Anyone live on a boat?

[powertools]

I live on a boat for 6 months of the year. Not too bad, however mine is 180 metres in length. My accommodation is the size of a small flat.it belongs to someone else so no bills for me, and I get paid a decent wage.

Yours is 180 MTS long ?

 

[Bm101]

Me and the Mrs looked into it quite seriously several years ago Dave. In the end the prospect of kids + pricing put us off. Read into that (pricing) what you will, depreciation can be offset by other comparative housing costs if you own (I've just had a quote in to extend the house so I'm feeling a bit panicked today...). Also I think depending what type of boat lifestyle you want. Chelsea Marina cost versus a riverside temp mooring are not going to compare are they? Depends what you want from it.

I still secretly quite fancy it. It's just not practical for us at the moment. I'm sure you would do anyway but first serious step for me at the time after a few months of buying magazines etc was going to a the Thames Traditional Boat festival. http://www.tradboatfestival.com/home. I think Crick is also a biggie but farther away for you of course. Learnt a huge amount. Some of the stuff available is unbelievable now. Heating, folding beds you can operate with a nudge of your knee. And that was 8-9 years ago. It's a particular lifestyle but it doesn't have to be a cold life these days. If you have the money lol.
Inland waterways site is here just in case you haven't found it. https://www.waterways.org.uk/boating/bu ... ing_a_boat

What no ones's mentioned is buying a new shell and fitting it out yourself. It's certainly viable dependent on your situation.

The Lea runs at the end of my road Dave. There's bleedin' rivers and lakes everywhere round here mate. I got locks and all that. There's a quiet fella who moors up regularly by my local who's a chippy. He's got a sign that says so on top of his boat. I often see plane shavings on the towpath. I nod at him when I find time to go in the pub. He nods back. We probably look like the bloody flowerpot men tbh.

Regards as always
(vicarious narrow boat owner)
Chris

 

[skipdiver]

I know a couple of people who have sold up and bought a narrowboat, one being my ex wife, who bought a new hull and had it fitted out. She loves it and wouldn't go back. It is something that interests me and i was watching youtube videos at the weekend of people who have taken the plunge. One guy said that the first thing people ask is about what it's like in the winter and he said basically, you put the heating on or woodburner or both, the same as you would if you live in a house. He also said that he travels around and doesn't have a berth. You can stay in one spot for 2 weeks before you have to move on. Every now and again you have to tie up where there is access to water/fuel and waste disposal. I guess it takes a certain type of person and for every one that loves it, there will be someone who hates it.

Lack of a workshop would be my biggest bugbear.

 

[Inoffthered]

Lack of a workshop would be my biggest bugbear.

What, like this?

http://narrowboats-freyja-and-christina ... lathe.html

 

[skipdiver]

Lack of a workshop would be my biggest bugbear.

What, like this?

http://narrowboats-freyja-and-christina ... lathe.html

Yeah, but where would i put my tablesaw, bandsaw, planer thicknesser etc etc.... :roll:

 

[whiskywill]

I live on a boat for 6 months of the year. Not too bad, however mine is 180 metres in length. My accommodation is the size of a small flat.it belongs to someone else so no bills for me, and I get paid a decent wage.

Yours is 180 MTS long ?

Exactly what I was thinking. That's just a little shorter than a cross channel ferry.

More of a ship methinks.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I remember passing a huge moored yatch on the Fal 30+ years ago, it was crewed and had been there for years. It belonged to J Paul Getty and it was thought that he had forgotten it was there.

 

[DTR]

Thanks for all the replies, chaps. It looks like that ship has sailed, if you'll forgive the pun. For the time being we'll be staying on dry land, hopefully.....

 

[user22161]

I live on a boat for 6 months of the year. Not too bad, however mine is 180 metres in length. My accommodation is the size of a small flat.it belongs to someone else so no bills for me, and I get paid a decent wage.

Another perspective - We live on a boat for around 8 months of the year. Only 11.5 metres long, accommodation about the size of a single garage. Unfortunately, I have to pay the bills and only have a pension On the brighter side, it's moored on the Algarve 15 mins from the airport with lots of sun, cheap wine and a wide cruising area

 

[snappyfish]

I like the idea of this also, been following various people on youtube. Depends on what you want from it.

Looks challenging, have to work harder at things you might take for granted.

Emptying toilets, Going to get water, less time in the shower, more cautious of weather and where to moor. The list goes on!

 

[mbartlett99]

I remember passing a huge moored yatch on the Fal 30+ years ago, it was crewed and had been there for years. It belonged to J Paul Getty and it was thought that he had forgotten it was there.

Haida G ex Rosenkavalier currently in refit at Pendennis. When he died the family did forget; it was crewed by three for years. Was a hell of a unit back in the day.