According to’ The Residential Boat Owners Association’ there are around 20,000
people in the UK enjoying living on narrow boats, so at least 20,000 people in
the UK believe that narrow boats are worth buying! There are also other people who just own a narrow boat
for weekend and holiday use making the number even larger.
If you have
ever considered buying a narrowboat, you may have asked yourself “are they really
worth the money”? Well this will depend on the boat you buy, the condition it
is in, how often you intend to use it and whether owning a boat is something
you really want.
There are of
course additional expenses incurred when owning a narrow boat, just like owning
a car, caravan or house. Working out how much
money you will need each year to keep your vessel in good condition and useable
is worth knowing before you buy.
By looking at the yearly basic costs, you can
start to guage what expenses you will need to pay out when owning a boat and
whether you can afford the upkeep.
Yearly Costs include;
- Mooring fees
- Electricity
- LPG Gas
- Diesel
- Pump out of waste holding tank
- Boat Licenses
- Insurance
- Maintenance Costs
- Boat Safety Certificate
The price of
a new narrowboat starts at around £1,000
per foot, so for a 50 foot vessel you would be looking around spending at least £50,000. For
a second-hand boat of the same size in ‘good condition’ it could be less with prices starting from around £30,000, (price of course depends on the size, age, quality and standard of fit out)
It is worth
mentioning that owning a narrowboat also comes with certain responsibilities,
especially if you are not living on the vessel.
Owning a narrowboat for full time
occupation or for short breaks
Liveaboards
Alternative
ways of living, like aboard a boat could turn out to be a whole lot cheaper than
living in a bricks and mortar home.
However this life style can be overlooked
as an option due to fear and the unknown.
Many people
hire a holiday boat for a long weekend or week just to see how they get on. Trying
out living aboard is good idea before you decide to invest. Getting a feel to
life on board will give you an insight into day to day life on the canal system,
a chance to cruise, master locks and venture into long dark tunnels.
For many
owning and living aboard is just what they have dreamed of. To them it's worth getting
finance, re-mortgaging or selling their homes to fulfill their dream of having a
boating life style. For others living aboard full time is too much of a change
and a challenge, so it doesn’t suit every one.
Leisure users
Having
weekend breaks and holidays can be a wonderful escape for people and a chance
to get away from the rat race. Being able to spend time away from the family
home and also being able to travel around the UK whenever you desire makes
owning a narrowboat worth it!
Summary
The main consideration when buying a narrow boat is whether you can financially afford the
initial outlay and the yearly costs which are connected to owning a boat.
Owning a narrowboat is worth it for those who want to live on board,
or to use as a bolt hole to escape to, providing the costs are affordable.