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Jaqui I'm SOOOOOO glad you've started this thread! I'm buzzing with excitement just reading that first post!
When do you move in? Can we see a picture of your new home? Where is it moored currently? Are you going to have a permanent mooring or drift from place to place?
So many questions! So happy for you, and jealous too.
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I looked into a narrow boat about 6 years ago - had an idea that I wanted to live on the Grand Union at Fenny Lock or thereabouts. I hadn't reckoned on the waiting list for a permanent mooring, or the costs. There is some archaic law that says you can't moor in the same section for more that 12 hours I think it is, although you can travel from one to another and back again and that's you for another period - apparently the Waterways people are really hot on people mooring 'illegally'
Anyway, that all put paid to the fantasy. That and the thought of a brutal Winter on water!
Good luck!
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**Day one: **
My friend K came out with me to get the keys and our first lesson on "driving a narrow boat." K and I share the fantasy and also have no practical experience. K is looking to buy in the next month so a free lesson was something to jump at. Selfishly I also wanted someone along to maybe remember things I mightn't - a friend to emergency call if you were -when i can't remember something important..The seller - being a former sea man and an engineer who loves the boat as much as a man might was more than happy to show us the ropes, locks, and all the basics. K got on with it much better on day one than I. K's parents sail so he's had a bit more time on boats than the handful of times I have been out.
Locks are easy. They're easier with two. (more on that realization later!) Overall it was a great day out and we had fun. After the seller left K and I went out for an Indian in the small town where the mooring is, we talked about his plans for a boat and about my upcoming first night alone. Part of me really wanted someone to stay with me on the first night but that was not feasible and although Miracle technically is a 3 birth, as she's only 20ft I dare say it would be erm, TIGHT going for a non couple.
Its ridiculously quiet here. We're 20miles from London on the Lee River in private moorings. We could be 100 miles from anywhere.. there was a few noises, one that got me up in the night and on the phone but it wasn't anything.
Everyone says canalboats are cold. I've been worried about this since I bought Miracle. She has a wall based gas fueled heater which owing to her age is still allowed. All week before coming to tonight I've been hunting for a small enough wood burner stove and mentally chopping up her original layout to fit it. I was prepared but upon the advice of trusted friends I have decided that I have to wait at least a few weeks before changing anything. The people who made her knew more about boats than I do, they didn't see the need for a wood burner stove, so just maybe they might be right.
Still skeptical, got into woolen pjs and I made the bed up with my summer duvet and a flannel bottom sheet, being 6ft 1 I had to sleep on the diagonal but its comfortable enough and I only woke up once to take off my woolies. I was too hot! Turns out my wee Miracle heats quickly and so far things are looking up!
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Day two:
( as soon as I actually figure out how to imbed pics I promise you'll get them.)
This morning I had my first portapoti experience. I was still groggy but that is not the excuse. I had to read the directions to figure out how to flush! How humbling. Battery is about to go so today's adventure will have to wait. Sorry! -
Looking forward to this!
Was literally just about to post a thread asking if anyone has recently started on 'boats in London area and any advice, but looks like your probably going to answer all my questions :p
20ft sounds VERY small, though makes for an economical way into living on the water and by the sounds of it you've already discovered they aren't bad to heat if you are sensible.
I've had a small amount of time on boats before, some distant family had one in Northamptonshire which they only used occasionally but was huge (65/70 footer) and at the time better appointed than my house. Spent about a week a few summers on the trot with them helping them cruise about (locks & boat maintenance) in my teens, then last 2 years as a family we've hired out monsters in the NW (last years boat was 1ft shorter than the locks, ridiculous in the corners too) and really enjoyed it.
THis year I've been figuring out how I am going to go about 'getting' hold of a boat, something old 1900-1930 riveted and powered by low compression/hit & miss/2stroke vintage diesel clacker engine but with reasonable smattering of mod cons (heat, water, composting toilet, solar panels, wind turbine, oil heating) and if I ever got round to paint job would likely go for some art deco warship 'dazzle' style.
Yes lots of ideas, but no money and as you have already hit upon, getting finance on a narrow boat (especially one of any age, and ALL project boats) is neigh on impossible unless you are essentially 'good' for the cash in the first place (they will boat mortgage you for £20k if you already have £20k in liquid cash asset or there 'bouts). Was kind of hoping I would just find an adrift unclaimed butty in some abandoned northern canal that held water and go from there, but that really was daydreaming ;)Anyway, look forward to hearing about your adventures!
For embedding pictures copy & paste the direct link (e.g. "http://www.photos.com/photo1.jpg") into the pop up box that happens when you click the insert image button on these forum reply boxes. -
being 6ft 1 I was too hot!
oh so boastful but good luck with the floating thing
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this programm I heard earlier might float your boat (couldnt resist....)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0167vk0 -
I'm a RYA certified Inland waterway's helmsman, for what it's worth, and spent a little time working on the canals around Birmingham under a grizzled skipper who'd spent all his life living on the canals.
Driving them takes a while to get used to, especially if it's a longer one (I was on a 65 footer) because all it's essentially rear 'wheel' steering as it were, and it takes a while to figure out how what you do at the back does to the front.
Thought about living on one for a while, granted there are benefits but it's not as idyllic as it seems, and the cost once you add in maintenance, mooring, liscence, pumping out, fuel etc it's not that great. Getting the smallest possible would make sense to save on those costs. I think the fibreglass boats tend to be cheaper than traditional narrowboats as they are not as sort after.
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This chemical toilet is a Saniflow 33. Now this little babe can cope with anything, and I mean anything. Earlier on I put in a pound of mashed-up Dundee cake. Let’s take a look. Not a trace. Peace of mind I’m sure, especially if you have elderly relatives on board.
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Nice Partridge quote.
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*@steadlocks - erm, called my dad the other day to tell him I bought the boat, he said i was turning into a gypsy... it doesn't hold any negative connotations for those born in Canadia... lol *
Ok. So this morning I realized I didn't' know how to flush the portipoti and stood there reading the manual..like a muppet - but that was just the start of my day. I got up and out the doors to find my neighbour out washing his boat for potential buyers and started chatting. They were going up the river freeing up their mooring behind me and this being an hour into the day, I was already wondering what to do with myself!
Erm, pause, on boat... lets go down river!! So, I cast off (mental note - there are three THREE ropes tying me to the mooring must remember to release all three before setting out. EHEM.
With all three cast off and a mid rope secured for potential tying to bank I set off. I managed to nearly miss all the boats by crawling at about 1mile per hour after several accidental panic moments where i "gunned it" out of terror. (reminding me of being 6 years old in a snow banked parking lot where I was being taught the fundamentals of driving and I successfully embedded my fathers Datsun into a 7ft snow bank!)
One boater on the moorings came out of his boat to watch, his name is Tommy. If i was to guess I would say Tommy is 80 odd. The sight of someone more experienced flew me into panic, I immediately lost it and the boat went 45 degrees - less than 2ft from the boats at either side. I begged him for help.
He cocked his head and smiled a toothy grin, ran his hand through his long floppy grey locks and just said, "you're fine, everyone panics the first time. Just go slow."
Proud to say I made it out..without hitting anything.
I have to admit I had some moments of smugness today. NONE of which came from:
a) missing the mooring at the pub and then in embarrassment cruising on by.
b) Getting to the lock and realising I'd only put on one rope and it was on the wrong side of the boat to tie up to get in the 5 boat queue for the lock. (always tie two mid ropes one each side)
c) realising I can not do the lock alone - and shall be begging someone to come help me.* Ps. this is me begging for someone to help me with any of the 8 locks down to my mooring in london*
d) in a panic swinging the boat around so hard that the cat, his cat carrier and my new boat doors (to be attached) flew to the other side of the boat in a crashing heap. (cat is fine)On the plus side...
I can turn my boat around mid river successfully
I can flush the portipoti
I have learned one knot
I can do a quick 180
AND I got back to my mooring without crashing (albeit with some help)Today = success.
Now before my laptop dies I need to order my solar panel. -
Also had an amazing moment - The Duckie (cat) proudly sat mid life ring on the top of Miracle as we puttered down the river with the fall leaves on either side and a crisp breeze blowing at us was pretty amazing.
There are benefits to having a cat on board - he's killed and eaten at least two spiders (the boat's not really been occupied for some time)
I had major reservations about life on the water for my cat but he loves chasing swans / geese and ducks along the bank. He also makes it easier to talk to other boaters, even if that is when he went into the neighbours boat uninvited. lol -
Got any rooms/cabins going?
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My old man's got a barge, ace fun
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About
A float on Miracle - 20ft narrowboat
Posted by
@Jacqui
Like many people (especially londoners) I have for years been fascinated by the tranquility and peace that seems to surround the canals its boats and its people. At first this was merely a passing fantasy that struck whenever I was forced to ride along the canal tow path then, in the middle of last winter the idea came upon me again. It hit me hard, fast and stuck so much so that I began studying houseboat makers, histories and styles.
I also started looking at prices. "WOW" i thought, "canalboats are cheap!" I naively assumed that if the bank had approved me for a six figure mortgage then that equated to the cash they would also give me for a canal boat. WRONG. I'm not going to get into it here but suffice to say the reality is simply this - to buy you need cash and I mean ALL the cash.
Now, I am the first to admit, while I can tell you lots about prices, makes and identify a number of styles of canal boats I know ZERO about how to sail. Until two days ago I was still refering to it as "Driving the boat." Yes, I am the cliché novice; perhaps my only saving grace is that I KNOW how inexperienced I really am. To combat this I have sought advice from numerous professionals and friends, I have talked to canal boaters, read the blogs and tried to learn from their mistakes. Some of these I have managed to avoid.
Mistake number one:Buying the biggest boat you can afford.
Two good friends of mine have done this one - its probably the most common mistake among novice boaters. One of my friends who did this fared alright in the end - he's just about out of the six figure debt he amassed when fixing up his boat. The other has simply walked away.
I bought the smallest boat i could concieve living on for a 6 month period. If i survive this and winter and still like the fantasy I will trade up.
**Mistake number two: **Not getting a hull survey
Over and over the seller told me and even showed me his insurance which said the hull was not due a survey until 2016. He showed me pictures and receipts of when he had the whole boat sandblasted and re painted and vc'd. My seller was honest. He was a retired engineer who loved this boat with all his heart and it shows.
Regardless, I got the boat surveyed. I was smart enough to ask a friend whom I trust and who works at a boat yard for a personal recommendation and went with that. Chris my surveyor is also a professional ship builder so he held my hand the whole way and patiently showed me everything twice. He even explained the whole survey as he was doing it and gave me a clear idea of what work my boat would need in the future. This is probably the best thing I could have done.
Below is the good the bad and the laughingly humiliating account of my journey into canal boat life. Hopefully if anyone else is considering life on the canals they will find this helpful or interesting - the rest of you, if you can be arsed reading it will inevitably have a fair good number of ways to poke fun at me!