fulltiming on a narrow boat (1 Viewer)

Supertractorman

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If flooding is going to get worse in this country, then it might be more water tight than a Motorhome.:winky:
 
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Adria 5

Adria 5

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hi a picture recently peacefull isnt it

ray

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Geo

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The biggest down side to boating i found, is that it,
A. takes a week to get an hours drive away
B. takes another week to get back
c. you can only travel the same bit of canal or river so many times before you go stir crazy
Apart from those few considerations the water is a very nice place to play and relax
Geo

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American Dream

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I've been thinking this one over and I have a solution.
 

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Geo

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AND:cry:
36 foot power boat at a guess:ROFLMAO:
just remember the canal and river speed limits
Geo
 
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Lindy-C

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What about one of these......not exactly narrow but at least its got slides! :ROFLMAO:


Oh and Steve...... Winnebago did try something like that but it didn't "take off" :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:

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thefman

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The biggest down side to boating i found, is that it,
A. takes a week to get an hours drive away
B. takes another week to get back
c. you can only travel the same bit of canal or river so many times before you go stir crazy
Apart from those few considerations the water is a very nice place to play and relax
Geo

exactly how we found it when we had one, you need a lot of time to get anywhere and when your restricted to a few weeks it gets a bit tedious. best thing about it is getting merry while your cruising along:roflmto:having said that my mate got done on lake windemere drunk in charge of a boat:Eeek:
 

American Dream

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DODGE ARV (Amphibious Recreation Vehicle).

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American Dream

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Looks a bit underpowered there GEO. Needs a big V8 on the back, or the front.::bigsmile:

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Enodreven

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Hi,

We have had our Narrow boat for approximately 14 years and while we try to use it as much as we can and that includes the winter when the canals are frozen, I really don't think we would like to live in it full time. Albeit there are more and more people doing it as if you can get a residential mooring near to where you work its probably a cheap option against a flat, but most of the residential in fact all moorings are becoming very difficult to find and like everything when its in short supply the prices rise.


Information that may be useful

47 foot Narrow Boat Approximate costs

Licence £420
Insurance £150
Moorings £1200 - £2000
Maintenance Blacking 2 yearly £350
BSS test every 4 years £250

These are approximate figures, and then there is your general upkeep like stopping the rust/painting and servicing the engine etc probably another £200-300

So while its not cheap as a hobby, if you went full timing it would be a lot cheaper than a flat ?

You can reduce the mooring fees actually remove them altogether if you do what they call continuous cruising, this involves moving the boat to a different spot every 14 days and the different spot has to be a required distance away you can't just keep moving a few yards or just keep returning they have a set of rules to govern it, a lot of people who have started full timing do chose this option as the savings are quiet substantial ? albeit i don't think i would do it by choice ?

The canals are great and you don't get bored if you have the time you can travel of hundreds of miles, don't quote me but I think there are 3000 to 4000 miles of inland waterways, and there are always rallies/meets/festivals all over the country

Hope that helps, I have attached a picture of our boat but it dosen't appear to be showing ?? don't quiet know what has gone wrong

Brian

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Enodreven

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Hi,

We actually moor on a sheep farm at the top of a flight of locks on the Oxford Canal, at a village called Napton On The Hill, its approximately 2 miles from Southam, and between 8-10 miles from Rugby, Coventry or Lemington Spa, so it is quiet out of the way.

Albeit you do get a lot of holiday makers either on hire boats or staying on the farms campsite, we have never really had a problem with security (hope that dosen't temp fate).

The actual spot where we moor has really great view over a valley to towards the village and on top the the opposite hill there is a large windmill, on a sunny day (if we ever get one) it really is a beautiful place to be.

We actually purchase the boat as an empty shell with no engine, stern tube or anything and then fitted every thing ourselves, albeit it is getting a bit dated now its still quiet functional



Brian
 

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American Dream

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Sounds bliss to me.
I love the life on the water.Waking up on a still misty morning. And a windmill as well! :coolthumb:

Love the pics.

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ukrv

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Hi Brian

Its something Ive looked at - but, Im 6'3" and feel I would be ducking all the time (especially as the walls appear to slope inward).

Are there boats now which have higher ceilings/roofs ?

Im told Im getting closer to 6'3" wide too so would I struggle with the coridor as well?

Cheers
Paul
 
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Enodreven

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Hi,

It really depends on how its fitted out, I am 6ft 1in and weigh 100kg, head room is no problem so i don't think you would have a problem in my boat, but i do know of quiet a few boats where the main head room is limited to about 6ft 2 ish, the main problems are always the entrance and exit doors as from the deck level you go down at least 2-3 feet so the door heights are low but once you are inside there really is no problem, the passageways are always narrow and you really do need to turn slightly sideways unless you are really thin, this is to maximise the usable space say in the shower room or make the bed as wide as possible.

Inside measurement below the gunnel's (that's the walking ledge along the side of the boat) is approx 6ft 8/10inch before insulation so probably ends up at about 6ft 4in internal as the boat width is around 7ft externally to fit in the single locks, you can get wider boats but then you are limited to what canals you can use ? and it becomes quiet restrictive. Above the gunnel's the boats do taper i have never measured it at the roof line but i would think it reduces to about 5ft 10ish, but it really dosen't feel tight,

Brian

Hi Brian

Its something Ive looked at - but, Im 6'3" and feel I would be ducking all the time (especially as the walls appear to slope inward).

Are there boats now which have higher ceilings/roofs ?

Im told Im getting closer to 6'3" wide too so would I struggle with the coridor as well?

Cheers
Paul
 
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Adria 5

Adria 5

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hi ON another issue there the red diesel problem .......

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I deliver to a lot off marinas and boat owners are not happy:cry:
most boats are fitted with one tank which runs and heats the boat !!now if rules come in that they must use white diesel to run the boat.. but they can still buy red for heating!!!!!:RollEyes::Doh:

ray
 

scotjimland

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I deliver to a lot off marinas and boat owners are not happy:cry:
most boats are fitted with one tank which runs and heats the boat !!now if rules come in that they must use white diesel to run the boat.. but they can still buy red for heating!!!!!:RollEyes::Doh:

that's a real bummer ..

I wonder how they will enforce that one, canal bank spot inspections ? :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
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Adria 5

Adria 5

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hi thats the question jim? enforcement? it will proberly done like they are tending to do now at supplier level where the fuel companys are tollled by customs to spill the beans or face heavy pennalitys!! saves on personal :RollEyes:...Its happening now we have strict rules to tell managers to stop or report iregular use off red diesel or face customs sanctions or closure needless to say we are by the book!!! thats one way ,we are customs eyes and ears

ray

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Enodreven

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Hi,

My boats heating is by gas through radiators, we have a solid fuel stove but i have never got round to fitting it, hence the name "Enodreven" read it backwards, as for the red diesel my boat is power by a 2 cylinder deutz air cooled direct injection diesel and it goes for ever on a gallon, never really checked but i would think its in the 4-6 hours per gallon as a minimum so it hardly ever needs refueling.

From what i have read on other boat forums the Customs and Excise which i think is now part of the TAX office what ever they call themselves are stating that the recovery of the taxation will be with the distributor e.g. at the point of sale and it will be up to them to decide if the extra tax is applicable as i think we will still purchase the red its just that some will be charged at the lower rate and some at the higher. I'm not totally sure if this is correct but if it is i really can't see how they will police it ?? can you ??

Not thinking of getting a Narrowboat are you Jim ???

Brian

that's a real bummer ..

I wonder how they will enforce that one, canal bank spot inspections ? :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 

johnsandywhite

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:Smile: It's rather ironic you should raise Canal Boat Full-timing. When we spent a few weeks camped between Woburn Abbey and Milton Keynes. We used to cycle into Milton Keynes to do shopping. Several times we rode along the Canal footpaths and saw many Canal boats. Sandy said why don't we have one for Summer in the UK and the RV for going into Europe? I made some enquiries and found out HOW MUCH they COST. Needless to say, we stuck to RV's. :winky:

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Enodreven

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Hi,

That has always been our intention but this year as I'm sure you all know the weather just hasn't been that good and while we have been onto the boat for a few weeks mainly because we had to have the bottom blacked we really haven't cruised very far which is a real disappointment.

I would think that they would probably make a good base for anyone that wants to full time but still keep a base in the UK, we know a couple that that used to moor on the same moorings as us who live in Australia between Oct and March and on there boat here in the UK for the rest of the time and have been doing that for the last 10+ years, also there are 3 boats on our moorings that are lived on full time.

Brian


:Smile: It's rather ironic you should raise Canal Boat Full-timing. When we spent a few weeks camped between Woburn Abbey and Milton Keynes. We used to cycle into Milton Keynes to do shopping. Several times we rode along the Canal footpaths and saw many Canal boats. Sandy said why don't we have one for Summer in the UK and the RV for going into Europe? I made some enquiries and found out HOW MUCH they COST. Needless to say, we stuck to RV's. :winky:
 
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Adria 5

Adria 5

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HI two questions i heard on radio leicester today

1. what side off the canal do you steer?

amswer ..... the right its universal in europe
___________________________________________________
so how can the boat owners get it right and not the car owners:Doh:


, a relaxing afternoon sipping the wine while steering the narrow boat!

2. why is drinking allowed while steering a boat??

good question :winky: got a answer!! ?


Ray
 
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Enodreven

Deleted User
The answer to your question is because there is no one to stop us ??

It is a great way of life if the weather is fine, theres nothing quiet like it just crusing along at 2-4 mph and a nice glass of wine or a cold beer, just watching the world go by


, a relaxing afternoon sipping the wine while steering the narrow boat!

2. why is drinking allowed while steering a boat??

good question :winky: got a answer!! ?


Ray[/QUOTE]

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