Survival guild for those new to liveaboards?

[Stevethetrain]

Has anyone ever thought to write one? I'm planning on moving out of my studio flat and taking to the water but I now find myself wondering about inverters and their use in keeping tropical fish alive, do people live aboard a non residental mooring as some people have suggested I try? and what other things do I need to know?

 

Steve.

[MoominPapa]

..... inverters and their use in keeping tropical fish alive,

Wow! A whole new argument: "I've got to run my engine past 8pm, otherwise my fish will die".

 

I have to say that the idea of keeping tropical fish on a boat without a very reliable shore-line connection seems to me to be positively Upminster.

 

MP.

[mikevye]

Wow! A whole new argument: "I've got to run my engine past 8pm, otherwise my fish will die".

 

I have to say that the idea of keeping tropical fish on a boat without a very reliable shore-line connection seems to me to be positively Upminster.

 

MP.

 

Could take them to work during the day save a bit of juice.

[Bill]

Could take them to work during the day save a bit of juice.

 

Why not turn the thermostat down a tiny bit each day and teach them to be non tropical (I'm sure they would get used to it). Problem solved.

[Nine of Hearts]

Why not turn the thermostat down a tiny bit each day and teach them to be non tropical (I'm sure they would get used to it). Problem solved.

 

I like fishes, but realized that a tropical tank on the boat would be impractical. Instead, I installed a gigantic cold water tank outside the boat. It has carp, pike, perch and all sorts in it. I even let fishermen catch them, I have so many!

[Athy]

Referring to the topic title, are there many members of your Guild?

[Scooby]

I like fishes, but realized that a tropical tank on the boat would be impractical. Instead, I installed a gigantic cold water tank outside the boat. It has carp, pike, perch and all sorts in it. I even let fishermen catch them, I have so many!

 

 

It all sounds a bit fishy to me..

[Tim Doran]

When I started out I jumped in at the deepend. It was a baptism of ice not fire, as it was mid winter.

 

The best place to start is on this forum, try searching for the things you wish to know about, and then start new posts with your own questions.

 

Re. Fish, I am afraid that the amount of juice the heater would consume would become a durge on your life. You would have to keep your batteries topped up frequently and know that there was always enough power for you to leave the boat for a few days. WIth a fridge if you run out of battery juice then your beers get warm, with living fish well...

 

There are lots of compromises that have to be made when living on a boat, probably the first hurdle is electricty usage.

 

Tim

[Chris-B]

If the op has an iphone he can always download the tapfish app

 

There you go fish sorted.....

Edited September 30, 2010 by Baldock

[Hippoclides]

Has anyone ever thought to write one? I'm planning on moving out of my studio flat and taking to the water but I now find myself wondering about inverters and their use in keeping tropical fish alive, do people live aboard a non residental mooring as some people have suggested I try? and what other things do I need to know?

 

Steve.

 

The guild is the RBOA. They also publish a guide, "Living Afloat", which is a reasonable start and worth the money (imo). Going through old threads on the forums is also really helpful.

 

I don't liveaboard (yet) but could see tropical fish might be a major problem. You could try cold water fish instead..? If they die, you can always grab a fishing rod and restock from the cut

[Guest User]

<snip>You could try cold water fish instead..? If they die, you can always grab a fishing rod and restock from the cut

But .... with a cold tank, come summer, if you pop out for the day leaving the boat securely locked up in the sunshine, you may well come back to boiled fish

[Athy]

The guild is the RBOA. They also publish a guide, "Living Afloat", which is a reasonable start and worth the money (imo)

Neat, Hippo!

[WotEver]

But .... with a cold tank, come summer, if you pop out for the day leaving the boat securely locked up in the sunshine, you may well come back to boiled fish

Then all you need to do is cook a few chips and supper's ready!

 

Tony

[LoneEcho]

Want fish ? Impractical on a boat ? I have a nice mooring on a six metre deep lake, and think the scuba gear may get a few rinses off while I go explore my own personal fish tank. Another advantage of the scuba gear is that if I don't like the neighbours, a discrete night dive armed with a hand operated drill should sort that problem out

[carlt]

When I started out I jumped in at the deepend.

I suppose it gets the "Have you fallen in, yet?" question out of the way, at an early stage.

[Tim Doran]

I suppose it gets the "Have you fallen in, yet?" question out of the way, at an early stage.

 

 

I am not a proper boater coz I have only dunked one foot in. I was wearing my rigger boots and it filled it nicely. I had managed almost 2 years before this happened.

Edited September 30, 2010 by Tim Doran

[bottle]

Apart from all the problems mentioned in the need for a really large battery bank and being able to re-charge it (without shoreline).

 

The biggest problem is the tank size (weight) and the 'sloshing' of the water when you hit something even gently.

 

The best place to put it would be on the floor, seal the top and put a second one on the other side of the boat to balance it.

 

ps. I had tropical fish but they had to go when we moved on the boat, we did it by natural wastage, when they died (of old age) they were not replaced, just before moving aboard we found another enthusiast to have those left.

[carlt]

 

ps. I had tropical fish but they had to go when we moved on the boat, we did it by natural wastage,

Presumably compulsory redundancy would have involved flushing?

[SimonRNABO]

If you hunt around you will find lots on this on the web - put "living afloat" into most search engines.

 

The Residential Boat Owners Association (RBOA) is as previously advised another good place to start. There are also a few books setting out people's experiences.

 

My advice would be, don't just rely on a book or a website. Good sources to get you some ideas, but it's no substitute for talking to as many people as you can who are already living afloat. The live-aboard community is very diverse and there is a range of lifestyles from very low impact living 'off grid' through to barges or static housboats which will have all the features and more of any land-based flat.

 

You need to thoroughly understand the problems/issues around finding a residential mooring. Just look through some of topics in this forum on moorings and continuous crusing and you will get the picture.

 

(20 years living afloat, in my case!)

[Chertsey]

There are some lifestyle aspirations that inevitably invite the incredulous response 'Are you sure you want to live on a boat?'. Keeping tropical fish I would suggest is one of them. Many of the others involve electrical appliances for doing things to one's hair or clothes. Never mind the electricity, what happens when you hit a lock gate or something and the whole lot slosh onto the floor?

[carlt]

I suppose you could copy Alexei Sayle's tropical fish storage solution, though history does not record the success, or failure, of his venture.

[alan_fincher]

ps. I had tropical fish but they had to go when we moved on the boat, we did it by natural wastage, when they died (of old age) they were not replaced, just before moving aboard we found another enthusiast to have those left.

Another solution in here....

[Stevethetrain]

First things first, there are few places in the London area that offer residential moorings. It looks like I'll be downsizing the tank and ccing for a while.

[sueb]

First things first, there are few places in the London area that offer residential moorings. It looks like I'll be downsizing the tank and ccing for a while.

I hope the fish like the constant vibration

sue

[dfleminguk]

Hmm had to reply to this lol Ive had a tropical fish tank onboard for 3 years now and had no issues! The tank runs through its own smallish inverter as I dont have a constant shore power connection. To be honest I dont think about the fact its even there, I have even cruised down the Humber to Hull with them (albeit i did empty some water from the tank before our departure)