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Is it worth getting a home mooring?


DavidAN

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20 minutes ago, DavidAN said:

"I would respect fully suggest that this is not an ideal introduction to canal boating and living on a boat."

You are definitely correct in this, but this  is what people say about camping or caravaning or traveling, etc. Some people just cannot afford to do things 'properly'. People always suggest amounts way over what is actually needed on the most basic level.

Sorry, I'm not prepared to say what my budget is - it will be way below what you consider normal. All I can say is that I have been intensively investigating the costs to do this at  minimal level and it is do-able and I know of other people who have done the same. It's actually possible to get a running boat with BSC without serious osmosis for much much less than you are saying - £5000 is a very common Brokerage price for a clean-looking GRP. Of course, at £1500 it would be foolish to buy one even though it's possible to find them at that price, but I already know the places where I will be buying mine and at the moment I'm not planning to pay anything like £5000. The only important thing to me at this stage is that it doesn't look horrible on the outside, the hull is not in catastrophic condition and the motor runs smoothly (In saying that, if I can scrape some more money together it will be more.) 

As for your numbered points, (from the cheap GRP list):

1. Beggars can't be choosers

2. A real pain, but beggars can't be choosers

3. I can buy a camping stove

4. I've managed in worse situations and still kept myself cleaner than the average person (I still can't understand the excuses some people give for not keeping clean when camping etc. - if people could just admit that they can't be bothered then OK)

5. Not a problem - drinking water will be bottled. Not much needed for washing.

6. I don't need a lot of storage space - I will be not bringing much back with me from Europe (relatively speaking).

7. I can buy a small cheap 3-way fridge.

8. and 9. I am starting sometime in April, so I will manage - not ideal, but it will be easier than camping in cold weather, so I don't see the problem.

The worst thing I can think of is not having electricity!

I'm not saying that it's not going to be a long hard slog, because it will. I'm prepared for the fact that it could all go wrong - I'm bringing my camping gear with me, so if it does, I'll be off to Scotland (Brrrh).

Sounds like you're going into it with your eyes open. A few points:

- when we had a petrol-outboard boat, we made do with a good quality coolbox rather than a fridge because we couldn't count on the engine to generate the required electricity and we didn't want the hassle and expense of using more gas than we had to.

- a cheapish solar panel might suffice to run/charge a few gadgets on board through the summer

- obviously take care about carbon monoxide if using a camping-type stove designed for outside use

- you're right, the lack of heating/insulation is obviously far less of an issue if you're talking about April-ish to October-ish

- depending on the area you're cruising, there might be CRT showers available; they're not by any means a feature of every sanitary station, like Elsan disposal and toilets, but they are dotted around fairly liberally in some areas at least. Anything that saves you using up your own water, gas etc. can only be a good thing when these things are in short supply.

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If you are short of cash best to rentaroom in a place where you can get a job. Trying to get a good job with good money is going to be difficult if you don't have an address, which you won;t have if you live on a non residential mooring. This can be overcome as can all other difficulties but tbh, boats cost cash, and outgoings are unpredictable. A lot of people have had your plan before you, and have come unstuck.

I do not understand why you think a small boat, which is so far from ideal for living on, is a better idea than living in a house, I can't see it being cheaper over a six month period. .  You are probably assuming that once you have bought a boat all you need do is to buy a few gallons of petrol. That will not be the case.

PS I consider a fridge to be a bit of a luxury burden, one can pop down to the shops for fresh supplies. Just buy a relevant cookbook, lots of great recipes from tinned meats, and jars. Cooking is something anyone can manage with a bit of practice, and a supply of unwashed veg.

eg  home made Pizza, naan, spag bol, stew,   sandwich filling, toast toppers ettc.

The only thing you cant have is ice cubes, well you can, but not for long.

Edited by LadyG
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8 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

If this is the case then DONOT buy a boat with an outboard engine.

Outboard engines have a very low electrical output – typically 5 to7amps which is sufficient to recharge the starter battery but not enough to charge a ‘domestic bank’ unless you either run the engine for 29-30 hours per day, or, watch TV for only 1hour per month and only recharge your phone once per week.

A 3-way fridge is designed to be only used on 12v when the engine is running as it has no thermostatic control and will be drawing around 10 amps.

 

This all changes if you have taken a mooring which has mains power (a 220v land line) to the boat.

Have a look at my ’signature line’ (below this post)

In all likelihood I will not have a choice as to the type of engine. My opinion was that I would not be using an outboard to charge leisure batteries - again maybe this is a possibility I have missed.

I said a 3-way fridge because it would be powered by gas most of the time - I have never used one and this is one of the things I need to investigate.

One of the two CRT moorings I am presently looking at does have a hook up, but I wouldn't be there most of the time anyway.

Yes, an electrical system would be nice - it will be pot luck whether or not I will have one of any use. If not, it's back to the dark ages.

I'll have a lot of hard choices to makes. It might even be worth sacrificing the home mooring to put a little more money into buying the boat....  This would create its own problems though. Problems...problems. :) I'll just have to weigh everything up when it actually comes to it.

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3 minutes ago, DavidAN said:

I'll just have to weigh everything up when it actually comes to it.

Keep asking questions - you won't be the 1st and you won't be the last to try and 'boat on a budget'

You may not always get the answers you want to hear, but they may well save you some of your hard earned money.

Good luck.

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9 minutes ago, DavidAN said:

In all likelihood I will not have a choice as to the type of engine. My opinion was that I would not be using an outboard to charge leisure batteries - again maybe this is a possibility I have missed.

I said a 3-way fridge because it would be powered by gas most of the time - I have never used one and this is one of the things I need to investigate.

One of the two CRT moorings I am presently looking at does have a hook up, but I wouldn't be there most of the time anyway.

Yes, an electrical system would be nice - it will be pot luck whether or not I will have one of any use. If not, it's back to the dark ages.

I'll have a lot of hard choices to makes. It might even be worth sacrificing the home mooring to put a little more money into buying the boat....  This would create its own problems though. Problems...problems. :) I'll just have to weigh everything up when it actually comes to it.

I think you will run into problems with a petrol outboard and a gas fridge.  

 

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17 minutes ago, LadyG said:

If you are short of cash best to rentaroom in a place where you can get a job. Trying to get a good job with good money is going to be difficult if you don't have an address, which you won;t have if you live on a non residential mooring. This can be overcome as can all other difficulties but tbh, boats cost cash, and outgoings ae unpredictable. A lot of people have had your plan before you, and have come unstuck.

Renting requires contacts or references. I have neither. Renting a room, rather than an apartment, wouldn't be something that wouldn't appeal to me anyway.

My address will be a paid-for boating address - they can even be used for voter registration now.

"A lot of people have had your plan before you, and have come unstuck."

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I feel that if I am successful in this, the gains far outweigh the risks.

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I think it’s in your favour that you aren’t starting until April, when the weather becomes reasonable and the days longer. The thought of launching into this lifestyle on a plastic cruiser in say December doesn’t appeal to me! But it will be great in the summer!

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17 minutes ago, DavidAN said:

Renting requires contacts or references. I have neither. Renting a room, rather than an apartment, wouldn't be something that wouldn't appeal to me anyway.

My address will be a paid-for boating address - they can even be used for voter registration now.

"A lot of people have had your plan before you, and have come unstuck."

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I feel that if I am successful in this, the gains far outweigh the risks.

OK, in this town you can rent a really nice one bed flat for £400pcm, you need a deposit of £400, as for references, well ... 

Your address will cost you money, you don't need it to vote. Your plan assumes that you will gain from the venture, I think it is more likely that you will lose.

I might be missing something, but what exactly are the potential gains?

Edited by LadyG
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50 minutes ago, magictime said:

Sounds like you're going into it with your eyes open.

At the moment, I'm prepared to admit that my eyes are only half open in regards the information and preparation that is required. I've got past the feasibility part (at absolute minimum requirements). Now i need to get into the nitty-gritty.

Thanks for the pointers.

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6 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

I think it’s in your favour that you aren’t starting until April, when the weather becomes reasonable and the days longer. The thought of launching into this lifestyle on a plastic cruiser in say December doesn’t appeal to me! But it will be great in the summer!

I agree, but what does he do in October if unemployed  and trying to claim benefits with no fixed address?

Edited by LadyG
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11 minutes ago, LadyG said:

No one ever is.

I wasn't going to answer a purely pessimistic post, but as this seems to be carrying on, I will just add that I do have further options if everything falls through. They are options I really don't want to take (most people would think they are good options to have), but the are there if I am at risk of becoming destitute.

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55 minutes ago, DavidAN said:

Renting requires contacts or references. I have neither. Renting a room, rather than an apartment, wouldn't be something that wouldn't appeal to me anyway.

My address will be a paid-for boating address - they can even be used for voter registration now.

"A lot of people have had your plan before you, and have come unstuck."

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I feel that if I am successful in this, the gains far outweigh the risks.

I take it you are talking about a mail forwarding service?

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I am no expert in these matters, but in order to qualify for pension and other benefits, either now or in the future ie long or short term, ,  I understand you need to sign on every second week, and they will need an address where you reside, this is not a mail forwarding address, though I did get the impression from adverts that you can have an "address".

It seems to be a grey area especially if you don't have an obliging relative or friend.  Certainly a lot of insurance companies, banks etc will check your details against various databases. including your address.

What I am saying is that you can't just be a non person, do your own thing, you need cash, ergo you need a bank, who will want an address, 

Edited by LadyG
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7 hours ago, LadyG said:

I am no expert in these matters, but in order to qualify for pension and other benefits, either now or in the future ie long or short term, ,  I understand you need to sign on every second week, and they will need an address where you reside, this is not a mail forwarding address, though I did get the impression from adverts that you can have an "address".

It seems to be a grey area especially if you don't have an obliging relative or friend.  Certainly a lot of insurance companies, banks etc will check your details against various databases. including your address.

What I am saying is that you can't just be a non person, do your own thing, you need cash, ergo you need a bank, who will want an address, 

Banking will be a strange set-up at first as there is a bank account type of thing I can use coming from Europe. It's not a real bank account, but it gives me access to my own UK bank account number with sort code IBAN etc,. After setting it up it shouldn't be a problem using a paid for forwarding service address and I believe it would be perfectly legal. It's also now seems possible to set up a basic account in the UK (a very recent development) from an EU address. Once this is done changing to a UK forwarding address service shouldn't be a problem - it's something many people do.

Regarding state benefits, in the short term I would not be entitled to them. There are rules which say that I must have the right to reside in the UK (as a UK national, that right is automatic) and that I can prove 'habitual residence'. I would have to provide proof that I have been living in the UK for at least 3 months. Adding to this, I may actually stay officially registered at my address in Europe as this could be beneficial in some ways. There are many pros and cons to this which I need to weigh up before deciding how to proceed. These are things I have been thinking about and am working on.

 

"What I am saying is that you can't just be a non person, do your own thing, you need cash, ergo you need a bank, who will want an address."

Although I have already thought about these things, it is good to see that we are on the same wavelength regarding the problems that will arise.

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20 hours ago, DavidAN said:

Renting requires contacts or references. I have neither. Renting a room, rather than an apartment, wouldn't be something that wouldn't appeal to me anyway.

My address will be a paid-for boating address - they can even be used for voter registration now.

"A lot of people have had your plan before you, and have come unstuck."

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I feel that if I am successful in this, the gains far outweigh the risks.

I do not think that using a mail forwarding service address will allow you to be registered to vote.
There are other ways to do that, but it isn't easy, and it has been coverd on this forum in the past.

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1 hour ago, Graham Davis said:

I do not think that using a mail forwarding service address will allow you to be registered to vote.
There are other ways to do that, but it isn't easy, and it has been coverd on this forum in the past.

Quote from their website (I've blanked out the website name - not sure of the forum rules)

"As the core customer base for --------------- is canal boat owners, motorcaravanners and those who use caravans, they are classed as Living on a boat or other movable residence and can use the ---------------- address as a point of contact and can get a listing in the local Electoral Role"

 

On the yourvotematters website it states that you can use a special form to to be on the register due to a "local connection". Having an address you use for people to contact you is a local connection (it doesn't actually state that) as it's only a "declaration". I'm not an expert though.

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All the cheap boats now seem to be suddenly disappearing from the boatyards..... despair! There are still lots of Shetland fishingy boaty types of almost cruisers, but they seem to be a little too far away from the mark.

@ anyone >>

Is there a "best time to buy" in the year, or has that already passed?

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1 hour ago, DavidAN said:

Quote from their website (I've blanked out the website name - not sure of the forum rules)

"As the core customer base for --------------- is canal boat owners, motorcaravanners and those who use caravans, they are classed as Living on a boat or other movable residence and can use the ---------------- address as a point of contact and can get a listing in the local Electoral Role"

 

On the yourvotematters website it states that you can use a special form to to be on the register due to a "local connection". Having an address you use for people to contact you is a local connection (it doesn't actually state that) as it's only a "declaration". I'm not an expert though.

"Local connection" was what i was thinking about, but couldn't remember the name. As said there have been threads about it on here.

There is nothing stopping you giving the web site name.

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