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try before you buy


pixiesun

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I think there is a live aboard boat in our Marina that is rented out, but not 100% sure.

 

Living on a boat is not for everyone, we live on a boat in West London, near to our places of work. It is suitable for us and we only decided on this way of life after her parents have owned a boat for years. We took it out together, without them, and were still talking at the end of it (well just).

 

Best thing to do, which will probably be mentioned later is to hire a boat, maybe with one other person during the quieter months for two weeks, cruising some days and just mooring it others in a location suitable for you. It is possible to moor on the towpath with a hire boat so that is probably the best, and easiest way to "try" before you buy.

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Hi

I wondered if it is possible to rent a live aboard to see if its an option I'd enjoy as a place to live? A try before you buy scheme....Does anybody know if this is possible? oh and do they come with residential moorings?

 

This has just come up in another topic. Someone posting on this forum rents out long term.

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Hi Pixiesun.

I totally agree with R Dixon if you cannot rent a boat, definately hire a boat and not just in the summer months either. We have lived aboard now for over 2 years and absolutely love it, but as we have seen it is not for everyone. I know of a couple who live aboard and are still undecided as to whether they like it. I also know of someone who lived aboard and decided they hated it during the winter so put the boat up for sale. You may see waterworld or locks and quays and think wow that looks perfect, but what they do not show you is the down side of living aboard. They only show it in the good weather and not when it is chucking it down with rain and the towpaths are muddy etc etc. Life onboard a boat is what you make it, and is as difficult or as easy as you make it. I love it and so do so many others.

Remember if your going to go for a liveaboard you do need to organise a mooring, I would advise doing that first.

 

Look at lots of different boats, don't just buy the first one you see. Speak to lots of boaters along the towpaths, they will tell you their experiences and will give you a real insight to how it is to live aboard. We do not all see it through rose coloured glasses LOL.

I wish you lots of lucky and if I can help at all please let me know.

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Hi Pixiesun,

 

our daughter lives on a narrowboat and has done for over a year now. She and her partner moved in to it in the depths of winter last year and had to move their boat 15 locks to their residential mooring in the rain and snow, never having handled a boat before. After that any sunny day seems like heaven to them. That is sound advice in the earlier posts, try to hire a boat off peak for a few weeks to see how you cope with being confined in the limited space when the weather is not too clever. You may find, like they did, that you love it. They have done an almost total refit and I don't think they would buy bricks and mortar now if they could. There are some pics in the signature link below.

 

PS glad you liked the "90' narrowboat theory" in the Holly thread, it gave me a chuckle as I wrote it :) .

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Hi Pixiesun,

 

our daughter lives on a narrowboat and has done for over a year now. She and her partner moved in to it in the depths of winter last year and had to move their boat 15 locks to their residential mooring in the rain and snow, never having handled a boat before. After that any sunny day seems like heaven to them. That is sound advice in the earlier posts, try to hire a boat off peak for a few weeks to see how you cope with being confined in the limited space when the weather is not too clever. You may find, like they did, that you love it. They have done an almost total refit and I don't think they would buy bricks and mortar now if they could. There are some pics in the signature link below.

 

PS glad you liked the "90' narrowboat theory" in the Holly thread, it gave me a chuckle as I wrote it :) .

 

I roared laughing for hours and still chuckle now at your holly thread. Thank you all so much for the hints and tips, I greatly appreciate them.

 

I've been really unwell and was unexpectedly admitted to hospital last week but once I'm better I'll keep researching the possibility of life afloat. Best Jo

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  • 1 month later...
I roared laughing for hours and still chuckle now at your holly thread. Thank you all so much for the hints and tips, I greatly appreciate them.

 

I've been really unwell and was unexpectedly admitted to hospital last week but once I'm better I'll keep researching the possibility of life afloat. Best Jo

i guess the best thing would be to see if anyone would mind you 'crewing' for them or looking after the boat while they go away.. (see http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...mp;#entry133487 ) and have a look around various websites to make sure you don't miss any oppurtunites..

 

Maybe talk to nigel and see if you can tag along with him for some of his boat moving trips? But obviosuly that would be more of a short term trip and not a longer residentual experience.

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