Hi there!

Sade · April 8, 2013

Hi there! I'm new to this forum and really want to just say hello!

I still live in a house with my husband and we are really just starting out trying to decide if the life would be for us. We have talked about it randomly over the years (17 in total!) and the idea of living on a narrow boat has always appealed to us. We're trying to be extremely sensible and not get swept away in the romantic views of living.....that is, we are thinking its a possibility but we don't want to forget the practicalities and that's why I'm starting here ....

We have a boat booked for a week in October on the South Oxford Canal with our dog Bullseye (staffie / collie cross) as a holiday first and a bit of a try out. We plan to book another around Jan/Feb time for a bit of winter experience! We've lived in a camper van, and also a very small bedsit in the past so we have an idea of living in a compact space. Hopefully after these little expeditions we can make a proper decision, so between now and then we are visiting boatyards (went to one yesterday) and looking into the ins and outs, meeting people, attending boat shows etc....and visiting forums! .

Any advice, opinions on living the life, work, pros / cons etc would be helpful. And I really look forward to chatting and getting to know you all and some lively conversations! Cheers!

Nyx · April 8, 2013

Hi there! I'm new to this forum and really want to just say hello!

I still live in a house with my husband and we are really just starting out trying to decide if the life would be for us. We have talked about it randomly over the years (17 in total!) and the idea of living on a narrow boat has always appealed to us. We're trying to be extremely sensible and not get swept away in the romantic views of living.....that is, we are thinking its a possibility but we don't want to forget the practicalities and that's why I'm starting here ....

We have a boat booked for a week in October on the South Oxford Canal with our dog Bullseye (staffie / collie cross) as a holiday first and a bit of a try out. We plan to book another around Jan/Feb time for a bit of winter experience! We've lived in a camper van, and also a very small bedsit in the past so we have an idea of living in a compact space. Hopefully after these little expeditions we can make a proper decision, so between now and then we are visiting boatyards (went to one yesterday) and looking into the ins and outs, meeting people, attending boat shows etc....and visiting forums! .

Any advice, opinions on living the life, work, pros / cons etc would be helpful. And I really look forward to chatting and getting to know you all and some lively conversations! Cheers!

Welcome Sade

Everyone I am sure will have a different view (how long is a piece of string syndrome!). I love living aboard my narrow boat, but for me it's far from the relaxing option I had imagined. My biggest gripe is the way live aboard boaters are unrecognised, don't have the same protection in law, discriminated against in many instances, etc. I won't bore you with all the details, as I don't want to turn your wecome into a rant!! I would say it is all down to what you intend to do once aboard i.e. cruise or stay in a marina, if you have to work, how fit you both are and how much financial security you have. Best wishes.

Sade · April 8, 2013

Thanks Nyx

As we are just starting on this journey, all input is valuable so all the pros and cons are going in our little book for now. We're weighing up whether to cruise or moor but will probably get a better idea when we find out more about moorings and as my husband is a self employed carpenter he reckons that as long as he's no more than an hour away from work we could probably cruise. I'm going to be out of work soon due to ill health but its an illness that would probably see more benefits from doing something that I'm passionate about and have some work from "home" things on the go.

We don't intend to get a financial loan for a boat purchase, we hope the sale of our house will be enough to afford an outright buy.... we are setting out an annual / monthly budget for all the other costs involved.

Much appreciate the welcome and definitely don't mind a rant about gripes and any downsides all helps to give us the non-rose-tinted view of the journey...

**Athy** · April 8, 2013

I thought of asking how your singing career was going, but that would have been facetious. So I'll just bid you "Welocme" instead.

sueb · April 8, 2013

Make sure you are both happy with the idea of one of you being on the boat by yourself for some time. Can you both cope with the gas bottles; coal bags; collecting water and emptying your loo by yourselves? If the answer is yes good luck and have fun

Phil Ambrose · April 8, 2013

Welcome aboard, going about it the right way, trying boating in out of season, despite what many non-boaters think it IS warm on a boat. As for work, your husband may well find he can get enough work on boats, our marina has about 60 live-aboards and one of which is a chippy who gets all his work on the marina, just food for thought.

Phil

oarfish · April 8, 2013

Boats that are good to live on are often set out pretty differently to hire boats. Fewer bunks for one thing, mine is a 60 foot cupboard.

I am a one year liveaboard, we just went straight for it but had fewer attachments to land. It's possibly difficult to simulate the liveaboard experience on a hire boat without randomly breaking essential components on your boat then trying to get them fixed while moving every weekend

Sade · April 8, 2013

I thought of asking how your singing career was going, but that would have been facetious. So I'll just bid you "Welocme" instead.

Well, as I keep explaining to my husband, the name (a mixture of my name and his name) is pronounce "sadie" ....perhaps I should just change it to Sadie and be done with it to save confusion with a well known singer? hahahaa!

Thanks for the welcome ....I think?

Make sure you are both happy with the idea of one of you being on the boat by yourself for some time. Can you both cope with the gas bottles; coal bags; collecting water and emptying your loo by yourselves? If the answer is yes good luck and have fun

That's great advice Sueb, thank you I'm in the process of getting fitter, not only for the impending (possibly?) lifestyle change but for my health in general so weight bearing is on the agenda of exercises....we use coal at home so that's not a problem for me, lighting a fire/burner easy. If I'm contemplating working from "home" then I'll no doubt be aboard on my own for many hours a day and possibly overnight if my husband has to work / stay away for a few days so that's a good few points you made there....

Welcome aboard, going about it the right way, trying boating in out of season, despite what many non-boaters think it IS warm on a boat. As for work, your husband may well find he can get enough work on boats, our marina has about 60 live-aboards and one of which is a chippy who gets all his work on the marina, just food for thought.

Phil

Thanks Phil, I had an inkling that may be the case but we don't want to count our chickens so he hopes to have a little bank of work when we first set out. Good mention though so I will write it down in my book and ask about when we go "on tour" lol

Boats that are good to live on are often set out pretty differently to hire boats. Fewer bunks for one thing, mine is a 60 foot cupboard.

I am a one year liveaboard, we just went straight for it but had fewer attachments to land. It's possibly difficult to simulate the liveaboard experience on a hire boat without randomly breaking essential components on your boat then trying to get them fixed while moving every weekend

Thanks Oarfish, that's another good point and one that we've realised pretty quickly - my husband has been looking at narrowboats for years and watches all the programs and reads magazines etc and he's always telling me how different the layout etc is for liveaboards. I'm not sure the hire company would appreciate us breaking anything while we're on a short week cruise but hope to meet liveaboards while we're away. Hopefully by October when we are booked I may have met forum members that will be in the south oxford that we could meet up with etc.....I'm trying not to be blinded by sheer excitement!

oarfish · April 8, 2013

Hopefully by October when we are booked I may have met forum members that will be in the south oxford that we could meet up with etc.....I'm trying not to be blinded by sheer excitement!

Would be happy to show you round ours (a pretty modern boat, reverse layout cocooned engine and purpose built liveaboard), not sure what our cruising pattern will be but south oxford and Thames are definite.

Edited April 8, 2013 by oarfish

Sade · April 8, 2013

Would be happy to show you round ours (a pretty modern boat, reverse layout cocooned engine and purpose built liveaboard), not sure what our cruising pattern will be but south oxford and Thames are definite.

Wow, brilliant, thank you! We're setting off from Rugby on 4th October if I remember rightly. It would be great to come and have a nosey at your boat. Coooool

Ally · April 8, 2013

Welcome to the forum. I am sure there will be plenty of offers from liveaboards in that region to show you ropund their different boats...and what a difference you will probably see!

Sounds as if you are putting plenty of thought and research into it, which is the right way to go IMO.

I've lived aboard about 10 years now, and wouldn't change it for land again. It has it's hard times...getting iced in and needing to move for water...getting caught in floods and having to get up through the night to adjust ropes etc etc, but it has many good things going for it too, the community of boaters being one of the good things!

So, sit back and read plenty of threads on here, ask questions, and keep researching!

All the best!

Sade · April 8, 2013

Welcome to the forum. I am sure there will be plenty of offers from liveaboards in that region to show you ropund their different boats...and what a difference you will probably see!

Sounds as if you are putting plenty of thought and research into it, which is the right way to go IMO.

I've lived aboard about 10 years now, and wouldn't change it for land again. It has it's hard times...getting iced in and needing to move for water...getting caught in floods and having to get up through the night to adjust ropes etc etc, but it has many good things going for it too, the community of boaters being one of the good things!

So, sit back and read plenty of threads on here, ask questions, and keep researching!

All the best!

Thanks Ally, from what I've seen already, the boating community is a friendly bunch I might need to get a bigger book, the pages are filling up already! Cheers

RLWP · April 8, 2013

Welcome to the forum.

Was it Bill Sykes who had a dog called Bullseye?

Richard

Sade · April 8, 2013

Welcome to the forum.

Was it Bill Sykes who had a dog called Bullseye?

Richard

Thanks Richard, and yes, it was indeed! Glad you spotted that as some people think we named our dog after Jim Bowen's darting game show! (His nickname is Jim though heheee)

DeanS · April 8, 2013

Welcome

The boating life is "different" in many respects to life on land. Here are a few observations from my side:

1. Your land friends cant just pop in for a visit, as it takes longer to clean up a boat sometimes to "make space" for visitors.

2. Your land friends wont really want to use your boat loo.

3. You'll leave the land based people you see often behind, and will be "off cruising" on all the good weather days.

4. Your clothes will become less important and you'll only keep the ones which are practical. High heels tend to get tossed and replaced with boots and trainers.

5. Water becomes a scarce resource, which limits clothes washing, shower times etc

6. Heating becomes important, and many choose the log/coal stove option (cheaper). Some have diesel heating etc. In both cases you'll have to get to grips with putting in coal/chopping wood/storing diesel etc

7. Your elec usage changes...especially if you are out of a marina. This is a subject all on its own. My wifes hair straighteners dont heat up (even on a large invertor) and when she uses her hairdrier, my kids scowl at her because each minute of hair drying is equivalent to 5mins on the PS3.)

8. The boating community will normally rally around you if you ever need help, but you need to ask. (no mind readers here).

9. Marinas are nice for people who like them. I dont. I prefer cruising. We were CC-ers for 1yr, then lived in a marina for a year, and now still have the marina berth, but I cant convince myself to return to it until the end of the year when it starts getting cold and icy.

10. Invest in solar panels if you are relatively low elec users. It will make you much happier in the long run.

11. Many people have pets on boats...but unlike in a house where you have fences...animals on boats tend to be walked or restricted from running off.

12. You will fall in the water at some point.

13. If you buy a shiny boat, it will get scratched at some point.

14. If you try and insure a car, you wont be able to without a physical address (use a relatives?)

15. Mail will need to be routed to a friend/relative unless you have a residential berth in a marina. You'll then pay council tax.

16. If you have a boat with the lounge at the back, check how loud the engine is.

17. If the boat is short, and the bed is across the boat...check the slant of the boat...it wont be straight. If the bed is lengthwise...which way do you want the blood to run...to your head...or to your feet

18. The tapping on the bottom of the boat late at night is not the BogeyMan..it's ducks eating algae off your hull.

19. If you have a pumpout toilet..you'll need to move the boat to empty toilets. If you have casettes, only your husband will need to move to empty toilets.

20. Getting deliveries for Ebay purchases can be tricky when cruising.

21. There is more.....but these are off the top of my head for now

Sade · April 8, 2013

Welcome

The boating life is "different" in many respects to life on land. Here are a few observations from my side:

1. Your land friends cant just pop in for a visit, as it takes longer to clean up a boat sometimes to "make space" for visitors.

2. Your land friends wont really want to use your boat loo.

3. You'll leave the land based people you see often behind, and will be "off cruising" on all the good weather days.

4. Your clothes will become less important and you'll only keep the ones which are practical. High heels tend to get tossed and replaced with boots and trainers.

5. Water becomes a scarce resource, which limits clothes washing, shower times etc

6. Heating becomes important, and many choose the log/coal stove option (cheaper). Some have diesel heating etc. In both cases you'll have to get to grips with putting in coal/chopping wood/storing diesel etc

7. Your elec usage changes...especially if you are out of a marina. This is a subject all on its own. My wifes hair straighteners dont heat up (even on a large invertor) and when she uses her hairdrier, my kids scowl at her because each minute of hair drying is equivalent to 5mins on the PS3.)

8. The boating community will normally rally around you if you ever need help, but you need to ask. (no mind readers here).

9. Marinas are nice for people who like them. I dont. I prefer cruising. We were CC-ers for 1yr, then lived in a marina for a year, and now still have the marina berth, but I cant convince myself to return to it until the end of the year when it starts getting cold and icy.

10. Invest in solar panels if you are relatively low elec users. It will make you much happier in the long run.

11. Many people have pets on boats...but unlike in a house where you have fences...animals on boats tend to be walked or restricted from running off.

12. You will fall in the water at some point.

13. If you buy a shiny boat, it will get scratched at some point.

14. If you try and insure a car, you wont be able to without a physical address (use a relatives?)

15. Mail will need to be routed to a friend/relative unless you have a residential berth in a marina. You'll then pay council tax.

16. If you have a boat with the lounge at the back, check how loud the engine is.

17. If the boat is short, and the bed is across the boat...check the slant of the boat...it wont be straight. If the bed is lengthwise...which way do you want the blood to run...to your head...or to your feet

18. The tapping on the bottom of the boat late at night is not the BogeyMan..it's ducks eating algae off your hull.

19. If you have a pumpout toilet..you'll need to move the boat to empty toilets. If you have casettes, only your husband will need to move to empty toilets.

20. Getting deliveries for Ebay purchases can be tricky when cruising.

21. There is more.....but these are off the top of my head for now

Thanks DeanS this is a good set of points and a couple made me chuckle (falling in the water is a must isn't it?!)

Glad you mentioned some of the more random stuff like hairdryers and high heels, the latter of which I've given up wearing, although I still have some nice ones to look at - car boot sale is on the cards I reckon! Another thing we've also talked about is the capsule wardrobe (boating style!) and the need for a choice few items of clothing for mainly comfort and practicality rather than latest fashions. Out with the designer dresses and in with the waterproofs!

As far as having people visit and missing our land friends, well, we moved away from our old place 6 years ago (berkshire to wiltshire) and after about a year or so, the novelty of visits wore off. We don't have the sort of friends that we have much contact with really, so no great loss there! We're pretty happy in our own company but would be more than happy getting stuck in with helping out and chatting away with other boating peeps.

Solar panels seem the way to go, just by what I've read so far. I've found some tips on here about saving energy etc and will definitely have a strict water usage routine.

I am scared of the bogeyman so hopefully if we do make the decision to go afloat, he can stay in my old house...never to be seen again!

Much appreciated all your points

David Mack · April 8, 2013

Hi there! I'm new to this forum and really want to just say hello!

I still live in a house with my husband and we are really just starting out trying to decide if the life would be for us. We have talked about it randomly over the years (17 in total!) and the idea of living on a narrow boat has always appealed to us. We're trying to be extremely sensible and not get swept away in the romantic views of living.....that is, we are thinking its a possibility but we don't want to forget the practicalities and that's why I'm starting here ....

We have a boat booked for a week in October on the South Oxford Canal with our dog Bullseye (staffie / collie cross) as a holiday first and a bit of a try out. We plan to book another around Jan/Feb time for a bit of winter experience! We've lived in a camper van, and also a very small bedsit in the past so we have an idea of living in a compact space. Hopefully after these little expeditions we can make a proper decision, so between now and then we are visiting boatyards (went to one yesterday) and looking into the ins and outs, meeting people, attending boat shows etc....and visiting forums! .

Any advice, opinions on living the life, work, pros / cons etc would be helpful. And I really look forward to chatting and getting to know you all and some lively conversations! Cheers!

Starry made a list:

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=44221

Sade · April 8, 2013

Starry made a list:

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=44221

Thank you so much for pointing this list out....I've just spent the last best part of an hour reading, chuckling, thinking "I really must get on and wash up" and then carrying on reading all the replies. What a brilliant post.....used up my quota of greenies voting up 2 replies so now have to wait to go back and vote Starry's original post up hahahaaa......

Needless to say, I think I'm hooked on this forum

DeanS · April 8, 2013

Needless to say, I think I'm hooked on this forum

Yep....some of us actually spend more time on this forum, than actually cruising....

Sade · April 8, 2013

Yep....some of us actually spend more time on this forum, than actually cruising....

Heehee, maybe I'll get it all out of my system before we actually start cruising? Have spent all day reading posts...eeek!

Cloudinspector · April 12, 2013

Welcome

The boating life is "different" in many respects to life on land. Here are a few observations from my side:

1. Your land friends cant just pop in for a visit, as it takes longer to clean up a boat sometimes to "make space" for visitors.

2. Your land friends wont really want to use your boat loo.

3. You'll leave the land based people you see often behind, and will be "off cruising" on all the good weather days.

4. Your clothes will become less important and you'll only keep the ones which are practical. High heels tend to get tossed and replaced with boots and trainers.

5. Water becomes a scarce resource, which limits clothes washing, shower times etc

6. Heating becomes important, and many choose the log/coal stove option (cheaper). Some have diesel heating etc. In both cases you'll have to get to grips with putting in coal/chopping wood/storing diesel etc

7. Your elec usage changes...especially if you are out of a marina. This is a subject all on its own. My wifes hair straighteners dont heat up (even on a large invertor) and when she uses her hairdrier, my kids scowl at her because each minute of hair drying is equivalent to 5mins on the PS3.)

8. The boating community will normally rally around you if you ever need help, but you need to ask. (no mind readers here).

9. Marinas are nice for people who like them. I dont. I prefer cruising. We were CC-ers for 1yr, then lived in a marina for a year, and now still have the marina berth, but I cant convince myself to return to it until the end of the year when it starts getting cold and icy.

10. Invest in solar panels if you are relatively low elec users. It will make you much happier in the long run.

11. Many people have pets on boats...but unlike in a house where you have fences...animals on boats tend to be walked or restricted from running off.

12. You will fall in the water at some point.

13. If you buy a shiny boat, it will get scratched at some point.

14. If you try and insure a car, you wont be able to without a physical address (use a relatives?)

15. Mail will need to be routed to a friend/relative unless you have a residential berth in a marina. You'll then pay council tax.

16. If you have a boat with the lounge at the back, check how loud the engine is.

17. If the boat is short, and the bed is across the boat...check the slant of the boat...it wont be straight. If the bed is lengthwise...which way do you want the blood to run...to your head...or to your feet

18. The tapping on the bottom of the boat late at night is not the BogeyMan..it's ducks eating algae off your hull.

19. If you have a pumpout toilet..you'll need to move the boat to empty toilets. If you have casettes, only your husband will need to move to empty toilets.

20. Getting deliveries for Ebay purchases can be tricky when cruising.

21. There is more.....but these are off the top of my head for now

what he said :-))

Sade · April 12, 2013

what he said :-))

Thank you! That was a huge effort I'm sure! heheheee

KenK · April 12, 2013

As far as having people visit and missing our land friends, well, we moved away from our old place 6 years ago (berkshire to wiltshire) and after about a year or so, the novelty of visits wore off. We don't have the sort of friends that we have much contact with really, so no great loss there! We're pretty happy in our own company but would be more than happy getting stuck in with helping out and chatting away with other boating peeps.

.

Sade,

If you live in Wiltshire come and join the K&A Trust on the K&A Navigation and help run our trip boats, we have them at Bradford on Avon, Devises, Hungerford and Newbury. Check out the web site K&A Trust.

Ken

Sade · April 12, 2013

As far as having people visit and missing our land friends, well, we moved away from our old place 6 years ago (berkshire to wiltshire) and after about a year or so, the novelty of visits wore off. We don't have the sort of friends that we have much contact with really, so no great loss there! We're pretty happy in our own company but would be more than happy getting stuck in with helping out and chatting away with other boating peeps.

.

Sade,

If you live in Wiltshire come and join the K&A Trust on the K&A Navigation and help run our trip boats, we have them at Bradford on Avon, Devises, Hungerford and Newbury. Check out the web site K&A Trust.

Ken

Thanks Ken, I will have a look at the website....

Tinhare · April 13, 2013

Welcome,
We are just starting our move. We have a boat lined up awaiting survey.
We are now reducing the furniture and "stuff" in our three bedroom house of eight years into two boxes and a suitcase. Oh, boy, what a daunting task that is.

We didn't do any narrowboat holidays before making our decision for a couple of reasons, it feels so right to be doing this and we figured that having a holiday on a boat would be like going on holiday to say Spain and thinking it was great and wanting to move there. Places always look better on holidays but when you live there it is totally different, I think the same would go for boats.

12 years ago we moved from Australia to the England arriving with a suitcase and a box and here we are reducing back down to the same again.

Alan & Tina

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