Canal/narrow boats - anyone got any info?

[Kinvig]

I'm tempted to buy a narrow boat - Can any one give me any info on things that I would need to consider - things such as:

Mooring fees - anyone any idea how much they'd set me back, mooring in London fairly central-ish....?
Do I need insurance? Some sort of pilot's licence?
Maintenance bills?
What sort of fuel costs (warmth & boating)
Washing clothes - laundrette?

I don't want a huge one (i.e. 70 footer) but somewhere around 50-55ft. I've seen them on ebay for between 20-40k & think that a bank would be likely to give me a mortgage for such a small amount.

[punyXpress]

Don't think you have to pay Council Tax ( but mooring fees probably make up for that ! )

[dizzyblonde]

I always thought you had to pay ctax as well. They cost an arm and a leg, and even more to renovate. A friend of mine looked into it a few yrs back, as hes a hippy type.......he decided it was an expensive idea and moved to the Shetlands instead!

[shonadoll]

A friend of mine had one once, very expensive, the mooring is the dear bit, and mortgages can be tricky to get. I'd do a google and see if there's a forum, they are bound to know more.

[Baph]

Having just spoken to a colleague in the office:

Boats are money pits & you'll spend more than the mortgauge cost in the upkeep within the first year.

It's a floating caravan!

[SoulKiss]

Bender Rents one - speak to him :)

[gettin2dizzy]

Not worth it any more sadly. Councils jump on you if they think you're getting more than you deserve

[SoulKiss]

Oh and good luck on finding a mortage on one (or so I have heard)

[K]

Thinking of going back on the round-the-world trip the slow way eh? ;)

[Kinvig]

Bender Rents one - speak to him :)

Who's Bender? Apart from the only funny thing on Futurama?

[Dicky Ticker]

Marine mortgage but not if that is your permanent residence,slightly higher rates than a property mortgage
Insurance,with contents depending where you have a mooring and its security,but if you are just considering canal bank,expensive
Maintenance,depends on the condition when you buy,preventative £1500 per year,but repairs can be very expensive if major work is required
Inboard power batteries will require a diesel generator[Petrol to expensive to run and don't last as long as a good diesel]
Mooring fees vary but you will be lucky to get away with less than £3000
Heating,depends on the system,diesel or paraffin powered hot air expensive,charcoal
burner[Good expensive ones have fan hot air circulation] messy and just like a wood burner.
ANYTHING NAUTICAL COSTS A FORTUNE, believe me,I have had 4 boats and unless you can do repairs yourself yards charge an arm and a leg
I lived on my 35 footer for a few months and after a little while you miss the things like showers,flushing toilets and space.Most marinas have showers,toilets and washing machines but its the inconvenience of it all not being to hand
My estimate would be £5-6000 a year excluding mortgage
MAKE SURE YOU GET A VERY VERY GOOD SURVEY BEFORE PURCHASE,expensive but worth it in the long run
I will just add that a good well maintained boat will not drop in price and due to the increased production costs of a new one may well increase in value,not as much as bricks and mortar,but I never sold any of my boats for less than I paid for them and had boats for 35years

[diamond]

There's a 1/4 share of a narrow boat for sale on the board at work. £3000 and then £100 a month for various fees and bills. Doing the maths of this being just a quarter share and the fact it's just for holidays and not a permanent residence i should guess it's quite a pricey way to live.

[Dave20046]

What about a garage? And what do you do when ****ed strollers try and sink/undock you?

Anyone know where you can rent one for a few days. I right wanna get smashed on a canal boat.

[Baph]

Anyone know where you can rent one for a few days. I right wanna get smashed on a canal boat.

Norfolk broads. :)

[Dave20046]

Norfolk broads. :)
Wicked, roll on summer.

[Sosha]

Good luck finding a residential mooring around london. Got a mate with a boat on the Grand Union, Cowleyish - comes with a chunk of land & shed. Mooring fees are about the same as renting a room. Add on the licences & whatd'youcallit safety Cert thing. His is hooked up to mains/ water - so water rates etc, He does pay council tax but I don't think it's much.

Boat's a bit of a shed, Location is beautiful, community's interesting, bleak/ bit damp in winter.

Boats sink though - how about a caravan?

(I know nothing)

[Magnum]

Not the most useful post, but heres a great looking place that i've hiked and camped very near to. It is a great peaceful river and pretty interesting along the way. If it is near to you, then this place on the river Chelm would be great.
http://www.papermilllock.co.uk/

[Kinvig]

Cheers for the info guys!

I had been thinking about canal boat or even about even getting a camper van thingy and living in that. Of course I'd need a shower each day - so that'd force me to go to the gym each morning. I could also use the internet at work for communications and even the office fridge & microwave for food.

Is it posssible to have a pre-midlife crisis?

[jamesterror]

My mates dad built one from scratch and is selling it for £82k fully furnished. There quite pricey, parents looked at getting one @ Trinity Marina in Hinckley, but veeeery expensive.

[northwind]

I really like the idea... But I'd fall in the canal and die. There used to be one moored near mine which had a motorbike garage built in the back, and a big ramp to get on... Very cool.

[jimmy__riddle]

Not the most useful post, but heres a great looking place that i've hiked and camped very near to. It is a great peaceful river and pretty interesting along the way. If it is near to you, then this place on the river Chelm would be great.
http://www.papermilllock.co.uk/

my parents used to have a lock at papermill, really nice there