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I've been considering a canal boat for a while, but the amount of restrictions on them in the UK is really confusing. If you want to live full-time on a canal b

I've been considering a canal boat for a while, but the amount of restrictions on them in the UK is really confusing. If you want to live full-time on a canal boat, you either need to be a constant cruiser (never stopping in one place for more than 2 weeks) or have a residential mooring. That doesn't sound too bad until you discover there are currently TWO residential moorings for sale in the entire UK. It's crazy. I'd still be tempted to do it with a constant cruising license, if only for a few years. I need to start paying money into something I own rather than wasting it on rent, but it's not exactly cheap to get into the housing market.

codeulike 13y ago
re: residential moorings: I looked at canal boats in London. You can buy boats that already have moorings, otherwise you have to get on a 5-year waiting list. Actually buying the mooring on its own doesn't seem easy. Usually its either buy-the-boat-and-mooring or get on the waiting list. But even with a mooring, you still pay rent for it. Here's some example numbers: Saw a lovely boat moored in residential moorings near Kings Place (really central london). Price was £90,000, which is a lot but when you compare it to flats in the same area it becomes attractive. But ... the monthly mooring charge would still be around £600 a month, which is like paying rent anyway. Actual boat-on-its-own was valued around £50,000 which means you're paying an extra £40,000 for the mooring and then have to keep paying £600 a month to keep the mooring. A bit like paying a mortgage, but without any capital gain. If you give up the mooring, you're boat is instantly worth 40k less. Also bear in mind that its hard to get mortgages to buy boats. I know a chap who's got a boat without mooring and its a lot of fun but yes he does have to keep moving it. edit: for fun, foxtons search of houseboats for sale in London http://www.foxtons.co.uk/search?search_type=SS&openhouse=&oh_date_from=&oh_date_to=&stoppress=&sp_max_days=&submit_type=search&search_form=map&prop_type=boats&bedrooms=&bedrooms_max=&price_from=&price_to=&location_ids=290&new_homes_id=&sold=1&dev_op=&result_view=&per_page=10&order_by=price_asc http://www.foxtons.co.uk/search?search_type=SS&openhouse=&oh... tldr: boats and stuff.

codeulike 13y ago

re: residential moorings: I looked at canal boats in London. You can buy boats that already have moorings, otherwise you have to get on a 5-year waiting list. Actually buying the mooring on its own doesn't seem easy. Usually its either buy-the-boat-and-mooring or get on the waiting list. But even with a mooring, you still pay rent for it. Here's some example numbers: Saw a lovely boat moored in residential moorings near Kings Place (really central london). Price was £90,000, which is a lot but when you compare it to flats in the same area it becomes attractive. But ... the monthly mooring charge would still be around £600 a month, which is like paying rent anyway. Actual boat-on-its-own was valued around £50,000 which means you're paying an extra £40,000 for the mooring and then have to keep paying £600 a month to keep the mooring. A bit like paying a mortgage, but without any capital gain. If you give up the mooring, you're boat is instantly worth 40k less. Also bear in mind that its hard to get mortgages to buy boats. I know a chap who's got a boat without mooring and its a lot of fun but yes he does have to keep moving it. edit: for fun, foxtons search of houseboats for sale in London http://www.foxtons.co.uk/search?search_type=SS&openhouse=&oh_date_from=&oh_date_to=&stoppress=&sp_max_days=&submit_type=search&search_form=map&prop_type=boats&bedrooms=&bedrooms_max=&price_from=&price_to=&location_ids=290&new_homes_id=&sold=1&dev_op=&result_view=&per_page=10&order_by=price_asc http://www.foxtons.co.uk/search?search_type=SS&openhouse=&oh... tldr: boats and stuff.