Does anyone know about canal boats ? How much maintenance they need, how many years (on average) do they last for, do you have to pay to use the canals and how much, are they damp in the winter , where would you get your coal from and how do the loos work ?? It isn't dumped in the canal is it ?

Just interested for future reference.

There is/was? a female wiki member who owns a canal boat and does all her own maintenace who posted about hers.
Sorry can't remember who and when posted

Wirral YMCA do an all aspects training course on their own boat built by Lairds apprentices. (Wirral YMCA canal boat)

It was Poodlepup who has/had a canal boat. She hasn't been on wiki for over 18 months or so. If she's still lurking about, I'm sure she would answer any questions. I tried to about contact her recently about selling a Lister diesel engine I have that's suitable for a narrow boat. A single pot chug-chug job! Sadly no reply.

Canal boats don't have Wi-Fi?

You might find this web site very useful, it has loads of information http://www.everythingcanalboats.com/

As for longboats not having WIFI, you are right of course,UT all the anal side pubs DO

Brian

Have lived on a canal boat for the last 10 years. Ours is from 1979 but we have had to have new steel on the bottom, but we have been told they last approx 25 years. They need to come out of the water every 4 - 5 years for blacking (cost of crane or dry dock) You would need yearly licence from Canal & River Trust also cost of marina if not constant cruising (you have to move usually every 14 days) not easy if you need to be in one place for work. We are in a marina so get coal delivered or collect on our own transport (there are coal boats that deliver) The loo is a porta potti so has to be emptied every 3 - 4 days or the boat may have a pump out although there is a cost every time used. We have a wood burner so the only thing we suffer in the winter is heat stroke. Because we are in a marina we have a phone line fitted by BY so have WiFi, we used to use a dongle. Any other questions please give me a shout. You either love or hate living on a boat.

There are two licensing bodies depending which bit of water it travels on. I think the division is basically canals and rivers but to hop between some canals you have to go into the other licensing zone.

Depends on size of boat and how long licence is for, longest narrow boats are about £1200 a year (for each licence). Its normal to have the year's canal licence then just get the short term licence for when you want to hop.

This is all very interesting.

Having done some searching this pm on different websites, it would seem that it is not necessarily such a cheap way of living.

My thoughts were about possibly selling the house and moving to somewhere smaller . With the excess, the intention would be a narrow boat or similar for my son.

They are lovely and such an idyllic lifestyle, but there is much to be considered, and not something to be entered into on a whim.

Very welcome and informative posts from you all. Thank you.

Biggest problem is shopping, very few moorings are in range of supermarkets or even small shops in most cases.

The other problems are major maintenance cost or even worse the replacement cost should your hull get the worst for ware.

The canal licence basically replaces your council tax, fuel is reasonably cheap, most boats have central heating and hot water which isn't hugely expensive. A load of decent batteries and solar panels are a worthwhile investment if you are moored up a lot, certainly if you want a decent sized freezer.

It is a really good lifestyle if you are reasonably healthy however if you are infirm it probably gets a lot harder.

We had a week's holiday on a canal boat three years ago, going along the Bridgewater Canal from Preston Brook, near Frodsham, to Castlefield basin in the centre of Manchester and back. It's a perfect waterway for beginners, because the Bridgewater has no locks. Along the way, we met lots of longtime canal boat dwellers, who all seemed blissfully happy. A trip like that would give you a feel of what living on a canal boat might be like, but it's obviously a lot more complicated if you're doing it permanently.

Personally, I love caravanning, and could easily live in one. Living on waterways I imagine would be similar ,with respect to the community one would engage with and hopefully never lonely. Loneliness and water don't mix for very long do they ?

Valvalid gave a really good over all reply to my questions, and is obviously happy with his lifestyle. The website link from TheComeBackKid is brilliant.

So many good points and ideas given, which obviously come into the equation, my confusion at the moment, is the cost of the vessels. They vary so much in age, cost, length , and there doesn't seem to be a general rule of thumb . Some are around 100 years old and selling for similar prices to those more recent models. Condition obviously has to be a huge factor, but I find it remarkable, that they will last so long if cared for, where as a caravan would be pushing 30 yrs max.

Needless to say, there are some regular costs involved at times. Blacking is relatively cheap, to what I expected but the following link gives an idea of what cost could become, including engine maintenance etc.

Yoller, your idea is good, as there is masses of time to think on this and (unless I drop dead) more informed decisions could be achieved from practical experience.

Great ! I'm getting really excited.

http://aquanarrowboats.co.uk/marine-repairs-centre

If you want to chat to some locals, there's a nice little community of boat homes just outside Ellesmere Port:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2429818,-2.8726007,599m/data=!3m1!1e3

Try a holiday in one. I spent a day up and down a canal and thought I would not like to live on one. Going in straight lines most of the time was frustrating. I would think a bike or moped on board would be a must.

However -- a house boat in centre of Amsterdam might be the thing. House boats on ebay

Other consideration--rent your house (if mortgage paid for) and see what boat hire costs are like

Boat Share sounds an even better idea for starters..

From TheComebackKid's link.


http://www.abcboatshare.com/costs/

Are you missing a couple of letters there? Oh, and canal boats are narrowboats, not longboats.

That is a particularly expensive way of doing it, and funnily enough, way more than half the money ends up in the management companies pocket - nice earner for them.

If you intend to keep on the move it can be a lot cheaper than that especially you don't stay at one place more than 14 days.

Interesting post Granny, Thank You for posting the original.

A new one will cost you upwards of £1,000 a foot of length, fitted out. Second hand ones are a lot cheaper, but get a surveyor to check for hull corrosion before buying it. Replating it will cost thousands.

Mooring in a marina will cost roughly between £1,500 and £2,000 a year. Insurance another £100 to £200 or so a year. A waterways licence will cost between £500 and £1200 a year, depending on its length and every two years it will have to be lifted out and the hull re-blacked (about £12 to £15 a foot) plus the charge for lifting it out and putting it back - maybe £100. In addition, every three years you need to get a surveyor to inspect it to get a Boat Safety Certificate. This will cost several hundred pounds. Toilet are either 'Cassette' (You empty a container of stuff about the size of a suitcase yourself every few days) or it goes into a holding tank which can be sucked out at boatyards at a cost of £15 to £20 every ten days or so.

All this is in addition to any maintenance like repainting , engine repairs, replacement batteries, fuel, calor gas, coal or wood which you can buy at boatyards/garages etc. Basically they are money pits.

I'm told the word BOAT stands for Bring Out Another Thousand, and I believe it!

We only pass this way once, if it feels good, Try It.

As stated previously, the more knowledge the more expense. The original thought was with intention for my son. Not granny...good Lord, could you see that ?

Where we lived years ago, there were houseboats on mudflats. All in all, they looked pretty grim but the occupants seemed to be very happy with their life style of knotted string gangways. I doubt there were any costs involved as I think these houseboats had cemented themselves into the mud over a period of half a century. Not like the super flash models we see on the Thames.

Still, the idea of a canal is very appealing but unless there is constant financial backup,(for years) it could result in being a total disaster...from all accounts. Thanks for all the posts, it is very interesting.

Guess what's on tonight 10pm (repeat)


http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/dkqk6m/all-aboard-the-canal-trip

15 mins in and I am loving this.,,,, anyone else watching ? Therapy clinic !
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcfour