Advice much appreciated!

[hopefulboaterlndn]

Hi everyone, I have been lurking around the forum for a while now and I hope you all don't mind but we are in need of a bit of advice! Me and my partner are looking for our first boat and we plan to live aboard in London. I've read around about how difficult it is to find a residential mooring in London and that generally if you want one you buy a boat on the mooring already (we would prefer a residential mooring as I don't think we could CC and work in our jobs without quite a bit of stress). The dilemma we're having is that we've found a boat we like the look of in London but the family is concerned that it isn't good value for money as its a bit older etc (which really they're right but I assume thats the deal with getting a boat on a mooring in London). Would you say that this boat is worth it to buy or would it be worth hunting around London for a mooring and buying a boat without one?

 

http://london.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=473888

 

We would like to be living on a boat in the next year (although sooner if possible!), so my concern is that waiting for a mooring in London could take several years! By London we mean anywhere as far out as Hampton Court ish area - beyond that the train gets so expensive to travel in plus the long journey just makes it not worth it for us.

 

Thanks so much for reading and I hope you don't mind me asking! I hope to be joining you all on the water very soon

[Jak]

Welcome to the forum. I like the look of the boat. But 85k wide beams are way out of my experience. However it's not about age. The condition and fit out much more so. Experts will be along and they will agree you need a full buyers survey to confirm condition and value before considering parting with that sort of money....

Edited November 28, 2016 by Jak

[dmr]

Usual stuff Residential moorings are hens teeth and big money (you are NOT the first person to hit on the idea of living on a boat in London). Get the mooring first, or walk the towpath and check out the CC lifestyle, warts and all, is it for you?

 

Buy a boat in the midlands or North, it will be much cheaper and you get the pleasure of cruising it down to London. You also see a lot of great places and realise there is more to life than London!

 

.................Dave

[WotEver]

She looks lovely but pictures don't really tell you much. As Jak says, a pre-purchase survey would be a must. Best to initially take a look round with someone who has boating experience I think. Hopefully someone from the area will be along soon with more specific advice.

[Jak]

She does look lovely. Also, do you have any experience of boating? Holiday hires perhaps? I've always loved our waterways but will never convince Mrs J to live on them. It's very different to a house or flat and you will need to understand and be happy with the compromises.

[David Mack]

If the mooring is a must-have, check with the mooring owner that the mooring can be transfered to you - many can't. Check mooring price and conditions too. Don't just take the vendor's word on this.

[hopefulboaterlndn]

Thank you everyone for your replies! A survey would be a must for sure. The idea of committing ourselves to such a large sum of money is daunting but we think it would be worth it for the extra living space (crosses fingers and hopes not to spark the whole NB vs WB debate). That boat can definitely have the mooring transferred, checked it with the owner of the mooring. We've also had a look at some relatively recent surveys (2 years old), and although there seems to be in need of some general maintenance it seems to be structurally sound (but i'm really no expert!).

 

My family have a boat that we've spent a lot of time on in the summer so I think we do have a good grasps of the realities of living on a boat. This is part of what we are really excited about to be honest, we don't mind at all about not having 'utilities' at the press of a button (or turn of a tap!), although we might think differently in the depth of winter I am 100% convinced that on balance this is the lifestyle for us.

 

If anyone out there has any advice on how to find a mooring in London without a boat already on it that would be fantastic! Maybe we've done all we can (contacted a bunch of marinas and asked about waiting lists etc) and I'm just hoping for some kind of magic solution :S We don't love London and would eventually hope to move the boat away to somewhere much more peaceful but unfortunately we are tied here for the moment with careers/training etc.

[Jak]

Sounds good that you are already familiar with boating and not just looking for a cheap London pad. Look here www.watersidemooring.com. Sure you have seen it already, but netherless there have been London residential moorings listed here over the last few months. Good luck.

[hopefulboaterlndn]

Thanks a lot Jak - I will definitely keep an eye on that website, I had half-given up on it because I thought the likely hood of anything coming up was so low so its good to hear they do pop up.

[MtB]

To my surprise this boat doesn't appear as overpriced as I expected. The price is almost sensible given you you can buy a new one for £120k but without the mooring. Or one much the same age in say York without the mooring for perhaps £60k.

 

The thing is all London property (boats included) are priced based on the 'bigger fool' principle. The prices fetched bear no relation to reality but it works because everyone is confident they will find someone equally stupid as they were to overpay when it comes to sell. So basically its a game of chicken. If you think you'll be able to find a fool as big as you when it comes to time to sell and the market hasn't crashed by then, well yes great, buy it!*

 

London property has been viewed as grotesquely overpriced since about 2001, since when it has quadrupled in price, and STILL no crash even on the horizon. If I were you I would actually by this boat first thing in the morning.

[Athy]

. It's very different to a house or flat and you will need to understand and be happy with the compromises.

..or, even better, not see them as compromises.

[PaddingtonBear]

And get your own survey, don't rely on any done previously and like Mike I think this seems a bit of London (?) value although really go into the t and c of the mooring. And take note they are open to offers although there is always the smart arse who is prepared to pay the full price without a survey.

Edited November 29, 2016 by PaddingtonBear

[pquinn]

Hello hopefulboater, now i am very more than likely wrong and do not want to cast any aspersions on the seller but to my eye and the perspective of the pictures'that boat does not look 57x 10 to me.

[hopefulboaterlndn]

Thank you so much everyone, this has been really useful. I'm off to see the boat this week, is there anything you would recommend keeping an eye out for in terms of the condition of the boat? I was thinking checking for leaks around Windows, water tank etc, checking that the engine runs and doesn't do anything suspicious!

[pquinn]

Check the dimensions. Width wise i believe it is from under the gunnel to under the gunnel but i am sure somebody will be along to explain the easiest/quickest way to do this.

[Jamboat]

Also that in the details on apollo duck it mentions that the multi fuel burner cannot be used on mooring so you would probably need to rely on electric heating.

[Taslim]

Also that in the details on apollo duck it mentions that the multi fuel burner cannot be used on mooring so you would probably need to rely on electric heating.

A very good point. The advert dosn't seem to mention other forns of heating. That said I find it about the same cost to heat with electricity when I get a hookup for the truck as to use solid fuel and it a big lot cleaner.

 

MtB makes a good case. It's London. The price is well real.

[cereal tiller]

A very good point. The advert dosn't seem to mention other forns of heating. That said I find it about the same cost to heat with electricity when I get a hookup for the truck as to use solid fuel and it a big lot cleaner.

 

MtB makes a good case. It's London. The price is well real.

The Ad. does mention a Webasto Boiler and Heater

 

CT

[peterboat]

Yes it is expensive up here I would expect it to be 55K tops down there with mooring its well priced so be quick otherwise someone else will have bought it

[Slim]

Know exactly where it is but can't remember details. Some years ago we moored overnight on their waiting pontoon (by arrangement)

 

Regarding the restricted use of the S/F stove. It's work checking out whether a Bubble type stove would be acceptable. Can't see why not. If my memory serves the moorings are part of a housing development. A friends daughter lived in one of the flats hence the permission to moor.

 

Good luck

 

 

Frank

[Tim Lewis]

If you think that one is expensive:

 

http://m.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/41995714?search_identifier=eab52d3525af0df2e3cb5f8bb9fc333e#8erVtfI2iRPhlJYx.97

 

Tim

[widebeamboy]

or this

 

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-55416046.html

 

or this

 

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-59581832.html

[Peter X]

If that boat's in good condition, especially the hull, I think it would be worth that much money without the mooring.

 

In your shoes I would want to get answers in writing to some searching questions about the right to remain on the mooring; that's a valuable thing in London.

Make sure you find out how long you will be entitled to stay there, conditions which must bet met (not burning wood & coal, but what other conditions might there be?), and what it will cost you each year in mooring fees. As a fixed residential mooring there might be council tax too?

 

Brentford being a little out from the centre, it won't cost quite as much as the ultra-desirable areas the above examples are in (Islington and Limehouse). The nearest station is a little walk, or there are buses if you don't mind sitting in slow moving traffic quite often.

[hopefulboaterlndn]

Thanks again! I will definitely ask about a Bubble type stove Now I just need to manage my excitement / expectations!

[MtB]

If that boat's in good condition, especially the hull, I think it would be worth that much money without the mooring.

 

In your shoes I would want to get answers in writing to some searching questions about the right to remain on the mooring; that's a valuable thing in London.

Make sure you find out how long you will be entitled to stay there, conditions which must bet met (not burning wood & coal, but what other conditions might there be?), and what it will cost you each year in mooring fees. As a fixed residential mooring there might be council tax too?

 

Brentford being a little out from the centre, it won't cost quite as much as the ultra-desirable areas the above examples are in (Islington and Limehouse). The nearest station is a little walk, or there are buses if you don't mind sitting in slow moving traffic quite often.

 

 

I think it is pretty certain there will be no security of tenure, otherwise the price would be about £1/2m.

I think the best the OP can expect is the moorings landlord agrees to accept them as a tenant at all.