Yes, it is possible to buy a canal boat as a home. This is a much cheaper option than buying an entire house, but it comes with a variety of drawbacks with it’s advantages. You can buy a narrowboat to live on for only £20,000, although prices do vary based on a boat’s size and condition.
Is it cheaper to live on a narrowboat?
Is living on a narrowboat cheaper than living in a house? ‘Yes’ – for most people. Boats are generally cheaper to buy or rent, buy an old cruiser for a few hundred pounds! Moorings usually are cheaper than property taxes, even free as long as you keep cruising!
How much does it cost to run a narrowboat in the UK?
This varies depending on your boat’s size and location, but you’re looking at roughly between £3,000 to £18,000 per annum. You’ll also have to budget for your regular Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) certificate every four years. This generally costs around £180.
Is it worth buying a narrowboat?
Owning a narrowboat or a widebeam canal boat is a great investment as it allows you to access the beautiful canals in the UK and gives you the freedom to travel the country whenever you decide.
Can you live on a canal boat UK? – Related Questions
Will boat prices go down in 2022 UK?
Based on boating industry trends in the past two years and the continuous rise of the boating market, the short answer is that boat prices are highly unlikely to go down in 2022 due to pandemic-caused supply chain disruptions and the continuing popularity of boating in general.
How long do narrowboats last?
If you take good care of it, the narrowboat battery may last for as long as six to eight years. If you don’t take good care of it, it can fail within a couple of seasons.
What is the best length for a narrowboat?
Generally speaking, a 30-40 foot boat is ample as a holiday boat, whilst a 50 plus foot boat is ideal for extended cruising or living aboard. There is a myth that boats must be no longer than 57 feet long, because some locks have a maximum length of 60 feet.
What do you need to own a narrowboat?
Just like owning a car or house you need the relevant paper work, which for a narrowboat will include; insurance, boat safety certificate and ownership papers. Make sure you have all these in place when you buy.
Is it easy to drive a narrowboat?
The idea of being in control of a canal boat can feel a bit scary, but in reality it’s much simpler than driving a car and you don’t need a licence.
How do you buy a private narrowboat?
The Transaction Process. The stages of the transaction should be the same whether you buy a narrowboat from a brokerage or a private seller. You look, you like, place an offer subject to survey, sign a purchase contract, pay a deposit, arrange the survey/valuation and any finance if required.
Do you have to pay council tax if you live on a boat?
Paying council tax for a houseboat
You may have to pay council tax if you live on a houseboat with a residential mooring.
How much does a canal boat cost UK?
The price of buying a narrowboat depends on the amount of space you want and the amount of work you are willing to do. It is possible to pick up a ‘project’ for as little as £15,000 or you could spend around £150,000 on a high-spec new boat.
Do Narrowboats depreciate?
9.5 If you don’t like the idea of a canal boat depreciating in value, the best thing to do is to buy one that is at least a couple of years old. Usually, most of the depreciation happens in the first 5 years or so. When you buy a second hand narrowboat you are bypassing a lot of that major first step of depreciation.
How much fuel does a narrowboat use?
In the UK, the typical fuel consumption of a canal boat is around 1 litre per hour of cruising. Narrowboat fuel tanks can typically hold 200 litres of fuel – however, this varies from boat to boat, depending on size of the narrowboat and more factors.
Can narrow boats go on sea?
Going into the sea and/or coastal waters with a narrowboat can be possible if you wait for totally calm conditions. You also need a narrowboat that has been properly sealed against the conditions on the open sea. Well sealed windows and doors, and a way to stop the well deck flooding for a start.
What side of the canal do you drive on?
On all waterways, the rule of the road is to drive on the right. On wide waterways this may be easy. But on most canals, unless there’s another boat coming towards you, you’ll steer down the middle as it’s likely to be shallow near the edges.
What is the speed limit on a canal?
Keep Under Control And Below The 4mph Speed Limit.
It’s always advisable to slow down when approaching other boats, locks, bridges or tunnels, especially if they are on a bend and you can’t see clearly through.
Is it hard to steer a canal boat?
A narrowboat handles very curiously because it’s flat-bottomed and draws very little water. It’s surprisingly maneuverable, but moving at such low speed, you have to anticipate your turns and wait for any movement of the tiller to have any effect. Once the boat does turn, it will continue to turn for some time.