Where to moor?

[wine_scribbler]

I'm on the cusp of buying a 44ft narrowboat for permanent residental use - from what I read finding a residental mooring is the first priority. Being new I have a few questions. (Constant cruising is an option)

 

What I need is a location with a rail link to Didcot (a cycle ride to a station is fine) - so anywhere I guess from Banbury to Henley should be OK. But I only have a monthly budget of £150 for mooring. Is this unrealistic? The Marina at Caversham/Reading is nearly double this for example so that rules them out. What are the options?

 

How do you actually find/book a mooring? I have the British Waterways pdf open in front of me but how do I find where these places actually are and find out if they have spaces? (I am sure this is a dumb question...)

[Titania]

The part of the world you are referring to is very expensive for moorings.

I think you are being unrealistic in your cost expectations.

 

Residential moorings are very hard to find.

 

The best way to find moorings is to short list all the marinas in the area and visit them in person.

Try calling your local BW office but I would look for a non-residential mooring first.

[mayalld]

I'm on the cusp of buying a 44ft narrowboat for permanent residental use - from what I read finding a residental mooring is the first priority. Being new I have a few questions. (Constant cruising is an option)

 

What I need is a location with a rail link to Didcot (a cycle ride to a station is fine) - so anywhere I guess from Banbury to Henley should be OK. But I only have a monthly budget of £150 for mooring. Is this unrealistic? The Marina at Caversham/Reading is nearly double this for example so that rules them out. What are the options?

 

How do you actually find/book a mooring? I have the British Waterways pdf open in front of me but how do I find where these places actually are and find out if they have spaces? (I am sure this is a dumb question...)

 

Residential moorings are rare and attract a considerable price premium.

 

£150 a month just isn't going to get you a legitimate residential mooring, particularly not in the area that you are looking at.

[wine_scribbler]

well my budget includes £150 travel a month so the nearer I am to Didcot the bigger the mooring budget!

[mayalld]

well my budget includes £150 travel a month so the nearer I am to Didcot the bigger the mooring budget!

 

This still isn't looking good for a residential mooring.

 

Your only option on this budget may be to become a continuous cruiser, and spend the whole £300 on travel.

 

You should, however, keep in mind that the BW continuous cruising regulations require you to keep moving, and that you can't just bimble about up and down a few miles of canal.

[debbifiggy]

This still isn't looking good for a residential mooring.

 

Your only option on this budget may be to become a continuous cruiser, and spend the whole £300 on travel.

 

You should, however, keep in mind that the BW continuous cruising regulations require you to keep moving, and that you can't just bimble about up and down a few miles of canal.

Hear hear! Official residential moorings with planning permission are scarcer than hens teeth. Expect to pay a hefty premium, bank on £3000 - £15,000pa. Continuous cruising is an option providing you don't fall foul of regs and with the new hand held computers used by BW staff boat movements (or lack of) are being very much more closely monitored. You really need to be cruising the entire Thames ring and then some to be a genuine continuous cruiser and you'd need a Gold licence to be able to access the Thames. Check out www.waterscape.com and then every other canal related forum/website you can for info.

 

If you can't afford to live within the rules of the various navigation authorities on the cut you probably can't afford to live anywhere without help. Check out every housing option available including social housing and various benefits. Think long and hard, take loads of advice and if it doesn't add up for what you were planning try and find plan B or even C. I'm sure you'll get plenty of help and ideas from the nice people on this forum. Best of luck, hope you find a solution.

Debbi