Advice on fibreglass Dawncraft 1978 please

[waynes world]

@rootytooty
If you can send me a link for the sale add. I'll give you a better idea on it. A lot to think of for a livaboard and what you will need. If got at a later date can cost a lot. Few folk on here don't know much about inland boating but I have been doing it for over 25 years and built and faffed with many boats.

 

[V1701]

Apparently it's not too problematic to continuously cruise

Apparently it's not too problematic to continuously cruise. They don't check much I've heard.
The engine works well . It's a honda worth about £1000.

No but you do have to play by the rules, it is a PITA if, e.g. you have a job and have to be somewhere 5 days a week.
I would not bank on them not checking - CART have staff wandering the canals noting the positions of boats, you get a warning first and eventually they will take matters further if you are not, in their opinion, moving enough.
Living on any boat in the winter isn't easy. A 26 foot, poorly insulated (which they all are to start with) fibreglass boat without mains power on the canals you'll need to be a particular type of person. But don't take my word for it you're better off asking about all of it on Canalworld...

 

[Tranona]

Apparently it's not too problematic to continuously cruise

Apparently it's not too problematic to continuously cruise. They don't check much I've heard.
The engine works well . It's a honda worth about £1000.

Living on that sort of boat year round is one up from camping in a wet field. Continuously cruising is problematic if you are trying to do it while connecting with "conventional" society, particularly if you need to earn a living. By their nature canals are mostly in areas of low density population and the bits that are in urban areas with access to roads, shops, work etc are overcrowded and heavily regulated.

Fine wandering around the usually deserted canals (apart from holiday makers) in the summer months but restricted in the winter, never mind the difficulty of keeping warm and dry. A conventional narrow boat is far more suitable than a boat like the Dawncraft that was designed for weekend and holiday use, but of course in a different league pricewise.

 

[Boater Sam]

I think you are crazy to want this boat to live on. It is worth very little, I have known people give them away or just walk away from them.
If you are not crazy now you will be after a winter on it.
Do not think that you can ignore the 14 day mooring rule. You will quickly find that C&RT will jump on you, ultimately leading to you losing the boat. Its not a very nice attitude to start life on the canals with.

 

[V1701]

Oops my bad you did say in post #1 that you wouldn't be living on it, apologies. But you'd still need to move it regularly and leave it, I don't think a continuous cruising licence and not living on board would be something the majority of canal boaters would consider. There's a lot of speculation at the moment as well about how much the different types of licence are going to increase by. It is going to be very significant, so for that reason as well I would probably hold off...