Narrowboats,Widebeams and Canal life.

[buzzer1]

I'd love to take off and live on a boat but it would have to be a narrow boat......can't see the point of buying a boat that restricts your movement better to be able to go everywhere.

I know what you mean mate, but when i take my holidays from work then i will probably go to Cailifornia to our kid or Spain or something, as it takes a while to do the canal system or go to France or somer. We will be getting afloat for the lifestyle and tranquility only, the cruising will be a bonus.

 

[toby]

Buzzer I am green with envy would swap my house for a life on the canal any day I have a friend who has a narrow boat and we go all over the place I have even looked at houses with moorings

 

[pee dubya]

If you could cross the Channel easily (can you hire or pay a tug or something?) into the canal systems in France, Netherlands etc that would be class way to live, spend the Summers cruising round Europe, then come back to the UK for the football season...

It's been done before. just go for it!!!

Crossing Channel in narrowboat

I particularly like this bit...

Their most daunting moment came when they reached Calais, only to find themselves in the path of a 40ft-tall Sea Cat ferry leaving for Dover.

Mr Darlington said: "It came within a few feet of us, but the most dangerous thing was that it threw up a six-foot wall of solid water in its wake. I had to turn into it, accelerate and go straight through it or we would definitely have capsized. The boat reared right up and plunged down to the other side. The dog, who was on tranquillisers, howled like a drunk.

Brilliant, the World would be a better place if retired people just did mad stuff all the time. Young people would become the dull section of society, and old would become the pioneers of adventure.

 

[bluebean]

sounds brilliant! a fantastic lifestyle!

 

[sweynforkbeard]

I posted something along these lines about 6 month ago, we are seriously thinking about this life and have been moochin' around different Marinas over the last few week, we are going over to Scarisbrick and Fettlers wharfe in an hour or so. The Mrs. will only move onto the water if we get a widebeam, now they are obviously wider than a Narrowboat,hence you have restrictions on where you can travel or the route that you take anyway, what with the Locks being a certain width and all that.
We don't plan on going any great distances on the Canal plus you have 20 mile of Lock free canal in some parts,(bridgewater/L AND L), it is just the life that we want and not for the cruising, although 20 miles is quite ample or even to go for a spot of lunch at a Canalside pub,within reach.
From what i can gather, it is cheaper to live, not by a great deal and especially if you take finance out/mortgage for your Boat, it is the way of life, the freedom of the outdoors, the Old School and the community thing that will do it for us, i mean you can get your Coal delivered by a working Narrowboat and also your logs for the fire, or even better, go and get your own logs from the woods, it really appeals to me and i think it would be a fantastic way to bring up a little'n', get her away from the Roboticised life with the computers and endless brain washing television,don't get me wrong, the way the world is at the moment then she will need some sort of technology savvy, but not 24/7 head in the bloody thing.
I realise the dangers with the water etc and kids but shes a good kid and a decent swimmer and she is 6 so hardly a rugrat,(most of the canals are 4ft deep,obviously that varies but this is the basic overall depth).
If its gonna happen it will happen either within 6 months or we will get a cruiser(smaller boat) for 2 years or so and then flip our gaff and put whatever we get off it, into a Widebeam. Some of them are like Palaces, i can't do the picture thing so i will put 3 links on to show you the difference in Boat, for those that can be arsed anyway. :)
I'll have to put them on a seperate post, i've ran out of room. DOH! Has anyone lived this life or know someone that does? Cheers.

-- Mon Apr 05, 2010 11:41 am --

<a class="postlink" href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Viking-26-6-Berth-Narrow-Beam-Aft-Cabin-Cruiser-Boat-NB_W0QQitemZ190382689457QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item2c53b14cb1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Viking-26-6-Berth ... 2c53b14cb1</a>

<a class="postlink" href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/70ft-Wide-Beam-Barge-2007_W0QQitemZ270556388473QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item3efe6adc79" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/70ft-Wide-Beam-Ba ... 3efe6adc79</a>


<a class="postlink" href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2005-AQUALINE-NARROWBOAT-CRUISER-STERN-57FT-17-5-MTS_W0QQitemZ150428457419QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item23063c19cb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2005-AQUALINE-NAR ... 23063c19cb</a>

Buzzer- there's a lad I know who lives on a boat (not sure whether it's a narrow boat or widebeam but would suspect the former) on the Rochdale Canal near Hebden Bridge. I usually see him on a Monday or Friday night- he's a really friendly guy and I'm sure would be good for advice. PM me if you want any questions asking.

 

[buzzer1]

Buzzer- there's a lad I know who lives on a boat (not sure whether it's a narrow boat or widebeam but would suspect the former) on the Rochdale Canal near Hebden Bridge. I usually see him on a Monday or Friday night- he's a really friendly guy and I'm sure would be good for advice. PM me if you want any questions asking.[/quote]
Thanks Mr. Beard, i may be in touch. The Boating community seem really friendly and everyone that i have spoken to have been really approachable, i deliver in my Lorry to Calder Bridge and that whole stretch of Canal was featured on Locks And Quays(Fred the Weatherman), its the bolox. Thanks again matey, ireckon i will be in touch soon.<br /><br />-- Mon Apr 05, 2010 6:35 pm --<br /><br />

Buzzer I am green with envy would swap my house for a life on the canal any day I have a friend who has a narrow boat and we go all over the place I have even looked at houses with moorings

Toby, do you have kids?

 

[Trigger]

My neighbour has a boat, not a narrowboat but fairly long with all facilities including a shower and things, spent a fortnight on it with him last year doing the Cheshire ring and loved it! I have also been with him on other trips the best was when we went on the Llangollen canal, wow what an experience that was.

Enjoy it mate and good luck.

 

[pinkwheeltrim]

Buzzer,me and the missus live on a narrowboat and have done for years now. We are on the Rochdale at the moment and move around between Sowerby Bridge and Todmorden but we also pay for a permanent mooring at Hebden Bridge just to keep British Waterways of our backs (they tend to hound continuous cruisers a bit because they don't get as much money out of them!)
We have a 50 ft narrow and we will get it extended to 57 ft to fit in a child's bedroom when the time comes,any longer than that and you wont fit through the locks!
My advice, go for a steel hull boat,not a wooden because they are easier to maintain.

widebeams do have more space but tend to be laid out in a way that doesn't make the most of it and like you say,you wont fit on some canals.I know you say you don't want to do much actual travelling but that really is the best thing about having a boat and you will miss out on so much by not going anywhere!

You might also want to think about power. being off grid is brilliant but you do have to change your lifestyle a bit,we have a solar panel and a composting loo.

The big downside is having to deal with British Waterways,they are right bastards but I for one intend to live on the canals for a very long time to come!

If you need any help or advice just pm me.

 

[buzzer1]

My neighbour has a boat, not a narrowboat but fairly long with all facilities including a shower and things, spent a fortnight on it with him last year doing the Cheshire ring and loved it! I have also been with him on other trips the best was when we went on the Llangollen canal, wow what an experience that was.

Enjoy it mate and good luck.

Cheers mate, that seems to be the mecca for boaters, the Llangollen. Whichever way we decide to go, it will be fantastic.

 

[LongsightM13]

Can you get one with cannons or torpedoes attached? Would love to have a bluemoon warship to sink that barge full of rags who travel by canal to home games at the swamp