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Buying a house boat in London

Wolfie said:
so how does internet access on a narrow boat work then? Anybody know?
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picright_boatdock.jpg


:eek:
 
liberty said:
Sent you PM Shirl.. We are going to look at the boat next week so I will let you know how that goes :)
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Sunday morning and sober, I've looked at costs :(
I'm considering just how small a boat 2 people, 2 irish wolfhounds, 2 cats and 2 chickens could live on. :eek:

I need to do sum sums, we'd still be working doing the same jobs we do now so I think it's all manageable.

Thanks to everyone for all the links that have been posted so far.
 
I'm just worried that when you've sorted it all out your mates in London will have scrimped enough dosh to realise their dream of the rural idyll and you'll be returning to Wales for their parties....
 
Mrs Magpie said:
I'm just worried that when you've sorted it all out your mates in London will have scrimped enough dosh to realise their dream of the rural idyll and you'll be returning to Wales for their parties....
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That had just occurred to me too :D
 
I too had dreams of a narrowboat after a happy pootle down the Kennet & Avon canal, but then I met someone who lived on one. He'd had enough after about 5 years and couldn't wait to offload it on someone starry-eyed and boat-smitten after a boating holiday...he said it was a money-pit and couldn't wait to get back into a house.
 
Oh, Shirl,

You've really set me off now. I dunno if you know how much we love boats - El Jugs had a narrowboat years ago and would love to own on one again (in fact he's working on one, driving through Camden, now as we speak).

We've talked about it, on and off and I reckon it will happen one day. <Goes back to trawling boat websites>.

Mrs Magpie - Agreed - it's not for everyone - it does require some dedication. At least El Jugs has no fantasies about what it would be like, because he did it before. Emptying the toilet in freezing rain in December is no fun, I've heard......

Shirl - you'll probably need at least a 60 footer with that lot. If you are wanting to cruise all over the counrty, I think anyway as some of the locks in wales are too short otherwise.
 
gsv looked into the selling price of a houseboat at Kingston the other day... that one was quite big, and so pricey, although it was sold with the mooring. Mooring points are really scarce in town, so you need to get something with the mooring and be happy for it to stay where it is by and large, because there's massive waiting lists for moorings, not surprisingly.
 
pinkmonkey said:
Oh, Shirl,

You've really set me off now. I dunno if you know how much we love boats - El Jugs had a narrowboat years ago and would love to own on one again (in fact he's working on one, driving through Camden, now as we speak).

We've talked about it, on and off and I reckon it will happen one day. <Goes back to trawling boat websites>.
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That's the thing with this boat business, someone or something sets you off again.
I was first drawn boatwards when me and two blokes decided to build one from scratch, in the 70s. We lived in a caravan in a field for three years whilst we built it and then, when it was just about finished, I got broody. Two of us sold our 2/3rds for enough to buy a detached house and 2 acres of land for cash :eek: Mind you, it didn't have any running water. :( I got very fit carrying 5 gallon tubs of water and emptying the Elsan :mad: :D
The boat never made it to the sea, it was an oak keeled 28ft based on a cornish fishing boat. Our plan had been to sail it to the Med and live on it there.
I went to look at it about 4 years ago, it now belongs to someone who just keeps it in his farmyard. It was really sad to see it again after so long.
The next boat plan came about 4 years ago when we lived in a house that had a long garden down to the canal with a mooring. We were quite serious about buying a canal boat for living on and maybe renting out our house, but then I saw this house and we moved instead.
I think it was Wolfie who started us off again yesterday.
Maybe this time it'll happen, or maybe not. :D
 
Never, ever fancied living on a boat. I'd get claustrophobic!!

Couldn't you move 'near' London and have the best of both worlds??

And don't you move til I've been down to Wales for a visit! :p
 
geminisnake said:
Never, ever fancied living on a boat. I'd get claustrophobic!!

Couldn't you move 'near' London and have the best of both worlds??

And don't you move til I've been down to Wales for a visit! :p
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Don't worry, we'll be here for a while yet. :)
As for living near London, I don't fancy that unless it's on a boat :cool: :D so I can sail away if I hate it ;)
 
The charity we volunteer for is thinking of selling one of its' boats (several Urbanties will know the one ;) ). But it needs a new engine and some refitting.....
Sorely tempting though isn't it? And my partner would need about >< this much encouraging to live on one......
The skipper is back now. :)
 
pinkmonkey said:
The charity we volunteer for is thinking of selling one of its' boats (several Urbanties will know the one ;) ). But it needs a new engine and some refitting.....
Sorely tempting though isn't it? And my partner would need about >< this much encouraging to live on one......
The skipper is back now. :)
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So, are you and the 'skipper' going to go for it? ;) :D
 
Shirl said:
So, are you and the 'skipper' going to go for it? ;) :D
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We are renting a (cheap for London) house at the mo- aim is probably to stay here as long as we can, save more money and then go for it when we get turfed out.
In the meantime we can dream - we get plenty of chances to take boats out because of the voluntary stuff.....
 
Mrs Magpie said:
I too had dreams of a narrowboat after a happy pootle down the Kennet & Avon canal, but then I met someone who lived on one. He'd had enough after about 5 years and couldn't wait to offload it on someone starry-eyed and boat-smitten after a boating holiday...he said it was a money-pit and couldn't wait to get back into a house.
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That's just one experience I lived on a boat for 5 years,didn't particularly want to leave when we did but my chap lived on the cut for 11 years, he'd definately had enough by then but 11 years of meeting fascinating folk, and some shits, living brilliant times and crap, Wonderful experiences that I wouldn't change for the world.

I know loads of people that have lived on boats for years and have no desire not to.

Depends very much how you go about it.
 
and I think Shirl and I see it as a relatively short term thing - she tends to get itchy feet every 2 or 3 years anyway :) - something to do before we get too old maybe :) ...
 
Wolfie said:
and I think Shirl and I see it as a relatively short term thing - she tends to get itchy feet every 2 or 3 years anyway :) - something to do before we get too old maybe :) ...
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What do you mean, "Shirl tends to get itchy feet" :confused: it's not me :mad: :rolleyes:
 
Wolfie said:
and I think Shirl and I see it as a relatively short term thing - she tends to get itchy feet every 2 or 3 years anyway :)
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You can get cream and ointments for that!! :eek: :D
 
Wolfie said:
When you have to ship all your mates up to your place from London for your birthday party it does start you thinking that maybe it's you in the wrong place rather than them ...
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:mad: Of course they're living on the wrong place.

You get a lot of hippies on boats :p :D
 
I regularly harbour dreams about living on a boat, but my husband flatly refuses to even consider it.

I'll have to make do with living by the sea* instead.

(* well I say sea, it's WsM for gawds sake!)
 
While it's on my mind there are some fantastic moorings tucked around the back of Kings Cross, it's like being in the countryside. Also some pretty good ones down by Kensal Green cemetry.

And there's a long running eviction battle going on over some moorings in a prime location somewhere in Rotherhithe...
 
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