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What's it really like to liveaboard?

Lmcgrath87

By Lmcgrath87
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Daiboy Community Regular

Daiboy

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Got one of them...somewhere! Charity shop books are alot cheaper than kindle books though! I guess another alternative would be to join a library though.

 

The Kindle, as we know, is joined at the hip to Amazon so one has to pay for books (well decent books anyhow) but if you buy a Kobo from W H Smith AND join your local library and any other library you can, with the Kobo, you are able to download library books and "borrow" them for 7, 14 or 21 days. After the agreed time limit, they will disappear from the Kobo and be returned to the library. All for free and no late return charges!!

 

I have both and it works really well. I purchase the books I want to keep on the Kindle and borrow from the library on the Kobo.

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Pykebird Rising Star

Pykebird

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My cats have always been allowed out, unless I had to moor near a road. The one I have now is actually the best when cruising, as long as the engine is running, she stays in board, even with doors and windows open!

She nearly went to France when I worked on a marina as she stowed away on a boat that was going by ferry. Luckily I managed to grab her before it left! She has just returned from a 10 day "vacation" on the local caravan park, she was spotted several times a day, but as it is over 190 acres, I kept missing her. I put posters up and everyone was really helpful. She then strolled bak to the boat at 5,30 in the morning on Saturday, none the worst for wear!!

I am actually a dog person, but seem to keep rescuing Bengals although they are an acquired taste.

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Lmcgrath87 Rising Star

Lmcgrath87

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i also do a similar course £500 and whisky

 

ooo now you're talking!!

 

My cats have always been allowed out, unless I had to moor near a road. The one I have now is actually the best when cruising, as long as the engine is running, she stays in board, even with doors and windows open!

She nearly went to France when I worked on a marina as she stowed away on a boat that was going by ferry. Luckily I managed to grab her before it left! She has just returned from a 10 day "vacation" on the local caravan park, she was spotted several times a day, but as it is over 190 acres, I kept missing her. I put posters up and everyone was really helpful. She then strolled bak to the boat at 5,30 in the morning on Saturday, none the worst for wear!!

I am actually a dog person, but seem to keep rescuing Bengals although they are an acquired taste.

 

That makes me feel a lot happier! He goes outside at the moment, but doesn't stray far, so hopefully he'll enjoy boat life!

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sprog Engager

sprog

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We cc and love it. I work and my wife is a stay at home mum to our 5 month old baby boy. we also have a dog that has adjusted very well to living aboard. We downsized from a 3bed house (downsized=throw everything away) and do not miss it.

 

This will be are 3rd winter, we have already bought coal as we had spare money then.

 

The solar panels are doing there job well but also have a bk up genny and charger. Make sure you have as many ways to charge battery's if not on shore line.

 

We live in a boat and it's amazing !

 

James

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Bettie Boo Experienced

Bettie Boo

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What's day to day life like on a boat?

 

Wonderful, challenging, entertaining, sociable, active

 

Do you have pets?

 

We moved on board with our two 15 year old cats. Sadly one drowned 5 weeks after moving on board and her brother passed away 3 weeks ago. Zebby, settled into boat life quite well and seemed to enjoy it. His sister Gabby was always a fairly nervous cat and had only ventured out once after moving on board.

 

How many of you live on your boat ?

 

Just hubby and I, but we will have another pet. But not just yet, it's too soon

 

Is there anything you miss about 'bricks and mortar'

 

Being able to order stuff online (we are cc'ers with no postal address for deliveries), we have a friend in Birmingham whose address we use for CRT & our banks & insurance all of who insist on a postal address.

 

Did you take any courses before embarking on this lifestyle

 

None, but hubby did a helmsman course before we left the Marina where we were based for the first 5 months

 

If you could impart only one piece of information to someone about to buy their first boat what would it be - (aside from get a survey, test run living on a boat by going on a holiday on one for a few weeks)

 

At least one of you MUST have a clear understanding of boat electrics and how much each piece of kit uses and exactly how you go about replenishing your power supply. If your going to be based at a mooring with shore power than my advice would be......join RCR (break down service) before you set off on your first cruise and whatever you think you need as a financial contingency plan .... double it

 

 

Will there be space for me to keep my beloved Kenwood Chef or will i need to learn to knead bread by hand and use my arm muscles to mix my cake batters?

 

Depends completely on the size of your boat and galley. We are on a wide beam and I was "allowed" to bring 3 portable electric kitchen appliances as long as it wasn't my coffee maker, waffle iron or iron. My choice was a slow cooker (great for heavy lock days) or a back up if there's a problem with the gas or stove. My bread maker, if we get froze in no where near shops in the winter I can still have bread, some day I'll learn to make it from scratch. And the 3rd one was my food processor, great for mixing, slicing and can also be used as a blender. I did actually sneak on my coffee maker to hubbys disgust :) But only use it as a rare treat and only when the engine is running. We do also have a fridge, freezer, massive tv, DAB radio, 2 kindles, laptop, tablet and a wet/dry vac. No hair dryer, but since I no longer work away from home, it's not been a problem.

 

Would I love this life style as much as I do if I had to get up and go out to work each day? Honestly.....probably not. But loads of others do.

 

Best of luck to you and enjoy

 

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Bettie Boo Experienced

Bettie Boo

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Hi Bettie, hey its been a while, how are the cookies going?

Phil

 

Think we're staying put where we are for tomorrow if this storm keeps up!! so may do a bit of baking :) Will keep you posted Phil

The 'ordering stuff online' problem - if you order from eBay, or Amazon, select the Collect Plus option. I get everything sent to Asda on Tottenham High Road or other destinations when I'm cruising.

Ahhh that's a great idea, will look into it. Thanks

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Bettie Boo Experienced

Bettie Boo

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I have been told by friends that Tescos will deliver to a bridge number, not tried it yet!

They will, but you need to back it up with a phone call to explain and give the driver a phone number to call when he just about there. Well at least that's what I find works best

Edited by Bettie Boo
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Felshampo Proficient

Felshampo

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The Kindle, as we know, is joined at the hip to Amazon so one has to pay for books (well decent books anyhow) but if you buy a Kobo from W H Smith AND join your local library and any other library you can, with the Kobo, you are able to download library books and "borrow" them for 7, 14 or 21 days. After the agreed time limit, they will disappear from the Kobo and be returned to the library. All for free and no late return charges!!

 

I have both and it works really well. I purchase the books I want to keep on the Kindle and borrow from the library on the Kobo.

As you can see living on a boat is so great most people spend all their time reading?

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Ange Veteran

Ange

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The 'ordering stuff online' problem - if you order from eBay, or Amazon, select the Collect Plus option. I get everything sent to Asda on Tottenham High Road or other destinations when I'm cruising.

oo now that's interesting - I didn't know you could do that.

 

Getting post and online orders delivered is our biggest headache.

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Ange Veteran

Ange

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Well, I got hooked on books long before I moved onto a boat.

Same here - hubby and I have been bookworms since we were children. One of the greatest joys of living aboard has been watching far less TV than we did when we lived in a house and reading a lot more.

 

We go the charity shop route - buy books from charity shops then donate them when we're done.

 

We keep thinking about buying a Kindle or equivalent but can't seem to take that step away from the feel and smell of a proper book.

 

Plus we're tight :D

 

I'm intrigued by the library book reader, I've not heard of one of those before. It just goes to show, the thread subject may have been "done to death" on the forum but there are always new things to be found out :)

  • Greenie 1
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Black Ibis Proficient

Black Ibis

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Same here - hubby and I have been bookworms since we were children. One of the greatest joys of living aboard has been watching far less TV than we did when we lived in a house and reading a lot more.

 

We go the charity shop route - buy books from charity shops then donate them when we're done.

 

We keep thinking about buying a Kindle or equivalent but can't seem to take that step away from the feel and smell of a proper book.

 

Plus we're tight biggrin.png

 

I'm intrigued by the library book reader, I've not heard of one of those before. It just goes to show, the thread subject may have been "done to death" on the forum but there are always new things to be found out smile.png

 

You don't even need to buy a reader to borrow ebooks from libraries usually - i just had to download an app onto my phone/iPad and read them on those. Only thing I find annoying about my library's selection of ebooks is that it will have something likes numbers 1,2,4,6,7 and 9 of a series of 10!

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Phil Ambrose Veteran II

Phil Ambrose

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The big declutter starts this week! We have so much stuff to get rid of over the next 5 months! basically our sofa is the only item of furniture we will be keeping.

I remember decluttering so well. Every weekend another garage sale till we were camping inside the house! LOL

Good luck.

Phil

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