Just wondering if anyone has advice or experience of the pros and cons of boat lengths for long-term live aboard?

Thinking of things like showers and washing machines to make life easier.

Looking at Wilderness Beavers and wondering are they too small to live on full time?

People live in vans or tents

Go and have a look at one then decide can you live in it.

7 hours ago, Pairofsai said:

and washing machines to make life easier.

Unless you intend to be on a mooring with a mains shoreline think carefully about how you provide the electricity - especially if it has lead acid batteries. That goes for other modern appliances people think are now vital. It can be done, but often at a four figure cost and a roof full of solar panels, plus engine running for 1/3 of the year.

Too many new to boating seem to think that a couple of solar panels will provide for all the comforts of a land based home.

The bigger the boat, the more roof space there is for solar panels!

It is an impossible question to answer, without knowing your tolerance level for squalor and wish to benefit from the wonders of civilisation, like regular bathing, clean clothes, hot meals, staying warm, light in the evenings etc and where else you might be able to benefit from them, other than the boat. For example, a lived on boat in a full service marina can be smaller than one on a no facilities mooring, or CCing.

Also, with two people, or more on a boat, can you cope with not being able to close, or slam a door between you occasionally? A bigger boat means you can. Cabin fever is a thing during long winters.

I would find it difficult to live in comfort and luxury on a narrowboat shorter than about 65ft...

The two of us live very comfortably on a 45' narrowboat.

28 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Also, with two people, or more on a boat, can you cope with not being able to close, or slam a door between you occasionally?

Definitely, although we never lived aboard full-time, we did spend many weeks aboard Easter to November and also weekends in winter.

The best thing I did was convert the rear hire boat bedroom to a sitting room with a bed/settee and stove. That meant I could sit at the back and watch TV while she could listen to the radio and read at the front. That was on a 54ft boat.

Just now, Tony Brooks said:

I could sit at the back and watch TV while she could listen to the radio and read at the front. That was on a 54ft boat.

Sounds like bliss....I might do this! 😂

8 hours ago, Pairofsai said:

Just wondering if anyone has advice or experience of the pros and cons of boat lengths for long-term live aboard?

Thinking of things like showers and washing machines to make life easier.

Looking at Wilderness Beavers and wondering are they too small to live on full time?

Wilderness beavers are pretty small, but probably more problematic is their lack of insulation. That would have to be addressed for living aboard in winter.

I always find these type of questions very odd ... how can we , total strangers who know nothing about you, offer any idea what size home may or may not suit you ?

A bit like me asking you if this colour suits me ?

Rog

Edited October 4Oct 4 by dogless

57 minutes ago, MtB said:

I would find it difficult to live in comfort and luxury on a narrowboat shorter than about 65ft...

I

57ft as I want to move every so often.

I use a launderette, because i dont want wet clothes and bedding hanging inside.

I have coal and logs delivered., its free if over £200

I pay for servicing which I can't manage myself.

I paint my own boat, outside, but only if a paint shed available.

If you have a busy life and only sleep on board, thats a different thing to long term liveaboard.

A lot depends on your financial circumstances, and your skillset.

Edited October 4Oct 4 by LadyG

1 hour ago, MtB said:

I would find it difficult to live in comfort and luxury on a narrowboat shorter than about 65ft...

Whilst we all know this is a Mike wind up 🤣 having lived on 8 boats between 42 and 70 feet for a long time, by far the comfiest were the 65, 68 and 70 footers for a multiitude of reasons. However I have recently sold my 144 square metre home and bought a nicer for us 50 metre hobit sized cottage which we prefer. Edit to add that I was quoting my narrowboats here when by a country mile our widebeam we lived on was immeasurably better than any narrowboat.

Edited October 4Oct 4 by mrsmelly

I think that a Wilderness Beaver is too small to live on comfortably. When we had our 20 ft boat, we had to go home after a few days due to lack of storage space for clean clothes!

28 minutes ago, dogless said:

I always find these type of questions very odd ... how can we , total strangers who know nothing about you, offer any idea what size home may or may not suit you ?

A bit like me asking you if this colour suits me ?

Rog

It seems like a reasonable question to me. I don't think it's odd at all. Nobody is asking you to read someone else's mind. Like others have done you just answer for yourself. For example, MtB said he'd find it difficult to live on a narrow boat shorter than 65ft, while Bristolfashion said two of them live comfortably on a 45ft boat.

I used to live on a 45ft narrow boat and while I found that fine in summer when I could often sit outside during the day, it was winter when I found it claustrophobic.

Edited October 4Oct 4 by blackrose

Exactly my point ... only the individual knows what they can or cannot tolerate, and the fact someone else is able to survive 'van life' or camping, doesn't add a jot to that individuals knowledge of what THEY can or cannot put up with.

The real question (which none of the answers can possibly help with) is what size boat can the poster put up with ... only they can possibly know that.

Rog

For me on my own at a minimum:

Bedroom 7ft

Shower room 5ft

Kitchen 6ft

Living area 8ft

That's 26ft of inside living space plus

Trad stern 3ft

Bow area 7ft

Makes a total of 36ft. This is without washing machine as I would use a local launderette.

Have I lived on a boat this size?

No, they have always been 60ft and if they weren't I had them lengthened 🤔

9 hours ago, Pairofsai said:

Just wondering if anyone has advice or experience of the pros and cons of boat lengths for long-term live aboard?

Thinking of things like showers and washing machines to make life easier.

Looking at Wilderness Beavers and wondering are they too small to live on full time?

Personally, I lived aboard a 55ft boat for nearly five years, albeit based in a marina, so perhaps that's cheating somewhat.

With my dog and me aboard, it was comfortable and, for the most part, offered plenty of space. However, if I were significantly taller or larger, I might feel differently.

Redundancy was key. Having more than one way to heat water, heat the boat and generate electricity gave valuable peace of mind.

I have a 30ft boat now. It's fine for weekends, but I wouldn't want to use it for much more than that. The people moored next to me live on a similar-sized boat, a larger-than-life couple with a cat. Kudos to them, but it definitely wouldn't be for me. That said, it just goes to show that people do make it work.

Generally, the longer the boat, the greater the comfort. It's also worth remembering that running costs increase with length, so that's something to consider before rushing out to buy a 70ft boat. There's a reason they're often cheaper to buy than their 57ft counterparts.

Given you're already coming into this with the premise of "Is it too small?" and "What about my washing machine?", I'd probably recommend 50ft or longer. Space is at a premium, more so the shorter you go.

If I were buying a liveaboard again, I'd probably aim for around 57ft. They typically accommodate a decent bathroom, saloon, separate sleeping cabin, dinette and a good-sized galley without compromising too much, despite the width limitations of a narrowboat.

35 minutes ago, dogless said:

Exactly my point ... only the individual knows what they can or cannot tolerate, and the fact someone else is able to survive 'van life' or camping, doesn't add a jot to that individuals knowledge of what THEY can or cannot put up with.

The real question (which none of the answers can possibly help with) is what size boat can the poster put up with ... only they can possibly know that.

Rog

Disagree. - The OP is simply looking for perspectives, which will help them consider things they may not have thought of, thus giving them a more informed view in the absence of first-hand experience. We should welcome and encourage this on CWDF.

That's fine ... we disagree 😊

I struggle to see how your views can possibly help the o.p. decide what their view will be, but you've given them now.

I suspect that by even asking the question the poster has already answered their own question.

Rog

A lot would depend upon what access you have to storage away from the boat in my opinion. If you have nearby storage where you could, for example, switch out clothing and bedding according to the season then it would be easier to live in a smaller space. If you have to accommodate everything you need for 12 month living then more space would be needed. We used to spend approximately 5 months a year on our 58 foot leisure narrowboat and I certainly would need land-based storage if we were to ever live aboard for longer.

I loved happily on a 40 foot boat with a 23 foot cabin for several years, but I'm a minimalist.

I've always reckoned 55 foot is the real minimum for long term living, probably longer if there's more than one of you. Most people seem to move on to boats when there used to be two and now there aint.

Mine was just the one I happened to have.

10 hours ago, Pairofsai said:

Just wondering if anyone has advice or experience of the pros and cons of boat lengths for long-term live aboard?

Thinking of things like showers and washing machines to make life easier.

Looking at Wilderness Beavers and wondering are they too small to live on full time?

If you think space is going to be a problem when you live in a 6 foot wide and 6 foot high 'corridor' (of whatever length) maybe you should consider a widebeam. Yes it can restrict where you cruise, but, you have a1000miles of cruising available in EITHER the North or the South, there is just a bit in the middle that you cannot cross.

My current boat is 14 foot wide so the 'rooms' are almost typical 'modern house sized rooms' it bears absolutely no comparison to living in a 'sewer tube'.

For me and Mrs. Rust, the answer is 69 feet and 4 inches exactly,no more and no less. Before we decoupled from our land life, our setup could easily have stretched closer to 140 feet to accommodate all our accumulated junk.

Now, our boat is split fairly 50/50. Mrs. R’s 50% is entirely filled with her handbag and shoe collection, while my 50% share is shared equally with Mrs R. Consequently, I have been happily living in the engine room for the past 27 years (and I am convinced we can beat Smellie's record).

My advice to any wannabe narrowboat liveaboard who currently boasts a long hallway in their home is wonderfully straightforward:

Take every single earthly possession you own and cram it directly into the corridor, designating your front door as the official boat entrance. Toss a mattress on the floor, slap a few round pictures of scenic and industrial landscapes on the walls, and keep a handy bucket nearby to handle all your urgent business.

To truly capture the authentic atmosphere, spill a generous amount of water across the floor to emulate the inevitable leaks, throw in all your pets for good measure, and crank a heater on full blast in the summer to replicate the glorious cabin heat,complemented, naturally, by the air conditioning on full blast in the winter. Just make sure there is a massive, soul sucking puddle of muddy water waiting right outside your threshold.

To complete the authentic maritime illusion, simply stash a ton of coal under your bed, keep a spare bowl full of poo within arm's reach, and scatter a few gas bottles about to keep things exciting.

If you find you can easily live in this corridor for a week you're good to go,and can continue to shorten the corridor until you have either:

A) killed your partner and all your pets

or

B) Given up. Telling all the mates that you had previously, proudly told, you were selling up and becoming a nomad that you had changed your mind due to financial constraints

For true authenticity,if you have an obliging neighbour with a loud Petrol generator,get them to fire it up at 10 pm and waft fumes through your letterbox.

ETA......I almost forgot. Buy a large jar of authentic ACME coal dust from your favourite vendor. Ensure you smear a thin, yet even coating on every single surface. For a true, unbridled, genuine experience, you can make a replica woodburner from an old carboard box. Ensure you locate it near the entrance and simulate banging your ankles and knees on it whenever you leave the front door.

Edited October 4Oct 4 by Russ T

It rather depends on the facilities required. If you want:

Fixed bed

Shower/WC

Galley

Washing machine

Dinette

Saloon

Second bedroom

it works out around maybe around 65 feet. Omit the second bedroom and you're somewhere in the middle 50s, typically.

Combining a dining area and saloon saves around 6 feet.

Unless you squeeze everything else in extremis, about 40 feet is a conventional minimum for a boat with a fixed double bed.

A century of working boaters would say an eight foot long cabin on a seventy foot long narrowboat is the length needed.

1 hour ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

A century of working boaters would say an eight foot long cabin on a seventy foot long narrowboat is the length needed.

But as it was a working life most of the time was spent outside steering the boat, working locks and loading/unloading. Spare time was in the pub, generally with other boaters, or in a lay-by waiting for orders. Very few chose to live on their boat in retirement, and most of those who did were a) used to the life, and b) had little financial choice.

The minimum size for the OP would also depend upon how active he/she is and how much time he/she/they would spend inside it.

Wilderness Beavers are very small. I think about 23ft, or 17ft for the Cub variant, and that is the hull length with the cabin length even shorter. Not sure you could even fit a shower into that, let alone a washing machine.

They have the advantage of being trailable, but there is no need for that if you are intending to live aboard full time.