Epic river trip

[Leo Sayer 4,021]

3 hours ago, Greyman said:

If your in the market definitely worth a gander but if you do go ahead make sure you get an out of water survey done on the hull will cost a few quid but could save you loads depending on how well maintained it has been below the water line overplating could be around 10 k on that 

Aye deffo an out of water survey. I’ve said before my old man as a narrowboat at his moorings in Cheshire, all the locks were vandalised near him and there is no or hardly any water in them and a lot of stretches been closed now. 
On a different note , last week I spent a few days on hol mooching Norfolk and had a trip round a few of the broads. I was suprised that I didn’t see one narrowboat and were all cruisers , some big ones as well. I always thought there was narrowboats and wide beam barges on the broads . Enjoyed looking round them tbh . 
 

[Greyman 33,086]

Well there’s a hurricane incoming and I’m off to Stratford on Avon first thing to pick up a boat and bring it back down the Avon to Tewkesbury then lock out onto the Severn down to Gloucester and back on the canal for Saturday morning if all goes well photos to follow 

[Daniel cain 50,302]

1 hour ago, Greyman said:

Well there’s a hurricane incoming and I’m off to Stratford on Avon first thing to pick up a boat and bring it back down the Avon to Tewkesbury then lock out onto the Severn down to Gloucester and back on the canal for Saturday morning if all goes well photos to follow 

Good luck Mate and stay safe  

[Greyman 33,086]

Back home after an epic trip 10metre tide on the Severn gale force winds and some big waves got to Stratford for 8 am Friday to find the boat leaning on its side due to a lack of water in the basin so first job put the boat in gear on full throttle and pull it out on ropes then an 11 hour ride down the Avon arrived at Tewkesbury for 730 last night next the Severn 

[Greyman 33,086]

Saturday morning departure Tewkesbury onto the Severn for 9am then a bum twitching couple of hours down to Gloucester 

[Borr 8,787]

7 hours ago, Greyman said:

Saturday morning departure Tewkesbury onto the Severn for 9am then a bum twitching couple of hours down to Gloucester 

Yep looks tight and rough in places , safe travels.

[Greyman 33,086]

14 hours ago, Borr said:

Yep looks tight and rough in places , safe travels.

The full moon means the tidal Severn comes up over the weir into the upper part and pushes all the way up to Tewkesbury the lock keeper told us not to go out until after the tide had receded but we had a deadline and the boat owner was waiting for us so we went out anyway was al very exciting and a bit arse twitching but we made it safely back and the owner got to spend last night on her boat few pics of the last 8 miles on the canal and home 

[Franks dad 3,055]

4 hours ago, Greyman said:

The full moon means the tidal Severn comes up over the weir into the upper part and pushes all the way up to Tewkesbury the lock keeper told us not to go out until after the tide had receded but we had a deadline and the boat owner was waiting for us so we went out anyway was al very exciting and a bit arse twitching but we made it safely back and the owner got to spend last night on her boat few pics of the last 8 miles on the canal and home 

Fair play to you green with envy tbh  … I love an adventure on the water , done a few twitchers myself …. Powerful water the Severn any time let alone full moon … it affects the Avon to the extent they shut the tidal lock at hanham early evening. It pushes the Avon back against the flow  almost to keynsham …. 

[Greyman 33,086]

2 hours ago, Franks dad said:

Fair play to you green with envy tbh  … I love an adventure on the water , done a few twitchers myself …. Powerful water the Severn any time let alone full moon … it affects the Avon to the extent they shut the tidal lock at hanham early evening. It pushes the Avon back against the flow  almost to keynsham …. 

The Severn between Gloucester and Tewkesbury is much the same as the lower Avon just much bigger but affected by the big tides the same I almost lost my gear under the bridge one night at keynsham when the river came up woke up as my alarms were disappearing lol

[Franks dad 3,055]

1 hour ago, Greyman said:

The Severn between Gloucester and Tewkesbury is much the same as the lower Avon just much bigger but affected by the big tides the same I almost lost my gear under the bridge one night at keynsham when the river came up woke up as my alarms were disappearing lol

I bought a boat ( river cruiser ) from Bristol docks on a whim one Saturday morning and gathered my missus and daughter ( aged about 5) and my cousin whom drove us there and we made a virgin journey back to Bath marina … left Bristol around 11.30 am ish …. Maybe a bit later , cousins saying do you know what your doing and where your going …. Don’t take the piss it’s a boat and baths to the right … two three hours max  …. We arrived at Hanham tidal lock which closed at 6.30 ( I think ) … lock keeper was just closing the far side gate as I came up full throttle and we were waving like feck at him … he got the idea and waved me through the inside gate … we got to bath marina at around 8 pm and moored up outside as I hadn’t secured a mooring … luckily 20 years ago there were plenty available … and my cousins car was still in Bristol docks  … what a day … 3 hours be fecked A good 8 minimum… 

 

[Greyman 33,086]

Thought I’d re open this as my own trip to stourport last year to paint the boat and get a survey done was cancelled due to low water so this morning I’ve re booked the dry dock and am in there on Monday 25th may for 7 days probably leave on the Friday before and spend a few days travelling up hopefully lots more pics 

[Leo Sayer 4,021]

2 minutes ago, Greyman said:

Thought I’d re open this as my own trip to stourport last year to paint the boat and get a survey done was cancelled due to low water so this morning I’ve re booked the dry dock and am in there on Monday 25th may for 7 days probably leave on the Friday before and spend a few days travelling up hopefully lots more pics 

Talking of boats, last night I was watching a YouTuber channel and a podcast this girl did. She was a former model and was a playboy girl who lived with Hugh Hefner and did the celeb thing. She was from Winchester and was sleeping in a tent broke and homeless now at the age of 41. She had got enough money together to buy a run down cabin crusier to do up and live on. She was on about the cost of living crisis and how many people were turning to boats. It was an interesting watch . 

[Councilestatekid 2,229]

Just been talking to a lad greyman he's lookin in to moving onto a boat. So I was just wondering is it a lifestyle choice or is it cheaper to live on a boat thought ud be the man to ask like.

What does a permanent mooring cost a month or year

Do you have to pay council tax

Is there like a fee to be on the water

Is it expensive to insure

Are the running costs high for like maintenance

Do you have to pay for your waste to be emptied like toilet waste water etc 

And obviously re filling the water 

Sorry for million questions but I was just wondering for him it's lifestyle he just hates living in a house I asked if it was cheaper he said he dint know or care he just wanted to get out his house and was goin at weekend to look at a narrow boat showed me pics nice boat £145 grand do they hold value ?

[Greyman 33,086]

Lots to go at so I,ll try and start at the beginning permanent moorings vary dramatically in price from marina to online moorings plus availability and competition so my marina is the only one on this whole canal so costs a premium I also have a fat boat so I take up two births but get charged one and a half which is around 7000/8000 per year I get my water and waste and a nice secure private car park river licence is about 1500 but again I get charged more because of width then insurance is around £300/400 I pay £18 every 2/3 months to empty my waste tank, council tax is only payable in a residential marinas though many non residential ones allow you to stay all year but you can’t get mail delivered or refuse taken and your meant to be out for 3 months a year blacking is every 4 years we’re the boat comes out the water mine will cost me about a grand to do it myself or around £2.5 k to have it done again double a narrow boat think that covers it apart from life choice and yes I would not swap this life to go back in a house not through finance but just because it’s better I have just sold one house and have another two on the market so for me I have plenty of options but this is as good as it gets, finally I would say depending on its age a £145k for a narrow boat is top dollar the one my daughter took up country is on for around 110 and is an absolutely stunning boat and has the best of everything on it I could send you a link for him if he’s interested don’t know if he’s already committed to the 145 one anything else just ask away mate hope that’s a little help 

[Councilestatekid 2,229]

It's a dear do then living on a boat I just wondered out of my own curiosity to be honest as asked him and he wasn't sure of everything and he didn't seem arsed as hes worth a few quid just wants out of his house said he feels like a prisoner in a house . But wanted something for a base so he's goin boat route cheers for that pal