So What Have We Missed

[Naughty Cal]

 

 

I would go for Viscount St Davids, who was instrumental in setting up the Pirate castle project at Camden, (and who I believe is grandfather to the partner of one of our moderators?).

 

He wrote an excellent early book on getting afloat on the canals, which (from memory) argued you could get an awful lt more pleasure from something like simple punt conversion, because you wouldn't spend your entire life fixing it, and actually go boating.

 

Although I could see where he was coming from though, I'm afraid it still didn't stop me desperately wanting a "Big Woolwich" at the time!

 

Perhaps not that off topic Alan. We have had to give serious consideration to runnings costs and maintenance costs.

 

She would have to come out once a year to pressure wash the hull, service the legs and reantifoul for a couple of weeks. Whereas we tend to do this at the beginning of the year with NC we would look to do it during the summer with the bigger boat so we can do a couple of hours graft each evening as well.

 

There will of course be ongoing maintenance and repairs to factor in as well. The new boat will be about ten years older then our current one and to a degree we will be at the mercy of previous owners maintenance regime!

 

We will use a damn site more fuel with two engines to feed and a bigger heater working for longer during the winter.

 

We are not viewing this as a cheap way to live but as a way of living that we enjoy.

Fair enough.

 

I'm out.

 

Edited to add: I can hardly be accused of "conforming to the norm" but my living accommodation was warm comfortable and with enough space for my family's clothes, everyday possessions and a separate workshop.

Our living accommodation will be warm and comfortable. There will be more than enough space for our clothes and possessions. Bloody hell there are only two of us these boats are huge with masses if storage everywhere. We will need the big engined version mind to keep the performance whilst still lugging our life around!

 

And Liam will still be working where he is now so will still have a massive workshop to hand as he does now.

[alan_fincher]

I tend to think the heart will always rule the head in such matters!

 

There is no way in the world as a non live-aboard boater I can give a rational explanation why I keep two different narrow boats when I never have adequate time to even look properly after one.

 

Many people can't come close to understanding when we already had a moderately well appointed boat with a full cabin, less than 20 years old, why we should possible want one 80 years old where you live in a very small box at the back.

 

My guess is you will do what you want to do, even if 99.9% of the remaining boater population were to tell you you are barking!

Why not?

[Naughty Cal]

There is one thing troubling us. We don't want the fact that the boat is our home to limit our cruising.

 

Do any of you liveaboards find you are less likely to head out cruising in your home?

[carlt]

 

Do any of you liveaboards find you are less likely to head out cruising in your home?

When I lived on a small boat we cced (and for a while dragging Lucy about until our son needed a school).

 

After that we took up a mooring and, yes, Lucy didn't leave the mooring until she was lifted out for restoration but I did have a succession of other boats that kept us cruising.

 

The "Mothership" with a variety of smaller fun boats worked very well for us.

[RLWP]

It does seem a bit strange to buy a Ferrari and treat it like a Volvo

 

Richard

[Dekazer]

We liveaboard, albeit it on a very different boat, and a different sort of mooring. I reckon go for it, and offer the following only as some ideas I might be having, if I were in your position.

 

1. Financial. We're down south and, frankly, living on a boat is a lot cheaper than a flat. However, even with the saving we're still finding it hard to raise enough money to buy a flat. We don't want to move onto land, but we do want to buy a house at some point in the next few years. If I already owned a house, I think I'd rather rent it out than sell it to fund a boat. I know it's a very personal decision, but I do know some older (60s) liveaboards who never bought bricks and are now concerned that they are entering retirement without the same cushion others of their age have.

 

2. Storage. Dull, dull, dull, but we're still struggling to trim down our belongings

 

3. Cruising. We don't cruise anywhere as much as you. I think there are a few reasons why. One is that normal chores seem to take up more time, and so tend to get left for weekends. Weekends therefore tend to get eaten up with 'normal' life rather than cruising about. Second is that being aboard isn't a novelty so much any more. Third is that, weirdly, you do get a little more nervous. When we went on the Thames I was rather aware that my entire life's belongings were aboard (save a few bits at Mum's), which is different.

 

4. You definitely feel differently. I love being a liveaboard. I love cruising when we have time, although I prefer the longer holiday or long weekend trips to the day trips round our local area.

 

Good luck with the planning

[Naughty Cal]

It does seem a bit strange to buy a Ferrari and treat it like a Volvo

 

Richard

It does but it would still get used, hopefully much the same as NC does now with plenty of opportunity to stretch her legs on the estuary and the coast.

 

Ideally we don't want two boats and all of the associated extra costs and maintenance so finding something that fits the bill for how we cruise whilst still being easy to live with has proven difficult.

 

The Sneeker 38 seems to tick the majority of the boxes. No boat ever ticks them all.

[GUMPY]

There is one thing troubling us. We don't want the fact that the boat is our home to limit our cruising.

Do any of you liveaboards find you are less likely to head out cruising in your home?

 

YES

 

for most of the past 15 years we have always had a second boat to go boating in as having to be within commuting distance limited us.

There were years when we managed to get out and about but they were years when we didnt have the second boat.

 

The other thing I will mention, why is YBW littered with people asking about how to control damp in winter? Usually to do with lack of insulation which most fibreglass boats suffer from.

[RLWP]

It does but it would still get used, hopefully much the same as NC does now with plenty of opportunity to stretch her legs on the estuary and the coast.

 

Ideally we don't want two boats and all of the associated extra costs and maintenance so finding something that fits the bill for how we cruise whilst still being easy to live with has proven difficult.

 

The Sneeker 38 seems to tick the majority of the boxes. No boat ever ticks them all.

 

I still think you would be better keeping the house and swapping Cal for the Sneeker. Somewhere to keep the crap, something to go blasting free on, and two different lives to live

 

Richard

[saltysplash]

There is one thing troubling us. We don't want the fact that the boat is our home to limit our cruising.

 

Do any of you liveaboards find you are less likely to head out cruising in your home?

 

 

Emblem was a regular visitor to Belgium when I lived aboard her.

 

Ramsgate being my favoured bolt hole Port

[Naughty Cal]

YES

 

for most of the past 15 years we have always had a second boat to go boating in as having to be within commuting distance limited us.

There were years when we managed to get out and about but they were years when we didnt have the second boat.

 

The other thing I will mention, why is YBW littered with people asking about how to control damp in winter? Usually to do with lack of insulation which most fibreglass boats suffer from.

Same reason that this forum is littered with people asking how to control damp in winter.

 

We have never had a damp or condensation problem with NC and we know that our friend doesn't have a damp it condensation problem on his similar Sunseeker.

 

We keep our boat well ventilated to keep the moisture at bay and will do the same with the new one. Where access is possible we can if needed add extra insulation between the two grp skins however the air gap on our current boat is more than adequate.

[GUMPY]

Same reason that this forum is littered with people asking how to control damp in winter.

We have never had a damp or condensation problem with NC and we know that our friend doesn't have a damp it condensation problem on his similar Sunseeker.

We keep our boat well ventilated to keep the moisture at bay and will do the same with the new one. Where access is possible we can if needed add extra insulation between the two grp skins however the air gap on our current boat is more than adequate.

I know you dont, but does the SS owner live aboard? There is a whole difference between spending a few nights on board and living 24/7/365.

I would not consider any boat that didnt have spray foam insulation at least 35mm thick, pref more as a liveaboard vessel. oh and some form of double glazing as well.

[Naughty Cal]

I know you dont, but does the SS owner live aboard? There is a whole difference between spending a few nights on board and living 24/7/365.

I would not consider any boat that didnt have spray foam insulation at least 35mm thick, pref more as a liveaboard vessel. oh and some form of double glazing as well.

He spends at least four nights a week onboard with and often more as his work is mostly in the Lincoln area. He doesn't find it to be a problem.

 

These boats are constructed as twin skinned shells with an air gap between. Insulation can be added if necessary but we have never found it to be a problem with NC even in the winter a few years back when temperatures were up to -20 degrees for nights in a row.

 

The construction isn't even vaguely similar to a steel sheet sides of a narrowboat.

 

Double glazing we that isn't going to happen. However the port lights are small enough for that not to be a problem. We would leave the port lights and hatches cracked open anyhow to ventilate the boat and keep the air moving around it much as we do now on NC.

[RLWP]

So, it looks like you are there in your decision making. When are you putting the house on the market?

 

Richard

[Greedyheron]

Hi

There are loads of sports cruiser liveaboards where I'm from (south coast). They can make lovely liveaboards but damp is an issue. It's much worse when you liveaboard than when you spend a few nights a week aboard, partly because there is more damp, partly because you can't get away from it. I found small tube heaters to be the answer but not blown air heating that just caused all the damp to move to the coldest area and then form drips- horrible! solid fuel burner was great but left sooty bits on the gel coat. Secondary gazing may help- I did 3 winters before that occurred to me.

 

I was always nervous about going out on the boat when living on it, as it had everything I owned on it. Felt so different when I got the new boat to live on, suddenly if the worst happened I didn't have to worry so much, I had the new boat to go back too.

 

Enjoy!

[Naughty Cal]

So, it looks like you are there in your decision making. When are you putting the house on the market?

 

Richard

Not just yet although we are going through it with a fine toothed comb at the moment and getting rid of everything we don't need or want. We are also decorating it top to bottom and attacking the garden.

 

NC will be fully paid for in about 18 months depending on interest rates. Which will put us in a better situation for bargaining the deal on the next one. We won't sell the house until the new boat is bought and we have done the upgrades we have planned. We can then gradually move our stuff onboard whilst the house is on the market.

 

We don't expect it will take long to sell the house as they are even now witth the current subdued market very popular with first time buyers if priced right. Although we like our furniture and furnishings it will most likely all be sold with the house. We won't have a need for it.

 

Liam's beloved XR4i will also be sold. It isn't getting used much anymore and it won't like being left outside all year round so the sensible thing is to sell it. Liam is happy with this if he can spend the money he gets on a new quick RIB to hang off the back of big boat.

 

We are, as you can probably tell, completely sold on living on a boat. We have no attachment to bricks and mortar in the slightest and are much happier during our four days afloat. We won't be keeping the house to rent out we don't want the hassle. It will be sold on. We can always rent if we do decide that living onboard is not for us, which we both very much doubt.

Hi

There are loads of sports cruiser liveaboards where I'm from (south coast). They can make lovely liveaboards but damp is an issue. It's much worse when you liveaboard than when you spend a few nights a week aboard, partly because there is more damp, partly because you can't get away from it. I found small tube heaters to be the answer but not blown air heating that just caused all the damp to move to the coldest area and then form drips- horrible! solid fuel burner was great but left sooty bits on the gel coat. Secondary gazing may help- I did 3 winters before that occurred to me.

 

I was always nervous about going out on the boat when living on it, as it had everything I owned on it. Felt so different when I got the new boat to live on, suddenly if the worst happened I didn't have to worry so much, I had the new boat to go back too.

 

Enjoy!

We certainly won't be having solid fuel heating!

 

The main heating will be a 4 or 5kw webasto. Although we do plan to add a few electric plinth heaters around the boat for use when we are plugged into shore power.

 

We will as we do now install some large tube heaters in the engine bay to keep the frost at bay and protect the many raw water coolers in there.

 

We have a small oil filled rad which we keep in NC's cabin during the winter which will probably be put to use somewhere.

[RLWP]

have you considered a simple test - go and live on Cal for a month. You won't have the storage problems, you will get an idea of what it is like long term

 

Richard

[Paul C]

have you considered a simple test - go and live on Cal for a month. You won't have the storage problems, you will get an idea of what it is like long term

 

Richard

 

Good idea, do it in the depths of winter though.

[Naughty Cal]

It is something we have considered but what we will likely do is do it with "Attention Seeker" rather than NC whilst the house is up for sale.

Edited June 13, 2013 by Naughty Cal

[RLWP]

Fair enough. I have difficulty being engaged in very long term plans these days.

 

Richard

[Naughty Cal]

It's only a couple of years. Not very long term!

[GUMPY]

I wasn't just talking NB as far as the insulation is concerned, a close friend of mine has built a Yot to go round the world on and even that has sprayfoam insulation. Having been on and off all types of boats for over 40years I do have an idea how they are constructed.

The best idea so far in this thread is that you spend next winter on board without going back to the house as a trial run, this will show up the shortcomings......

[RLWP]

Next week is a long time for me these days

 

Goodness only knows how many dreams and opportunities I will have in two years

 

Richard

 

 

http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=308328

Edited June 13, 2013 by RLWP

[Naughty Cal]

Next week is a long time for me these days

 

Goodness only knows how many dreams and opportunities I will have in two years

 

Richard

Everybody has to have a dream.

 

We have been fairly consistent in setting ourselves goals and getting them over the last 13 years.

 

Liam dreamt of owning an XR4i, he got one.

 

We dreamt of owning out own home, we got one.

 

We dreamt of owning our own boat, we got one.

 

So the next dream is to combine two of the above. And in the next couple of years we have every confidence that we will achieve that dream.

 

Life would be fairly boring if we didn't have hopes and dreams, heaven knows what the next one will be!

[gazza]

dad managed 8 years at oulton broad on a DC30, very cosy in the winter, his heating was from oil filled rads and an eberspacher. he never had a problm with damp or cold, and didnt have to lug sacks of coal or wood about.he is now back on dry land due to not getting any younger.

Lots of folks living on broads boats all year round, i am sure you will be fine. altough not an orthodox choice, it surely has to be the better choice between a tin tube or a proper boat..

That said some barge and tug conversions are stunning, but you wont get up on the plane with them.....

Going back to the heater front, i have a 4KW wallas waiting to be fitted, very simple design, easy to strip and service, not cheap compared to ebbys and webastos. favoured heater in nordic homes and on transworld yachts (be that wind or motor assisted)