Some liveaboard boaters choose to. That ended in February when we decided to give the car away to my sister. We mostly rely on public transport.
Splitting tickets work well, which they have included in the App now. Obviously, this has changed significantly since the coronavirus outbreak! I used to travel around quite a lot. Initially to spend time with mum and before that mum and dad.
Consequently, our public transport costs are generally fairly high but still less than owning and running a car. Other times we hire a car — as it gets too complex and costly on public transport.
We use Enterprise for hiring and have built up sufficient points to be Gold Tier members. Occasionally we have enough points to pay for a day or two hires. One of the challenges of hiring a car is that you need to have a Credit Card and a physical address. Then return to you after your hire.
The other important note here is NOT to be fooled into paying extra to reduce the excess on the hire car insurance. October update — it seems that there is little chance anymore of hiring a car from Enterprise. However, many, if not most liveaboards, seem to have one judging by our experiences and the number of ariels on roofs!
Boaters only require a TV Licence if their boat is their permanent address or if they watch live TV, or watch or download BBC programmes on iPlayer on board, and are not already covered by a home licence. There are many ways to spread the cost, including weekly, fortnightly or monthly cash payment plans and direct debit options, which can be set up quickly.
You do not need a fixed address to receive your TV Licence, as a licence can be arranged for your boat and sent to you by email. Canal boat owners should visit tvlicensing. You never know what you may have to find some money for from one day to the next — though maintaining the boat obviously keeps costs down.
But things, like people, wear out with constant use and need replacing. Or are you looking for more quality, exercise, fresh air and variety?
Please feel welcome and encouraged to comment below and tell us what your costs are in comparison to ours — we may be missing bargains …. We receive many emails from readers investigating their options for living on a narrowboat. Very well written, but your comments on TV licensing are woefully inaccurate blatantly untrue and misleading. It really ruins the content of your writing I have to say. I would strongly suggest you do your research and amend. One can one a television hooked up to a DVD player or games console for example without issue.
Other than that, keep up the good work. Hi Dan. Thanks for your feedback. Looking at the first quote in that paragraph, it clearly states what you do.
NOT a Normal Boater! Maybe More? ETC , Good Story! Hi Brian. Wow, what an interesting comment. Many people will live on a lot less, others on much more.
How we earn our money or spend it, is our choice. Reality from a girl who took the plunge. Sorry if it shatters some dreams, but you really do need to source out a few stories from people who have experienced the lifestyle. Today l also read about the guy who drowned when his boat sunk in a lock.
You cannot do enough reading. More reading…. Less dreaming. Hi Jim. But for every one of those there will be hundreds of others who are doing well. But if you read the story, she talks about the things that can go wrong on a boat. And the storage space in comparison to a flat. Many people will buy a boat on a budget now new. Therefore repairs will be needed. That also needs to be considered in the budget. Either you have the skills to do it yourself, or pay people to do it for you.
She also mentions the heat in the summer. Some boats have better insulation than others. I recall mine being very hot in the summer. I wished for more windows on many days. Of course, lots can and furs go wrong. Not just material possessions. Lots goes wrong on land too. People have been buying boats on a budget for many years. The average cost of a boat I believe, is about the right price for a newly divorced man when the marital home is sold.
Many single men, and women, live happily on boats with limited incomes. Unlike a house, a boat has no deeds. Also unlike a car, a boat has no registration certificate V5. A few boat scams can also be found on eBay. Oh, and eBay buyers protection policy does not cover boats. I am very surprised considering the value of boats that there is no official way to confirm ownership or outstanding finance.
Many guys dreaming of the liveaboard life after reading this blog. So thought l would add a little advice. When you are looking for a narrowboat for leisure, you need to find a boat measuring between 30 to 40 feet. And if you are looking for a canal boat to live in, a 50 ft longboat will serve your purpose well.
Life on the water is nothing compared to life on land. Therefore, before you buy a boat, you have to ensure you have enough funds, either as a consistent income or enough savings, to buy the canal boat and sustain your life on the water. Buying a narrowboat to live in is not an exact science. There is no one correct way of doing it. However, you have to ensure all your needs are catered for at the time of purchase. To do this, you have to determine what you would like to have in a narrowboat before you set out on a mission to find one.
While at it, you have to factor in the licensing and mooring cost. It would be best if you determined whether you will live on the boat or not, and the space you need in a narrowboat to support your life on the water. It would be best if you also determined whether you are willing to get a narrowboat that will need restoration or touch-ups before taking it to water, or you want a well-performing boat that will go straight into the water without any repair. Here are some of the things you need to look at when finding a narrowboat to buy.
First, you need to inspect the boat to ensure it has been appropriately maintained. Inspect the boat maintenance history record. It would be best if you also examined its on-board equipment and varnishing for signs of damage. While at it, inspect the cooking, heating and cooling appliances within the boat to ensure they are working at optimum efficiency.
You also need to examine if there are fore, central and aft rope view on Amazon for easy mooring. You should also check if the boat has a windlass and mooring pins. The advert talks about the boat needing a new engine. A new one is included, but not fitted. Who knows how decent that included engine is and you would have to get it installed yourself.
To be fair, the interior is pretty solid on first glance, if a little dated. You might be able to go longer, but the level of risk is getting higher.
This boat comes with no hull test or history, the owner is saying what you see is what you get. Personally, I would avoid like the plague, but if you know what you are doing, you could get some rough diamonds at this price level. Not for the feint of heart, though! We are now starting to get into the realms of some more solid narrowboats. There will be less need for major work but will probably need some minor tweaks here or there to get the boat exactly how you want. It is definitely vintage in quite a few ways, but the fact the owner is willing to allow surveys means it might be in decent shape.
Sticking on Ebay, if you are willing to go to the top of this price range you could potentially find a pretty solid boat. As long as the hull and engine are in decent order, this could be considered a good buy in this price range. This is what I would call the sweet spot for used narrowboats. This is also where you start to see decent condition longer narrowboats too. A lovely looking 48 foot narrowboat built in The owner has described the full specifications of the boat in great detail. Evidence of recent blacking, maintenance and upgrades made to the boat.
It also has a Beta Marine engine from fitted. Not sure if it would hold up on a closer inspection, but the first impressions of this boat seem great. At the top end of the budget, you could get also on Ebay this lovely looking 60 foot narrowboat built in The owner has epoxied the hull in and apparently, and the interior had a refit in Past surveys are also available for inspection.
At this price level, you can pretty much get your dream narrowboat, especially if you buy privately and not through a broker. Take this built 58 foot narrowboat over at Appollo Duck , for example. A canal boat, otherwise known as a narrowboat, is a long and narrow boat that is designed to fit in narrow canals.
After reading this, you will know exactly what to expect when looking at prices for canal boats. To qualify, a narrowboat must be under 7 ft. The maximum length of a canal boat is around 72 ft. Any boat that is wider or longer will not fit in the canals. Modern canal boats are often used for holidays, weekend breaks, tours, or even as permanent or part-time residences.
There are a couple of different types of narrowboats. When you are looking for narrowboats, it is important that you know what type you are looking for. A traditional stern canal boat has a small open deck behind the rear doors. This small deck is often used to get on and off the boat. You can also steer from this small deck, but it is not advised.
This boat is steered using a tiller.
0コメント