4 months living aboard today

[DeanS]

We moved aboard 1April.

Today is our 4 month anniversary aboard..

Best 4 months of my life.

 

We have:

 

1. Never gone a night without lights, and elec power.

2. Never run out of water.

3. Always been able to empty the casettes.

4. Never run out of gas.

5. Been stranded on the mud in a large river.

6. Reversed out of a marina in the howling wind.

7. Done the 93 locks up and over the Penines.

8. Got stranded at 30degrees, with no water on the Penine summit, and lived.

9. Got things caught in the prop and lived.

10. Dropped 2 windlasses into the water so far.

11. Father in law has fallen in.

12. Teenager has fallen in twice.

13. 11 yr old has fallen in.

14. Cat has fallen in.

15. Managed to do laundry for 6 people.

16. Visited more small and large towns and cities than in the previous year on land.

17. Fed ducks, swans, horses, cows.

 

May we live to see another 4 months.

Thanks to everyone on CWDF who has helped us achieve it.

[the grinch]

We moved aboard 1April.

Today is our 4 month anniversary aboard..

Best 4 months of my life.

 

We have:

 

1. Never gone a night without lights, and elec power.

2. Never run out of water.

3. Always been able to empty the casettes.

4. Never run out of gas.

 

all the best bits still to come then!LOL

[Jo_]

A lot of your happiness and 'comfort' with it all is due to your postive and committed attitude, Dean. Well done you! I'm so pleased it's even better than you thought it might be. What a great outcome. What follows is another chapter - celebrating this one in the way you are is absolutely the right thing to do!!

[DeanS]

Winter is on its way. gulp.

[bramley]

i think its safe to say there was a few doubters at the start... fair play to you. althought winter will be different

[Robin2]

Thank you for keeping us entertained - keep it up.

[mrsmelly]

i think its safe to say there was a few doubters at the start... fair play to you. althought winter will be different

 

Yeah winter is different its way way better. All the hobby boaters are tied up and you have all the canal to yourself. The solid fuel stove gives a fab heat, the misty mornings are fab etc etc you will simply love it.........

[cariad]

DEANS, your involvement in this forum has been refreshing, keep it going and carry on enjoying life on the cut.

[DeanS]

Yeah winter is different its way way better. All the hobby boaters are tied up and you have all the canal to yourself. The solid fuel stove gives a fab heat, the misty mornings are fab etc etc you will simply love it.........

 

 

If I could devise a way to source clean water , I wouldnt bother with a marina over winter. Found a lovely piece of canal, near some great shopping centres (big enough to keep everyone from getting bored). I'm more than happy to smuggle casettes into public toilets to empty (they hardly smell when they are 2 days old and full of blue). I'm more than happy to run a gennie every day. (There's no boats on that stretch so no one to bother about noise.) Drinking water isnt a problem...but wish there was a way to source clean water for showering...I'd have a car..so I could put a 600litre tank in the back, and run refill trips...wonder what the nearest marina would say if I arrived in a car and asked if I could buy 600litres of water......every few days...for a few months )))

 

ETA...you say have the canal to yourself....you are talking about a frozen canal, right?

Edited July 29, 2011 by DeanS

[Lady Muck]

and you sound like you've enjoyed all of it.

 

I had a hellish first three or four months aboard, I'm going to be honest and say that I absolutely hated it to start with. We celebrated five years in June.

 

Not aboard now, though, am currently on dry land, family illness has forced us to move for a bit and am missing our boat so much.

[BlueStringPudding]

That's great, DeanS. Long may it continue!

[Robin2]

If I could devise a way to source clean water , I wouldnt bother with a marina over winter. Found a lovely piece of canal, near some great shopping centres (big enough to keep everyone from getting bored). I'm more than happy to smuggle casettes into public toilets to empty (they hardly smell when they are 2 days old and full of blue). I'm more than happy to run a gennie every day. (There's no boats on that stretch so no one to bother about noise.) Drinking water isnt a problem...but wish there was a way to source clean water for showering...I'd have a car..so I could put a 600litre tank in the back, and run refill trips...wonder what the nearest marina would say if I arrived in a car and asked if I could buy 600litres of water......every few days...for a few months )))

 

ETA...you say have the canal to yourself....you are talking about a frozen canal, right?

 

With a little bit of planning and a careful eye on the 14 day to 1 month weather forecasts you should be able to be close to a BW service point if ice sets in. Once you are stuck they can't expect you to move.

 

I have a plastic barrel called a "water hog" that has a handle and rolls along the ground so no heavy lifting is required. It holds 50 litres. So even if I am not within hose-length of a BW tap I can get water. I got the water hog in a caravan "chandlery".

[DeanS]

With a little bit of planning and a careful eye on the 14 day to 1 month weather forecasts you should be able to be close to a BW service point if ice sets in. Once you are stuck they can't expect you to move.

 

I have a plastic barrel called a "water hog" that has a handle and rolls along the ground so no heavy lifting is required. It holds 50 litres. So even if I am not within hose-length of a BW tap I can get water. I got the water hog in a caravan "chandlery".

 

 

I've got 100metres of hose pipe...I could buy 500metres if needed:) The piece of canal we've got our eye on, is no where near BW taps, and I fear they'll be frozen anyway. We got a response from a marina, saying they would take us, but it's no where near anything interesting, so we're tempted to go without all the benefits, in order to be within walking distance of restaurants, cinemas, shops etc. I wonder if there is a reliable way to filter canal water so it can be used for showering. THAT would be a great solution.

[Robin2]

I wonder if there is a reliable way to filter canal water so it can be used for showering. THAT would be a great solution.

 

I think these things do - but AFAIK they are expensive.

[Scooby]

I've got 100metres of hose pipe...I could buy 500metres if needed:) The piece of canal we've got our eye on, is no where near BW taps, and I fear they'll be frozen anyway. We got a response from a marina, saying they would take us, but it's no where near anything interesting, so we're tempted to go without all the benefits, in order to be within walking distance of restaurants, cinemas, shops etc. I wonder if there is a reliable way to filter canal water so it can be used for showering. THAT would be a great solution.

 

If you have a stove start collecting wood soon and fill the roof full of it or you will run out..

[DeanS]

If you have a stove start collecting wood soon and fill the roof full of it or you will run out..

 

Yep. I've already cleared out the top box, except a stupid excercise thing FatherInLaw wanted to bring with, (and has never used...it's getting tossed sooon). Will a hand saw do, or do I need a chainsaw? I cleaned out the chimney the other day, after lighting a fire and almost smoking the whole boat out. Reason was, I went through a set of hanging ivy under a bridge recently, and it ripped my chimney hat off, and then the rain came, and I got a bunch of wet soot down the pipe....and I didnt realise the stove has a top plate that can be removed/cleaned etc. Found out the hard way, cleaned it out, lit it, and had a glorious fire going a week ago....so need to get a new chimney hat soon..and start it up. Top box and a few tarpaulins should do. I even saw some logs in my sis-inlaws garden today and wondered if I should steal them (nice big ones)

[ditchcrawler]

Yep. I've already cleared out the top box, except a stupid excercise thing FatherInLaw wanted to bring with, (and has never used...it's getting tossed sooon). Will a hand saw do, or do I need a chainsaw? I cleaned out the chimney the other day, after lighting a fire and almost smoking the whole boat out. Reason was, I went through a set of hanging ivy under a bridge recently, and it ripped my chimney hat off, and then the rain came, and I got a bunch of wet soot down the pipe....and I didnt realise the stove has a top plate that can be removed/cleaned etc. Found out the hard way, cleaned it out, lit it, and had a glorious fire going a week ago....so need to get a new chimney hat soon..and start it up. Top box and a few tarpaulins should do. I even saw some logs in my sis-inlaws garden today and wondered if I should steal them (nice big ones)

Forget the box, it wont be big enough and yes nick the logs if they are not to big to fit in the fire. A hand saw is twice as efficient, you get warm catting the wood and then warm again burning it.

[LoneWolf]

... I even saw some logs in my sis-inlaws garden today and wondered if I should steal them (nice big ones)

 

Ah Deano, you are a proper boater - keep them stories coming mate

 

I use a hand saw but if i find something really big i cart it around until i meet someone with a chainsaw

[blackrose]

I think these things do - but AFAIK they are expensive.

 

They're for filtering drinking water. I daresay you could drink canal water filtered by a Naturepure filter, but you'd get through the filter elements quite quickly. Using one to filter canal water for showers would be madness!

[Ange]

If I could devise a way to source clean water , I wouldnt bother with a marina over winter. Found a lovely piece of canal, near some great shopping centres (big enough to keep everyone from getting bored). I'm more than happy to smuggle casettes into public toilets to empty (they hardly smell when they are 2 days old and full of blue). I'm more than happy to run a gennie every day. (There's no boats on that stretch so no one to bother about noise.) Drinking water isnt a problem...but wish there was a way to source clean water for showering...I'd have a car..so I could put a 600litre tank in the back, and run refill trips...wonder what the nearest marina would say if I arrived in a car and asked if I could buy 600litres of water......every few days...for a few months )))

 

ETA...you say have the canal to yourself....you are talking about a frozen canal, right?

 

Hey Dean. We've lived aboard for just over two years now and have survived two very hard winters without taking refuge in a marina. Keep a close eye on the weather forecasts and make sure you're close to water and elsan when you get frozen. Top and tail wash at the sink can do - shower's a luxury for us during winter months! We'd hate to be stuck in one place for weeks let alone months - that's why we're living this lifestyle. Tell you what as well - when you're cruising the canals late autumn and early spring they are yours - very few boats around - it's absolute bliss!!

 

 

Ah Deano, you are a proper boater - keep them stories coming mate

 

I use a hand saw but if i find something really big i cart it around until i meet someone with a chainsaw

 

Tis good when one of them comes along innit

[Caprifool]

DeanS, you and your family are an inspiration.

[Ange]

DeanS, you and your family are an inspiration.

 

Agreed

[LoneWolf]

 

Tis good when one of them comes along innit

 

hee hee - Dave is my hero

[paddy r]

Keep going it gets BETTER

[Scooby]

Yep. I've already cleared out the top box, except a stupid excercise thing FatherInLaw wanted to bring with, (and has never used...it's getting tossed sooon). Will a hand saw do, or do I need a chainsaw? I cleaned out the chimney the other day, after lighting a fire and almost smoking the whole boat out. Reason was, I went through a set of hanging ivy under a bridge recently, and it ripped my chimney hat off, and then the rain came, and I got a bunch of wet soot down the pipe....and I didnt realise the stove has a top plate that can be removed/cleaned etc. Found out the hard way, cleaned it out, lit it, and had a glorious fire going a week ago....so need to get a new chimney hat soon..and start it up. Top box and a few tarpaulins should do. I even saw some logs in my sis-inlaws garden today and wondered if I should steal them (nice big ones)

 

I have a £100 petrol chainsaw, a big axe and a big sledge hammer, and a grenade splitter.

 

i find its best if i come across logs say 10 inch long i dont need the chainsaw i just split em with the axe. But definately worth having a chainsaw, and for a full winter you will never have enough wood, dont make the mistake of buying house coal from the local garage.