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Ads678 that's not him lol although he does have land to the side but its his land he pays for, he's on a corner by the fence actually and the road/path is the other side so he has no passers-by, it's nice tbf
56ft is the minimum length for a live aboard. A broad beam will be much more comfortable. It’s f you are reasonably tidy and like neat things and a disciplined life, I think you’ll enjoy it. Central heating and insulation means it will be cosy. Mooring in a nice spot is about £200/month and you’ll want a proper toilet with full pump out facilities and a permanent power hook up.
It’s a very relaxed way of life and you should try it if it appeals. A wide beam can’t cruise a lot of the canal network so check that out.
This was interesting, a mature couple designed a narrowboat "for the less agile liveaboard boater". Lots of adjustments to make life easier, all done in a modern way including electronics.
I nearly did it about 20 years ago, planned to sell my house and use the equity to fund the boat.
Until someone pointed out that boats depreciate and houses rarely do.
Maybe when I retire.
What's an incinerating toilet?
If you are in a fixed mooring, isn’t it just like living in a static caravan / park home, but more expensive, colder, wetter and with added essential maintenance?
Yep,the worst of both worlds.
I get if your your young and the morning view out of the patio doors are the tower bridge but I’d think of how happy you’d be sat in it in the middle of the winter in the dark and raining on the miserable days.
I’d also check the what the situation with flooding where it’s moored with good old global warming making it interesting.
Until someone pointed out that boats depreciate and houses rarely do.
Maybe when I retire.
Keep house,rent it out to rent/pay loan on boat,best or worse of both 🙂
Have friends who lived down in London on a Dutch barge, mainly to avoid ridiculous rental costs.
We went to stay with them a couple of times. It was perfectly comfortable, just like a small but well designed flat really (all the spaces used really well).
Costs aside I think I'd rather have been living in the boat than in a shoebox flat in London.
It seemed like a lot of work though, to keep on top of all the various jobs.
Also it forces you to be minimalistic which I suppose isn't a bad thing really.
They're now on land, mainly due to having had kids I think.
We live by 2 canals: Peak forest and the Macclesfield.
Water Gypsies as they are sometimes known love their life on the water, but there are lots of downsides. This year the locks have been mostly 'locked' due to the dry summer and lack of water (it's not fun getting grounded.) Also this summer was extremely hot in places and I think some of the boats turned into ovens.
Good luck ton, you're a top chap thinking of your child and grandson.
I’d also check the what the situation with flooding where it’s moored with good old global warming making it interesting
Surely a better prospect than many Stewart Milne houses being built on the flood plain round here..... Boats float.... Last I checked a Stewart Milne house did not.
I'm 6ft3 and spent a weeks holiday on one. My thoughts
1) they do get cold, very cold. The gas was included in the price and we got our moneys worth.
2) I felt cramped in and was always ducking my head
3) they are incredibly slow, we hardly got anywhere.
4) when a boat goes past the waves rock your boat
5) where would I store all my stuff and bikes?
I also have access to a newish static and that's pretty cold too. They just don't seem to insulate things properly in the UK!
Water destroys everything and so there's an ongoing cost to consider for repairs and servicing.
Does it have solar panels for heating the water?
What's the worst that can happen? You don't like it and you sell it and you lose a couple of grand or ten? Life's too short, you obviously like the idea. If you have the money, why not? I bet you get more friends visiting you if you buy it.
I bet you get more friends visiting you if you buy it.
Not all at once though, have you seen how much space Ton takes up? 😜
Remember Aracer ? A mountain unicyclist enthusiast unhappy in marriage. His last posts on here were about having quit his unhappy home for life on a narrow boat moored in a port with other such live-on types. He stopped posting on here at about the same time, the narrow boat perhaps coincided with getting a life that replaced wasting time on here. Have a good one if this is your last STW thread, Ton. 😉
If you are in a fixed mooring, isn’t it just like living in a static caravan.
No, you bob up and down.
If you bob up and down in a static caravan, it means someones stealing it.
All very well having 6 radiators, but they will mainly be heating the canal. I'd imagine the running costs aren't that low.
Boats float….
Although if they are over secured in their moorings they can sink if there is a sudden rise in water level and they can't actually rise themselves - seen it happen a couple of times!
If you bob up and down in a static caravan, it means someones stealing it.
Or Frank's taking it.
8' headroom 😯
Ton, you're west Yorks right? I can put you in contact with my pal in Ripon who lived on a barge for a good few years if you want? He bought it new with his wife and lived on it until kids came along.
Maintenance is the main thing, if you skip any basic stuff it becomes 10x worse until it sinks. Seen it happen.
Last century a mate did the same. Cost him his marriage as his wife got fed up with coming home from school mto find he had moved! When the cut froze (unlikely nowadays) everything stayed put. I think, lost touch, that he moved ashore. (Anyone seen Jamie Stewart?)
Better to regret something that's been done than to never have tried.
In the OP's situation I would definitely give it a go if you don't like it you still have the option to sell the boat.
I hope I'm in the same position for my kids when that time comes, I've always fancied a life afloat, had mates that used to live on the canal, it's hard work but worth it when your living in nature, although most were on the move without a mooring.