Extreme preppary on the high seas

[Fidshackle]

In fact, you can see the very moment I learned to sail thanks to an old youtube video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEsA1aoVh1A
3:46 is a few seconds of my first boat. I lived on it for four years (tiny, ain't she), and that is very literally the first time I'd ever got the sails up, after the guy filming convinced me in to having a "race". I recall the boat went in the water the day before. It's kind of odd to have such a life changing moment captured on film by a stranger and now archived on the internet.

[7 lives]

Fid
Really informative read.
Meet some older folk in the local co op the other day who had downsized from a 4 bedroom house and bought a canal boat-really interesting hearing about their life on board whilst waiting in the check out queue!
Had considered doing something similar now we are retired-thanks for the info.

[Fidshackle]

That's great! I definitely encourage you to investigate fully if it takes your fancy.

I hope my comments on the inland waterways weren't taken too negatively. It's not that bad, just comparatively bureaucratic compared to offshore boating. I've spent a little bit of time on the canals and it's an utterly compelling lifestyle. I've got a few friends that are "ditch crawlers" and some of them have boats that make your average modern house look like cheap tat. Some of the wide beams are like country cottages. It takes about 30 seconds to completely forget you're on a boat. Even the narrow boats have baths, central heating, and fully equipped galleys.

I know a young couple that spent 12k and a few weeks work to buy and move in to their first home together; a narrow boat. Whist their mates are struggling to pay daft rent, they're saving up a bit and living life as it should be in your twenties.

That's about as cheap as it can be sensibly done. Woe betide bargain hunters with a lesser budget when it comes to steel boats. Unless you've got it signed off by a surveyor, or can cut and weld 10 or 12mm steel, then walk away.

You can buy them secondhand, tidy, clean and ready to go for around £30k, and if you want aforementioned country cottage wide beam you're looking at 80k and beyond.

You can build them yourself for much less. New "sail-away" hulls (empty but for ballast and engines) can be had from about 20 grand upwards I think. I'm not too au fait with the latest prices. You pick them up from the builders yard and motor them back to wherever you're fitting it out, whilst camping in a steel box - that's an adventure you won't forget! Or you can be a lazy spud and get it delivered by road. :p

I'd probably say that if, when you undertake a major DIY project, your first port of call for materials is Homebase or B&Q, then building a boat probably isn't for you, but if you're kind of around the plumbing/building/chippy/sparky trade a bit, then you'll find it a doddle. A long doddle, but a doddle nonetheless.

Random examples:

140k gets you - http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/Cana ... beam/91593

32.5k gets you - http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/Cana ... tyle/96903

Pro tip: the boat market is pretty dull at the moment. I don't know many boats that are selling for anywhere near the asking price.

Erm, that ended up being a bit longer than I intended. I geek out on boats. haha. I hope it was of some use any way.

p.s. ALWAYS get a qualified surveyor to look at anything before committing. It'll cost circa £500, but could save you a fortune.

[Decaff]

My oldest sister just sold her canal boat, it was gorgeous, my favourite feature was the mini pot bellied stove that was removable in the summer, so much space it was fabulous to stay on.

Many happy days spent on the canals and if I had the money I would certainly get myself one of these.