Long term let of Houseboats

[Jerry_Atrick]

A friend of mine, who lives on a narrowboat has scored a gig in Aus for 12 months. The job is hybrid working, but based in Sydney. Ostensibly he has to be there 2 days/week, but they have said, in reality, when he gets his feet under the table, it will be around one day/month - like most of the other team apparently. They have said as long as he lives more or less in the same time zone, they don't care where he lives - so he in theory has anywhere east of Adelaide, I suppose.

 

He has expressed a keen desire to rent a houseboat for that time, but I cannot remember houseboat rentals in Aus on a residential basis - plenty for holiday hire. A quick trawl of the web turned nothing up. Was wondering if there is any such places/people that rent them out for living in?

[old man emu]

Here's one place, but the rent is very high, and seasonal. https://www.hawkesburyafloat.com.au/houseboats/ultra-plus-12-homecruiser

 

Their rates are clearly for holiday rentals, but like all things, there could be room for discussion to come to a suitable arrangement. Brooklyn is served by road and rail to Sydney. Basically right on the edge. 

[facthunter]

With the amount of fish rotting in the Darling I'd not be making any firm bookings down river of Menindee Lakes for a while.  Nev

[spacesailor]

For a long term Lease , A private owner may be interested .

OR a private cruiser / yacht on any NSW waterways.

( https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwi04Nblv-n9AhW1k2YCHc7lAXsYABACGgJzbQ&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAASJeRoRaT_rEP4zpDbY5CoF-2NdvFsYMZFF2MaDz0DgMxGI2fhT4Y&sig=AOD64_03Os6xwEy1naTHGXQUgdl6ePgRpQ&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwj3udDlv-n9AhWe6nMBHSSPCkYQ0Qx6BAgHEAE

( https://www.anyboat.com.au/sydney/boat-hire )) .

There's literally Thousands of boats in  the Sydney region   . I even hired my old boat out for a couple of grand for one day . my grandson & I had a great day out, fully funded .

spacesailor

[spacesailor]

Rent or buy

''

1982 Swanson 32

$25,000

Listed 4 days ago in Central Coast, NSW '

Just one of many ! . for a two year stint thats a little over a grand a week . then resell . Heaps cheaper than a Grand a day, for that ' houseboat ' . And it really looks good , with blue cushions . 

spacesailor

[willedoo]

9 minutes ago, spacesailor said:

Rent or buy

''

1982 Swanson 32

$25,000

Listed 4 days ago in Central Coast, NSW '

Just one of many ! . for a two year stint thats a little over a grand a week . then resell . Heaps cheaper than a Grand a day, for that ' houseboat ' . And it really looks good , with blue cushions . 

spacesailor

spacey, it must be this one.

 

https://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/used/sailing-boats/swanson-32/288820

 

If it had no major bugs you couldn't go wrong at that price. Has a 28hp Kubota diesel and outboard, all the gear ready to go. Most 28 footers are similar sized, but depending on how beamy they are, a 32 footer can be a different beast altogether and quite roomy.

[spacesailor]

Yes , Thats it a nice boat with a great price, & ready to go, or , stay in ''  , Gosford/Central Coast Region Koolewong NSW '' catching the electric train into Sydney daily.

It's a nice ' sheltered area ' with no ferries churning up the water . plus it's Fiberglass . ( been there,done it ).

OR

Shall I offer my 5.2 m trailer-yacht, for lease ? .LoL

spacesailor

[willedoo]

Years ago, I almost bought a 28' bay cruiser. It had sunk in the Noosa River and was salvaged by a boat shed who had it on a hardstand. They wanted $2,000 for it at the time. The fittings, brass portholes, bronze rudder and other gear on the boat would have been worth that. It was build around the turn of last century, so was probably about 85 years old at the time. It had a big beam and enough room inside to throw a party, which made it seem more like a 40 footer in cabin space. It was carvel planked with spotted gum, beautiful brass portholes and old fittings, but unfortunately was originally built with very light ribs. The frames were too light with not enough floor timbers, and as a result, was never strong enough to take the ground.

 

Built like that, it was meant to stay afloat, but the problems started with it sitting in the mud at low tide. The previous owner had a huge household refrigerator on one side of the cabin, and when it took the ground, the lopsided weight deformed the hull shape. It was leaking that badly that he had an electric bilge pump going 24 hours a day. He went away for a weekend, the pump burned out, and the boat filled with water and sank. A real pity to see such a beautiful old classic abused and neglected like that. To get it back in the water was in the too hard basket. You could repair it by sistering decent sized ribs and adding floor timbers to every frame set, but the problem was that the original shape was lost and would be very difficult to get back without blueprints.

 

I thought about buying it as a static extension off the verandah, facing the sea view. It would have been a nice spot to sit there in the boat looking out to sea. It would even make a good guest bedroom which you couldn't build for that price. The deciding factor in not buying it was the logistics of getting it up my steep driveway and being able to get a crane in place. Back then, trucks and cranes were a lot more affordable than now. Hopefully someone restored it. The salvager said he would scrap it if he couldn't find a buyer.

[willedoo]

You see some funny houseboats, for example barges with old Kombi type vans bolted on top. Back in the mid 80's I saw a good one in Amsterdam. It was made up of two hulls; the one moored to the canal wall was a very high sided thing like a coal barge. It was mainly filled with cut firewood, tons of it, and a section enclosed for winter living. On the water side of that was a flat raft-like barge that the owner had done up like Gilligan's Island. It had a thatched roof beach hut, imported sand, deck chairs, potted plants and fake palms. The owner, who lived on it permanently, had erected a big sign reading 'Who needs the Pacific Ocean'. It looked like he lived on the coal barge during colder months and spent summer in the beach hut. It was only a couple of streets back from the city centre.

[facthunter]

I love boats but you have to know when something's a dead loss. Planked Wood has the challenges and most character. It never stops moving (creaking) and can be weighty. I would have thought it's fairly repairable if it isn't too far gone. Nev

[Old Koreelah]

On 19/3/2023 at 9:06 PM, Jerry_Atrick said:

A friend of mine, who lives on a narrowboat has scored a gig in Aus for 12 months. The job is hybrid working, but based in Sydney. Ostensibly he has to be there 2 days/week, but they have said, in reality, when he gets his feet under the table, it will be around one day/month - like most of the other team apparently. They have said as long as he lives more or less in the same time zone, they don't care where he lives - so he in theory has anywhere east of Adelaide, I suppose.

A family member has a gig like that, managing a transnational outfit almost entirely from home. A trip away every few weeks and an occasional 2am meetings to suit the big boss’s timezone. Saves on office rental and rarely wears a suit.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Thanks, chaps.. He has puty it in the too hard basket and is going to look for somewhere coastal within three hours drive of Sydney.

 

 

[facthunter]

That's still in the suburbs.  Nev

[spacesailor]

That Swansom32 is in your three hour drive !.

BUT

the Sydney commuter rush hour will allmost double any travel time Here or Melbourne  ,

OR London .

You see a ' Narrow boat ' on the Thames versus a ' Narrow yacht ' on the Parramatta river is not such a big jump .

The big differance ! , Be very careful swimming.  Yaralla bay has the ferry warf opposite,  to catch a ride into the CBD Sydney. 

Been there , done that . It was the best. But not for the misses who wanted a house.

spacesailor

 

 

[facthunter]

I tried to get a house for my Missus but they wanted money  as well.  Nev.