Looking to buy a fibreglass broads cruiser 1970s

[Michael nolan]

Hi guys , if anybody knows where I could buy a broads Caribbean cruiser fibreglass 1970s ..I’m finding it hard to find one . I’m looking to buy and live in on a cruising licence in london with my son ..I need to move from Hertfordshire by 16th July ..time is not on my side ! I’ve put picture of what I’m after .Much appreciate any help ..

[Nightwatch]

Welcome to the forum. Not sure I can offer advice to you Michael. But wish you genuine good luck in your quest!

[Michael nolan]

Tnk you , for the reply and I’m sure this form will be very useful as we will be on a boat by 16th July .. our tenancy is up and I need to find colleges for my son in london ..he just finished his GCSEs ..

[Murflynn]

so presumably you will be cruising all day looking for somewhere to moor and will text your son each day to let him know where 'home' is.

 

seriously, have you researched how easy it is to continuously cruise in London - along with the x thousand other boats trying to do the same thing?

[MtB]

Why not buy the one in the advert you put the screenshot of?

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, Michael nolan said:

Tnk you , for the reply and I’m sure this form will be very useful as we will be on a boat by 16th July .. our tenancy is up and I need to find colleges for my son in london ..he just finished his GCSEs ..

Could you not find him a college in (say) Birmingham, where you can fairly easily comply with the Continuous Cruiser requirements without risk of losing your boat for failure to move either far enough, or regularly enough.

 

There are (allegedly) 12,000 boaters in London all trying to do the same thing.

 

C&RT suggest that if you need to remain in one area because of schooling, work, or family commitments you are unlikely to be able to comply with the requirements for continuous cruising.

1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Why not buy the one in the advert you put the screenshot of?

Maybe its too far away - it needs to be bought and delivered to London and be available to be lived in by the 16th July as that is when the OP becomes homeless.

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Could you not find him a college in (say) Birmingham, where you can fairly easily comply with the Continuous Cruiser requirements without risk of losing your boat for failure to move either far enough, or regularly enough.

 

There are (allegedly) 12,000 boaters in London all trying to do the same thing.

 

C&RT suggest that if you need to remain in one area because of schooling, work, or family commitments you are unlikely to be able to comply with the requirements for continuous cruising.

 

I'm inclined to agree. CCing in London is probably difficult enough in a narrowboat.  An order of magnitude more difficult again, in whacking great widebeam.

3 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Maybe its too far away - it needs to be bought and delivered to London and be available to be lived in by the 16th July as that is when the OP becomes homeless.

 

Tuckeys would bring it by road in about 8 hours.

 

In fact it would have to come by road anyway.

[Michael nolan]

Yes , I’d have to lift it get it servayed if needed and transport it to london . I do agree it’s like Piccadilly Circus on the canals these days but once we’re close to a tube station that suits us ..I will try it for a year and I’m under no illusion but I’m looking forward . I need to sell all my furniture before 16th ..Tnks again guys for the info ?

[Michael nolan]

2 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Why not buy the one in the advert you put the screenshot of?

I had my heart set on it but it I know but it’s the best way to beet the house prices in london and I want to live on the water ..a mooring in london is too expensive!

 

2 hours ago, Murflynn said:

so presumably you will be cruising all day looking for somewhere to moor and will text your son each day to let him know where 'home' is.

 

seriously, have you researched how easy it is to continuously cruise in London - along with the x thousand other boats trying to do the same thing?

It was an old advert and gone ! They seem to be hard to come by ..but in the end early 70s fibreglass was new and they made the hulls like a tank ..these days a lot lighter ..

[Michael nolan]

I would be happy to travel from Greenford to Clapton on the grand union canal ..I know it’s busy but I’m going to find out how busy it is and how hard it is living off the grid ..I have a postal address so that’s sorted ..

[jocave]

If you want a broads cruiser then the broads boat yards are where you should look first

http://www.wayfordmarineservices.co.uk/product/bounty-solar-37-coming-soon/

Edited July 4, 2018 by jocave

[bizzard]

This one might be for sale. Mirage. Owned y our boatyard owner at B.Stortford.

[X Alan W]

9 hours ago, Michael nolan said:

Yes , I’d have to lift it get it servayed if needed and transport it to london . I do agree it’s like Piccadilly Circus on the canals these days but once we’re close to a tube station that suits us ..I will try it for a year and I’m under no illusion but I’m looking forward . I need to sell all my furniture before 16th ..Tnks again guys for the info ?

If it's a years trial first off why not get a narrow beam boat? more choice, easier to use /move about give you time to sort a different boat without the being homeless panic when the time comes if you decide wide beam easier sale of the narrow one I have no idea of yor hope etc but if there is only son & self a narrow beam of similar length to the boat you are looking for would at least get you started

[Iain_S]

14 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I'm inclined to agree. CCing in London is probably difficult enough in a narrowboat.  An order of magnitude more difficult again, in whacking great widebeam.

 

36' x 12' is hardly "whacking great" ... 

[Michael nolan]

11 hours ago, bizzard said:

This one might be for sale. Mirage. Owned y our boatyard owner at B.Stortford.

Really ! Can you give me details? I’m living in Bishops Stortford ?

[Alan de Enfield]

37 minutes ago, Iain_S said:

36' x 12' is hardly "whacking great" ... 

Agreed - mine is 36' x 14' 3"

[bizzard]

22 minutes ago, Michael nolan said:

Really ! Can you give me details? I’m living in Bishops Stortford ?

I'll PM you.

[Michael nolan]

Great stuff , tnk you my friend ?

[Iain_S]

One hesitates to give advice, but does son's college need to be in London?

 

It's a few years since we last boated through the capital, but moorings were a bit hard to find, and the number of continuous cruisers or "boats without a home mooring", has greatly increased since then. By all accounts, London is one of the more stressful areas to be boating in, as well as being about the most expensive. You will need fuel and the occasional services of a boatyard or marine mechanic, both of which will charge top rates. Water taps and Elsan disposal also seem to be a constant source of problems for London boaters.

 

Much easier to stay off CaRT's radar elsewhere, cheaper and less stressful as well, IMO

[Movin' on]

3 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Agreed - mine is 36' x 14' 3"

Here we go again a bunch of blokes talking about size.......?

15 hours ago, Michael nolan said:

I would be happy to travel from Greenford to Clapton on the grand union canal ..I know it’s busy but I’m going to find out how busy it is and how hard it is living off the grid ..I have a postal address so that’s sorted ..

Hard enough without going wide and plastic - stay steel and narrow and enjoy boating not floating 

[David Mack]

On 05/07/2018 at 00:20, Michael nolan said:

I would be happy to travel from Greenford to Clapton on the grand union canal ..I know it’s busy but I’m going to find out how busy it is and how hard it is living off the grid ..I have a postal address so that’s sorted ..

We have been weekending in the London area for a couple of months now. While it is fairly full, particularly closer to central London, we have always found a 70 ft mooring at the end of the day -just don't leave it too late to start looking. You're never that far from a tube or rail station, and bus services are reasonable. Stay in the Oyster/contactless area (which goes up the Lee to Hertford) and train/tube/bus fares are not too bad.

I have even used the boat as midweek overnight accommodation when in London for work meetings, and I just commute in on the train from wherever the boat is along with all the local commuters.

Edited July 6, 2018 by David Mack