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Looking to become liveaboards: Thoughts and Experiences


Chris Taylor

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Thanks! Both kids will be done with school.  Our property can simply be rented out so there will definitely be a Plan B.

Bath, well it doesn't have to be there, but near might be nice.  

 

For me, the last few years have been crazy; lots of 60-70 hours weeks.  Up until March I used to work in Space Exploration and related stuff, which while it sounds fun but can be pretty intense at the best of times.  Basically I burned out completely, and after recovering, I really realised I wanted a different way of life.   Even going back to something like 40 hours a week in the field is just something I don't want to do.  Less stress isn't what we're looking for, It just needs to be a different lifestyle.

 

Since we really have thought about the possibility of Canal boating for quite some time, it just seems like a good time to get the information, and then if it is agreeable, try it out approx 6 years from now - with a solid Plan B!

 

 

19 hours ago, enigmatic said:

Assorted points

- £110k is at least a decent budget for a boat (brand new boats and massive Dutch barges excepted). It'll also buy a bricks and mortar place oop north in cash that isn't as small as the boat...

- Bath isn't going to be easy to find moorings in. Other parts of the country more straightforward

- How close are the kids to leaving home permanently? A narrowboat really isn't much space for them, even if it's only in between university terms or jobs.

- Standard drawbacks of boats apart from lack of space are managing changes in temperature especially in winter since you're living in a lightly insulated steel box, weird toilet arrangements and lots of little things going wrong which require time and money to solve. Living in a boat might reduce some stress, but it can create other stress

- Standard upsides is that they look cute, can go to a lot of unspoilt rural locations and are great fun to cruise around in, but is that what you're after?

- The market for boats might have changed a bit in six years. It has in the last six

 

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2 hours ago, Chris Taylor said:

Thanks! Both kids will be done with school.  Our property can simply be rented out so there will definitely be a Plan B.

Bath, well it doesn't have to be there, but near might be nice.  

 

For me, the last few years have been crazy; lots of 60-70 hours weeks.  Up until March I used to work in Space Exploration and related stuff, which while it sounds fun but can be pretty intense at the best of times.  Basically I burned out completely, and after recovering, I really realised I wanted a different way of life.   Even going back to something like 40 hours a week in the field is just something I don't want to do.  Less stress isn't what we're looking for, It just needs to be a different lifestyle.

 

Since we really have thought about the possibility of Canal boating for quite some time, it just seems like a good time to get the information, and then if it is agreeable, try it out approx 6 years from now - with a solid Plan B!

 

 

 

Assuming you still feel the same way in 6 years time then do it even if its just to get it out of your system, doesn't suit everyone but if you don't try you'll never know. As you say you have a back out plan and I'm assuming you have a degree of financial security so good luck with it. Some know if it is for them within a few weeks certainly you should have a good idea how it going after the first year.

Good luck whatever you decide even if the decision is not to go ahead with it, sometimes backing out is the hardest decision.

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13 hours ago, Chris Taylor said:

Since we really have thought about the possibility of Canal boating for quite some time, it just seems like a good time to get the information, and then if it is agreeable, try it out approx 6 years from now - with a solid Plan B!

 

I cannot imagine making plans for something 6 years ahead. I do think you must hire a boat and see at first hand right now in the immediate future. Even that won't give a proper insight, as hire boats are only fitted for short-term use rather than permanent life on board - you would not want to spend many nights in sub-zero temperatures tied to a snow covered towpath on one for example. However it would at least give you the proper questions you need to ask about the life

 

Tam

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On 01/06/2022 at 15:01, tree monkey said:

Plenty of people have lived on boats with their kids, school age and above, I might suggest though that not many on here have, so you are likely to get more "it will be a nightmare" comments than the more practical comments from those who have done it.

 

I don't have any kids so I am in the "nightmare" camp but as I am also a grumpy anti social sod anyway that's not much of a surprise  :)

 

What I would say though, if you can afford the financial hit if it goes wrong or you decide it's not for you then go for it, for all the good advice people will freely and happily give here you only really know if it suits you when you have done it for a year or so and if it does the rewards are worth it.

 

Obviously I completely ignored my own sage advice in the last paragraph about finances when I bought my boat and I had no experience about boats and I didn't know how to steer, or where the water went or how the electrical system worked or...

 

anyway I think I have made up my mind about whether  boat life is for me over the last 15 odd years ;)

 

Love this reply. Me and my partner are gonna do it, just waiting to find the right boat! 

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