looking to buy a narrowboat.?

As an ex residential narrow boat owner with British waterways I can only speak from experience,you will find if you take out a mooring with BW that it`s a case of dead man`s boots with regards to a residential mooring, you will pay full council tax for the time your boat is at its mooring,we used to have to pay nearly £700 /anum for 70ft of towpath in the country,it was a rip off.

Have a look at waterways world to get a list of boatyards that have moorings or just look on line,You will pay per length of mooring unless it is a designated footage. As for buying a residential mooring I think you may find that hard as the river banks are privatly owned. It is a mine field of problems as BW dont want linea moorings anymore,they would rather everyone were in marinas,

Go to WH Smiths and buy every canal orientated magazine and search, it will take ages but it will be worth it ,contact the local BW office.and don`t get the boat before you get the mooring as there are rules in place that will restrict you legaly on the time you can spend on your boat without the correct licence,ie continuous cruising, residential or just pleasure boating,It`s an expensive way of life and not as easy as it seams,Gas ,electric,dry docking,repairs,insurance,council tax,mooring fees,surveys etc the list goes on.

Hope I havn`t put you off but it really is a case of look before you leap

If you are succesfull then you will enjoy it. get more advice ,talk to other boaters join the residential boat owners association RBOA,read up, and as the answerer above me has said ,,,dont be swayed by the boat seller,... Boats are a hole in the water that you will throw money into.

The best bit of advice I can give you if you do get a boat is " If you make a mistake then make it slowly"

Just an add on bit for you...

you will learn a lot about yourself on the water,it will improve the skills you have and your a[ppreciation of the rivers and the wildlife,conservation and a lot about people.One thing I learnt was that there is nothing more miserable than a miserable boater, I met many new friends from a BBC news reporter to an ex army buddy of Henry cooper,I saw the photos.

Conserving your resources and managing your life,People will envy your lifestyle and in winter with the wood burning stove on all your clothes take on a wonderfull smoky smell that one person said to us " You smell like christmas"

I assume you are thinking of the Rivers Nene, Great Ouse and tributaries (e.g. Cam) and the fens (drains)?

These are the relevant navigation authorities:-

British Waterways

The Kiln

Mather Road

Newark

Nottinghamshire

Postcode: NG24 1FB

Tel: 01636 704481

http://www.waterscape.com/

Conservators of the River Cam

11a North Terrace,

CAMBRIDGE, CB5 8DJ

Tel: 01223 560936

http://www.camconservators.org.uk/

Environment Agency

Waterways Team

Anglian Regional Office

Kingfisher House

Goldhay Way

Orton Goldhay

Peterborough

PE2 5ZR

Tel: 01733 371 811 (Switchboard)

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/

Middle Level Commissioners

Middle Level Offices

Dartford Road

MARCH

Cambridgeshire

England

PE15 8AF

Tel: +44 (0)1354-653232

Fax: +44 (0)1354-659619

http://www.middlelevel.co.uk/

Witham & Fourth District Internal Drainage Board

47 Norfolk Street

Boston

Lincolnshire

PE21 6PP

Tel: 01205 310099

http://www.w4idb.demon.co.uk/

You could contact their offices for information on residential moorings. Also http://www.rboa.org.uk/ may be able to help.

However, I doubt that there are many residential moorings for sale - most will be rented.

The hard work comes by either contacting every boatyard & marina listed in the canal/waterways mags and also in the guides to the area in which you are interested, or visiting the area and talking to the local boaters who often have knowledge which will never appear in print.

No but perhaps a boating magazine would have some info! Just please be careful, we foolishly bought a project 31 cruiser 4 yrs ago. we has nothing but trouble as the twin engines gave us loads of trouble and cost us so much money it was untrue! Don't go into it blind, we had a survey but the boat had been winterised, so the engines were just looked at!

Get real expert advice dont rush in ! And don't be charmed by the sales man at the marina! We have lost loads of money and still in debt over our boat, that in the end we had to sell!

Good luck, enjoy yourself but be careful!

Just looked up narrowboats on yahoo and found a couple of websites!

Contact the Residential Boat Owners Association (RBOA). They have all the info on living afloat. Start by buying their book "Living Afloat". Membership is £15 per year.

http://www.rboa.org.uk/

try the brokers at the back of CanalBoat and "Rivers and Waterways" and "Inland Waterways" magazines ( in smiths ).

residential moorings are few and far between, as are normal moorings.

The advice is always to get your mooring before buying a boat.

NARROW BOATS ARE OK, BUT TRY LOOKING AT "DUTCH BARGES" SAME THING BUT TWICE AS WIDE, A FRIEND OF MINE AS ONE, HE SWEARS BY THEM.

buy a yatch, theyre far nicer

:)

try ebay