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New to boating


JulesE

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any advice would be welcome.  I am about to put my house on the market and buy a narrowboat, please can you give me advice on which type of boat is the wisest choice.  Trad, semi-trad or cruiser?  It will be to house 1 adult (and a small dog) but with capacity for family to come and stay over - so 4 berth ideally.

I am wary about what type of heating to look for, as i work full time and will need to keep warm when i get back to the boat after work in the winter months.  I am trying to do as much research as possible, and have the opportunity to stay on a boat for a weekend in July to see how it goes.

i have bought and read books, and am trying to ask as many questions as possible before i go to the buying stage.

 

many thanks, all advice gratefully received

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Maybe a little more background is needed -

 

Do you intend to cruise ?

Will you be in a marina ?

Will you have a mooring with access to electricity / water / sewage facilities ?

Are you physically capable of carrying 25 kg bags of coal or 25kg+ gas bottles ?

Budget ? (£10,000 / £100,000 / £250,000)

17 minutes ago, JulesE said:

advice on which type of boat is the wisest choice

 

Example : Blown air diesel fired heating may be the best way to go.

It is 'instant' on entering the boat, within 5 minutes the boat is 'toasty' it can even be programmed to switch on as you leave 'work' so boat is warm on arrival. No need to carry heavy gas bottles or sacks of coal.

 

This is just one option - others are available.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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Alan

Thank you so much for responding; i'll try and give you more background info...

i am down on the list at the marina in my village, so i am predominately going to be on a residential mooring.  I have looked into the cost of this in detail.  I will cruise in the summer, but as i work full time, this will be limited to where i can get on a Friday night to Sunday.

The mooring has electric hook-ups, pump out, and water and diesel.

My budget is £35k to £45K

i would ideally like a 4 berth, but a 2 berth with a bed-settee is an option.

I am 48 years old, and yes, humping a 25kg gas bottle would be hard, but i could do it.  I also have family in the village who i'm sure would help their mum do this for a nice cuppa and piece of cake!

I am a fit 48 year old, and am not looking at doing this for monetary reasons, i have been single now for 5 years and have considered this move for 18 months and now think life is about more than bricks and mortar, it is about seizing the opportunity to do what you dream of.

i realise i have LOADS to learn, and the next 3 months will be a huge learning curve, but life is sometimes about taking that leap of faith and doing what you want to in life.

 

  • Greenie 1
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7 minutes ago, JulesE said:

i'll try and give you more background info...

It sounds as if 90+% of the time you will be moored up with 'facilities' and occasionally (Summer weekends) you will tootle along the T&M and back.

That being the case, you can pretty much (within limits) have your boat equipped with anything you want - washing machine, electric heating, deep fat fryer, electric toaster, hair dryer etc etc - but you will need to 'learn' how many of those you can have switched on at any one time - unlike a house your electricity supply is limited)

You will occasionally (on your weekend jaunts) be restricted as to what you can use - but its only a couple of days - and - as you learn about your systems you will be able to adapt to suit.

If you plan to head West from Willington, then once you get near Burton-On-Trent the canal (locks) become 'narrow' so that precludes you use of a 'widebeam' boat - if you plan to head towards Nottingham and towards the River Trent you can have a 'widebeam'.

Maybe a narrowboat is the best option (your choice)

To maximise your internal space you may well be best looking at 'Trad' or Semi-Trad' style boats.

 

Maybe as a 1st step - get yourself down to Whilton marina where they have 100s of boats for sale (you will not want to buy from them, but they are good for window shopping). That will give you some ideas on 'floor-plans' lay-outs etc and allow you to make a bit more informed decision as to what suits YOU.

 

You have a 'good' budget but remember to keep £5000 in reserve for fees, surveys, licence, insurance, moorings etc. It is advisable to also have a 'disaster fund' (maybe £1000) to cover any engine breakdowns)

You should be able to get a good liveaboard 45-50 foot for £40k.

 

If initially you just want to try boating on a budget a forum member has a GRP boat for sale for £4500 - if after 6 months you don't like it then sell it on and you have not lost a great deal.

Without knowing your circumstances - maybe you could even buy it and keep the house until you are sure its the right thing to do ?

 

 

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Many thanks Alan.  I will definitely look at visiting Whilton Marina, there isn't much available to view at Mercia Marina at the moment.  Truthfully the New and Used Boat Co at Mercia Marina near enough laughed at me when i asked about narrowboats for £35k - £40K.  If i wasn't so determined it could have put me off.  I will have the £5K available for all the licences and surveys and residential fees, and yes, i will ensure i put £1 - £2k away for a repair fund.

I will also be working full time and hopefully saving a bit of this every month to put away to top up any repair fund i need. 

I will go and visit Whilton Marina and have a look around what they have.  I have registered on Apollo Duck and other second hand sites, so any boats in my price range will be emailed.  I am fortunate that i do have someone i can call upon when the time comes to come with me to view a boat, and have a better understanding of the engine and what to look out for.  I of course would get a survey done first.

I have heard that Beta engines are always reliable.

I hope i will not become annoying with my incessant questions over the next few months, but i feel i can do all the research available in books, but asking the questions to fellow boaters will get me the most honest answers i need.

please let me know if i need to limit my questions or whether i can just ask each time i need to know something !

 

Jules

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9 minutes ago, JulesE said:

please let me know if i need to limit my questions or whether i can just ask each time i need to know something !

The forum does have a limit to the number of questions any one person can ask, as a 'newbie' your initial allocation will be 1000 per week, as your 'post count' increase (see the little number below your name / avatar) you will get a gradual increase - once you become a boat owner, due to the problems you will face, the number becomes 'unlimited'.

 

Ask away - but ensure you give background / your reasoning to the question so the answers become relevant.

Type of toilet questions will always evoke a mixed reaction - but don't worry - as long as you go for a cassette toilet you will be fine (see what I did there - got the 1st strike in !!!)

 

Good luck.

  • Greenie 1
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My best advice, view lots and lots of boats, if you can travel easily then go up north and down south, see how much difference the prices can be.

Think of buying a car, it can be a minefield and people lie, i found the same with boats.

 

Eyes wide open!

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Jules - I'd echo the advice above, you can only get so far surfing the net better to spend some time looking at boats then come back here you may find you have different questions - why do such scruffy boats cost so much might be one, sorry to be facetious.  Sawley Marina near Nottingham isn't that far away from you and they usually have a fair selection of boats, good and bad.  Don't limit yourself to boats in your price range, it's worth considering stuff below and above you will get a better feel for the market that way.  

At the moment it is a difficult time for a newcomer because everyone seems to think it's a sellers market and this can trap the inexperienced into buying a boat that could be way overpriced.  This is where the forum can be a great asset, more so than asking about toilets, engines, etc where all you will get is a range of opinions based on personal preference.

 

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19 minutes ago, JulesE said:

Brill thanks Neil 

Jules, why not have a look at the boats for sale at Great Haywood Boat Sales? I have dealt with them before and unlike some brokers I think they price their boats sensibly. They have a good few boats that fall in your price range so you could maybe draw up a shortlist and try to arrange to view a few in one day. I have no connection with them apart from having sold a boat through them a couple of years ago.

  • Greenie 2
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2 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

It sounds as if 90+% of the time you will be moored up with 'facilities' and occasionally (Summer weekends) you will tootle along the T&M and back.

That being the case, you can pretty much (within limits) have your boat equipped with anything you want - washing machine, electric heating, deep fat fryer, electric toaster, hair dryer etc etc - but you will need to 'learn' how many of those you can have switched on at any one time - unlike a house your electricity supply is limited)

You will occasionally (on your weekend jaunts) be restricted as to what you can use - but its only a couple of days - and - as you learn about your systems you will be able to adapt to suit.

If you plan to head West from Willington, then once you get near Burton-On-Trent the canal (locks) become 'narrow' so that precludes you use of a 'widebeam' boat - if you plan to head towards Nottingham and towards the River Trent you can have a 'widebeam'.

Maybe a narrowboat is the best option (your choice)

To maximise your internal space you may well be best looking at 'Trad' or Semi-Trad' style boats.

 

Maybe as a 1st step - get yourself down to Whilton marina where they have 100s of boats for sale (you will not want to buy from them, but they are good for window shopping). That will give you some ideas on 'floor-plans' lay-outs etc and allow you to make a bit more informed decision as to what suits YOU.

 

You have a 'good' budget but remember to keep £5000 in reserve for fees, surveys, licence, insurance, moorings etc. It is advisable to also have a 'disaster fund' (maybe £1000) to cover any engine breakdowns)

You should be able to get a good liveaboard 45-50 foot for £40k.

 

If initially you just want to try boating on a budget a forum member has a GRP boat for sale for £4500 - if after 6 months you don't like it then sell it on and you have not lost a great deal.

Without knowing your circumstances - maybe you could even buy it and keep the house until you are sure its the right thing to do ?

 

 

Are you on commission for that Norman you keep offering to peeps Alan.LOL.

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1 minute ago, Neil Smith said:

Are you on commission for that Norman you keep offering to peeps Alan.LOL.

If only !!!

I just think its a cracking bargain and if I didn't already have 2 boats (and some family 'problems') I'd be on it like a shot - wash and polish and make myself £3k easily

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Don't forget the adage that the boat chooses you. Every final choice IS and WILL be a compromise and your nose and gut feel will tell you quite a bit. Which all leads to getting out and looking in person. Look at everything, even if a no hoper because it will give you perspective and reinforce on what you really want. (The I definately DO NOT want this boat is just as powerful as I definately do want this boat).

And don't buy for visitors convenience ..... they will be there 0.00001% of time and you will be there the rest.  ;)

All imho.

Edited by mark99
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I would also add that a boat is not cosy unless it has a real solid fuel stove in it.

Our one has a solid fuel fire (well two actually) for the colder days and a diesel fired central heating system...... but the solid fuel tending is a rewarding art and a comforting joy.

 

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1 hour ago, mark99 said:

I would also add that a boat is not cosy unless it has a real solid fuel stove in it.

Our one has a solid fuel fire (well two actually) for the colder days and a diesel fired central heating system...... but the solid fuel tending is a rewarding art and a comforting joy.

 

So true, there is one way and one way only to properly heat a boat and that is a solid fuel stove.

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