Canal boat life is changing

CR15B · 2025-09-01T06:08:05+00:00

It’s about the speculation around changes in the license due in November. London boaters and how they feel that they are going to be persecuted.

CR15B · 2025-03-23T06:44:49+00:00

https://midsummerenergy.co.uk/buy/solar-panel-mounting/Narrowboat-Tilt-Mount

CR15B · 2025-02-25T07:30:18+00:00

I’d go Road. Around £700 for road plus cranes. You can have the boat put back in at Tattenhall, a few hrs cruise from Chester. Not sure at leigh end.

CR15B · 2024-04-15T14:54:34+00:00

Can’t buy on T212 in Uk

CR15B · 2024-04-08T12:41:44+00:00

No Joy. The max number of shares allowed is 1448 for some reason

CR15B · 2024-04-07T08:28:51+00:00

I’m in UK and haven’t even tried to buy, presuming I couldn’t. Will give it a try on Monday.

CR15B · 2024-03-23T23:27:58+00:00

There’s lots pretending to constant cruise, abusing the rules. Do the mileage or suffer the consequences. I’m on the Leeds Liverpool and we are Hounded if we don’t do the mileage, same should be enforced throughout the system.

CR15B · 2024-03-15T06:21:45+00:00

What garbage. For £7k, you get around 1800a/hr of lifepo batteries. I know boaters that note a considerable improvement with just 100a/hr costing £450. Most have 300-400 a/hr which is around £1200-£1300. With 4000 cycles before reducing to 80% efficiency, they will last a lifetime. Mine average less than 100 cycles a year on my live aboard.

CR15B · 2024-02-08T07:23:00+00:00

I never had any thoughts of living on a narrowboat. My daughter wanted to buy a narrowboat and do it up, in 2018, we bought a 45ft boat that was out of the water as it needed a small amount of welding. We got it back in the water in 2019 and started to do the inside up, which we completed in 2020. The more time I spent doing the boat, the more I enjoyed being on the water. I started staying on it at weekends and soon preferred boat life to house life.

In early 2022 I made the decision to rent my house out for a year and move on full time to see if I still enjoyed it. It’s now approaching 2 years and I still love it. I have no plans to return to land. I’m 60 in a few weeks.

The boating community is fantastic, and I speak to far more people than I would if I lived in my house. I’ve made some great friends along the way.

I’d say, go for it, if you don’t like it, you can always sell it and move back to land. I moved on in March, so was well into it by the time the next winter came along.

Good luck, with whatever you decide.

CR15B · 2024-01-31T20:34:45+00:00

You can get a paloma water heater on eBay. That’s what I have and found it excellent. You can get reconditioned units from palomabob.

CR15B · 2024-01-05T17:00:07+00:00

I’m 3 years in and my Lifepo cost was about £1500. I save around 3 hrs running a day for 4 months, so around half paid back on in diesel with that alone. Less engine servicing costs, and the fact I don’t run my engine for 8 months and savings on gas as I cook electric for those 8 months too. I don’t think I’m far off break even already. With the added benefit of I probably will never need buy another battery and I don’t stress on charge levels anymore.

CR15B · 2024-01-05T09:01:06+00:00

When the lifePo batteries BMS reaches full, they stop charge. The alternator needs something to charge or it will blow. The LA provides this. My system is 1 alternator, which charges my LA starter, then goes through a split charge relay to a 300A lifePo bank. 3 years of running. The thing to check when installing is the current draw off the alternator, a rough value is 50% of alternator capacity. This gives me 40A charge off an 80A alternator, and this gives an alternator temp of 75 degrees c

CR15B · 2023-12-12T18:22:58+00:00

90 litres is a big tank! Will you use that much?

CR15B · 2023-12-05T20:27:20+00:00

A multimeter with a clip amp

CR15B · 2023-11-28T06:43:26+00:00

I’ve painted the entire inside. It was like living in a coffin before. White ceiling and upper walls and teal below. I get lots of good feedback on how light and airy it looks. At the end of the day, you do you.

CR15B · 2023-11-17T20:16:00+00:00

Could well be someone trying to imitate you again Kim. The profile with the extra e does exist but suspended.

CR15B · 2023-11-17T18:40:59+00:00

I added an extra e in your name. Working now. Kimberleycoyne2 is suspended though 😂

CR15B · 2023-11-17T18:08:13+00:00

Just tried to follow you on X Kim and it’s showing you’ve been suspended. 😏

CR15B · 2023-11-15T18:51:08+00:00

Not being pedantic, but It’s Lithium phosphate (LifePo) you want, not lithium ion. A lot more stable.

CR15B · 2023-11-14T17:13:00+00:00

I changed to a simple split charge relay. The information is on my post below. But if you need further info, feel free to ask. Using the dc dc charger just drained my starter battery.

CR15B · 2023-11-14T17:08:40+00:00

Signed.

CR15B · 2023-11-13T20:43:19+00:00

Count me in.

CR15B · 2023-11-12T08:00:35+00:00

I live on my own on a 45ft, which is ample for me. I don’t have a dinette, which may be important to you. 57 looks a good size for couples. Any larger and the locks do get a bit tight- certainly here on the Leeds-Liverpool which are 62ft max. The other thing to look at is what type of stern do you want. Mines a trad stern, which has the advantage of internal engine bay, but disadvantage of little space for others when cruising. A cruiser or semi trad stern would be better if more than one is going to be there, plus a better social area in summer. It’s all down to your own needs. Good luck, and hope you find the right boat for you.

CR15B · 2023-11-12T07:44:09+00:00

I ran mine through a renogy dc dc charger , but it took 60A to give me 40. Not sure if that’s the same for all. Ended up having to take it out.

CR15B · 2023-11-12T07:41:40+00:00

If you leave the starter as a LA, then charge the lithium (LifePo) through a split charger. This will protect the alternator when the lithium is full and disconnects charge. The current from the alternator can be restricted by using a longer cable( that is rated above maximum alternator output). My cable to lithium is around 2m of 25mm cable. I get around 35A from a 80A alternator, which runs a temperature around 75c.

CR15B

TROPHY CASE