Does anyone live on a boat...

[Hitchington]

... or know anyone who does? I've been thinking of buying a narrowboat to live on and wondered if anyone has any experience of this. Cheers.

 

[Arch]

I don't, but I know people who do.

Does that help?

Sorry. The main thing I've learned from friends here in York is that you need to be very careful with mooring ropes when there's a flood situation, or you get swamped. This may not be useful if you're thinking of mooring in a spot that doesn't flood....

From having holidays on one, I'd say you need to be sure you can live in the confined space. I'd imagine being organised and tidy helps a lot.

 

[Milo]

I used to. I would not again. Saying that I did have fun for a couple of years.

 

[Cascad]

Lived on a Dutch barge on the Thames for 8 months, have a good stove / heater and don't fall off (like our cat did, fortunately the bank side, got out OK)

 

[Night Train]

I knew a friend of an ex who lived on a canal boat. She was quite happy doing so but couldn't keep a man for long so she gave up on them. They seemed to either want her to move onto dry land or wouldn't entertain living on her boat.

I considered it a while ago as a way of keeping the quantity of random 'stuff' I had under control. The mooring cost was more then I bargained for when I started researching, and there was no room for a workshop!

 

[dellzeqq]

... or know anyone who does? I've been thinking of buying a narrowboat to live on and wondered if anyone has any experience of this. Cheers.

my friend Stuart lived on a boat. He was probably fifty years old when he bought a small rustbucket moored at Vauxhall. He pulled. A lot. If that's your intention, go for it. Damn cold in winter, though.

 

[Arch]

I knew a friend of an ex who lived on a canal boat. She was quite happy doing so but couldn't keep a man for long so she gave up on them. They seemed to either want her to move onto dry land or wouldn't entertain living on her boat.

I considered it a while ago as a way of keeping the quantity of random 'stuff' I had under control. The mooring cost was more then I bargained for when I started researching, and there was no room for a workshop!

You'd need an oil tanker moored behind for your workshops and stuff...

 

[threebikesmcginty]

It's like living under the stairs but colder.

 

[TheDoctor]

You'd need an oil tanker moored behind for your workshops and stuff...

...and you might struggle getting it through locks.
Not to mention pulling the whole lot with a 40 horsepower diesel.

 

[Night Train]

Not to mention pulling the whole lot with a 40 horsepower diesel.

I would still have my tractor!

 

[TheDoctor]

Perfect!!
After all, they used to pull canal boats with one horsepower, or however much power a horse develops.

 

[Arch]

Perfect!!
After all, they used to pull canal boats with one horsepower, or however much power a horse develops.

When Spaghetti Junction was planned (spanning various roads, a railway and a canal), the plans were drawn up, and then someone looked at them and said, "That's no good, you've got to move all those particular pillars 3 feet to one side".

"Why?"

"Coz, they are next to the canal, and you have to leave space on the towpath for a horse"

So they did.

 

[TheDoctor]

Tsk. Horses can swim, can they not?

 

[buggi]

I'm going to buy a narrowboat too. i'm just putting my flat on the market (sick of the hassle) then i'm gonna rent for two years while i save as much deposit as i can. i've looked into a bit and i'm buying a new boat and having the spec i want, rather than someone else's spec.

 

[smokeysmoo]

It never did Rosie and Jim any harm