Our first winter

[ukrizla]

My wife and I took the plunge last July (so to speak) sold the house and bought a boat. Well we have just done our first winter aboard, and although not a particularly harsh one, we have survived. Whats more we actually enjoyed it. The peace and quiet which we got from empty tow paths, and the lovely feeling of coming home from work to a nice warm boat. Roll on the Spring and Summer and the tranquil days on the cut

[JerryP]

I've now sold my flat ,so i'll be moving onto a boat in the near future ,I'm sooo looking forward to the peace and quiet ,and a better quality of life.

 

Jerry

[notebook]

That sounds great, we did the same the end of last year and where I would have loved to have just sailed away from the boat builders in October,my husband thought it would be better to have a winter mooring, {even tho' he had battery management set up installed especially etc} so we could get used to it. We are now deciding what to do next winter

[Starcoaster]

I moved aboard on Halloween and think I was very lucky that we got the winter that we did, (albeit being terrible for the water levels.) Had we have had one like the winter before of the several weeks of thick ice and snow, it may have been rather different.

Exacerbated by the fact that up until Sunday just gone I had no water (hot or cold) in the on board plumbing and was working out of 5 litre containers filled at a tap ten minutes away (and showering at the marina, which I am still doing.)

[Starcoaster]

Doofus duplicate post deleted...

The cats found winter aboard a lot warmer and less damp than they were expecting too!

Edited March 22, 2012 by Starcoaster

[Proper Job]

You appear to have developed a stutter since moving on board as well Starcoaster

[i love my narrowboat]

We sold our house last May and love our life on our lovely boat. We went to look after our grandaughter at her home last Tuesday for a week and I AM SO GLAD to be back home on our boat. Her mum was away working and text me to say she poss got to go away for a week another 6 more times this year.GULP. wonder if the other grandparents will be offering to do a stint? I love them dearly but have got used to our life and the peace and quiet.The worst thing was walking up and down the stairs. one positive though, i made use of the bath every night :-)

 

I've now sold my flat ,so i'll be moving onto a boat in the near future ,I'm sooo looking forward to the peace and quiet ,and a better quality of life.

 

Jerry

 

 

You will not regret it!!! yes peace and quiet and def better quality of life...good luck to you

[Magic Potion]

My wife and I took the plunge last July (so to speak) sold the house and bought a boat. Well we have just done our first winter aboard, and although not a particularly harsh one, we have survived. Whats more we actually enjoyed it. The peace and quiet which we got from empty tow paths, and the lovely feeling of coming home from work to a nice warm boat. Roll on the Spring and Summer and the tranquil days on the cut

 

That's the plan for this year, 3 more months and the house will be going up for sale.

Starcoaster, we might be neighbours as we are looking to moor where you are.

[Ange]

We've just had our third winter aboard - the first two were proper humdingers - our timing was classic! Iced in at Adlington on the Leeds & Liverpool for 6 weeks in our first winter, then in Lancaster for two months in our second! We know that having survived them with no regrets about moving aboard we've made the right decision - in fact there's something really special about being warm and toasty on a boat when there's snow and ice outside (though it did get a bit too warm and toasty during winter #1 while we were learning to manage the Squirrel!)

[peasant]

everybody thinks that keeping your boat warm in winter is a problem,when the real problem is keeping it cool in summer!

[IdealStandard]

I'm going to be aboard by next winter and was fretting about keeping warm. I'm not troubled by the cold, but my girlfriend likes to be warm. Is insulation an absolute must for overwintering?

 

Some of the boats I have been looking at are only solid fuel for over 40' length, will this be an issue?

[Grace and Favour]

I'm going to be aboard by next winter and was fretting about keeping warm. I'm not troubled by the cold, but my girlfriend likes to be warm. Is insulation an absolute must for overwintering?

 

Some of the boats I have been looking at are only solid fuel for over 40' length, will this be an issue?

 

We have a 60' widebeam.

 

We use just a standard Morso Squirrel Solid fuel fire

 

The whole boat's as warm as toast

 

It IS insulated . . and I would regard insulation as a MUST, both to keep warm, and to help prevent CONDENSATION,

 

Is your craft not insulated???????? (and, are you sure?)