Canal boaters like me face an existential crisis

[magnetman]

I had one of these. Nice things but very inefficient.

 

I think the army had these or similar as they were reliable with minimal electronic gubbins.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

15 minutes ago, magnetman said:

I had one of these. Nice things but very inefficient.

 

I think the army had these or similar as they were reliable with minimal electronic gubbins.

 

 

I first used one as an apprentice, not that brand so we could use power tools on building sites. Very unsuccessful as we didn't have the battery capacity, a B&S generator soon replaced it  

[DandV]

On 12/01/2026 at 05:57, Alan de Enfield said:

 

‘Boaters like me face an existential crisis’

 

Extract as requested :

 

(discussing the commision commrecomendations)

............

 

Extract from a 1970's pamphlet. Perhaps

 

When squatting in other people's property was not uncommon in London

 

‘Squatters like me face an existential crisis’

 

Extract as requested :

 

(discussing the council committee recomendations)

 

At present, many squatters choose to squat close to their workplace in the winter when temperatures plunge and the days shorten, but will then travel further away during warmer months.

“Minimum distances will mean you will have to rely on public transport all the time,” Cough-Olot says. “There are all sorts of extra prices that start coming into all of that. It would impose a very rigid set of rules over what is actually quite a fluid lifestyle.”

The combined impact of being forced to travel longer distances while paying rent could be tough for some to sustain, he adds. “It seems that the council doesn’t want me to exist and they’re using two different ways to say we just don’t want you here.”

 

Things have changed and things have stayed the same. 

Edited January 17 by DandV

[magnetman]

12 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I first used one as an apprentice, not that brand so we could use power tools on building sites. Very unsuccessful as we didn't have the battery capacity, a B&S generator soon replaced it  

Briggs and Stratton should have stuck with their hybrid motorcar.from 1980. 

 

Fast forward 45 years imagine how good this would have ended up being. 

 

 

 

8 minutes ago, DandV said:

Things have changed and things have stayed the same. 

It's a funny coincidence that the CRT was created the same year that residential squatting was criminalised.

 

The problem is that a lot of the squatters who had caused the problems which resulted in the ban quickly noticed that the canals were a useful poorly regulated zone to exploit.

 

Guess what happens next.

 

I have been banging on about this for the last 15 years it's not a new theme for me

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 17 by magnetman

[Mike Todd]

4 hours ago, Bee said:

Hmmm. To fall foul of the rules is unfortunate but as others have said a bit of research should have revealed the waterways rules and regs. I have some sympathy though for those who end up in trouble. The waterways magazines often run features on boats built for liveaboards, builders are happy to build expensive boats that really cannot be used as their customers plan, blogs and vlogs paint a fairy tale picture of living on board and being of a prickly nature I will do as I wish with my boat. So there. We lived on for 12 years and with care and some common sense it was OK but that was years ago and the world thought liveaboards were odd and slightly dangerous people. Nowadays there are thousands more boats and the same amount of space to put them and living on is hardly unusual. CRT need to publicise their own rules a bit more to stop people making big mistakes.

I have not yet come across any example of where a boater has had substantial action taken against them for only just being outside the rules. 

[magnetman]

I seem to recall from some previous suggestion  "it is ok to take the piss just don't take the piss as badly as those who are taking the piss really badly and it will be fine"

 

Problem is that the CRT come along and redefine what "as badly as" means and it all goes haywire.

 

And the rest will be written in very tiny history books of no relevance. 

 

[DandV]

On 12/01/2026 at 05:57, Alan de Enfield said:

 

‘Canal boaters like me face an existential crisis’

 

Extract as requested :

 

(discussing the commission recomendations)

 

At present, many boaters will choose to moor close to their workplace in the winter when temperatures plunge and the days shorten, but will then travel further away during warmer months.

“Minimum distances will mean you will have to rely on public transport all the time,” Gough-Olaya says. “There are all sorts of extra prices that start coming into all of that. It would impose a very rigid set of rules over what is actually quite a fluid lifestyle.”

The combined impact of being forced to travel longer distances while paying increased fees could be tough for some to sustain, he adds. “It seems that the navigation authority doesn’t want me to exist and they’re using two different ways to say we just don’t want you here.”

And for an Australian version. 

Sally was priced out of Noosa’s housing market. Now a houseboat owner, she’s about to be forced off the water https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/30/houseboat-owners-queensland-anchoring-limit-sunshine-coast-noosa?CMP=share_btn_url

 

The dental nurse says a new 28-day anchoring limit is designed to get rid of houseboats and clear the view for residents of multimillion-dollar mansions

I must admit wintering over in Noosa would be far preferable then in wintering over in Dukinfield.

[MtB]

From the article:

 

"Hayes plans to sell up and leave the area if she is made to move. It’s no longer affordable, but that isn’t the only reason, she says.

“I don’t want to be amongst these people if they don’t want me here. It’s a horrible feeling.”

 

She is being a bit precious about this in my opinion. It's not her "they" don't want there AIUI, it's her effing boat. Same as with CMers here. 

 

Or maybe I've misunderstood. 

 

[blackrose]

On 11/01/2026 at 20:33, Gybe Ho said:

 

We should not be surprised that after 80 years of post-war consumer culture people are rejecting it and adopting an alternative.

 

 

You don't think that buying boats and all the other equipment that goes along with it is part of consumer culture?

 

Some people might downsize from houses to live onboard while others who move onto boats may be trying to escape rental exploitation, but living onboard is no guarantee of an escape from consumerism.

 

The whole idea of a simpler, greener, less consumer orientated life living on a boat is idealistic nonsense in my opinion. You should see the amount of daily Amazon deliveries at my mooring. 

Edited January 31 by blackrose

[Alan de Enfield]

4 hours ago, DandV said:

I must admit wintering over in Noosa would be far preferable then in wintering over in Dukinfield.

 

 

As usual, with the press, the article is incorrect, but, if it is correct then Ms White doesn't understand that she is not being evicted from her boat, her boat is being evicted from its mooring (she can stay with it) !

 

"White is worried that she faces eviction from her home of four years, and blames the decision on class."

 

 

[Tonka]

1 hour ago, blackrose said:

 

You don't think that buying boats and all the other equipment that goes along with it is part of consumer culture?

 

Some people might downsize from houses to live onboard while others who move onto boats may be trying to escape rental exploitation, but living onboard is no guarantee of an escape from consumerism.

 

The whole idea of a simpler, greener, less consumer orientated life living on a boat is idealistic nonsense in my opinion. You should see the amount of daily Amazon deliveries at my mooring. 

In fact it's worse on a boat. Just look at all the fools that Victron have sold blue boxes to

[Arthur Marshall]

2 hours ago, blackrose said:

The whole idea of a simpler, greener, less consumer orientated life living on a boat is idealistic nonsense in my opinion

For the genuinely poverty struck  it probably is, but not deliberately. I never bothered much about being green, but was perfectly content living on for a few years with my one domestic battery, no mains power, coal stove and gas cooker and hot water. No solar, either.

Still am, for that matter.

[IanD]

56 minutes ago, Tonka said:

In fact it's worse on a boat. Just look at all the fools that Victron have sold blue boxes to

Or indeed, all the fools that didn't buy Victron blue boxes but bought something cheap and nasty instead, and later regretted it... 😉 

[Momac]

Are  Victron products considered to be expensive ?

My battery charger is Victron and I think it was reasonably priced . It  uses less electricity compared to the battery charger it replaced.

 

[LadyG]

On 11/01/2026 at 20:02, MtB said:

 

 

Why does it have to be electric? Am I missing something? 

 

 

Z generation, turning the planet green for their future.

Let her live the dream......

[Gybe Ho]

3 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

You don't think that buying boats and all the other equipment that goes along with it is part of consumer culture?

 

Some people might downsize from houses to live onboard while others who move onto boats may be trying to escape rental exploitation, but living onboard is no guarantee of an escape from consumerism.

 

The whole idea of a simpler, greener, less consumer orientated life living on a boat is idealistic nonsense in my opinion. You should see the amount of daily Amazon deliveries at my mooring. 

 

Your post is equivalent to claiming that abandoning car ownership and buying a bicycle is not green because someone might buy a 10kg  sack of coal and peddle home with it strapped on rear panniers.

 

Living on a narrowboat is a perfect platform to support a low consumption minimal living, life style. The narrowness is a strong incentive to curtail frivolous consumerism.

[Mike Coombes]

4 hours ago, IanD said:

Or indeed, all the fools that didn't buy Victron blue boxes but bought something cheap and nasty instead, and later regretted it... 😉 

 

I used an EpEver 30 amp MPPT for five years controlling the output from 400W of good quality rigid panels. At the time 40% of the cost of a Victron.

 

Inexpensive, never went wrong, did EXACTLY what it said on the enclosed leaflet.  

 

During our 5 month summer cruises on the Ocean it ran two keel cooled refrigerators and a Dometic 40 litre freezer box 24/7. House bank was 440 AH AGM.

 

Basics were adhered too, correct cable sizing, short runs and good proper sized connections.

[IanD]

9 minutes ago, Mike Coombes said:

 

I used an EpEver 30 amp MPPT for five years controlling the output from 400W of good quality rigid panels. At the time 40% of the cost of a Victron.

 

Inexpensive, never went wrong, did EXACTLY what it said on the enclosed leaflet.  

 

During our 5 month summer cruises on the Ocean it ran two keel cooled refrigerators and a Dometic 40 litre freezer box 24/7. House bank was 440 AH AGM.

 

Basics were adhered too, correct cable sizing, short runs and good proper sized connections.

Nobody ever said that *only* Victron gear was good, but there's a lot of cheap nasty (non-Victron) stuff out there that people regretted buying -- it was just to provide a counterpoint to the silly statement that Victron buyers were fools, and by implication those who didn't buy Victron gear weren't... 😉 

 

(because there are plenty of fools out there who buy all kinds of things both cheap and expensive and regret it afterwards, especially if they believed a lot of the guff on the internet...)

Edited January 31 by IanD

[Unicorn Stampede]

On 12/01/2026 at 18:37, David Mack said:

Happened down the road from here in Mytholmroyd. One resident objected to the church clock's Westminster chimes which have rung every 15 minutes since 1848. Calderdale Council served a Noise Abatement Order requiring the bells to be silenced between 11 pm and 7 am. Since the clock had no mechanism to stop the ringing at certain times only the bells fell silent, despite many objections and a petition with over 1200 signatures. Subsequently funds were raised to fit a mechanism to the clock, so the clock now chimes between 7 am and 11 pm.    

I remember this. Wouldn't have wanted to have been the resident if their name got outed. How one single unhappy person could have decided the situation around the clock was baffling.

 

 

[blackrose]

5 hours ago, Momac said:

Are  Victron products considered to be expensive ?

My battery charger is Victron and I think it was reasonably priced . It  uses less electricity compared to the battery charger it replaced.

 

 

They used to be considered expensive, but about 2 years ago they cut their prices significantly and are now comparable to some cheaper brands.

[blackrose]

6 hours ago, Mike Coombes said:

 

I used an EpEver 30 amp MPPT for five years controlling the output from 400W of good quality rigid panels. At the time 40% of the cost of a Victron.

 

Inexpensive, never went wrong, did EXACTLY what it said on the enclosed leaflet.  

 

During our 5 month summer cruises on the Ocean it ran two keel cooled refrigerators and a Dometic 40 litre freezer box 24/7. House bank was 440 AH AGM.

 

Basics were adhered too, correct cable sizing, short runs and good proper sized connections.

 

I had an EpEver 60A MPPT and it was fine. I changed it to a Victron when the prices came down but that was a bit of an indulgence really. The EpEver did exactly the same job as the Victron and just as well. But it did get a lot hotter than the Victron which makes me think it probably wouldn't last as long. Then there's the Victron connectivity which the EpEver doesn't have. 

 

I also have separate Sterling inverter and battery changers on my boat - the latter have been working perfectly for the last 20 years. 

 

If I was starting over I'd go for Victron because there's not much difference in price anymore, but some of the "cheaper" brands also do a good job. What I would avoid is the really cheap stuff from Amazon and eBay. £250 for a 2kW pure sine wave inverter seems great, but if you look further you find it isn't N-E bonded so not suitable for permanent installation to run full mains rings. Still I'm sure some people use them without incident, but I wouldn't.

[NathanielBeaumont]

On 11/01/2026 at 19:44, magnetman said:

Another basic point is that having a narrowboat to live on is only sensible if you are going to do a lot of cruising about in narrow canals. I lived in narrows 24/365 for 15 years. A lot of this was cruising around on canals including narrow parts.

 

However if one is NOT moving about and enjoying the system the restriction of a narrow beam can actually be quite hard to deal with. It's basically not wide enough. For a lot of people this will present quite a serious psychological burden. Some will be fine, some will be in denial.

 

Spending £170k on a narrowboat in mid life and dumping the house is completely crazy. 

 

I know a lot about this as it's what my mum did (nowhere near that much money) and it really messed her up. I am convinced it was part of the reason she eventually took her own life.

 

It sounds severe and but jumping in at the deep end like that is a very unwise thing to be doing. It's too risky. Boats have a habit of presenting as if they are some sort of joyous life full of milk and honey with wonderful happiness forever but at the end of the day living in a  long thinmetal box floating in a ditch with dog shit outside and a muddy frozen public footpath to walk along is not in fact all that amazingly wonderful. 

 

Cruising about all year round and exploring the country was amazing. That is for sure but the static part less so, 

 

By forcing people to move more the CRT will be doing everyone a favour.

 

 

 

Win Casino Bangladesh

I think that’s a fair point - the lifestyle probably looks very different depending on whether you’re actually moving regularly or just staying put.

[LadyG]

On 31/01/2026 at 16:03, Unicorn Stampede said:

I remember this. Wouldn't have wanted to have been the resident if their name got outed. How one single unhappy person could have decided the situation around the clock was baffling.

 

 

Its ridiculous, you get used to these things anyway.

I remember the reverse situation the day the trams stopped running and I was trying to sleep, in silence!

28 minutes ago, NathanielBeaumont said:

I think that’s a fair point - the lifestyle probably looks very different depending on whether you’re actually moving regularly or just staying put.

I think many people buy a boat to live on because its affordable, and later discover whether its a lifestyle choice or just a temporary option, or even a permanent option because bricks and mortar are just unaffordable/ cold and damp/ in the wrong location.

Plenty are quite happy to stay in one place, but their place of choice is not a marina.

Edited March 25 by LadyG

[Creaking Gate]

Yawn.  As usual a dull and predictable article.    I had to sell my boat and stop using the canals because i cannot afford it.  But that's life, things go up in cost and at some point you have to make a choice. Its always been that way, and it always will be.

 

I made mine, they made theirs. Deal with it. The sense of entitlement is nauseating.

 

YouTube made it look so cheap, so easy and so full of fun.  The grim reality somewhat removed from that. 

 

Being a continuous cruiser and having a fixed location job is just laughable really imo.

Edited March 25 by Creaking Gate

[matty40s]

11 minutes ago, Creaking Gate said:

 

Being a continuous cruiser and having a fixed location job is just laughable really imo.

Strange, as I managed it for 9 enjoyable years covering 6 different rivers and 10 navigations including the BCN and London S/E region. Even met my wife doing it. Only the fading health of our parents made us take a mooring.