Living on a boat

[ChristoT]

Boats are scary expensive. And if you skimp on maintenance, it risks sinking! 

[chris.biker]

I must be strange but I have no interest in even a narrow boating holiday, but I really like the idea of building one from scratch, starting with a delivery of sheet steel and finishing with the last tin of paint. But there is not enough time in life for that one. But I might be interested in welding on a few patches should you ever find your standing in your home with wet feet Punkstig.

[red98]

I work in hemel hempstead on a friday.nextdoor to aspley mill and the grand union canal, not far from you stiggy......lots of canal boats there at the moment, great way to live and good for you daughter too.........go for it stiggy   

[Grandma]

One of my bikey neighbour's has done this, he also has 4 dogs works for him something he always wanted to do. Not sure how he coped in the recent floods though as on the Medway!

[midden]

I must be strange but I have no interest in even a narrow boating holiday, but I really like the idea of building one from scratch, starting with a delivery of sheet steel and finishing with the last tin of paint. But there is not enough time in life for that one. But I might be interested in welding on a few patches should you ever find your standing in your home with wet feet Punkstig.

Yes you are strange:)
Many years ago I worked with a bloke who was building a wooden one in his back garden.  Unfortunately he died before he could finish and enjoy.


Another plus side, you'll never starve, just throw a trap over the side with some meat in and live on the crayfish....yum

[midden]

One of my bikey neighbour's has done this, he also has 4 dogs works for him something he always wanted to do. Not sure how he coped in the recent floods though as on the Medway!

Now there's inflation, Noah only allowed animals to come aboard in two's

[Skippernick]

I must be strange but I have no interest in even a narrow boating holiday, but I really like the idea of building one from scratch, starting with a delivery of sheet steel and finishing with the last tin of paint. But there is not enough time in life for that one. But I might be interested in welding on a few patches should you ever find your standing in your home with wet feet Punkstig.

Yes you are strange:)
Many years ago I worked with a bloke who was building a wooden one in his back garden.  Unfortunately he died before he could finish and enjoy.


Another plus side, you'll never starve, just throw a trap over the side with some meat in and live on the crayfish....yum

Christ don't eat anything out of the cut its full leptospirosis from rat piss.

[Oldgit]

buy a used Submarine, no mooring fees, and peeps never know where you'll pop up 

[midden]

People live in old tug boats on the Medway. They are solid

[caretaker]

some of them can look really nice

[ogri48]

fair play to you mate. i wish you all the best, and hope it works out. sounds like its the right time of your life to do it too. apparently, the japanese have the same word for "problem", as they do "opportunity", i think thats a brilliant philosophy.

[Arfa]

The big problem is your money is just disappearing in a depreciating boat, costing you more to maintain, run and keep up with fees.
As an alternative to buying property, it fails. In 10 years time, you will have spent a pile and have nowt worth much. A house will/should have earnt a tidy amount of equity in same time.
In your position, I'd be looking at buying somewhere up North and renting it out. Stills pays, even if still renting down here. Give it 5-10years, cash in equity for deposit for another place to rent. Rinse repeat.

Edit: re-reading that, it seems a bit condescending. I guess, what I'm trying to say is, don't go down this route simply thinking it'll be a cheaper alternative to buying. it won't be. You should go down this route because you really want the living on a boat lifestyle, regardless of financial sense.

[Skippernick]

The big problem is your money is just disappearing in a depreciating boat, costing you more to maintain, run and keep up with fees.
As an alternative to buying property, it fails. In 10 years time, you will have spent a pile and have nowt worth much. A house will/should have earnt a tidy amount of equity in same time.
In your position, I'd be looking at buying somewhere up North and renting it out. Stills pays, even if still renting down here. Give it 5-10years, cash in equity for deposit for another place to rent. Rinse repeat.

Edit: re-reading that, it seems a bit condescending. I guess, what I'm trying to say is, don't go down this route simply thinking it'll be a cheaper alternative to buying. it won't be. You should go down this route because you really want the living on a boat lifestyle, regardless of financial sense.

A lot of good talk there, boats don't appreciate unfortunately.

[Punkstig]

Haha, that submarine one is pure comedy!

I'm intrigued arfa - please give me some advice on how I get to buy property up north when my current living costs are higher than my income?
Obviously I don't have enough savings for a deposit to get a mortgage.
Bearing in mind my job, and daughter are here so moving up north isn't an option either!

[midden]

Haha, that submarine one is pure comedy!

I'm intrigued arfa - please give me some advice on how I get to buy property up north when my current living costs are higher than my income?
Obviously I don't have enough savings for a deposit to get a mortgage.
Bearing in mind my job, and daughter are here so moving up north isn't an option either!

The train of thought is you use mortgage allowance to buy house up north where prices are dirt cheap still. Not to move there but to rent thus not costing you a penny and giving you hopefully a monthly income while waiting for property to rise in value.


A couple of problems there


1. As you say your outgoings are more than your income so getting mortgage could be hard
      Although if going the not so straight way your rent here wouldn't come in to the calculation since in theory you'd be moving to the property


2. if doing it the legit way you would have to go for a buy to let mortgage and even if you could get the 100% mortgage buy to lets aren't available to first time buyers. Or so I am told.

[Punkstig]

My point!

[midden]

Aye Aye Cap'n Stig 

[Punkstig]

Now, to think of a paint scheme,  lol

[Skippernick]

Now, to think of a paint scheme,  lol

As long as its not F**king blue with cream coach lines. 

[fireblake]

I spent a week on the Norfolk Broads in a Fibreglass cruiser and the only negative I found was damp, the sides of the boats were dripping. We went in August so the ambient temperature was high so I'm assuming it was from breathing and bathing,I hate to think what it would it would be like in winter.
I went through divorce many years ago and getting restarted was a nightmare. I was very lucky my parents could help me out with the deposit for another place, something i couldn't do with my kids.
Good luck with your decision, it sounds like a lovely way to live and a great environment to bring up children.
All the best mate,   Mickey

[mr self destruct]

I spent a week on the Norfolk Broads in a Fibreglass cruiser and the only negative I found was damp, the sides of the boats were dripping. We went in August so the ambient temperature was high so I'm assuming it was from breathing and bathing,I hate to think what it would it would be like in winter.
I went through divorce many years ago and getting restarted was a nightmare. I was very lucky my parents could help me out with the deposit for another place, something i couldn't do with my kids.
Good luck with your decision, it sounds like a lovely way to live and a great environment to bring up children.
All the best mate,   Mickey

Got to admit as much as I love boating holidays, it's this very reason I don't think I could live on one. I've been on narrowboats and done the Norfolk broads in a cruiser, and every time we end up damp. It's just part of it I suppose.

[Arfa]

Haha, that submarine one is pure comedy!

I'm intrigued arfa - please give me some advice on how I get to buy property up north when my current living costs are higher than my income?
Obviously I don't have enough savings for a deposit to get a mortgage.
Bearing in mind my job, and daughter are here so moving up north isn't an option either!

The train of thought is you use mortgage allowance to buy house up north where prices are dirt cheap still. Not to move there but to rent thus not costing you a penny and giving you hopefully a monthly income while waiting for property to rise in value.


A couple of problems there


1. As you say your outgoings are more than your income so getting mortgage could be hard
      Although if going the not so straight way your rent here wouldn't come in to the calculation since in theory you'd be moving to the property


2. if doing it the legit way you would have to go for a buy to let mortgage and even if you could get the 100% mortgage buy to lets aren't available to first time buyers. Or so I am told.

First up, I kind of assumed you had a little pot of cash to cover purchase of said boat and cover all the fees, bills and such worth to get yourself setup on one. And hence a pot of cash that may cover a deposit for a buy-to-let mortgage up North. If you don't have this, how were you planning on moving onto a boat? Renting one? Is that any better than renting flat down here?


Yes, you really would have to go for a buy-to-let mortgage, yep you'd almost certainly need a larger deposit compared to a mortgage for somewhere you'd be living in. And yes, the bank would ensure a very conservative amount of rent more than covers repayments.


Didn't realise Buy-to-let mortgages aren't available to first time buyers though.

[Punkstig]

20% deposit required for a boat mortgage, difference between cost of a boat compared to flat shows where I am- plus the first time buyer position!
Atm, this is my only choice of owning somewhere to live, and I don't see this position changing in the near or distant future, so instead of paying rent for someone else to own property I might as well start paying towards what I can!

[MEM62]

In financial terms the argument for living on a boat doesn't really hold up.  A mate of mine liked the idea and looked into it a year or so ago but the costs were higher than living in his flat.  Apparently, it is the mornings that are the problem.     

Ignoring the financial considerations it does look like a great lifestyle choice though. 

[richfzs]

In financial terms the argument for living on a boat doesn't really hold up.  A mate of mine liked the idea and looked into it a year or so ago but the costs were higher than living in his flat.  Apparently, it is the mornings that are the problem.     

I live in a house, the mornings are the problem there too... :wink