As a counterpoint, we're both ex-boaters and current boaters! Our first boat together was an 18' sailing 'pocket cruiser' on the Bristol Channel in the mid-90s. As we spent 90% of possible boating time confined to berth due to wind and/or tide, and the other 10% scared to death, this pretty much put me off sea, tides, charts etc. From 1998-2000 we owned and lived on a 57' narrowboat on the Bristol Avon near Bath. It was a lovely time, but we outgrew it and moved back to dry land and 2 years later to Scotland where the liveaboard life seemed less practical. Now back in England we have a small but perfectly-formed Springer which does us nicely for weekends and possibly longer trips next season. Who knows what's next? I've occasionally quite fancied sailing dinghies on a reservoir, but now I've passed 50 it might be a bit late. We keep talking about a motorhome but frankly the roads seem to be worse than the waterways.