Frugally Living Aboard

[nbfiresprite]

hi please explain what is a household/garage model inverter?

He's referring to the fuse box, i.e. that you should use a standard house model.

[Guest]

He's referring to the fuse box, i.e. that you should use a standard house model.

oooops thanks for that bit silly of me xx

[Alan Saunders]

Most of these tips apply equally to living in a house except that a boat is, I think, exempt from the clean air act so can burn wood and other non-smokeless fuels as you could in a country cottage or even in many towns.

 

On a boat you do not have cheap mains gas, electricity, water, telephone or sewage disposal. This is where the greatest savings can be made:

 

Even if you enjoy collecting wood and especialy if you use diesel or gas for heating -

Double-glazing, even the temporary cling-film type, reduces cold draughts and allows a lower temperature to be comfortable.

This and any other insulation also reduces the fuel required to maintain a specific air temperature.

Ideally, radiators should be sited under windows - also true for a double-glazed house.

Unless you can plan a shower an hour after the engine is started, an instantaneous water heater is more convenient and more economical than stored hot water.

Few use solar water heating but a simple black container on the roof can provide hot water for washing in the summer.

 

It is important to use seasoned wood. When wandering through the woods, maybe walking the dog, stack fallen branches vertically against a tree and collect them later, when they are dry.

 

Even a small (100W) solar electricity panel could keep the batteries of a leisure boat charged and extend the life of the batteries.

A live-aboard or continuous cruiser may benefit from 500W or more with an MMPT controller.

Generally, most canal moorings are sheltered and wind-power does not live up to expectations.

 

Without a doubt tethering a mobile 'phone on the Three 'One Plan' is the cheapest for data and they also have the cheapest PAYG call tariff - but check coverage.

 

You can save a lot of water with a 'submarine style' shower: turn shower on, get wet, turn shower off, soap & scrub, shower on, rinse (maybe luxuriate in tingling hot spray for 30 seconds).

Save all the water you waste waiting for the hot water to run hot. Install valves that return the cool water to the main tank or collect the cool water in containers.

Don't throw the dirty dishwater away, use it to soak & pre-wash the next batch of washing-up.

It is a pity that water purifying sytems are so expensive to run, otherwise we could be self-sufficient for at least washing water.

 

Men can pee in the bushes or into a container but taken to the extreme this can make emptying a Porta-Potti difficult.

Using the public, work or Supermarket loo will also reduce the frequency of potti tipping and pump-outs.

Others have reported that when frozen-in they deposited their faeces on newspaper and incinerated them in the solid fuel stove.

 

LED lights are essential. Turn off lights that you do not need.

For a quick trip to the other end of the boat or outside use an LED torch or head torch powered by re-chargeable (NI-Mh) batteries.

LED illuminated TVs and Laptop screens are much more efficient than their mercury discharge lamp predecessors.

A 20 inch TV is adequate for most inland boats, maybe a 10 inch in the bed area.

 

Alan, apologies if anyone is offended.

[bargemast]

Most of these tips apply equally to living in a house except that a boat is, I think, exempt from the clean air act so can burn wood and other non-smokeless fuels as you could in a country cottage or even in many towns.

 

On a boat you do not have cheap mains gas, electricity, water, telephone or sewage disposal. This is where the greatest savings can be made:

 

Even if you enjoy collecting wood and especialy if you use diesel or gas for heating -

Double-glazing, even the temporary cling-film type, reduces cold draughts and allows a lower temperature to be comfortable.

This and any other insulation also reduces the fuel required to maintain a specific air temperature.

Ideally, radiators should be sited under windows - also true for a double-glazed house.

Unless you can plan a shower an hour after the engine is started, an instantaneous water heater is more convenient and more economical than stored hot water.

Few use solar water heating but a simple black container on the roof can provide hot water for washing in the summer.

 

It is important to use seasoned wood. When wandering through the woods, maybe walking the dog, stack fallen branches vertically against a tree and collect them later, when they are dry.

 

Even a small (100W) solar electricity panel could keep the batteries of a leisure boat charged and extend the life of the batteries.

A live-aboard or continuous cruiser may benefit from 500W or more with an MMPT controller.

Generally, most canal moorings are sheltered and wind-power does not live up to expectations.

 

Without a doubt tethering a mobile 'phone on the Three 'One Plan' is the cheapest for data and they also have the cheapest PAYG call tariff - but check coverage.

 

You can save a lot of water with a 'submarine style' shower: turn shower on, get wet, turn shower off, soap & scrub, shower on, rinse (maybe luxuriate in tingling hot spray for 30 seconds).

Save all the water you waste waiting for the hot water to run hot. Install valves that return the cool water to the main tank or collect the cool water in containers.

Don't throw the dirty dishwater away, use it to soak & pre-wash the next batch of washing-up.

It is a pity that water purifying sytems are so expensive to run, otherwise we could be self-sufficient for at least washing water.

 

Men can pee in the bushes or into a container but taken to the extreme this can make emptying a Porta-Potti difficult.

Using the public, work or Supermarket loo will also reduce the frequency of potti tipping and pump-outs.

Others have reported that when frozen-in they deposited their faeces on newspaper and incinerated them in the solid fuel stove.

 

LED lights are essential. Turn off lights that you do not need.

For a quick trip to the other end of the boat or outside use an LED torch or head torch powered by re-chargeable (NI-Mh) batteries.

LED illuminated TVs and Laptop screens are much more efficient than their mercury discharge lamp predecessors.

A 20 inch TV is adequate for most inland boats, maybe a 10 inch in the bed area.

 

Alan, apologies if anyone is offended.

 

Of course I don't know about anyone else, I'm not offended and think that your list sums it up very well, and gives good tips.

 

Peter.

[Arducius]

Others have reported that when frozen-in they deposited their faeces on newspaper and incinerated them in the solid fuel stove.

Alan, apologies if anyone is offended.

Some might be offended by the smell as they walk along the tow path!

[Dave_P]

Referring to an earlier post, what's to stop people installing full sized appliances on a narrowboat? Lots of people do this. I love my 6kg load hotpoint washing machine!

[ImmaDuckQuackQuack]

Most of these tips apply equally to living in a house except that a boat is, I think, exempt from the clean air act so can burn wood and other non-smokeless fuels as you could in a country cottage or even in many towns.

 

On a boat you do not have cheap mains gas, electricity, water, telephone or sewage disposal. This is where the greatest savings can be made:

 

Even if you enjoy collecting wood and especialy if you use diesel or gas for heating -

Double-glazing, even the temporary cling-film type, reduces cold draughts and allows a lower temperature to be comfortable.

This and any other insulation also reduces the fuel required to maintain a specific air temperature.

Ideally, radiators should be sited under windows - also true for a double-glazed house.

Unless you can plan a shower an hour after the engine is started, an instantaneous water heater is more convenient and more economical than stored hot water.

Few use solar water heating but a simple black container on the roof can provide hot water for washing in the summer.

 

It is important to use seasoned wood. When wandering through the woods, maybe walking the dog, stack fallen branches vertically against a tree and collect them later, when they are dry.

 

Even a small (100W) solar electricity panel could keep the batteries of a leisure boat charged and extend the life of the batteries.

A live-aboard or continuous cruiser may benefit from 500W or more with an MMPT controller.

Generally, most canal moorings are sheltered and wind-power does not live up to expectations.

 

Without a doubt tethering a mobile 'phone on the Three 'One Plan' is the cheapest for data and they also have the cheapest PAYG call tariff - but check coverage.

 

You can save a lot of water with a 'submarine style' shower: turn shower on, get wet, turn shower off, soap & scrub, shower on, rinse (maybe luxuriate in tingling hot spray for 30 seconds).

Save all the water you waste waiting for the hot water to run hot. Install valves that return the cool water to the main tank or collect the cool water in containers.

Don't throw the dirty dishwater away, use it to soak & pre-wash the next batch of washing-up.

It is a pity that water purifying sytems are so expensive to run, otherwise we could be self-sufficient for at least washing water.

 

Men can pee in the bushes or into a container but taken to the extreme this can make emptying a Porta-Potti difficult.

Using the public, work or Supermarket loo will also reduce the frequency of potti tipping and pump-outs.

Others have reported that when frozen-in they deposited their faeces on newspaper and incinerated them in the solid fuel stove.

 

LED lights are essential. Turn off lights that you do not need.

For a quick trip to the other end of the boat or outside use an LED torch or head torch powered by re-chargeable (NI-Mh) batteries.

LED illuminated TVs and Laptop screens are much more efficient than their mercury discharge lamp predecessors.

A 20 inch TV is adequate for most inland boats, maybe a 10 inch in the bed area.

 

Alan, apologies if anyone is offended.

Fantastic post, have a greenie on me!!

[Alastair]

Referring to an earlier post, what's to stop people installing full sized appliances on a narrowboat? Lots of people do this. I love my 6kg load hotpoint washing machine!

In general, space.

 

I guess if you have a largish boat and only one or two people on board, then it isn't an issue. If the boat is small and lots of people, then the need for storage space fights with appliances.

[Emerald Fox]

 

Old Jokes Revisted: "Who farted?!"

[ImmaDuckQuackQuack]

 

Old Jokes Revisted: "Who farted?!"

[b0atman]

I cannot remember couples name but believe they had to stop boating due to ill health they had a boat called Penny Piece and a dvd was made about their low cost life

[Emerald Fox]

"low cost life" -> "ill health" . . . . . there yer go!

[madcat]

Getting older ill health , sadly there a lot of us will go.

[Phil Ambrose]

 

Of course I don't know about anyone else, I'm not offended and think that your list sums it up very well, and gives good tips.

 

Peter.

I'm with you on this Peter, what a lovely signature line, all tips offered on the basis of use them if you wish unlike some that insist their way is the only way.

Phil

I take it you've worked for Vintage Inns??

Both Whitbread and Mitchell & Butler plus some independents. How did you guess. LOL

Phil

[ditchcrawler]

I agree with carlt, free food from skips and biffa bins. Theres even a term for it, dumpster diving, I did it for about 6 months whilst living in a house.I even had to get large freezer from free-cycle to store all the food I was getting. Although some of the big supermarkets are impossible, smaller ones like spar morrisons and the co-op can be quite good if you check them out each day.Red biffa bins at hte back of small shops and bakers are a good sign and if there locked you can always buy a universal key off ebay which fits them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-25945052 Its against the Law ?

[carlt]

Well it's pretty obvious what Iceland think of the issue...

"We are currently trying to find out from the Crown Prosecution Service why they believe that it is in the public interest to pursue a case against these three individuals, and will comment further when we are more fully informed."

 

It would also appear that skip-diving isn't illegal as they are relying on an unconnected piece of legislation:

 

At a court hearing in November, the men denied being found in or upon enclosed premises, contrary to section 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824.

 

It is amusing when the authorities have to scrabble around ancient, obsolete legislation to prosecute just because they think something should be illegal.

[Guest]

What a public relations disaster that could have been for Iceland - they should be proud of the way they handled that.

[carlt]

Interesting that The s.4 of the vagrancy act only applies if they were committing an arrestable offence so the CPS are going to have to prove that skip-diving is illegal.

 

Edited to add:

 

It would appear that they are not confident that they can prove it after all:

 

Guardian-Case dropped

Edited January 30, 2014 by carlt

[Phil Ambrose]

hi please explain what is a household/garage model inverter?

correct name for what he is talking about is a "Consumer Unit" not to be confused with an inverter which is something else>

Phil

[Alastair]

correct name for what he is talking about is a "Consumer Unit" not to be confused with an inverter which is something else>

Phil

Quite. Which is exactly what I said:

"Don't fit an expensive inverter, fit a garage model consumer unit instead . . ."

[Alan de Enfield]

Quite. Which is exactly what I said:

"Don't fit an expensive inverter, fit a garage model consumer unit instead . . ."

 

I'm a little lost here - surely you wouldnt fit an inverter instead of a 'consumer unit' - or Vice-versa ??

 

Are they not totally dufferent 'things' ?.

A bit like saying "dont drive a car - use a hose-pipe instead"

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Yes,im lost on that one,it doesn't take a lot to get me confused these days.

I think im right in saying a Consumer unit,lets say distributes power from a source at whatever voltage to somewhere els at the same voltage via a fuse or trip.

Where as an inverter lets say changes the voltage from one supply,normally 12v (ish) and produces 230volts (ish).to then go to the consumer box for distribution. I think !.

Obviously I've simplified what I believe there functions are.

So in my mind they are very different things,doing very different functions.

Edited February 3, 2014 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[Alastair]

Erm - the OP was asking about using 240VAC appliances.

 

I originally said that if they were mooring somewhere with a shoreline, that they should use a conventional consumer unit and plug into shorepower rather than an elaborate and expensive system running off the boat batteries.

[jelunga]

The thought that living frugally can be about something ells than not wanting to spend money can be very aggravating and difficult to understand for some. Some just don't want to consume, even if they could. And some even ENJOY hand washing, baking, crafting. Just doing creative things for ones self and others.....can give so much more than vegetating in your settee, complaining about everyone ells's personal choices.

You are so right. I love using old fashioned (to some) kit. A hand coffee grinder not electric, a pestle and mortar for spices instead of an electric whizzer, making curries from whole spices not a packet or jar.

Maybe living simply is a better term than frugal?

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Erm - the OP was asking about using 240VAC appliances.

 

I originally said that if they were mooring somewhere with a shoreline, that they should use a conventional consumer unit and plug into shorepower rather than an elaborate and expensive system running off the boat batteries.

OH GOT YA,

Sorry,my bad !.