Fyre-Faery

Hi Arthur, That might work too. THANK YOU! xXx

Thank You everyone. I'll come along to a Banter. That sounds great. The sinking Dutch Barge is a terrible story. Oh dear. Luckily my off season is actually in summer (Children don't have birthday parties in summer - it's true!). I might be a bit vauge on here for a month as I'm submitting to a book thats being published with end of Feb deadline, but if you think of anything else do add it on. I'll be back to check this site and say hello. Many Thanks xXx

And yes, will check the Wey regs tomorrow, ring British Waterways, and practise on making that cup of tea. Thanks for all your advice on Sea Faring Roger. It's huge plan, I think I'll go slowly but not give up. (looks like I need to find someone who knows what they are doing to come out with me; and even then do some serious training first). Tam... Thank You... Yes I'm lucky so many people have replied to my thread. It's amazing. THANKS EVERYONE!!!!

This is all very interesting. Is there anyone here living on the canals and moving about a bit who would like to adopt a nice red haired Faery for a few days? I can make a good cup of tea, sleep in a small space on the floor and listen to all your stories with admiration and pricked up ears while learning how to use those lock key things in the snow.

Is that is in Rick Mayall Chris??? Ha ha ha!! Yes, I meant to ring them today (national Trust re: the Way) but doing too many things at the same time as usual. (Damn being a woman and multi-tasking. Never actually get One thing finished!)

That's OK Nina, I'm not meaning to label anyone which is why I said 'hippy' with comas. I use it to mean those who want to escape from the rat race and be closer to nature as you said. I hope that's OK! Yes you are right. I need months more research. This is my second day! And thank you so much for your help.

I see.... You you can have a cheap mooring up north and then 'bridge hop' as long as you move around a decent amount. But then you are the vermin of the canal system?

Yes, I'm defo in the not so sane (mad kiwi faery category) can't live in anything unless it moves category. I know many of you have said the lifestyle can be difficult though and not always romantic. I think I have some understanding of that after living in a van with my ex husband for a year and a half. Finding gas bottles in foreign countries, stupid insurance laws, van breaking down in rural France, sleeping in 7 degrees, and police either telling you to move on or asking for bribes... ermmmm so I hope boating is a bit more relaxing? But as it is such a 'hippy' thing I'm surprised the week to week costs are so high. I mean I could move back into my van for £15 a week park up fee in a nice feild (with no toilet or electric admittedly). Or pay a campsite £75 - 150 a week. Do we have a 'field' version of canal boating? Does this go back to what someone was saying about the rare chance a farm mooring comes up????

Thank You NINA! I'm trying to work out if I can afford it, and make a living to cover the expenses. I love the idea of owning my own home (on the water) but it seems frustrating that after the initial outlay of my savings it would continue to cost more than I currently pay in rent, which is £87 per week and includes my electricity. Unless I CCed in for forever, which might drive me insane and is certainly no good for children's party bookings. Right. I'll keep thinking. So if you have a cheap mooring up north you still couldn't cruise the same say 20 km in Surrey... would that make you a bridge hopper? And going back to sea boats, Roger was saying you can moor off bays in the med for free sometimes. Can anyone tell me more about that?

And if you have a 'home mooring' can you then go where you like, or do you have to follow the CC rules of 14 days max at moorings and a good distance between each one?

Thanks Martin and Alan. Although I am quite horrified to discover these mooring prices do not even include your electric! Ye gods it really is like caravanning. It is more expensive to live in a canal boat than own your own home then? (Say you had no mortgage on either).

Hi Ken. Thank You. Right. This is great info. Can I ask a possibly silly question: Say I wanted to start small and go with the 12 passenger situation - does 'passenger' include the crew members in the 12 maximum bodies?

Looking like an expensive learning curve at the moment! And what is the deal with a 'Home mooring' what does that mean as opposed to a 'leisure mooring' which I see auctioned on the site MJG linked to? And if you are hiring your own mooring what are the rules in cruising around? Do you have to return every certain number of days then unless you are on a continuous journey as a CC type? Thank You!

Thanks Martin. That is a great site. Yes I'd much prefer to moor in the middle of nowhere. Stunning! Though I imagine most of these don't have electric hook up. Wow. I had no idea the mooring fees were so high. I was told £300 a month including saving for dry docking every three years. Do all canal boats need to be dry docked BTW or just wooden ones?