Regreting living aboard

[blackrose]

He is very good, and particularly enthusiastic.

 

He's ok, but I find his style of observational humour is a bit weak, hence the need to support it with all that enthusiasm. That and the skipping...

Edited December 25, 2010 by blackrose

[Jim Batty]

... This is our seventh winter as liveaboards and I miss nothing about house dwelling in the winter. We have a number of requirements for winter living which are:- being warm onboard at all times, having no damp, enough fuel for the whole winter, copious food and water supplies, sufficient power, plenty to do. These requirements would be the same for wherever we lived, be it house, flat, caravan, motorhome or boat.

 

... Living on a boat comfortably in winter requires a certain ammount of preparation, not neccessarily more than a house, just different. Unfortunately, if the boat is not up to the job, then things will still be hard. I well remember as a lad, having ice on the inside of my bedroom window, layers of thick blankets and a freezing cold bathroom and kitchen. We sat round the fire in the evening, feeling the draught round our ankles. These days, modern housing is double walled, cavity insulated, roof insulated and double glazed, plus central heating, so they are all year round protected. Unfortunately, most boats aren't built to that level of protection. I have nade sure that our boat is well insulated, double glazed and well heated, so we don't have any winter fears at all.

 

A boat is not a house and neither should it be, but the same rules of physics apply wherever you live for keeping warm, dry and comfortable. ...

 

Roger

 

Our second winter aboard continually cruising at a snail's pace and still loving it. (Not technically frozen in at Uxbridge, but ran into thin ice and a frozen water point when we headed down to South Cowley at the beginning of the week ... and virgin ice south of there). Last Saturday the 5-inch snowfall was really pretty (it's still out there looking nice) ... took a bunch of photos ... was amazed to discover the following Monday that Heathrow had been closed for three days because of it.

 

Out of pure happenstance (what came with the boat when we bought her) two things I think have made a huge difference in lessening the impact of cold weather: double glazing and micro-fibre insulation. The aluminium frames weep condensation if we don't keep the coal stove burning low overnight, but the windows stay clear. And the insulation (stuffed in to about an inch thickness) seems to do the biz. A good wool carpet on the floor caps it all off.

 

This year we discovered the trick of opening the hall closet door so that it jambs open and keeps the heat concentrated to the 'living' end of the boat (and as a bonus keeps the damp out of the clothes.) And ship's cat can still squeeze by to get at his kibble.

 

What initially seemed like a small pumpout tank generally sees two of us through three weeks. So here's hoping there's a thaw by end of first week of 2011!

 

Merry Christmas.

[station tug]

for many years we lived on a farm mooring..all as we had was somewere to tie up..no electric or water.parking was on the road side and a good five min walk to the boat...had to carry our water/food/petrol/coal/parafin in winter and most of the time in the summer.the privercy was great but in summer it was like a motorway with boats hammering past.we would never have a newish car as it was parked on the side of the road......do i miss it yes i guess i do....

 

im moving back onto the water probably by the end of summer just in time for winter lol...im seriously toying with the idea of moving the boat to one of these expensive marina's with mains hook up and ever lasting water close to the boat...it worries me i will be moving into a condensed housing estate with all the pit falls that come with it.....will i regret this decision time will tell......opinions greatly welcome

[Smelly]

opinions greatly welcome

 

i will be moving into a condensed housing estate with all the pit falls that come with it...

[Midnight Rider]

for many years we lived on a farm mooring..all as we had was somewere to tie up..no electric or water.parking was on the road side and a good five min walk to the boat...had to carry our water/food/petrol/coal/parafin in winter and most of the time in the summer.the privercy was great but in summer it was like a motorway with boats hammering past.we would never have a newish car as it was parked on the side of the road......do i miss it yes i guess i do....

 

im moving back onto the water probably by the end of summer just in time for winter lol...im seriously toying with the idea of moving the boat to one of these expensive marina's with mains hook up and ever lasting water close to the boat...it worries me i will be moving into a condensed housing estate with all the pit falls that come with it.....will i regret this decision time will tell......opinions greatly welcome

I would go for a winter marina mooring, cruise spring through to autumn & while you are out look for your next winter mooring.

 

Try to find a winter berth away from other live aboards in order to give you your own space.

 

Tony

[Lady Muck]

for many years we lived on a farm mooring..all as we had was somewere to tie up..no electric or water.parking was on the road side and a good five min walk to the boat...had to carry our water/food/petrol/coal/parafin in winter and most of the time in the summer.the privercy was great but in summer it was like a motorway with boats hammering past.we would never have a newish car as it was parked on the side of the road......do i miss it yes i guess i do....

 

im moving back onto the water probably by the end of summer just in time for winter lol...im seriously toying with the idea of moving the boat to one of these expensive marina's with mains hook up and ever lasting water close to the boat...it worries me i will be moving into a condensed housing estate with all the pit falls that come with it.....will i regret this decision time will tell......opinions greatly welcome

 

Don't bank on an expensive marina mooring having a working (i.e defrosted) water tap in weather like this. I haven't been able to use my washing machine or get any water out of the tap since November. It's nice to be able to park the car next to the boat, though.

Moorings are not all the same either, mine is marina/secure/full services, but the boat is moored against the bankside and is online - I don't look out the window into a neighbours boat, makes all the difference.

[Québec]

[snip] Don't bank on an expensive marina mooring having a working (i.e defrosted) water tap in weather like this.

One relatively expensive marina. 300 berths. c. 100 taps. Only one working (left constantly dripping). Laundry and Elsan disposal both frozen. Fortunately toilets and showers still working.

[owen]

Hello,

 

Thanks for your answer....

 

I wasn't proposing UFHeating in my (or any) boat.. just saying that the issue of underfloor insulation in new houses was a major factor esp. with UFH...

 

My instincts still tell me that it would help beneath the floor of a narrowboat (kingspan/celotex type that could be lifted out or was glued to the underside of the boards) as valuable heat will be conducted through the boat and effectively be lost to the canal water...

 

My house design experience tells me to (while alllowing adequate ventilation/breathing) make sure all potential heat leakages are insulated and sealed.

pendle boats are at present building a wide beam with under floor heating you could ring them and ask or email them .I dont think theres many boats with this option if any

 

Thanks

 

Steve

[Lady Muck]

One relatively expensive marina. 300 berths. c. 100 taps. Only one working (left constantly dripping). Laundry and Elsan disposal both frozen. Fortunately toilets and showers still working.

 

Every winter the boiler breaks in our shower block, there has been no hot water for two months this year. My advice is - if you plan to liveaboard, don't rely on any of the services that the marina provides, make sure you have adequate onboard or a plan for if something fails. Too many boaters I know have done away with proper bathing facilities (ok - some on cabin cruisers don't have a choice) and they are stuck because they rely on someone else to make sure the so -called facilities work.

[Pretty Funked Up]

Don't bank on an expensive marina mooring having a working (i.e defrosted) water tap in weather like this. I haven't been able to use my washing machine or get any water out of the tap since November. It's nice to be able to park the car next to the boat, though.

 

 

One relatively expensive marina. 300 berths. c. 100 taps. Only one working (left constantly dripping). Laundry and Elsan disposal both frozen. Fortunately toilets and showers still working.

 

 

Every winter the boiler breaks in our shower block, there has been no hot water for two months this year. My advice is - if you plan to liveaboard, don't rely on any of the services that the marina provides

 

...

[station tug]

i am looking forward to moving back on and i do fancy the idea of secure parking near the boat.i have four large dogs that in use for work which could well cause issues in a large posh marina all be it the are highly trained and iccredable obiedient..iv decided to sacrifice a trad back cabin to accomidate the dogs so i dont have them creating mayhem through the rest of the boat..i figure this will be a steep learning curve as regards marina's dogs and the pollitics that go with condenced living....

[mrsmelly]

Sorry but I don't keep figures on this. I have seen a number of people hanging bags on trees and once I even asked a dog walker why he did this to be informed that the plan was to pick it up again on the way back so he did not have to carry it all the time, this seemed fair enough to me unfortunately he never did return to pick it up. On my way round the system I do see a lot of bags either hanging from trees or just lying by the side of the towpath.

You as good dog owner and clearer up are let down in my opinion by the majority who do not.

 

Just to expand on this it is usualy pratts that live in houses that just drive down to our car park at Thrupp, jump out their motors with dog (s) and walk off down the towpath letting their dogs run anywhere and crap everywhere, one stupid woman after bagging her dog poo ( unusual ) strolled over to the front of our tea room and proceeded to put it into our outside bin for use of customers icecreams etc. After my wife ( Annie ) explained to her the error of her ways she took it out and marched off nose in the air to the DOG POO bin 20 yards away.

We have several liveaboards in the area all of whom bag their poo !!

[canaldrifter]

 

We have several liveaboards in the area all of whom bag their poo !!

 

Aah.... back on topic.

 

Tone

[Midnight Rider]

Aah.... back on topic.

 

Tone

Leave him alone --- at least he's not banging on about cassette bogs

 

Tony

[honey ryder]

Does anyone regret selling the house and living aboard or do you regard this weather as a challenge?

Sue

 

I never had a house to sell and Ive no regrets so far.... BUT,

As any readers of my blog (HONEY RYDER) will know, I chose the wrong floating "boat" to start with. Having discovered that the narrowboating life is pretty shit most of the year round, dirty canals, smelly rivers, low life scum chucking a whole manner of ugliness into them and operating the boat year round through crappy locks, the winter's not a problem, being iced in, not a problem. lugging a toilet cassette through ice and snow, not a problem. a wood stove that heats the boat in the middle but not the ends, not a problem. the problem for me was the underlying fact that a narrowboat is far too much like a floating caravan. I dont regret the narrowboat. But, I love the new boat (Varekai, a GRP sailing yacht) like never I could have imagined.

its bloody freezing, ive got mains power hook up (for the duration it is out of the water), the boat is out of the water on hard standing (yes I still live on it, 2.5 meters up) my toilet is either a bucket or a 2 minute run down the marina. I dont have running water as such, as I have to catch everything i use in a bowl or bucket (being out of the water). every cupboard is open to avoid mildew and I have a dehumidifier running most of the time. last week i had to wipe the ice droplets off the inside of the back cabin before they defrosted and dropped all over the cushions.

My cooker didnt work for a while as the tiny gas bottles the boat is equipped with froze (butane) and I had to swap temporarily to a propane bottle that is simply stood in the cockpit with a plastic bag over it.

when the deck is covered in snow or ice it is absolutely lethal and dont get me started on the mildew on the duvet where it has touched the sides of the boat at night.

its a MUCH harder life than on the narrowboat.

 

however, I love life on the boat so much I wouldnt change it for anything. other than a job and a mooring (with the same boat) in the med. No regrets at all.

[DeanS]

I never had a house to sell and Ive no regrets so far.... BUT,

As any readers of my blog (HONEY RYDER) will know, I chose the wrong floating "boat" to start with. Having discovered that the narrowboating life is pretty shit most of the year round, dirty canals, smelly rivers, low life scum chucking a whole manner of ugliness into them and operating the boat year round through crappy locks, the winter's not a problem, being iced in, not a problem. lugging a toilet cassette through ice and snow, not a problem. a wood stove that heats the boat in the middle but not the ends, not a problem.

 

 

Is narrowboating really this bad?

I've convinced my family they will love it

[Heffalump]

And they will, as far as I'm concerned what you've quoted is a crock of shite

[carlt]

And they will, as far as I'm concerned what you've quoted is a crock of shite

To be fair it's horses for courses.

 

I was happy living aboard, on the canals, but I hadn't realised how much I'd missed the sea, until I had to move back ashore, and bought a sea-going leisure boat.

 

I expect you and your family will love the canals, Dean, but, if everybody who set out to make their home on the cut had loved it and stayed, there'd be so many boats that you could never move.

[mikevye]

To be fair it's horses for courses.

 

I was happy living aboard, on the canals, but I hadn't realised how much I'd missed the sea, until I had to move back ashore, and bought a sea-going leisure boat.

 

I expect you and your family will love the canals, Dean, but, if everybody who set out to make their home on the cut had loved it and stayed, there'd be so many boats that you could never move.

 

True words indeed. Watching the "rosy" canal based programmes which were in abundance a few years ago I often commented on how people would fair when reality struck home. The situation today is far worse with much higher running costs and BWs ineptitude to maintain the canals, if the trend continues you wont be able to give your boat away!

[MoominPapa]

But, I love the new boat (Varekai, a GRP sailing yacht) like never I could have imagined.

its bloody freezing, ive got mains power hook up (for the duration it is out of the water), the boat is out of the water on hard standing (yes I still live on it, 2.5 meters up) my toilet is either a bucket or a 2 minute run down the marina. I dont have running water as such, as I have to catch everything i use in a bowl or bucket (being out of the water). every cupboard is open to avoid mildew and I have a dehumidifier running most of the time. last week i had to wipe the ice droplets off the inside of the back cabin before they defrosted and dropped all over the cushions.

My cooker didnt work for a while as the tiny gas bottles the boat is equipped with froze (butane) and I had to swap temporarily to a propane bottle that is simply stood in the cockpit with a plastic bag over it.

when the deck is covered in snow or ice it is absolutely lethal and dont get me started on the mildew on the duvet where it has touched the sides of the boat at night.

its a MUCH harder life than on the narrowboat.

 

You're really selling this to me.......

 

 

MP.

[Heffalump]

To be fair it's horses for courses.

 

It is, but I think it was exaggerated and unfairly put

[carlt]

It is, but I think it was exaggerated and unfairly put

True but she din't exactly pull any punches, when describing her favoured accommodation, either.

[DeanS]

but having read a bit of her blog, I realise she had a husband partner who passed out from drinking, was moored within the M25 near London. And her blog did confirm she loved her narrowboat:) I think her comments were justifiable based on her experience, everything taken into account.

[Heffalump]

Fair enough, I'd not read the whole thing, but paraphrased as it was sounded unjustly harsh

[Alan Saunders]

Having said previously that living on a boat is as good, even better than living in an isolated country cottage I have now found a snag; lack of regular post; delivered or collected from the local office.

 

Having transferred my boat licence to 'Gold' and then back to 'BW only' it is due by the end of December. Unfortunately I failed to collect my mail for a while. No problem, I thought, just renew the licence online. No, it cannot be done, you need the "eight digit renewal number", sent only by post. Furthermore, the BW offices are closed until after the New Year holiday so I cannot renew by telephone.

 

I can tax and insure my car online or by telephone but BW require their 'secret code' that they will send only by post. I hope you will all appreciate my additional £50 contribution (10% fine) to the BW coffers - thank goodness it was not a 70' boat at 10% of £800+.

 

Alan