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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2019 14:18:24 GMT
Lived aboard for the last year after following my dreams (and a few rentals before that). Mixed results (has been a steep learning curve along with a couple of deaths in the family). I'll see what next year brings before being totally convinced this is the lifestyle for me.
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Post by peterboat on Dec 12, 2019 15:21:15 GMT
I have been boating for over 14 years, narrowboat first then widebeam plus the bathtub!, I prefer the widebeam to a narrowboat, I understand they have a bigger range, but as I live on the boat I want the space to live. If you are moving on as a family I would recommend a holiday on a narrowboat and a widebeam because in midwinter it can get very fraught in a to small space with to many people
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Post by Trina on Dec 12, 2019 16:49:22 GMT
We've had our narrowboat (from new) for 15 years.We used to spend the majority of school holiday times on it as I was a teacher & Paul was self employed.Now we're both retired,we reckon we spend about 5 months aboard altogether.This includes 14/15 weeks in the summer,weeks here & there whenever we fancy,weekends out when we're feeling stir crazy,plus time spent using our boat as a floating cottage just to be on the water.
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Post by airedaleman on Dec 12, 2019 17:51:47 GMT
Had a canoe at age 11 and at grammar school was in charge of the cadet force’s whaler and jolly boat on Nene. Went to sea in MN and after leaving brought a 19 ft Dolphin plywood cruiser which we kept at Gosgrove, progressed from that to a self fit out 20 ft Senior hull. Then in 1974 brought the NB Tadworth with 2 friends from BWB which we used to carry coal in winter and camping boating in the summer and later brought the Crane from Willow Wren with a friend which also did camping. Never lived full time on these as had a job in order to feed and cloth the kids but did lots of weeks camping and lots of coal bagging.
When we retired (early) had a 50 ft NB built on a station boat hull which we lived on for half the year and cruised over the system especially in the North where the 72 footers couldn’t go. This boat was taken over to Ireland where we spent 2 years exploring the Irish waterways but decided a NB was not ideal for the big lakes so went to Holland intending to buy a small barge to take back to Ireland but finished up with a 22m barge in Belgium which we have just sold after living on it and traveling around for the last 18 years.
It’s been a great life even with all the problems that come with owning old boats but I think we have been lucky to have kept a house in England which is now our full time base.
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Post by quaysider on Dec 12, 2019 17:54:09 GMT
I live aboard full time now (3 years in now) and has been mentioned (thanks folk) run my boat as a "live-aboard" experience... I Stress the "live-aboard experience" bit repeatedly when folk come along for a trip. I have to be licenced as a hotel but it's really a "come along and muck" in affair... Patty can vouch for that - even had her in the engine hole for a staged oil change AND took her down the river candlelit pump out lol.   It's the best thing I've ever done... even after a tough year (mum died and I'm mid divorce) I still LOVE my boat - I'm tied up for the winter (on electric) but keep nipping out for a night or so just to be moving... cabin fever can take over!!! |
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Post by metanoia on Dec 12, 2019 18:55:04 GMT
I live aboard full time now (3 years in now) and has been mentioned (thanks folk) run my boat as a "live-aboard" experience... I Stress the "live-aboard experience" bit repeatedly when folk come along for a trip. I have to be licenced as a hotel but it's really a "come along and muck" in affair. .. Patty can vouch for that - even had her in the engine hole for a staged oil change AND took her down the river candlelit pump out lol.
It's the best thing I've ever done... even after a tough year (mum died and I'm mid divorce) I still LOVE my boat - I'm tied up for the winter (on electric) but keep nipping out for a night or so just to be moving... cabin fever can take over!!! Wow, Mark! You sure know how to treat a girl …………….!!!  Seriously, though, I'm in my 13th year living aboard as a genuine continuous cruiser (mostly solo) and my only regret is - I didn't do it sooner. … Happy boating! met x p.s. However, bloody inverter is playing up tonight and I'd really appreciate someone to press switches and buttons in here while I'm down the engine hole!! |
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Post by naughtyfox on Dec 12, 2019 19:15:23 GMT
I live aboard full time now (3 years in now) and has been mentioned (thanks folk) run my boat as a "live-aboard" experience... I Stress the "live-aboard experience" bit repeatedly when folk come along for a trip. I have to be licenced as a hotel but it's really a "come along and muck" in affair. .. Patty can vouch for that - even had her in the engine hole for a staged oil change AND took her down the river candlelit pump out lol.
It's the best thing I've ever done... even after a tough year (mum died and I'm mid divorce) I still LOVE my boat - I'm tied up for the winter (on electric) but keep nipping out for a night or so just to be moving... cabin fever can take over!!! p.s. However, bloody inverter is playing up tonight and I'd really appreciate someone to press switches and buttons in here while I'm down the engine hole!! Sorry, darlin' - I'm 2000 miles away. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2019 19:19:21 GMT
metanoia 's is a great post ... you can love boating but it's not an easy ride, and like most things wouldn't suit everyone. Hope you got the power sorted Met. Rog
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Post by Mr Stabby on Dec 12, 2019 19:31:50 GMT
I live aboard the Floating Potato Coffin and have done for just over three years now. I've owned it for five years but could not move aboard for the first couple of years as the stars were not in alignment. I split the year into two seasons, Working Season and Boating Season. For numerous reasons including canal stoppages, increased availability of work in the run up to Christmas and the need to keep warm, which is better done at the expense of others than myself- I am extremely parsimonious- Winter is the obvious time to work and Summer is the obvious time to cruise.
When I set off in 2020 depends on a few factors, including whether I have saved sufficient funds to provide for a long spell without an income, and whether the agency I work for can provide me with sufficient work in January and February, which are traditionally very slack times in the road transport sector. My plan is to set off on the week after the clocks go forward in March, but for the last two years this has been brought forward by several weeks due to non-availability of work.
I probably had an advantage compared to most in coping with the confined space of boat dwelling, for decades I lived for most of the week in the cab of an articulated lorry and have been away on numerous trips which lasted two or three months at a time.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2019 19:42:28 GMT
You're also fortunate Mr Stabby that your partner will fold up and fit in a brief case  Rog |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2019 19:49:51 GMT
We moved onboard January 1999,it was cold.The fire was broke, the water pump didn't work, the batteries were knackered. The canal made funny noises that night. We had sleeping bags. We were young (er). We spent the evening in the pub (At Cowroast),it was warm, we didn't want to leave.We didn't have a mooring to go to, the windows leaked.Later, the shower tray leaked, we didn't know, later we did.We got wet feet.We ripped out first half the boat interior whilst living in the other half, then repeat. We learnt lots, we travelled lots. We loved it.
later...............
We got old(er), lots of other people started living on boats too. We considered selling up and moving inland................
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Post by Mr Stabby on Dec 12, 2019 19:50:21 GMT
You're also fortunate Mr Stabby that your partner will fold up and fit in a brief case Rog Shania is totally deflated by your comment Rog. |
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Post by phil70 on Dec 12, 2019 19:59:03 GMT
I ticked other because I no longer have a boat but... we lived aboard on a 4mtr wide beam GRP Broads cruiser for about 10 years and then moved from the Broads to the Fens on a 60ft narrow boat for a further 10 years.
I had to move ashore because of my wife's health but 2 years on she has been told she is in full remission (hurrah)
Chris likes all the stuff that you have in a house and so it was. We had a full size 12v fridge, a full size 12v freezer, a automatic washing machine plus a tumble dryer. Ample hot water from a twin coil calorifier, gas fired C/H plus a stove. We were never cold and only ever had a 4 tog duvet on the bed.
So you can take it from me that you can have all mod cons of you put your mind to it.
I still miss my boat but it is far more important that my wife is now well and happy.
Phil aka Flappy
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2019 20:00:46 GMT
You're also fortunate Mr Stabby that your partner will fold up and fit in a brief case Rog Shania is totally deflated by your comment Rog. I was going to put up an equivalent comment but I thought it would be a real let down so I decided to put a sock in it. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2019 20:02:13 GMT
We moved onboard January 1999,it was cold.The fire was broke, the water pump didn't work, the batteries were knackered. The canal made funny noises that night. We had sleeping bags. We were young (er). We spent the evening in the pub (At Cowroast),it was warm, we didn't want to leave.We didn't have a mooring to go to, the windows leaked.Later, the shower tray leaked, we didn't know, later we did.We got wet feet.We ripped out first half the boat interior whilst living in the other half, then repeat. We learnt lots, we travelled lots. We loved it. later............... We got old(er), lots of other people started living on boats too. We considered selling up and moving inland................ Moving inland ? How much further inland than Cowroast do you want to be . |
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