time.

 

If I have to leave the boat for a week or more I usually pay to leave it in a marina.