A narrowboat costs just £57,000 on average, with new and cutting-edge boats costing up to £150,000. As long as you stay on top of renovation costs, it’s no wonder owning a narrowboat is attractive.
Are narrowboats a good investment?
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.
Is living on a narrowboat cheap?
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!
Do narrowboats keep their value?
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 is it to buy a narrowboat? – Related Questions
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.
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 much is a narrow boat UK?
Up to £10,000
This is the real entry point of narrowboating.
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.
Do I need a licence to drive a narrowboat?
You do not need a licence or certificate to steer a boat for up to 12 people, the maximum canal boat size. What does the boat hire charge include ? The hire charge is quoted for the boat with up to its specified maximum number of people. A full tank of fuel gives two weeks cruising time on average.
Can you drink and drive a narrowboat?
“No person shall navigate any vessel on any canal or take any part in the navigation, mooring or handling of any vessel on the canal whilst under the influence of drink to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the vessel.”
How far can you travel on a canal boat in a day?
How far can I travel? During the summer months you can expect to cruise for anywhere between four and seven hours a day. Travelling at 3-4mph for four hours a day will mean you cover around 80 to 100 miles in a week. This will still provide plenty of time for lazy lunches and energetic exploring.
Can narrowboats travel at night?
Can I drive a narrowboat at night? As with regular canal boats, if you own the boat, you can technically travel any time you want. However, it is strongly recommended you have proper lighting, and don’t travel in snow and ice.
Can you moor anywhere on a canal?
Most visitor moorings on canals and rivers governed by the Canal & River Trust are often free of charge. You are permitted to moor almost anywhere alongside canal towpaths for no fee, as long as you are not causing an obstruction to the waterway.
Can you drive a canal boat at night?
If you plan to travel at night, your boat should be equipped with port- and starboard-running lights (red and green) and a white light at front and rear. Although all narrowboats are equipped with a headlight, it’s there primarily for tunnels and may not be the best light source for cruising at night.
Can you drink canal water?
Never drink water from rivers, canals or lakes.
Can you live alone on a narrowboat?
If you do get a good mooring with the full compliment of facilities, you’ll at least be able to live a fairly regular, comfortable lifestyle and hold down a job, or even get the kids to school. You’ll be able to hook up for waste, water and electricity.
How fast do Narrowboats go?
Most narrow boat cruising will be around three miles an hour, or less. Moored boats, shallow water or congested and narrow sections of canal all mean that narrowboat crews will have to slow down.
Which side do you pass on a canal?
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. When you do meet an approaching boat, keep to the right and pass ‘port-to-port’ (the left side of your boat passes the left side of the approaching boat).
How often do you have to move a narrowboat?
As part of having any kind of boat licence, all boats need to move every 14 days (or sooner depending on the mooring sign), unless you’re on your home mooring of course.
Can anyone drive a canal boat?
No. Anyone over 21 can hire a canal boat with no licence or training whatsoever. Most people pick up steering and controlling the boat fairly quickly, canal hire firms will give basic training if you have no one experienced on board before letting you loose, and it is possible to take some lessons in advance.