The family of four 'avoiding the costs of the fuel crisis worry' by switching to life on a narrowboat

[Alan de Enfield]

 

The family of four 'avoiding the costs of the fuel crisis worry' by switching to life on a narrowboat - Birmingham Live (birminghammail.co.uk)

 

A family of four have lived through the pandemic by travelling the UK on a 60-foot narrowboat.

For the last five years, Britain's rich network of canals has been home for Richard Mackenzie, 42, his wife Jackie and two kids, Bobby, 11 and Fleur, five.

 

 

[George and Dragon]

Good luck to them. Quite how this avoids the costs of the fuel crisis is beyond me but clickbait is clickbait.

[Bee]

Yeah but the forthcoming divorce will soon scupper that!

[Laurie Booth]

And he gets free copper at £3 plus a kilo.

[Athy]

24 minutes ago, Bee said:

Yeah but the forthcoming divorce will soon scupper that!

I've read the article and I can find no mention of an impending divorce. Where did you see that?

[Steilsteven]

1 hour ago, George and Dragon said:

Good luck to them. Quite how this avoids the costs of the fuel crisis is beyond me but clickbait is clickbait.

That only seems to be in the headline.

 

Keith

[enigmatic]

1 hour ago, George and Dragon said:

Good luck to them. Quite how this avoids the costs of the fuel crisis is beyond me but clickbait is clickbait.

By saving on rent, there might be enough left over for the fuel bills!

 

 

[MtB]

Early in the article:

 

"In terms of the pandemic, we actually didn't notice a huge amount because the first lockdown we were moored in Oxford, and we stayed right next to a water point."

 

I bet that made them popular with all the other boaters, lol! 

 

 

[TheBiscuits]

2 hours ago, MtB said:

Early in the article:

 

"In terms of the pandemic, we actually didn't notice a huge amount because the first lockdown we were moored in Oxford, and we stayed right next to a water point."

 

I bet that made them popular with all the other boaters, lol! 

 

 

 

That was the official guidance from CRT at the time.  Moor close to services - but not on the services - so you don't need to do any unnecessary moving.

 

I was moored within hosepipe reach of a waterpoint for all the first lockdown, so didn't move the boat at all.

[LadyG]

7 hours ago, Athy said:

I've read the article and I can find no mention of an impending divorce. Where did you see that?

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[Naughty Cal]

This makes me laugh loads. Van lifers are the same and somehow think they are immune to the current costs of living rises.

 

They seem to ignore the costof diesel rises, costs of gas rises and cost of food rises🤔

[Chagall]

Well, Ive read the article and their Facebook pages and I see a happy family getting on with the privations of boat life and loving it with huge support from friends and neighbours. Im sure that like most of us they will cope with rising prices of diesel, food, et cetera but at least they are providing a rich and fulfilling life for their children no doubt helped enormously because of the stress they have left behind.    

 

Many boaters used the issues of covid restriction to sit on services, and some may have demanded they be allowed to stay on honeypot locations for the duration, but I dont see that this particular family deserve ridicule and derision here. 

 

Good luck to them I say. 

 

 

[Slow and Steady]

If he can make living selling this as jewellery, I say good luck to him!

[BilgePump]

Even in Alan's headline quotes, it notes that 'for the past five years' the canals have been their home - they've not just upped sticks onto the boat recently and would have already experienced time afloat pre-pandemic.

Newspaper writers often seem to use headlines and clickbait that the interviewee never said or even implied. How anyone could think that the fuel cost issues won't affect a boat that uses gas and diesel suggests that it is an opinion of someone who knows very little about boats, the writer of the piece.

Indeed, the specific saving mentioned by the father is that in the previous decade they had spent £110k on rent. Plus, he notes that although there are cost savings over a rented house, when things go wrong on a boat they are expensive to fix. He explains that the pandemic and a bereavement made the family think about quality of life and starting a new venture that allows them to travel and trade.

The family seem to enjoy a rewarding life, working and cruising the canals with their business. Good on them!

 

 

[pete.i]

11 hours ago, Chagall said:

Well, Ive read the article and their Facebook pages and I see a happy family getting on with the privations of boat life and loving it with huge support from friends and neighbours. Im sure that like most of us they will cope with rising prices of diesel, food, et cetera but at least they are providing a rich and fulfilling life for their children no doubt helped enormously because of the stress they have left behind.    

 

Many boaters used the issues of covid restriction to sit on services, and some may have demanded they be allowed to stay on honeypot locations for the duration, but I dont see that this particular family deserve ridicule and derision here. 

 

Good luck to them I say. 

 

 

I agree but what do you expect from most of the "regulars" on this forum. All too eager to jump on the bandwagon of decrying anyone else on the waterways who do not meet their overly exacting standards. Luckily the, mostly curmugeonly, "regular" posters on this forum are a tiny tiny minority on the waterways.