goldtone

Already thought of 'selling boat to friend', but checked out on bankruptcy site....its illegal to sell property before you declare bankruptcy!!! For the Record: All my debts are unsecured Yes I was frivolous at times, but also lost lots of money on my house sale, divorce, child maintenance (I pay 1/4 my wages to my kids)..... Could afford to pay debts until I lost my job hindsight is a great thing.... Bankruptcy is a last option, just got engaged and looking to buy a house together at some point..... Why is bankruptcy the soft option? Do you think people like me would wear it as a badge of honour, or are you quoting the Daily Mail again. I suppose couples should stay in an unhappy marriage, children should all be smacked, bring back the death penalty and send Johnny foreigner home........ I think taking the stigma away from a problem that lots of us find ourselves in is surely progress? Love & Light xxx

Cheers Graham, I'm on a Debt Management Plan at the moment, but since the job change, My outgoings are higher than my incoming!! I'll check out the site....

Hi ya'all Had a really bad run of luck money wise recently, made redundant with terrible package, 4 months out of work, now in a job at least 50% lower pay packet etc, etc...... So bankruptcy looks like a real option. I have no house, but own my boat outright.....anyone else a live aboard and gone bankrupt? I'm worried they might try to take my boat, then I would be homeless...... Any advice much appreciated, although I expect the usual 'incoming'!!!

GO FOR IT JIMBO!!!!! I've got two kids.... every time i go to parent's evening I'm told how much my kids talk about Dad's boat and how envious all the other kids (and teachers) are!! Why the question of moving aboard? Why question the desire to no longer being a cog on the wheel? You know what is right for you, so do it. I've had a year afloat and love the harsh winter, muddy towpaths, emptying the toilet (never has been as bad as I thought it would be), gas changing, grappling cold wet coal bags, smell of freshness in the morning, mist rising from the cut, swan feeding from the kitchen window, the look of delight on my kidlets faces as they race across lock gates, water a-rushing, smiles beaming, windlass in hands, jumping back on the boat at other side of the lock........ ......and they are 6 & 8.......already water babes and only on 26 weekends a year. So worry thee not, carpe diem and all that jazz. If you and they don't like the boat life, will the world come to a standstill? Of course not, you will just buy a house again. Don't let the Daily Mail reading naysayers get you down. People that are on the 'actual cut', not this 'virtual cut' are much much nicer....in fact, getting on with their own life....not too worried about everyone else's. Good luck and PM me if you wanna ask me what life on the cut is really about. Peace and Love, Banjo frog

Thanks Colin, You seem to have answered most of my questions. Any chance you could send me anymore info? PM me and I'll give you my email. Would love to see some photos of your craft. Are you a live aboard, how long was build time.....and more questions to come!! Jamie

Hi ya'll, Been in a boat for a year + now. Have managed to catch a woman, who seems very interested in living afloat. Thought we would get a sailaway and get it fitted out for us. So a few questions: Size? Me, her, and 2 kiddies at weekends. I'm in a 49' narrowboat which has enough space for me. How much bigger you reckon for both of us on a widebeam? It needs a separate bedroom for the kiddies Fit Out. we know a chippie, but he has never fitted out a boat before. Any reason he can't do it all for us. Same for sparky, her Dad is one, so would do it for us. Where can I find info on standards and compliances for boat building (if any). Reputable builder: Don't wanna spend a bomb, but want something that is durable, we plan on having it for many many many years...... I'm sure these questions are too hard to answer, but I'm looking for some one to put us in the right direction. Thanks ya'll Goldytoney

a certain amount, but not as loud as running the engine of course! Anyway, I find the gentle whirring quite relaxing, and I know if I can hear it, free electricity is being made!

a certain amount, but not as loud as running the engine of course! Anyway, I find the gentle whirring quite relaxing, and I know if I can hear it, free electricity is being made!

As a qualified baker I can't help butting in..... Its been a while since I made bread at home, but I generally do it by hand, not in a bowl, just on a work surface. Make a well in the middle of the flour, feed the wet ingredients in until you get a dough. Then bang the buggery out of it. The deal is to turn the gluten strands elastically, once they are, you can mould. Need to prove, knock back then prove again generally to get a more developed taste. And to get a crust, put a small bowl of boiling water in the oven for the first ten minutes, then take it out, vent the oven, shut the door and finish it off. I think I'l be doing that at the weekend......flatbread drizzled in olive oil, olives, tomatoes and herbs......get the kids to help me, who needs tv?!

I got a 912, as a liveaboard it keeps me going all the time, run the engine only when wind is low. As a CCer tho, it means I really need to check the wind in an area before I go there! And i can't stress how important it is to get sturdy fixings. Power is lost thru the mast or it can fall down without them. I used these guys, expensive, but worth it all in all. http://seascrew.com/ I got the mirrored stainless struts, fixings, eyes and put them together myself, my mast ain't going nowhere!

So many cynics.....am i the last true romantic left in the 21st century?!!!! Remember.....It is my element of realism that made me post such a thread, so I was asking for facts, not opinions. Thank you, in love, light and brotherhood, The wobbly hearted boater floating on cloud 9!

She met me as I had a banjo in my hand, so I got that one over and done with straight away!! WE are not talking about moving in together. I'm just thinking about making it easier for US to meet. She is more than happy to come to me where I am, and I am happy to trudge across London to her, but having a moveable home means that I have an added option! Easier for me to move than her as I am not on a permanent mooring. ....anyway, not being on her doorstep maybe a good thing....

So, I met a girl a few weeks back and just spent a week with her. She is lovely, fine, everything I've ever wanted, in fact I done got that squishy, think I'm falling in love feeling!!! Thing is, she lives in South East London in a flat. I live in my boat around the Tring area. Kinda a long way to travel. So I'm thinking, if things go the way I plan it, I will want to be closer to her. I work 30 miles north of London, straight down the M1, so reckon North, North West or West London might be a good place to move the boat to. My fear is this: I love the area I'm in at the moment, the relaxing views, the remoteness, the community around me, the peace and security. If I move to the big smoke can I still get this experience? Any one live in the London area, moving around regular as I do? How is it for parking, access? Is there a real boating community spirit as there is here? If you want to reply privately, avoiding the wrath of those less sympathetic to us more itinerant members of our lovely, all inclusive waterways then please PM me yours in love and boating kindness...... Cupid's latest victim!

I was just remembering the lovely taste of hot bovril back in my dead animal eating days, to discover thru this thread that until recently I could have been drinking the stuff!! Mine is a veggie boat, and it wouldn't know what a mung bean looks like! Who needs dodgy 70's pulses when there is Quorn, tofu, Linda McCartney, pasta, rice, couscous.............

Sounds like I have a charging problem then as my charging regime is as follows: 120W & 40W solar panels trickle charging, and running the engine when i see batteries are even a little below 12v. Electrics wise, I run a 12v fridge, water pump, LED lighting throughout (apart from the neon quasi-disco lights!) and a laptop a few hours a day at the most. I used a smart guage before, if by this you mean a drop tester. That is how I know the last batteries were past it. My new batteries have been on one week, and until I drained them were working perfectly. My worry is whether i have buggered them by draining them once. I'm running the engine all day today, so about 8 hrs, and will do the same tomorrow, although if it ain't charging properly, is there any point?