I like to think of them as a covered area for sunny days. It gives you options, especially when the weather is nice, since the problem with traditional sterns is that there's nowhere to sit outside. I think that was a wise decision. It wasn't exactly the ship I wanted, but I didn't have to put up with the depreciation. That brings me to the next scam about buying second hand. Check Out Charlie and Basil - video covering how much does a narrowboat cost
Wow, narrow ships cost more than you think, I suppose that's why BOAT stands for Bung On Another Thousand. We wish we had known that before we began the exciting process of buying our boat. It may be obvious to anyone who has bought a home before, that they will get used to the attorney fees, survey costs, and general moving costs associated with buying a home, however, for a naive couple who knew nothing about narrow ships, the fact that there were additional costs in addition to the purchase price of the boat came as a surprise, but not as much as how big those costs can be. When we sat down to find out everything, we were surprised by the real cost of buying a narrow boat, so we thought about telling them how much it really costs so that if they want to buy their own boat they won't have any surprises. The biggest and most obvious cost we started with was the purchase price of the boat, which varies greatly depending on the size and age of your boat, the builder or assembler of the boat, where you buy it, and even the time of year you buy it.
Within our budget, we were limited to the options we had, we could buy a very dilapidated large boat or a smaller ship that was habitable, the midpoint seemed to be too expensive for us. We decided on a 40-foot narrow boat that was habitable, but needed a bit of renovation. It's not by a famous boat builder and our interior was designed by the previous owner, but it was full of charm and, more importantly, it was well within our price range. Fortunately, due to the time of year and the location where we were shopping, the price was reasonable, plus there was a lot of room for maneuver, so we set out to buy the boat.
One thing we constantly hear is that you should never buy a boat without first doing an inspection, you just can't know what's underneath without taking the boat out of the water. There's no question that it was a difficult pill to swallow, especially when we discovered the price. The pre-purchase inspection consists of a series of exploratory tests that are carried out on your boat and that provide you with all the important information you will need, such as the thickness of the steel, the electrical, water and gas installations available to you, as well as the condition of all aspects of the boat and the engine. For us, as newbies, we still consult our survey to this day to be able to locate hidden glands and rods, and use it as a list of the repairs we know we need to address. Survey prices vary, so you should compare prices, but not all surveyors are the same, so make sure you find one you trust, the best enjoy showing you everything as they do it.
The cost of the survey will also include the price of taking the boat out of the water, either by dry dock, crane or pier, of our 825 British pounds, 250 pounds sterling that went into the use of a dry dock, so be sure to take this into account when shopping. The average cost of buying a narrow boat is 57,000 pounds sterling, which is usually the cost of a house bond. Many people will save to pay this lump sum all at once, or perhaps they will apply for a loan to pay it back in quotas. My plan is to try to escape the “private rental” sector, sell my car (14,000 pounds) and, with some savings + a small loan = 25,000 pounds, embark on the search for an affordable boat (approximately 20,000 pounds) of 37 to 40 feet, with a good hull and engine, but that requires work, etc.
To keep a narrow vessel on inland waterways, you must pay an annual fee for a Canal and River Trust (C&RT) license. Many narrow boaters take advantage of solar energy for these purposes, while coal and wood remain popular options. As a result, alternative living arrangements, such as living in a cramped vessel, are becoming options increasingly popular. We've been on some narrow ships in the past and have often thought about moving from bricks and cement to a life afloat.
You'll be able to see a list of approved and reviewed narrowboat builders across the UK and contact them directly to request quotes. Composting toilets, in the true sense of the word, as we have long suspected, is not possible in a cramped vessel. When it comes to a narrow vessel, there are two main options: paying for the mooring or choosing a “continuous cruise” vessel, meaning that it has no fixed location and it's constantly on the move. Regardless of whether you're an experienced boater or a beginner, it's worth considering getting protection with specialized insurance for narrow boats.
I hope this brief breakdown gives you something to think about when buying a narrow vessel and sheds some light on the actual cost of buying a vessel. narrow.
