Canal boat

[Nemesis]

Hello SUK some of you might remember me i was quite active 3 years ago on this forum, my reason for not posting i went OPSEC and i had made the decision to go off grid in the form of Canal boat and experience survival away from distraction i gave up computer mobile phone and to some degree my family.

I have alot to add to this thread over time solar power use and how to keep the lights on.

Isolation and how i dealt with it.

Security of the water your boat becomes your own island when moored correctly.

Maybe some of you might gain something from this thread, i have only just started living at home again and my son gave this internet phone so i am now back online, i now struggle to stay at my house even though my relationship with all my family is great i find myself having to be on the boat which i am posting from now.

[NorthernRaider]

I know two lady preppers who live FT on a Canal boat at Hatton Locks in the West Midlands, they love the lifestyle, hot water and heat by wood burning stove, I think they were looking for a new berth somewhere near London.

[Sunna]

this is something iv been looking into for a while now , what im not too sure about is cost , insurance , mooring charges , boat maintainance , do boats have an mot like a car , do you need lessons to drive or a licence like a car.

[Midnitemo]

My Ex who I share two children with is just about to make the move from 4 bed semi to narrowboat , not a million miles from you Sunna , just to the south of Gloucester , bought a 48ft (smallish)boat as my two kids have flown the coop leaving just her and a younger child , she can't operate the boat at the mo and places that give tuition don't start til the spring , not very up on it but I believe you have to have a waterways type licence/permit for the boat but no pilot/rya type licence needed to operate the controls , she is staying in the same vicinity at a marina with all the facilities but I think if you just live on the canal network you have to move where you tie up every fortnight, another friend has a 70ft boat he lives on and does the moving thing around the Nantwich/middlewich area , I can ask about the marina fee's when I next see her if you like.

[Skean Dhude]

Nemesis, Nice to hear you and yours are alive and well. It will be interesting hearing about your experiences. I know a few people that are looking to follow in your footsteps so anything you have learnt over the years will be of interest.

[bigpaul]

anyone know what a narrowboat costs secondhand? and what are the mooring fees? any other costs?

[Sunna]

its the same as a car bp .... work needs to be done to new theirs a young chap on yt who lives full time on a boat his 1st small narrow boat cost him £14.000 .

[Sunna]

this is the chap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfBfoFDtJuw

[Midnitemo]

ex paid 34k 2003 build , fitted with a really good low hours Isuzu , out of the water at the mo being tested then re blacked , any faults found in the survey to be rectified by vendor.

[Straight Shooter]

I am looking forward to your posts N .....i hired one once for a week, it went tits up......in Taly Bont ....went into the lock ..shut the gates starting raising up ....trouble was just the rear was raising ...that big rope thing on the bow was fast under a cross member of the upper gate.....the back end was out of the water....wifey had to run back and open the gate to get the boat down....that was on day three , that's the day we went home.....i never would have dreamed this could be possible...and one guy from the boat behind said he had never seen that done before EVER .....another 1st for HMS SS. i shit you not !