Only for prospective Boaters! :-)

[ms_jinxme]

 I've had a fair few prods now from people to share some of the basics of living on boats & boat buying. Recalling well the struggle I had to find comprehensive information on the web when I attempted to research, I can fully appreciate the need! So, to give you all a good starting point, I have compiled a 'basics' under the cut. It's mostly

Comments

[alexmc]

"Barter" doesn't mean "haggle".

bartering is offering goods or services instead of money. I assume you meant not to accept the first price offered, but to try and lower it.

But the whole article was fascinating. Thanks!

[alexmc]

And as usual I am embarrassed that someone with English as a second language has such a good command of it when I can't hold a conversation in anything other than English.

[ms_jinxme]

Argh, I always do that mistake when in a rush (and sometimes still when I'm not!) - will correct it. Thanks for pointing it out! Have another blind spot with 'ass' as for years I thought that was the spelling for 'arse' (although from what I understand this is the american spelling of it?) - either way I recently failed to pick up on this in a jest on FB exchange; consequently being the only person amongst a bunch of people misreading it completely & ending up with egg on her face...!

But I gather a bit of humble pie is good for the soul now and then, *laugh*!

[skorpionuk]

Mmh, fuel for dreams!

[flavius_m]

Wot she sed:)

[ms_jinxme]

I'm surprised, but pleased many more than I'd anticipated have enjoyed the read. :-)

[alixandrea]

Excellent run-down, with some info I didn't know. Don't think there's anything I would add either apart from that the costs you mentioned can vary even more widely. Oh and don't forget the Boat Safety Scheme Certification, which is needed every four years and is a lot like an MOT. Ours cost £100 for the test and we had to do a bit of work, replace old fire extinguishers etc. for. :-)

I can't believe how little gas and coal you use!! Helena was only four feet longer than your boat and we went through a lot more than you!

[alixandrea]

*Grin* the trouble with burrowing under duvets is the getting out of them the next morning... ;-) I used to grab my clothes from the dressing room and run down to the saloon where I'd dress in front of the fire on a winter's morning. I don't handle cold very well it would seem...

[glensc]

Tip : Leave the mornings clothes within arms reach when you go to bed.
When you wake up, grab clothes and pull them under the duvet with you, in a few minutes they're then at pretty much the same temperature as you and ready to be put on, quickly. If you can get your top half clothed before you pull the duvet off your bottom half that's even better.

[kekhmet]

Thanks for writing this up! Even though I'm already pretty clear on the fact a boat wouldn't be the way for me to go as a full-time living place, I'm still intrigued.

[ms_jinxme]

Ha, well post will remain up on the web should you some day suddenly change your mind! ;-D

[alixandrea]

You can get North in the system with a widebeam (well, many parts of it) but you'll be hard-pressed to get off the main system and into East Anglia with one. There's a flight of 17 locks down off the Grand Union onto the river Nene that are almost all narrow. It's why Erik and I never had a broadbeam.

Helena was the absolute maximum size we could have had to make the journey to and from Cambridge and the rest of the system. The width was dictated by the Northampton Arm locks and the length by Angle Corner on the middle level - a right angle turn in a concrete ditch that no boat larger than 66ft can (supposedly) pass. Helena was 67ft and we had to pole her round, but we made it, just. :-)

Of course, once we got to Cambridge we never went further than Eaton Socon on the EA waters and never went back to the main system but never mind...

[ms_jinxme]

I've been terribly lazy & failed completely taking advantage of having a boat in that regard - I think mainly because it's a trip and a half before I'll manage to get out of London + either way involves annyoing bits before the lushness of countryside will be mine!

All heads up have been very worthwhile ~ thanks!! Can't believe I forgot about the safety cert... clearly need to amend my post a little bit. ;-)

[alixandrea]

Mmm, getting out of London West-wards is really horrible; there are miles and miles of nasty old canal before you get anywhere nice. The river Lea is gorgeous though; I highly recommend going East and then North up there, thence (eventually) to the River Stort. Bishop's Stortford is at the end of that navigation, which is where I grew up. The boat community on April Island, where I first learned about boat living, is lovely. :-)

You're welcome. I wish I could forget about the BSSC - blasted thing! ;-)