Have you
ever wondered just what the attraction of living on a narrowboat holds and what
sort of people choose such a lifestyle?
Well we are
lucky enough to meet and help boaters every single day and therefore know a
little bit about why life on the water holds such an attraction and what sort
of people are drawn to canal life.
Facts About Boaters
They enjoy seeing ducklings swimming past their
windows each day.
If they
don’t like the neighbours, they just go and get new ones.
Their garden
is around 2,000 miles long of which none of it they maintain.
Living on a
narrow boat allows them a way of live which enables them to keep moving, but
always be at home a very rare opportunity indeed.
They are a
friendly bunch of people who have a sense of community and look out for each
other.
Facts About Canal Life
It’s
peaceful and calm
The pace of
life is MUCH slower than that on the land
It makes you
more environmentally friendly
Material
things take second place to a simpler way of living
Being on the
canal makes you more connected to your surrounds either in the town, city or
countryside.
Facts About Cruising
It keeps you
fit
Its good fun
You are able
to enjoy the country side, towns and cities from a waterside view
It’s
relaxing
Are You Thinking Of Buying A Narrow
Boat?
Of course owning
a narrow boat doesn’t mean you have to live on it full time, many people buy a boat so they have a bolt hole for holidays and long weekends. This enables them
to escape day to day living and turn to a much more relaxing environment for
certain periods throughout the year.
It is also a
good investment and provides your family with a second home. So for example you
may use this just for leisure purposes i.e. holidays and weekends breaks or
alternatively it may be used as accommodation for your children should they
want to study at university away from home or if they are unable to get on the
housing ladder.
Towards the
end of March and the beginning of April sees the start of the cruising season,
so this is a good time for anyone who is considering buying a narrow boat to try out a boating holiday. We strongly
advise newbies to hire before they buy so they can get a real understanding and
a feel for life on a narrow boat.
It’s also important
to know what type of boat will best suit your needs. When buying a boat there
are a few key points to consider;
Price; there is a huge selection of boats
on the market ranging from a few thousand pounds to £100,000 plus. So set
yourself a sensible budget before you start viewing boats this way you won’t
waste your time and potentially get your hopes up on a boat that is out of your
current price range.
Length; doesn’t really affect the cruising of
a narrowboat but where you do need to consider length is when you are looking
for moorings, as mooring bays are priced on the boats length. Also depending on
how many people you are going to have on board and how often you intend to use
the boat will have an impact on which length will work best for you.
Style; The main difference between all the
styles is the stern deck, which is at the back of the boat. There are basically
3 types of sterns which are called traditional, semi- traditional and cruisers.
The front exterior
area of narrowboats is generally the same depending on the manufacture and how
the boat was built. Some have a longer front than some but all have an outside
area you can use.
There are of
course other things to consider when buying a narrow boat and our guide to getting a float is a good place to start the process of owning your own narrow boat.