So You Want To Live Afloat?

[WherryNice]

I would really like to live on the river in one way or another and preferably work somewhere that would enable me to go to work by boat too If only it were that simple......

[Wonderwall]

This place never ceases to amaze me. A font of knowledge, with lots of heartfelt folk more than happy to take a few minutes ( or more!!) to pass on their tips and advice.  

Its ( living aboard) obviously not something you could do without a LOT of thought and planning. It appears all or nothing .What to do with all the junk?! that lies about our gaffs , is a problem I never considered. My attic is full of " stuff" which I suppose some poor sod will have to chuck out when I  depart this life!!, as I did my Mums "junk"!!!

I think I could cope with the heating side, ventilation, insulation a heat source, and wearing layers is do-able for me. The physical and mechanical,side of the boat, is a bit more daunting. In short, I don't think I have the courage or sense of adventure to ever seriously try it . Or maybe I'm just not mad enough!!!!

If finances allowed , I think I would be more tempted to take a low end hire from May to End of July , returning the boat every 3 weeks or so for a bit TLC. I am of course drifting into dreamland here, and probably just blethering on!!!!

One is allowed to fantasise , it's good for the soul and the mood!!!!  You never know, my horses, coupon or numbers might just come in one day. I don't crave millions, just a nice wee wedge to allow me out the rat race would be nice!!!,

In the meantime, I will carry on putting in the hours , having a week/ 10 days afloat, and escaping to my dreams through this fine place 

Im away for a wee lie doon!!!!

[JennyMorgan]

Move onto a boat and what do you do with all the junk? Well, spread it amongst friends and relatives for the duration. 

[quo vadis]

3 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

Move onto a boat and what do you do with all the junk? Well, spread it amongst friends and relatives for the duration. 

Sounds like you’re talking from experience JM 

[JennyMorgan]

12 minutes ago, quo vadis said:

Sounds like you’re talking from experience JM 

You might well be right!

[Islander]

I lost count of how many friends I offered free bookcases too. In the last week hardly anyone came to see us for fear of what they would be lumbered with. They all wanted to visit once we were on the boat. 

We packed everything we wanted into our old Citroen BX estate. We seem to have a lot more than that now.

Colin

[LondonRascal]

I guess there are varying degrees to everything, and much of this is cost based yet some  is 'red tape' based. For example, here on the Broads it is a hard thing to find a Marina you can head to and openly live aboard your boat and have a number of facilities on hand - yet, on the Canal system it is a different kettle of fish where it has been and is more accepted to live on the water be it in the centre of a town, in a Marina or moving between moorings every couple of weeks.

Having followed several Blogs  that those living on boats have produced,  the general point raised by many is the 'address problem'. And this depends on a number of things, for some it is not a problem but I guess it depends on how nomadic you are.

If you want to put some roots down to an area and get a job for example,  then having an address does become a thing.  Most seem to skirt around this by using their family home or a friends address, which goes some of the way to cover things but can leave some explaining to do if you are applying for jobs in the locality of your mooring, but the address you are giving is a couple of hundred miles away some employers also seem to get cold feet when their learn you actually live on a boat going by what I have read and seen from those sharing their experiences so far as seeking jobs go. 

There is a lot of resources out there, even if it is slanted towards the narrow boater but a lot of the points cover all types of boating and living aboard them and something I may well be doing in 2018.

 

 

 

[JennyMorgan]

The address problem is very real. I won't go into any great details but at one location my daughter had her mail tampered with by a 'petty official' and the subsequent problems were really out of order.  

[Guest]

To be honest iv not really had a problem with post , iv since I came out on to the river used the post office post restante system , OK its has a few pit falls mostly because things need addressing correctly but generally its OK , work wise since I mostly operate through agency's then the either call , text , or email as to send a letter takes too long .

I will agree that finding a yard here is somewhat difficult but not impossible and yes the canals are much more geared up for living afloat deffinatly no argument there at all , I don't think you have to be too nomadic to be honest , life is what you make it , there are lots that amaze me how they get to the other side of winter as they certainly are not geared up for living onboard some believe it or not without heating .

Obviously in a marina then a solid fuel stove is pretty much a no no here where as on the canals its the norm but there are many ways of heating a boat .

All in all its a wonderful life especially if you love nature , its totally different to living on land which needs adapting too to make things work but trust me its not hard just different .