--- In [email protected], "ldsm4754" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
>
> Hello again,
> Thanks for your postings. Perhaps I can make my words a little
> clearer.
> 'almost at the stage' means that I'm not yet quite ready or able
to
> commit to a new life right now, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't
> test the water (did you notice that pun there; not bad eh?) or
think
> about it or explore the possibilities, does it?
> I am exploring avenues, as I suspect most people will have done. I
> still have things I need to sort out, responsibilities I need to
> attend to in my family and my community but I increasingly feel the
> need to 'move on'
> I no longer have dependants, my children are grown with families
and
> interests of their own and for the first time in my life I feel
that
> I am able to do the things that I really want to do. I had a life-
> threatening experience and, believe me, there's nothing like
> impending death to make one take stock of ones life!
> That includes being able to edge closer to my life-long ambition to
> live on a boat. I know this is not quite the same thing, but I
have
> been a caravaner for many years; in fact I've just bought another
> small caravan, so I know that small living quarters are no problem
> to me. When my children were young we camped most weekends and
> school holidays (and without any namby-pamby electric hook-up
> either!) so back-to-basic living conditions hold no mysteries for
> me; in fact I used to live in a remote Scottish valley where there
> was no gas and electricity didn't arrive until around 1960 and even
> then power cuts were the norm, especially in winter, and were still
> the norm when I lived there in 1988. (Not that I'm implying living
> aboard means moving into the dark ages, but you get my drift.) I
> don't feel a need to be continuously entertained, am quite happy
> with my own company and well able to live alone.
> But does that in itself impinge on life aboard? Does one need to be
> two to manage a boat? Is my dream meant to stay a dream?
> I don't have money to spare but I have enough to pay my way, rent
> and food Etc. What I was trying to say, unsuccessfully it seems,
> was that I don't just want a holiday, but I do want to try the
> boating experience, and how can I achieve that without help? So,
> what I'm asking for is for someone to take a leap of faith, to let
> me spend some time with them on their boat, and to be willing to
> share their experience and expertise and let me see the true, not
> romanticised, life afloat. As I said, I can't pay, but I'm more
than
> willing to work in exchange.
> It is not necessary that I sleep aboard just now, I have a caravan
> for that, but I want to see the day-to-day running of a boat, to
see
> whether it is possible to earn a living, I'm a writer and creative
> writing tutor, and can really work anywhere, or go to where the
work
> is at any given time.
> So, does that clear it up?
> And, by the way, Iâm 52, overweight and most definitely not
looking
> for a boyfriend, a lover or a significant other, okay!!!
> regards,
> Lynette
Lynett
In my job I come across a fair number of single ladies of all ages
who live on and operate a boat on their own. You should not get the
smallest boat you think will do the job on the grounds of being
easier to handle - I think I would be looking at around the 40 ft
mark.
I also think the only problem on narrow canals will be some lift
bridges.
(wait for the dissagreements)
Much of boat handling is technique and working out methods to suit
yopurself. There are any numbre of boat handling courses available,
but by the spound of it, thats a way in the future.
I run training courses and write articles (and respond to emails)and
I know I could keep earning my living from a boat, but at present I
think suitable net access would be too expensive for me.
I fear that you might have problems with your immidiate quest because
many boast are left unattended, miles away from the owners home for
periods of time, so it may not be prudent to allow a stranger onto
the boat in the manner you suggest. However its a quaestion of
visiting as amny Watewrways Events as you can (pity the season is
nearly over)to make personal contacts.
However keep asking specific questions and I am sure you will get a
lot of helps.
May I also suggest that you join the news groups uk.rec.waterways and
uk.rec.boats.motor and lerk and learn for a while.
Tony Brooks
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