Is living on Canals as Complicated as it sounds!?

[Gollywobbler]

Listen, All

 

It is time to cut some of the c*rap that has been dished out on this thread.

 

I understand from Darren that he has looked at both barges and narrowboats but he is more attracted to barges because they have more living-space inside them.

 

I do agree with him that it is almost impossible to understand what some people say when they talk about costs for boats on the canals.

 

For example, please could someone explain to me about "blacking." I imagine that this is the same as antifouling a sea-boat? That is, the blacking will deter weed and any other organisms that might live in the canals?

 

With a sea-boat, it is easy enough to find a place where you can put the boat against a wall or some scrubbing posts and antifoul it yourself when the tide goes out, so the only real cost is the antifouling paint and some effort by the boat's owner.

 

Clearly, this would not be possible on a canal. Presumably on a canal, the boat has to be lifted out of the water and then rested on something that will keep the bottom of the hull clear of the ground? How do boatyards charge for this? Do they charge according to the boat's length or according to its weight? I don't know what a single boatyard or marina on the canals is called. Please could someone give me a link that will help me to figure out this whole business of "blacking" - many thanks.

 

Also, if you own a canal boat (regardless of type) how trapped are you by the yards if something needs to be done to the boat? A boatyard in a coastal harbour will usually let a boat owner do all the maintenance work himself if the owner wants that. Is the owner of a canal boat allowed to be similarly independent if he wants to be?

 

Let us say that Darren buys a barge. There is no reason why a barge shouldn't live in a coastal Harbour, either permanently afloat or in a mudberth. It seems to me that the only reason why Darren would need to tie himself to whatever goes on on the canals would be if he doesn't want to live on the coast, so I'm wondering whether he is coming at the whole thing from the wrong angle? If he would like to move to the coast then maybe a coastal Harbour would be a better answer for him?

 

Thanks

 

Gill

Edited September 9, 2011 by Gollywobbler

[Guest]

Listen, All

 

It is time to cut some of the c*rap that has been dished out on this thread.

 

I understand from Darren that he has looked at both barges and narrowboats but he is more attracted to barges because they have more living-space inside them.

 

I do agree with him that it is almost impossible to understand what some people say when they talk about costs for boats on the canals.

 

So why are you still posting?

[carlt]

Listen, All

 

It is time to cut some of the c*rap that has been dished out on this thread.

 

 

Have you thought about changing your name from "Gollywobbler" to "Mollycoddler"?

[nina]

I forgot to add as part of my reply to Darren that there is a risk element to living on a boat. This is that if you live alone on a boat for long periods of time and fail to indulge in meaningful, mental stimulation on a regular basis, you can end up very small in the head. Basically the brain shrinks back to Neanderthal levels where it just reacts on instinct instead of constructive thought.

 

Once deemed extinct,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neanderthal

 

It would appear this is not the case entirely :-)

[mayalld]

Are we really supposed to think that there isn't some sock puppetry going on here?

 

What, you mean the way a number of new posters suddenly appear at around the same time, always with a good mix of posters who ask a drive-by question that is certain to get a wide variety of responses that will suggest that what is asked simply isn't feasible, and always a similarly new, but more worldly poster who can analyse the situation and tell us what bad people we are?

 

And you think that means sockpuppetry?

 

Yup, it sure does, and my money is firmly on it being a new selection from the same drawer as Old Timer and Gunwaler.

[carlt]

I forgot to add as part of my reply to Darren that there is a risk element to living on a boat. This is that if you live alone on a boat for long periods of time and fail to indulge in meaningful, mental stimulation on a regular basis, you can end up very small in the head. Basically the brain shrinks back to Neanderthal levels where it just reacts on instinct instead of constructive thought.

 

I often wondered what was behind the manner of your posts but I would assure Darren that your condition is not universal, throughout the liveaboard community, and many boat dwellers do not hold your prehistoric views.

[Gibbo]

What, you mean the way a number of new posters suddenly appear at around the same time, always with a good mix of posters who ask a drive-by question that is certain to get a wide variety of responses that will suggest that what is asked simply isn't feasible, and always a similarly new, but more worldly poster who can analyse the situation and tell us what bad people we are?

 

And you think that means sockpuppetry?

 

Yup, it sure does, and my money is firmly on it being a new selection from the same drawer as Old Timer and Gunwaler.

 

Another give away is the enormous knowledge one poster seems to have about another poster, just from one or two emails.

 

Oi you lot, why not keep it to your private emails. It's boring.

[nina]

I often wondered what was behind the manner of your posts but I would assure Darren that your condition is not universal, throughout the liveaboard community, and many boat dwellers do not hold your prehistoric views.

 

I'm not a liveaboard which may perhaps explain your inability to relate to my posts.

[Gibbo]

I forgot to add as part of my reply to Darren that there is a risk element to living on a boat. This is that if you live alone on a boat for long periods of time and fail to indulge in meaningful, mental stimulation on a regular basis, you can end up very small in the head. Basically the brain shrinks back to Neanderthal levels where it just reacts on instinct instead of constructive thought.

 

How long have you been living aboard? A fair while I'd guess.

[carlt]

 

Oi you lot, why not keep it to your private emails. It's boring.

Yes that interests me, too.

 

The OP has specifically requested email communication yet his staunch supporters don't respect him enough to keep it private.

 

It seems to me to be a concerted effort to cause trouble on what was, previously, a light hearted, yet useful, thread.

 

I'm not a liveaboard which may perhaps explain your inability to relate to my posts.

Neither am I.

[nina]

How long have you been living aboard? A fair while I'd guess.

 

I've long had a passion for boats, the waterways and the heritage but I don't live full time on a boat. Although this last year, we've stayed on it through the week because of work commitments, including a full winter.

[Tam & Di]

Listen, All

 

It is time to cut some of the c*rap that has been dished out on this thread.

 

I understand from Darren that he has looked at both barges and narrowboats but he is more attracted to barges because they have more living-space inside them.

 

I do agree with him that it is almost impossible to understand what some people say when they talk about costs for boats on the canals.

 

For example, please could someone explain to me about "blacking." I imagine that this is the same as antifouling a sea-boat? That is, the blacking will deter weed and any other organisms that might live in the canals?

 

With a sea-boat, it is easy enough to find a place where you can put the boat against a wall or some scrubbing posts and antifoul it yourself when the tide goes out, so the only real cost is the antifouling paint and some effort by the boat's owner.

 

Clearly, this would not be possible on a canal. Presumably on a canal, the boat has to be lifted out of the water and then rested on something that will keep the bottom of the hull clear of the ground? How do boatyards charge for this? Do they charge according to the boat's length or according to its weight? I don't know what a single boatyard or marina on the canals is called. Please could someone give me a link that will help me to figure out this whole business of "blacking" - many thanks.

 

Also, if you own a canal boat (regardless of type) how trapped are you by the yards if something needs to be done to the boat? A boatyard in a coastal harbour will usually let a boat owner do all the maintenance work himself if the owner wants that. Is the owner of a canal boat allowed to be similarly independent if he wants to be?

 

Let us say that Darren buys a barge. There is no reason why a barge shouldn't live in a coastal Harbour, either permanently afloat or in a mudberth. It seems to me that the only reason why Darren would need to tie himself to whatever goes on on the canals would be if he doesn't want to live on the coast, so I'm wondering whether he is coming at the whole thing from the wrong angle? If he would like to move to the coast then maybe a coastal Harbour would be a better answer for him?

 

Thanks

 

Gill

 

Wow, all this naivity from someone who can analyse the socio-political situation and advise Darren on what is going to happen to Liverpool in the near future.

[Chris Pink]

Wow, all this naivity from someone who can analyse the socio-political situation and advise Darren on what is going to happen to Liverpool in the near future.

 

I'm not sure where you're coming from here, other than you lost patience a while ago. I think the questions in the post you quoted are all pertinent, if newbie, questions.

[Gollywobbler]

Wow, all this naivity from someone who can analyse the socio-political situation and advise Darren on what is going to happen to Liverpool in the near future.

 

Hell Tam

 

I'm sorry I spelt your name wrongly last time.

 

I have never made any secret of the fact that I know nothing about the canals and inland waterways apart from the odd stroll along the odd towpath. Therefore I don't know what happens with this procedure called "blacking" and so forth.

 

However I do know about owning sea-boats, living on those, looking after them etc and I know what goes in in many of the coastal Harbours.

 

You might not have noticed that I live just outside Southampton? The issue of Liverpool becoming a turnaround port is a huge issue down here. The Department for Transport are holding a Public Consultation about it:

 

http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2011-22

 

I assume that Carnival UK probably submitted a thumbs up for the idea sometime this week because according to the Beeb, Carnival support the proposal and Ministers seem to support it as well:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-14836334

 

Evidently Carnival think that their Cunard brand could benefit from Liverpool becoming a turnaround port.

 

The only real objectors to the plan seem to be the owners of Southampton Docks and their own supporters (including Southampton City Council.) Apparently the cruise ship trade is worth a fortune to Southampton and they don't want to lose any of it to a rival port. Even getting just one of Carnival's brands would be worth a mint to the City of Liverpool and would generate new employment up there. Personally, I have no objection to Liverpool's becoming a turnaround port. Sure, losing the Cunard brand might dent some of Southampton's profits and prestige but it wouldn't bankrupt Southampton whereas it would probably give Liverpool a much-needed economic boost.

 

Darren could easily have found out about the proposals for Liverpool all by himself - as could you - but it appears that both of you needed a helping hand to tell you about it.

 

That is allowed for you but not also for Darren, it seems.

 

Gill

 

I'm not sure where you're coming from here, other than you lost patience a while ago. I think the questions in the post you quoted are all pertinent, if newbie, questions.

 

Thanks, Chris

Edited September 9, 2011 by Gollywobbler

[carlt]

 

Thanks, Chris

 

It is just a shame that you came to the defence of someone so aggressively then he may have received more constructive answers.

 

Unless of course he has received all the help he needs, by email, as he requested, rendering your attacks totally uncalled for.

[Tam & Di]

I'm not sure where you're coming from here, other than you lost patience a while ago. I think the questions in the post you quoted are all pertinent, if newbie, questions.

 

The questions are pertinent as you say, but IF genuine are coming from someone who has no boat or interest in acquiring one, and I'm fed up with making my years of experience freely available to someone who asks out of idle curiosity when I'm sure a brief troll (whoops! did I mean to use that word?) through the archives would immediately enlighten him/her.

 

I've just noticed the next post too - it starts "hell Tam". Wonder what Freud would have had to say about that? I'm still confused by what possible developments in Liverpool have to do with "Is living on Canals as Complicated as it sounds?", but I've ceased to care.

[David Mack]

I do agree with him that it is almost impossible to understand what some people say when they talk about costs for boats on the canals.

 

Not really! Even given the foibles of the search facility here, you could have fairly quickly found some answers to your questions. Not that you'll necessarily find a universally accepted answer on most points!

 

For example, please could someone explain to me about "blacking." I imagine that this is the same as antifouling a sea-boat? That is, the blacking will deter weed and any other organisms that might live in the canals?

 

No "blacking" is simply painting the hull black. Antifouling isn't generally used on inland boats.

 

With a sea-boat, it is easy enough to find a place where you can put the boat against a wall or some scrubbing posts and antifoul it yourself when the tide goes out, so the only real cost is the antifouling paint and some effort by the boat's owner.

 

Clearly, this would not be possible on a canal. Presumably on a canal, the boat has to be lifted out of the water and then rested on something that will keep the bottom of the hull clear of the ground? How do boatyards charge for this? Do they charge according to the boat's length or according to its weight? I don't know what a single boatyard or marina on the canals is called. Please could someone give me a link that will help me to figure out this whole business of "blacking" - many thanks.

 

As with most narrowboat maintenance tasks you can do it yourself, or you can pay a boatyard to do it for you, depending on your inclination, skills and the amount of money or time you want to spend on it.

 

You can put the boat in drydock or you can have it craned out onto the bank. This will cost you either way. Or a few boaters do indeed go and find a suitable spot on tidal waters, such as the gridiron behind the Ait at Brentford, to do work between the tides, although that doesn't give you the blacking manufacturer's recommended drying time.

 

Also, if you own a canal boat (regardless of type) how trapped are you by the yards if something needs to be done to the boat? A boatyard in a coastal harbour will usually let a boat owner do all the maintenance work himself if the owner wants that. Is the owner of a canal boat allowed to be similarly independent if he wants to be?

 

Some boatyards will let you bring in an outside contractor to work on your boat, some will not allow this, but will let you do your own work, some insist you use their staff to do all but the most minor things. And some boaters take their boat out of a marina, to another boatyard or to the towpath around the corner, if they want to do work not allowed on their normal mooring.

 

Let us say that Darren buys a barge. There is no reason why a barge shouldn't live in a coastal Harbour, either permanently afloat or in a mudberth. It seems to me that the only reason why Darren would need to tie himself to whatever goes on on the canals would be if he doesn't want to live on the coast, so I'm wondering whether he is coming at the whole thing from the wrong angle? If he would like to move to the coast then maybe a coastal Harbour would be a better answer for him?

 

Well your'e the coastal expert, so perhaps you can tell us!

 

David

[Gibbo]

If you get answers to your questions in private emails/messages, you don't have the advantage of 48 other posters telling you that what you've been told is utter bollocks.

 

That's why people who don't know what they're talking about always say "PM me".

 

If what someone is saying is correct, they'll have no issues putting out in the open.

[Midnight Rider]

Could I just ask Darren (or through Gill) ----

 

Are you employed ( or job seeking) because this will affect where you want to live?

 

Have you got the funds to buy a boat?

 

If so,have you got the funds to licence, insure, make a first payment on a mooring & have some left for any maintenance or improvements?

 

If you could reply to the above points, it may help others to help you.

 

Regards.

Darren/Gill -- any chance of a reply to this one please?

 

Forum members ---- has anyone else been in touch with Darren by e mail?

[JDR]

Game's up folks I think GWs managed to see through the lies. The fact of the matter is that all people on the inland waterways are thoroughly evil. Most people I have met on narrowboats make the child snatcher from Chitty Chitty bang bang look like Mother Teresa.As soon as this skag wears off and I can physically move again I will hoy the remaining sack of kittens into the river.On saturdays I normally get ripped on Cillit Bang and meths and lurch around town with a megaphone shouting at toddlers "it's all downhill from here kid." Sundays is of course reserved for a relaxing roast swan dinner.

[Gibbo]

Until they went quiet this thread was like watching a three headed sock puppet masterbate in public.

[matty40s]

Until they went quiet this thread was like watching a three headed sock puppet masterbate in public.

 

[cotswoldsman]

Until they went quiet this thread was like watching a three headed sock puppet masterbate in public.

 

That has made me laugh first think in the morning have one of my valuable greenies.

[carlt]

That has made me laugh first think in the morning...

Is it a sign of contentment, that your first "think", in the morning, makes you laugh?

[paddy r]

Until they went quiet this thread was like watching a three headed sock puppet masterbate in public.

:rolleyes: