Should I buy a narrowboat

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

3 hours ago, ianali said:

Something we found since buying a boat in 1999 is that although it’s quite costly, you do then have a holiday home. Before our boat we were spending maybe 8-10 thousand a year on holidays. 

Me too. Then I realised I can live on the boat! Quids in. 

[cuthound]

19 hours ago, MartynG said:

Far from being financial suicide the money spent on boating has been the best money we have ever spent.

I am still working full time and  a bit older than you . The  boat is a complete antidote to the pressures of working life.

 

 When working I had a share in a shareboat, which was a great antidote to the pressures of working life.

 

Now that I am retired and own a whole boat, I find it a great antidote to the pressures of retirement. ?

 

[Lily Rose]

4 minutes ago, cuthound said:

I find it a great antidote to the pressures of retirement. 

 

Yeah, it's tough isn't it. 

 

As much as I'd like to do less boating and go back into the world of work I've decided it is my civic duty to stay in retirement, and leave the job I might have taken to someone whose need is greater than mine.

[magictime]

Why all the fuss about spending £8k to £10k on holidays? I expect to spend about that amount next year. Our narrowboating holiday is due to start on January 1st and end on December 31st, and by my latest calculations should cost us around £9k all-in if we stick mostly to self-catering. Of course, it helps that we'll have no non-holiday costs (car, house, utilities, Council Tax etc.) to worry about.

[Momac]

2 hours ago, cuthound said:

 Now that I am retired and own a whole boat, I find it a great antidote to the pressures of retirement. ?

 

My wife has retired early and now seems to have less spare time compared to when she was in full time employment. Such are the demands on her time I sometimes have to ask her out for a date in order to have some time together.  The boat  does remain a haven, even in retirement.

[Boat&Bikes]

1 hour ago, MartynG said:

My wife has retired early and now seems to have less spare time compared to when she was in full time employment. Such are the demands on her time I sometimes have to ask her out for a date in order to have some time together.  The boat  does remain a haven, even in retirement.

That’s very romantic. I hope the lady says yes to your date invite. It is a busy life when one is retired.

[Momac]

41 minutes ago, ianali said:

That’s very romantic. I hope the lady says yes to your date invite. It is a busy life when one is retired.

The lady did say yes to the date last night. Thursday is  pie and a pint night at the restaurant at the marina.  Not so romantic. 

[ditchcrawler]

5 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

Yeah, it's tough isn't it. 

 

As much as I'd like to do less boating and go back into the world of work I've decided it is my civic duty to stay in retirement, and leave the job I might have taken to someone whose need is greater than mine.

That was my thinking when I saw people I worked with going back after retirement, I have just been told that one is still at it at 75

[Tumshie]

31 minutes ago, MartynG said:

The lady did say yes to the date last night. Thursday is  pie and a pint night at the restaurant at the marina.  Not so romantic. 

That depends what you think of as romantic. That to me sounds like a pretty fine date. 

[gavindv64]

Hi - being new to this idea of narrow boating I'm intrigued re the costs several posters have mentioned - £5 to £9 k depending. Are these for general maintenance ie hull blacking, annodes, painting etc. or include things like diesel, marina fees etc? I realise there'll be a range depending on your boat size and usage but can anyone give a rough breakdown?

[WotEver]

22 minutes ago, gavindv64 said:

Hi - being new to this idea of narrow boating I'm intrigued re the costs several posters have mentioned - £5 to £9 k depending. Are these for general maintenance ie hull blacking, annodes, painting etc. or include things like diesel, marina fees etc? I realise there'll be a range depending on your boat size and usage but can anyone give a rough breakdown?

License, mooring, running repairs, Insurance, general maintenance (to include oil changes, blacking, repainting etc)

[ditchcrawler]

Every year insurance, licence, mooring, every 4 years BSS, every 200 hrs ish engine oil and filter change, every 2 to 3 years out and blacked, every 6 years maybe new anodes, every couple of years Batteries, Every 6 to 8 years paint repaired. Then diesel, heating, cooking.

[NB Lola]

Nope, bugger too late!

[Jennifer McM]

You only regret the things you don't do in life. We wish we'd have taken to the water years ago! 

 

Having been a continuous cruiser for only two years, we're still learning. Theory is great, but it's much better to learn by practice, and hope to goodness you can remember 'searchable terms' to help you along.

[MtB]

6 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Every year insurance, licence, mooring, every 4 years BSS, every 200 hrs ish engine oil and filter change, every 2 to 3 years out and blacked, every 6 years maybe new anodes, every couple of years Batteries, Every 6 to 8 years paint repaired. Then diesel, heating, cooking.

 

Plus the occasional MAHOOSIVE bill for serious engine failure, overplating, shotblast & repaint, new baseplate, whatever.

 

Most years you'll spend well under the £5k, occasional years it will be £10k. In other words expenditure is very 'lumpy'. 

Edited May 19, 2018 by Mike the Boilerman

[70liveaboard]

On 09/05/2018 at 13:01, Dunworkin said:

Some honest advice needed.....! We are a mid 50’s couple who have retired early and would love to buy a narrowboat to spend 6 months of the year cruising. We’ve heard loads of people say that we shouldn’t hesitate...and others say that it’s financial suicide....! Some honest advice would be very welcome.

Provided you can afford the purchase and upkeep, then you'll enjoy every minute. It isn't all that expensive, if you look around.

[magictime]

13 hours ago, gavindv64 said:

Hi - being new to this idea of narrow boating I'm intrigued re the costs several posters have mentioned - £5 to £9 k depending. Are these for general maintenance ie hull blacking, annodes, painting etc. or include things like diesel, marina fees etc? I realise there'll be a range depending on your boat size and usage but can anyone give a rough breakdown?

I think the £9k figure you've picked up on was offered in the context 'one year it might be closer to £1k, the next closer to £9k, so averaging £5k' - so the £5k was supposed to allow for the occasional BIG maintenance job as well as the occasional year where you end up spending very little.

 

In terms of predictable, regular expenditure, the most obvious would be (for an average 45-50ft boat):

 

License c. £800 annually

Insurance c. £200 annually

Mooring fees c. £2000-£4000+ annually (depending on location and residential status, if not CCing)

Blacking c. £600 every 2 years

...plus as much diesel, gas and wood/coal as you need (could be £2000+ annually if living aboard and cruising extensively, or £200- if on board for a few weeks of leisurely cruising)

 

So in very ballpark terms, you could maybe say £3500+ for holiday use with a leisure mooring, £2000+ for living aboard while CCing, or £6000+ for living aboard on a residential mooring. Then you need to allow for the 'lumpy' maintenance costs that might be £150 for an engine service one year and £5000 for a new engine another.

 

Our personal budget as we look to start living aboard as CCers in a few months' time - and we'll see how this pans out! - involves keeping £10,000 in savings as a buffer against those big occasional costs, while allowing c. £3000 a year for everything else.

 

[MtB]

4 hours ago, magictime said:

Then you need to allow for the 'lumpy' maintenance costs that might be £150 for an engine service one year and £5000 for a new engine another.

 

I'd be impressed if you can cite a yard willing to supply and fit a new engine for as little as £5k!

 

But your explanation is very good overall. 

[Alan de Enfield]

15 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I'd be impressed if you can cite a yard willing to supply and fit a new engine for as little as £5k!

 

But your explanation is very good overall. 

That'll be £5000 deposit and £5000 on completion of installation.

 

Maybe the work is being done during Winter and the two invoices come in separate 'years'

[magictime]

22 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I'd be impressed if you can cite a yard willing to supply and fit a new engine for as little as £5k!

Fair enough. A reconditioned engine?

 

 

[Zig zag 2]

DONT BUY A NARROWBOAT!!!!! There the worst and also there slow you need to buy a real boat that’s made out of GRP

Edited October 5, 2018 by Zig zag 2

[NB Lola]

16 minutes ago, Zig zag 2 said:

DONT BUY A NARROWBOAT!!!!! There the worst and also there slow you need to buy a real boat that’s made out of GRP or steel

Hmm and here’s me thinking mine was steel.

[Graham Davis]

3 posts and all a little "strange"!

[WotEver]

3 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:

3 posts and all a little "strange"!

Indeed

[MtB]

52 minutes ago, Zig zag 2 said:

DONT BUY A NARROWBOAT!!!!! There the worst and also there slow you need to buy a real boat that’s made out of GRP or steel

 

 

Real boats are made of wood, silly.