Life before Living aboard

[Sade]

Hi all,

 

Just a random wondering what life was like before you lived aboard? What made you make the decision to liveaboard and was it a massive shock to the system or did you take to it like a duck to water?

 

Cheers

[Dave_P]

Hi all,

 

Just a random wondering what life was like before you lived aboard? What made you make the decision to liveaboard and was it a massive shock to the system or did you take to it like a duck to water?

 

Cheers

I'd been wanting to for years and years. There was always an obstacle though: no money or a partner who said NO! usually. Then it all came together - no partner to say no! and a very timely inheritance came my way, so I jumped at the chance and haven't regreted it for one second.

[Sade]

I'd been wanting to for years and years. There was always an obstacle though: no money or a partner who said NO! usually. Then it all came together - no partner to say no! and a very timely inheritance came my way, so I jumped at the chance and haven't regreted it for one second.

 

Thanks for feedback Dave, sounds like it was always on the cards! We've been umming and ahhh-ing about it for years and got our first "holiday" booked for October.....only for a week, once we've done that we're planning to do a proper winter trip next Jan/Feb time ....a week ago we were just talking about it all, now the real research has begun and I'm practically living on a boat in my mind already LOL

[Dave_P]

I never went down the 'holiday' route. i went down the 'make friends with boaters' route. Before I took ownership of my boat I was spending most of my spare time on other people's boats anyway! So it wasn't a shock to the system at all.

[KevMc]

I'd been out of work for 3 months - glued to Watetways World and Locks and Quays on Discovery .... then just took the plunge - never looked back and just got through my 3rd winter

[Sade]

I never went down the 'holiday' route. i went down the 'make friends with boaters' route. Before I took ownership of my boat I was spending most of my spare time on other people's boats anyway! So it wasn't a shock to the system at all.

 

We kind of booked the "holiday" on a whim and just want to get out on the water (taking the dog too) whilst not admitting to each other that in the back of our minds is eventually living that way ...we've since admitted to each other that this is the true reason ....and spent last weekend looking at boats in a boatyard hehee....at this rate, I'm not sure if we'll "holiday" first or sell up and be living on a boat first

[carlt]

Accidentally gave my house to the ex and alI I had left was the boat.

[Grace and Favour]

I had a normal life

[Crabtree]

I'd always had an obsession with narrowboats as long as I can remember, I hadn't realised how far back until my Mum showed me last year a load of paintings I had made in primary school and they were all of narrowboats and canals

[Stormbringer]

We used to visit out boat every weekend (and any 'spare' time in the week!)

Each time we left the boat to go back to the house it got progressively more painful.

We realised it was because our hearts were at the boat, and the canals, and not with the house (and the lifestyle that comes with it)

We sold the house and moved aboard...after all home is where the heart is!

Best thing we ever did....was a shock to the teenage kids though!!

 

OP...You are showing the signs of reaching the point of no going back lol...

 

Andy

[Phil Ambrose]

Troubled times, struggling to make ends meet, just about getting by and my wife said"why do'nt we live on a boat"

What a relief to get rid of the mortgage, and now we own our home outright, never looked back since, love it, even after 13 years, even better now I'm retired.

 

Phil

[Sade]

I'd been out of work for 3 months - glued to Watetways World and Locks and Quays on Discovery .... then just took the plunge - never looked back and just got through my 3rd winter

 

Not sure where my reply from earlier went KevMc? Sorry.....well done for getting through and taking the plunge, we've got a way to go yet lol

 

Awwww I'm loving all the replies....just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about doing it (ok, so we are still at decision stage right?!!)

 

Sorry I can't reply to each one individually, for some reason its not letting me quote and post.....? Hope that gets sorted as I appreciate each response, and like to say thanks to each one of you.

 

I keep daydreaming about it and then have to slap myself back to reality and try to be realistic about actually doing it......I haven't really seen any negatives, in fact, all I keep seeing is "never regretted it" and "best thing we ever did"........ I hope that one day, that's us replying to a newbie post!

[Dave_P]

Not sure where my reply from earlier went KevMc? Sorry.....well done for getting through and taking the plunge, we've got a way to go yet lol

 

Awwww I'm loving all the replies....just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about doing it (ok, so we are still at decision stage right?!!)

 

Sorry I can't reply to each one individually, for some reason its not letting me quote and post.....? Hope that gets sorted as I appreciate each response, and like to say thanks to each one of you.

 

I keep daydreaming about it and then have to slap myself back to reality and try to be realistic about actually doing it......I haven't really seen any negatives, in fact, all I keep seeing is "never regretted it" and "best thing we ever did"........ I hope that one day, that's us replying to a newbie post!

Sara & Dean - you're not fooling anyone you know! In the space of one week on this forum your continuing descent into boatingmania (there is no know cure) has been obvious. I suspect you'll be living afloat by the summer.

[Naughty Cal]

Having been leisure boaters for the past five years now we are becoming more and more reluctant to leave NC each Monday morning. We hate living in bricks and mortar.

 

I don't expect it will be long before we have sold the house and moved aboard.

[KevMc]

Not sure where my reply from earlier went KevMc? Sorry.....well done for getting through and taking the plunge, we've got a way to go yet lol

 

Awwww I'm loving all the replies....just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about doing it (ok, so we are still at decision stage right?!!)

 

Sorry I can't reply to each one individually, for some reason its not letting me quote and post.....? Hope that gets sorted as I appreciate each response, and like to say thanks to each one of you.

 

I keep daydreaming about it and then have to slap myself back to reality and try to be realistic about actually doing it......I haven't really seen any negatives, in fact, all I keep seeing is "never regretted it" and "best thing we ever did"........ I hope that one day, that's us replying to a newbie post!

 

Looks like you are well and truly hooked

[carlt]

I don't expect it will be long before we have sold the house and moved aboard.

You're gonna need a bigger boat.

 

 

[Kae]

It's a terrible life style, awful, don't know why anyone would want to live on a boat...

 

Nope, can't even pretend, I've been onboard for a couple of months almost, through some really cold weather, and it's still the best thing ever, can't tell you how much I love it!

[sassan]

Was living in a flat, had a lot of problems with the landlord, etc.

Was thinking about buying a flat (big mortgage) or something of the sort, to be putting money into my own pocket rather than the landlord's.

 

Quite broke (had plenty of savings, but insufficient income (was rather overpaying on rent)), girlfriend was looking very hard for a job but finding nothing, had no money to spend and was always quite tired after work, so we didn't do very much.

One Sunday afternoon, I decided I'd probably better take her somewhere nice, as I knew she was going a bit mad being cooped up in the flat for months, thought I'd take her down to Bradford-on-Avon (we lived in Bristol), which is a lovely town and only costs a fiver or so to get to and back.

 

We took a walk along the canal through Avoncliff, to Freshford and at some point idly discussed the possibility of living on a boat. By the end of the walk, we were discussing it relatively seriously, but we both assumed it was just pipe-dreams and wouldn't actually happen.

 

Over the next few days, I looked into the costs, problems, etc and found it worked out very well (nice lifestyle, cheap). We started looking at boats.

 

The winter approached, the flat got very cold (no insulation, broken roof, ancient and inadequate boiler) and began to leak terribly. Disputes with the landlord escalated. We started looking harder.

 

The very first boat we viewed turned out to be perfect. We looked at a couple more (because I don't like to buy the first thing I see), but couldn't find anything near the quality and beauty for less than twice the price of this one. We bought it, blacked it and moved in!

 

No regrets, it's a beautiful boat and a great lifestyle. We've been living right in the centre of Bristol for very little money (couldn't even afford to rent a nasty tiny flat in this area) and are now looking forward to getting out on the canal for the summer!

It's much warmer than the flat! I grew up with a wood stove and hate central heating, so it's great to finally feel warm again.

 

Some difficulties and their resolutions:

* Bed smaller than previous bed - We got used to it, and I'm considering adding a side to it to stop the duvets falling off.

* No laundry facilities - The neighbouring youth hostel are happy for us to use their coin-op laundry.

* Time spent on maintenance - It becomes much more fun and satisfying than TV.

 

Oh, and the most concerning moment when moving onto the boat was seeing just how much space all our belongings took up in my dad's van! (I live quite light, but my girlfriend does not!). I really thought all of that stuff was going to sink the boat that day. Fortunately there's much more storage space than I had imagined.

[KevMc]

You know folks, how busy the canals are getting, everyone seems to be loving the lifestyle and we are all happily telling the world how wonderful it is .... if we keep this up we won't be able to move - perhaps we should stop waxing lyrical and tell everyone how horrible it is having to live on a cold damp cramped boat, with C&RT constantly harrassing us, constant battles between CMers and marina dwellers with leisure boaters getting caught in the cross fire ................

[Sade]

Sara & Dean - you're not fooling anyone you know! In the space of one week on this forum your continuing descent into boatingmania (there is no know cure) has been obvious. I suspect you'll be living afloat by the summer.

 

I dreamt about narrowboats and I fear you may have me sussed already!

 

It's a terrible life style, awful, don't know why anyone would want to live on a boat...

 

Nope, can't even pretend, I've been onboard for a couple of months almost, through some really cold weather, and it's still the best thing ever, can't tell you how much I love it!

 

 

 

You know folks, how busy the canals are getting, everyone seems to be loving the lifestyle and we are all happily telling the world how wonderful it is .... if we keep this up we won't be able to move - perhaps we should stop waxing lyrical and tell everyone how horrible it is having to live on a cold damp cramped boat, with C&RT constantly harrassing us, constant battles between CMers and marina dwellers with leisure boaters getting caught in the cross fire ................

 

Too late for me.....I'm in!!!

 

I'm still having problems doing the "quote" thingy to reply to individuals. Kae - I didn't fall for that first sentence one little bit!

 

Sassan - sounds like your situation was even more urgent than ours. We are considering our options but to the point where I've just dug the mortgage statement out......I think we'd be looking at about 28-30K tops! We'd have to have a massive car boot sale as well though

[Sade]

We used to visit out boat every weekend (and any 'spare' time in the week!)

Each time we left the boat to go back to the house it got progressively more painful.

We realised it was because our hearts were at the boat, and the canals, and not with the house (and the lifestyle that comes with it)

We sold the house and moved aboard...after all home is where the heart is!

Best thing we ever did....was a shock to the teenage kids though!!

 

OP...You are showing the signs of reaching the point of no going back lol...

 

Andy

 

I think you may be right Andy! Since our little visit to a mooring on Saturday, it's all I can think / eat / dream about !!! HEEEELLLLLLP!!!

[Dave_P]

I think you may be right Andy! Since our little visit to a mooring on Saturday, it's all I can think / eat / dream about !!! HEEEELLLLLLP!!!

Is there a doctor in the house??? I think it's terminal!!

[GUMPY]

Accidentally gave my house to the ex and alI I had left was the boat.

there are times when I need to award more than one green thing.

However mine was not an accident, she just took it

She still belives that I bought the boat in order to leave.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Loddon

[Sade]

there are times when I need to award more than one green thing.

However mine was not an accident, she just took it

She still belives that I bought the boat in order to leave.

 

 

Sounds like you were more than happy with that though Loddon! Hahahaa......I'm thinking of taking the husband with me though, he has his uses

[mrsmelly]

Hi all,

 

Just a random wondering what life was like before you lived aboard? What made you make the decision to liveaboard and was it a massive shock to the system or did you take to it like a duck to water?

 

Cheers

Where else would you live if not on a boat? Is there any other way? Confused !!

 

Tim