Mooring in marinas is probably the commonest location for boats on the inland waterways. Diesel at 95p/litre equals £79.80 for the fortnight. Very generally, depending on boat length, location and facilities bank on paying from around £2,000 pa for a midlands marina to £12,000 pa for a central London private residential mooring. Any power you use will have a cost. The fixed costs for living aboard in the UK. Anything less(more)! If you’re buying second-hand, a pre-purchase survey (costing around £700 for a 62ft boat) would normally be done out of the water - i.e. A major manufacturer of table top water filters recommends a new filter cartridge every month at a cost of around £3 or £36 pa. Are the other cities on your list more or less affordable than your current home? Although many owners are mechanically minded you will still have the annual cost of consumables if you DIY. This is an extremely useful booklet for anyone considering living afloat. You have come to home page for The Narrowboat Experience. Pingback: Narrowboat moorings | narrow boat info. Some domestic appliances such as hobs and ovens run on bottled gas. - YouTube youtube narrowboat vlogs; 27/05/2017; This week we share with you some footage we took a few weeks back to give you an idea of what it’s like living on a narrowboat. More specifically, your canal boat insurance can be tailored to your individual requirements. Marinas will also insist on canal boat insurance and in-any-case, why would you not insure such an important purchase. These costs are divided into two section fixed and variable. We cover this in more detail in the Painting & Protection chapter. What could be more idyllic than living cheaply in a beautiful canalside setting alongside ducks, dragonflies and friendly fellow boat dwellers? They are DINKies (double income, no kids), have a dog, fully admit how much work they put into their boat, but none-the-less love life on board. Our preferred way of life in the UK comes in the form of an 18 ton steel barge. So aside from the lifestyle benefits a big draw for people considering a liveaboard is the perceived reduction in cost of living. See our Anodes section in the Hull & Integral Parts chapter. Firstly we measure in terms of engine hours run rather than miles or litres per gallon. Cost of living on a narrowboat will vary from person to person depending upon your lifestyle. See our luxury boat hire fleet and boats for sale for build quality, images and features if you use residential moorings orcontinuously cruising the pros and cons will vary. It’s 7ft wide, 60ft long and strips our lifestyle down to the bare necessities. End of story. As with any insurance, ring around for quotes and read the small print. For example a Gold Licence covers both CRT and Environment Agency navigations and for 2017 one of these licences for a 70’ boat paid by direct debit will cost £1,478. A traditional narrow boat for sale would be a popular choice for boat buyers wishing to cruise inland waterways. It is good practice to black the hull and replace sacrificial anodes every 2 to 3 years. Or as we call it in England a narrowboat. Having read this I am more likely to make the dream come true. Maintenance costs are annual and on-going. If you want a brand new narrowboat designed and fitted out to your own specifications you can pay in excess of ?100,000. For others though, an engine gets you from A to B, and water comes out of the tap when you turn it on. They offer an auction based scheme for annual mooring rental. How much this will cost will entirely depend upon whether you travel in your boat. Estimated costs of living on a Narrowboat and continuously cruising the canal system in England and Wales. If DIY fitting out a sailaway canal boat, confirm this is acceptable to the marina owners. However, there are some “standards”. Therefore: Diesel at 75p/litre equals £63.00 for the fortnight. It is not as cheap an option as you may think, though does have some cheaper benefits. For both integral tank systems and cassettes, you will need to buy toilet fluids. For the more budget conscious we could include rope & fender sets & battery banks as consumables as these will have a finite lifetime and will ultimately need replacing. Not all marinas and boat yards offer this service so if your boat has a tank you will have to factor not only the cost of emptying but also the cost of getting the boat to a suitable sanitary station. This is asimple and helpful guide to the pros and cons of living on a narrowboat. The other common type of toilet found on narrow boats is the cassette type. Speak to the CRT Boat Licencing Team to discuss what are the best options for your lifestyle and location. £800 (DIY inc dry dock facilities), Anode replacement at same time as hull blacking – £400 (including welding), Boat Safety Scheme (every 4 years) – from £150 plus any repairs required, Battery replacement (every 3 years) – £400. These private, on-the-line moorings can also vary tremendously in facilities and security offered. Diesel at 80p/litre equals £67.20 for the fortnight. Not all marinas or bank-side moorings are classed as residential. Living afloat on a narrowboat does sound wonderful! Moored on a Canal & River Trust towpath mooring with no shoreline hook up, Multi-fuel stove, burning a mix of coal and wood, Solar power set up – 5 panels; maximum 600 watts (45A), Portable petrol generator with electric remote start, Webasto central heating system for radiator heating and hot water, High power draw from appliances: 12 v fridge and freezer; 12v TV; 40 inch 240v TV; 20 inch 240v TV; washing machine; microwave, Cruising per annum: 2-3 weeks per year, plus occasional weekends. If you are in residential moorings then you will have a monthly charge of about £300 for a 60 ft (18.3 meter) boat. Most boaters will travel away from “home” marinas or moorings and therefore the canal boat insurance cover is not post-code specific. Living on a narrowboat Copyright 2017 - The Fit Out Pontoon | All Rights Reserved | Powered by Knowledge. A narrowboat is made to the fit the narrow waterways and canals and has a standard width of 6 feet 10 inches wide. Don’t assume your local marina will be sympathetic to your new floating home lifestyle, they may simply offer a storage facility. We accept that some owners are highly practical and capable engineers. The author has covered all of the outlay that you are likely to face in an easy and straight forward manner. Please take these figures as a guide only as there will be boaters who have had the same battery for the last 20 years and whose lines were used during the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. A narrowboat can cost as little as £15,000 for a 'project craft' to more than £150,000 for a brand new boat, built to your own specification. A highly emotive subject, check with the Canal & River Trust concerning your rights and obligations. With a basic 3 x 12v wet cell battery system, you could budget for approximately £50 pa over a 6 year estimated lifespan. The information packed eBook “The REAL Cost Of Living Afloat,” showing you every conceivable cost of living afloat, and how much you should budget… The 185-Page eBook “21 Liveaboard Case Studies,” featuring interviews with over 20 liveaboard boaters, for a combined total of over 100+ years of narrowboat experience… Also depending on your boatsize and facilities you have will also affect your standard of living. By Zuzana Prochazka. The previous section covers the variety of costs you need to consider budgeting for, however it is very difficult to provide accurate figures. Check with the marina staff and local authority with regards to Council Tax liabilities if you are considering using your boat as your primary residence. Typically, a narrowboat will achieve diesel consumption in the area of 1 to 1.5 litres per hour. If you purify and filter your drinking water then a state of the art in-line canister system will require a new filter every 6 to 12 months at a cost of around £60. We are Annamarie and Kath, two wives, who with our two cats Munchkin and Alice, live on our 57ft Narrowboat. See our Heating chapter for more in-depth information regarding narrow boat heating types. Factor on £100 to £200 pa. Expect to pay £130 for 20 litres of a standard one part bituminous coating plus the cost of materials used in preparation and application should you choose to DIY. Fuel is also used for heating and for domestic appliances. Domestic water is often included in mooring costs but check in any case. We debated long and hard what to include in this section & decided in the end to try and give general figures intended as a guideline only. More realistically, boating related consumables will include items such as toilet treatments, water purification products, engine oils and specialist greases for stern tubes where fitted. Cost of living on a narrowboat; Canal Boat Experience; What’s it like living on a narrowboat? A basic engine service may cost from £150 to £250 depending on engine type and sophistication. Please understand we have been working here at worse case scenario and for many boaters the consumables costs are far lower. MINIMAL LIST Narrowboat liveaboards & CC'ers since May 2017.Exploring the whole network. If you work on an average of 1.3 litres per hour then you won’t actually be too far off. Another of the blogs advises on costs of living on a narrowboat verses costs of living in a house, and discusses what costs to allow when owning a narrowboat. If you are thinkingabout living on a narrowboat rather than a brick home this choice sh… Allow £20 to £50 pa for these depending on your system and dosage requirements. Discover everything you need to know about life on a narrowboat, the lifestyle cost and its practicalities. Living aboard is a life style choice and shouldn’t be seen as a cheap way of getting on the property ladder. The marine environment is harsh and your investment needs looking after. “Living on a boat seemed very adventurous and different. ... Total annual cost estimate with Mooring and Maintenance contingency - £4865. Many landowners who own canalside property will also offer moorings. Copyright 2017 - The Fit Out Pontoon | All Rights Reserved | Powered by Knowledge. I think the increase is partly thanks to what appears to be an increasing number of news articles, suggesting you could buy this incredible live aboard narrowboat for just £25,000, it’s a … This will vary in cost with reference to how long your boat is and how you wish to use it. It’s simply a question of finding the right balance for your individual circumstances. A third option for mooring is via the Canal & River Trust. Mooring fees £2309 (In a nearby marina, the mooring fees would be c. £4400), Internet access (£30 per month MiFi 64GB data) £360, Hull Blacking (bitumen paint system recommended every 3 years) – approx. In contrast, the average house costs £200,000 – and unless you are a cash buyer … Your narrowboat needs to be licenced to use EA or CRT navigable waterways but if moored in an exempt marina the fee is waived. Thirdly Costs for a 60 FT narrow boat. 69 x 11ft widebeam housing 2 adults, 1 child, a cat and a dog! We currently rent in a 3 bedroom semi-detached home with a small garage, garden and driveway in Northampton, which really sets us back a fair amount a month, £850.00 to be precise. Being you own 'captain', able to move on whenever and wherever mood or weather or job may take you. Having read this I am more likely to make the dream come true. 32 talking about this. Obviously electricity costs will depend upon your consumption. When you move on board you must look at costs. Pump-out at marinas, boat yards and at selected CRT sanitary stations costs on average £15. Self pump-out kits are available from around £400. The costs listed below are based on personal experience with the following scenario (as of 2018): In 2017 we had a full re-paint of our boat as well as blacking, the costs for this work as follows: Not what you're looking for? A typical 2 week cruise averaging 6 hours travelling per day is 84 hours. Browse our narrow boats for sale. Currently, a handful of marinas in the UK are CRT licence exempt. The costs will be a little different in each case, so we have chosen as an example a 54ft (16.62m) narrow boat in regular use and well maintained. Boaters often romanticize the idea of living aboard. Toilet treatment chemicals come in at around £15 to £40 pa depending on use. Home from work, we set up the camera and got on with our day to day “normal” life. These enable owners to empty waste tanks directly into sewers or sanitary stations. We continually cruise the UK inland waterways whilst running our own business – Art By Annamarie. Having explored the various costs to consider when owning a narrowboat in the previous section; this section is a case study to illustrate the actual costs associated with living-aboard a canal boat. I have been considering living on a narrowboat for years but was put off by the unknown. A 50ft narrowboat can be purchased for as little as £20,000. Engine is run for approximately 30 minutes per day during the summer (often to power the washing machine), increasing to 2 hours per day in the winter. Depending upon the agreed value of your boat, such minimum insurance cover is available from as little as £100 per annum. “But I would never have thought of a boat before Maria suggested it. As a minimum, your canal boat insurance company must be regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority and cover third party liabilities of at least two million pounds. The cost of living in many of America’s great cities has become prohibitive. Here we explore the most common expenses for day to day life whilst traveling and living on the water. So withthat in mind this is just a list of the problems and the positives that you might experience if you live on anarrowboat. Is it expensive living on a narrowboat in winter? The majority of narrowboat … https://www.thefitoutpontoon.co.uk/finance-costs/annual-cost-breakdown Narrow boat size, cruising choices and mooring options will have the biggest impact on the living costs associated with living on a narrow boat. I have been considering living on a narrowboat for years but was put off by the unknown. You will have your CRT license to pay about £900 for 2017. Unless you choose to cruise continuously, you will need a home mooring. Here's 12 questions to ask yourself when planning to live aboard a boat. The author has covered all of the outlay that you are likely to face in an easy and straight forward manner. Diesel at 90p/litre equals £75.60 for the fortnight. The fixed costs Moorings. In this article ALL of the costs are detailed and explained. Obviously, annual cost for consumables will depend on how you consume. Diesel at £1.00/litre equals £84.00 for the fortnight. Moorings within a Marina Residential moorings in London usually attract Band A charges so again, check with the mooring provider for your responsibilities. The third blog talks about the costs of living on a narrowboat , including moorings and licence fees for using the waterways. Narrow boat build cost calculator to give a price for options. However, factor into your cost of living the cost of touching up scrapes and keeping rust at bay. Colin, a very informative read, I plan on buying and living on a narrowboat in the future and find this article very useful especially as I’ll be a first time buyer and need as much information as possible before any purchase. https://www.thefitoutpontoon.co.uk/finance-costs/living-costs This is an extremely useful booklet for anyone considering living afloat. If your boat does not have a suitably sanitised potable water storage tank, you may need to consider the cost of bottled drinking water. If your new purchase is not licenced you will need to apply to the Canal & River Trust for your annual license. It’s your choice what level of cover you require and policies can therefore be tailored with very specific regards to your personal circumstances. 7. Living on a Boat Full Time: How Much Will It Cost You? A narrowboat can cost as little as £15,000 for a 'project craft' to more than £150,000 for new one built to your own specification. Annual Costs… How Much Does It Really Cost? Besides the actual boat itself, you’ll encounter several additional costs, depending on how you use your boat: Canal and River Trust licences: Costs depend on your boat’s size, but as an idea, a 40ft vessel is just over £700 per year. Now, this is not for everyone. As a side note, continuous cruising attracts certain licensing conditions and the requirement that canal and river mooring time limits are respected. Depending on your individual situation i.e. Those boaters who use a diesel fuel additive to help combat fuel bug & keep injectors clean will pay around £10 to treat 1000 litres of fuel for a popular brand of additive. Diesel at 85p/litre equals £71.40 for the fortnight. The issue of your licence by The Canal & River Trust is conditional on you having a current boat insurance policy in place. Best advice, do your homework first and ring round your chosen geographical location. Facilities vary so do your homework. Anode replacement will cost around £150, including welding. Each chooses the level of comfort wanted on board. From brand new at the point of sale a narrow boat does not require a formal Boat Safety Scheme Examination / Certificate. September 27, 2018. Mooring costs can vary a great deal depending on facilities offered and boat length. Cost. That cost may be the initial purchase price of a solar or wind based 12v generating system or the diesel you use in the 240v generator or boat engine to top up the battery bank. Rod September 3, 2013 at 7:25 am. I liked the idea of not having neighbours, and that is clearly … Paintwork requires looking after if you want to protect your investment. Propane currently costs around £25/13kg bottle. The costs of living on a canal boat Living aboard a narrowboat and continuously cruising our UK canals can be a wonderful way of life, free to move and change the view from the window whenever you want, we know, we've done it since 1995! can Offering security of safety in numbers, mooring in a marina is a great way for boaters to network, build relationships & gain experience. Unless posted otherwise, towpath mooring is restricted to 14 days continuous occupation after which you are obliged to move on. With… Check with your particular engine manufacturer but services intervals are typically 200 hours or annually, whichever is sooner. Assuming 5 to 7 years as an average lifetime, a rope & fender set will cost around £25pa. is a bonus. Unlike conventional household insurance, specialist marine insurers are aware of the different risks involved in providing cover for boaters. For peace of mind when cruising the waterways, many owners will subscribe to a narrowboat breakdown cover. When licencing your narrow boat, the CRT will need a copy of your current BSS examination. These costs are estimates based on a 57 foot narrow boat and are only a guide to give you an idea of approximate cost. A DIY engine service could cost around £40 to £60 for a service kit plus oil and grease. Diesel at £1.05/litre equals £88.20 for the fortnight. Well, this is a “how long is a piece of string” cost of living. Expect to pay a total of £400 to £450 per annum by adding £15,000 contents cover with specific laptop, mobile and cycle cover. How often you need to pump out depends entirely on your habits and the size of your holding tank. Check they accept children should you have a family, and don’t assume your dog or cat will be welcome. Many marinas offer price packages for slippage, anode replacement and blacking but please do check the materials they use are to your expectations and they allow sufficient time to correctly prepare the hull and allow the coatings to dry in accordance with the manufacturers specs. In this example,to licence a 42’ boat to cruise rivers only for 6 months currently costs £292 (2017). However, once a narrowboat is four years old it will from there on in periodically require every four years a Boat Safety Scheme examination which will cost upwards of £150 plus the cost of repairing or replacing anything that is faulty. Moorings are likely to be your biggest fixed cost and … We have picked a shell priced mid way between the two guide prices discussed earlier. If your boat comes with a renewable energy system already installed you have saved on installation & equipment costs and only then have to cover cost for replacing worn out parts such as batteries etc. Maria and Helen have lived on a ship on a central canal in Amsterdam for three years. Fuel is used for propulsion (yes even you electric boaters will have a fuel cost to energise your battery banks). Narrowboat Living. ...is the world’s only budget calculator designed specifically for narrowboat owners. The narrow boat is a traditional style flat-bottomed boat, of distinctive design. You will be able to pick up a decent second hand boat of about 60′ suitable for living aboard for about ?40,000. Blacking materials will vary in cost depending on the hull size. As we briefly mentioned in the canal boat insurance section, some policies will offer some form of narrow boat breakdown cover. Below, I have detailed the general narrowboat costs that you will incur followed by some specific costs that I have faced since moving onto narrowboat James in April 2010. Of course the quality of the fittings you purchase will have an affect on the overall cost… Narrowboats with integral sewage waste tanks will need them emptying. The costs of living on a narrowboat . “Moving on” means different things to different people. Adding fire,theft, damage, personal accident, breakdown cover and protecting your no-claims bonus could take the annual policy up to around £250 to £300. Use the link here to visit the licensing section of the CRT website. Looking to live large in a tiny place? “How much does it cost to buy a narrowboat then?” well what a wonderfully broad question that is.