Any views on buying a narrowboat

[mikeonb4c]

I love NBs and wonder about buying one in retirement, ideal length 45-50ft. Been doing a lot of reading up and going to take a 3 day break with my partner to see how we like it but stories of rotten hulls and running costs scare me a bit. Anyone been down this road (or canal) and have any thoughts or cautions?

[Bob]

Depends how much you plan to cruise, Mike.

We've boated since school and the cost of owning has always scared me. However, we've had pretty much free use of one until my pal retired and started living on it.

He recons fixed costs are in the region £3/4000 pa, plus he does all his own servicing and that's no allowance for depreciation or repainting. That's on a CRT Lineside Mooring, too, not a posh marina.

Recon £5/6000 every 5 years for painting, or a massive amount of time, plus you either need good weather and a convenient wharf or rent a covered dock to DIY.

I absolutely love the canals, and part of buying to Bongo was to camp easily near canals we could explore on foot, isolated or derelict sections, once Mark moved onto his boat.

Possibly a privately run time share might be the way to go, much like a shared aircraft, but avoid large commercial operations. That could give you 5 - 10 weeks a year without the work and for reasonable cost.

Really relaxing and friendly but go in with your eyes open wide.

Edit: We'll come for a ride on it, please.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Mike...
Some many years back, we were looking to buy a live-aboard Dutch or Belgian barge...probably to live in Europe...problems are the same, and it depends on the construction...We took some years tracking down all sorts of information....Pm me if you want a word or three
Cheers
Helen

[mikeonb4c]

Thanks guys, really useful input. The canals are indeed so lovely, the community also. I've been hoping for total annual cost of around £3.5k per year but of course i'd have a reduced income if i use lump sum option to buy narrowboat and that could be scary if i get sums wrong. In many ways the Bongo is a bit like a small narrowboat on wheels so maybe i shouldn't overlook that! My annual cost breakdown would be:

£1800 non residential mooring
£500 Bridgewater canal cruising license
£1200 fuel, blacking, insurance, other maintenance

Might be able to squeeze that with some DIY work (like topside painting and blacking) but i can see surprise big hits denting that budget. And then i have to ask myself how much i will use it, as its an expensive liability if i don't use it a lot

[Jillygumbo]

My sister in law and her husband sold everything in Oz and came here, bought a NB and lived on it for 2 years. They absolutely loved it. They gave up their full time jobs and didn't work while here.

They say compared to living in a house, it's comparably cheaper to live on a NB.

Due to personal circumstances they had to sell up but if not for that, they'd still be cruising! They even navigated the Thames!

[Bob]

I think that budget is on the low side, Mike.

Even if you black the hull yourself you'll need slipping/craning out, pay for wharf storage, rent jet wash, buy materials...

Just one item.

Some of the 'Shared Ownership' web sites give a breakdown of annual cost which you could use as a starting point. Obviously your licence would be cheaper as you won't need 'Multi User' but many costs are the same.

[mikeonb4c]

I think that budget is on the low side, Mike.

Even if you black the hull yourself you'll need slipping/craning out, pay for wharf storage, rent jet wash, buy materials...

Just one item.

Some of the 'Shared Ownership' web sites give a breakdown of annual cost which you could use as a starting point. Obviously your licence would be cheaper as you won't need 'Multi User' but many costs are the same.

Point taken Bob. I'm aware of slipping/craning etc and think the figure is probably ok provided there's no big nasty surprises. Then again, they say BOAT stands for Bring Out Another Thousand, so I'd better be mindful of that too!

Totally get the joy of continuous cruising Jilly - the problem is that if have a house to run also and need to pay marina costs then it stops being an alternative domestic cost and becomes an additional one

Thanks again both for thoughts - all being filed for future decision

[Bob]

If you are genuinley 'Continuously Cruising' you don't need a home mooring, there are minimum distances you must move every 14 days and you can make sensible use of stoppages over the winter.


CRT Enforce this with far more vigour than ever BW did.

[dobby]

Mike, great idea. Look at it from the perspective of 10 years time, would you regret not doing it?

[Northern Bongolow]

i would give it a wide berth if i were you.

[Gasy]

I always think with boats
You see / do the same journey time and time again
There slow so you carnt get far from your mooring in a day
And it must get a bit repetitive

[Bob]

To me boating has never been about maximising the days distance, rather slowing down and enjoying the journey.

Maybe seeing a kingfisher, stopping at a canal side pub, chatting with people at a lock, a bacon sandwich as the morning mist lifts, a glass of wine as you chug along...

Yes, if you left your boat in the marina and went out and back every Saturday it would likely get repatative but a few days cruise, maybe a circular route, perhaps a month aboard... Count me in.

[helen&tony]

Hi
How many times have I heard that about cruising...namely you see the same spots again and again....same applies to a weekend radius in a car....HOWEVER...I agree, Bob...with a boat you get peace and quiet away from the "rest"....and mooring by the pub is a treat!...The sound of wildlife, and the movement of water!...Even better if you live on the water! A good estuary mooring....and I defy the B"^*^Y neighbour's kids to play football outside!.....
Cheers
Helen

[mikeonb4c]

Lots of good stuff here, thanks all - its all percolating in the old brain. Can't decide about the repetitive thing - ypu could view it like having a holiday cottage whose location can be moved. Then again £4k a year buys quite a few holiday cottage breaks, at different locations. Mind you, with your own one its bookable whenever you choose

[Bob]

And nice to have your personal stuff to hand, be it Bongo, boat or cottage, and I'm less paranoid about scratching something or getting it dirty if its mine.