Seriously thinking of buying a houseboat. I've had four pints of beer so may change my mind tomorrow

[lazythursday]

I live sort of part-time on a boat (my partner's) and I have mixed feelings on the whole. The positives - ludicrously cheap cost of living (unless you're somewhere with expensive moorings) and being able to move about - I have been on lots of long trips and that's fantastic. Great community, on the whole, though it does attract a fair amount of crazy people too.

The negatives - chopping wood, running out of gas, running out of water, not enough water left for a shower, the fucking toilet (which I won't use on principle that I don't want anything to do with an elsan, ever). Also the omfg it's sinking moments, which do happen on older boats.

I think I can guess the moorings you're on about Shirl - there are also cheaper options locally that you might be interested in.

 

[wiskey]

I hope you will be willing to bend down when I invite you and the family to stay

There will be much swearing and banging of heads but I'll cope (and you can all laugh)

 

[moose]

Given you can't decide if you've had 4 pints or 3, I'd decide tomorrow.
Also remembering that you're likely to end up in the Co-op carpark next time the town floods.

 

[oryx]

My bro and SIL lived on a houseboat on the Thames for a few years (a converted tug not a barge) a couple of years after they first got together. They eventually jacked it in, put it on the market and got a privately rented flat.

The downsides were the cramped space, the maintenance (pumping out the bilges ) and above all the perishing, unconquerable cold.

The upsides were the cheapness (compared to buying a flat) and the summer days spent on the roof with friends. I think it's fair to say the former didn't make up for the latter.

I once showed him an article about idyllic boat life on a pretty painted narrowboat and he nearly throttled me .

My impression as a frequent visitor to the boat was that you needed to be really hardy, and not be too bothered about home comforts (like, er being warm).

It reminded me of squatting (which I did but not my bro) in the sense of trading cheapness for lack of creature comforts, and the need to have the pioneering spirit.

 

[Shirl]

I live sort of part-time on a boat (my partner's) and I have mixed feelings on the whole. The positives - ludicrously cheap cost of living (unless you're somewhere with expensive moorings) and being able to move about - I have been on lots of long trips and that's fantastic. Great community, on the whole, though it does attract a fair amount of crazy people too.

The negatives - chopping wood, running out of gas, running out of water, not enough water left for a shower, the fucking toilet (which I won't use on principle that I don't want anything to do with an elsan, ever). Also the omfg it's sinking moments, which do happen on older boats.

I think I can guess the moorings you're on about Shirl - there are also cheaper options locally that you might be interested in.

Why don't you pop in next week and we can go for a coffee/ hot chocolate/ pint? You can choose x

 

[Shirl]

Given you can't decide if you've had 4 pints or 3, I'd decide tomorrow.
Also remembering that you're likely to end up in the Co-op carpark next time the town floods.

You are making me try to understand what's going on. I can't do that. Pop over over sometime soon

 

[spanglechick]

Is there enough space for your enormous dog? Is it grandkids friendly? Are you ok with chemical toilets and a greater propensity for damp?

 

[pinkmonkey]

Whatever happened to ymu ?

Moved off. Health problems

I'm just waiting for her

here I am! I think we had this conversation before and we were like, nope.

 

[pinkmonkey]

Is there enough space for your enormous dog? Is it grandkids friendly? Are you ok with chemical toilets and a greater propensity for damp?

And questionable hygiene? Like one shower a week, if you don't want to spend your life looking for a tap.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Here's an affordable houseboat Shirl. You might need a brolly mind, with all that Yorkshire rain.

 

[pinkmonkey]

Here's an affordable houseboat Shirl. You might need a brolly mind, with all that Yorkshire rain.

Someone actually put a pop up tent on one of those and lived on it on the canal in Hackney. I am not shitting you.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Someone actually put a pop up tent on one of those and lived on it on the canal in Hackney. I am not shitting you.

That's an excellent idea. Shirl - if you do that don't forget that tent pegs are a bad idea...

 

[twentythreedom]

Thanks for the vote of confidence chuck. I can't believe how fabulous my friend's boat is. I think I'd me mad not to go for it

You know it makes sense

 

[A380]

Advice? Only ever get off on the side tied to the bank.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Advice? Only ever get off on the side tied to the bank.

Wise advice. I infer that you've fallen foul of such protocols yourself...

 

[DaveCinzano]

Given you can't decide if you've had 4 pints or 3

I'm glad it's not just me having problems with the ever-decreasing quaffage

 

[Shirl]

Given you can't decide if you've had 4 pints or 3, I'd decide tomorrow.
Also remembering that you're likely to end up in the Co-op carpark next time the town floods.

An owl woke me up in the middle of the night, I'd sobered up enough to decide we'd be mad to sell this place and live on a boat
I still think it's an amazing boat though

 

[moose]

Well done owl

 

[Shirl]

And questionable hygiene? Like one shower a week, if you don't want to spend your life looking for a tap.

She has a full size bath on the boat in a bathroom as big as ours at home. It's a wide boat not a narrow boat. Not sure how often she uses the bath because she also has access to baths and showers.
Anyway, big bath or not, I've had some sense and I'm not planning on buying now that I'm sober.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Well done owl

Ta

 

[A380]

Wise advice. I infer that you've fallen foul of such protocols yourself...

And I wasn't even pissed.

 

[Athos]

An owl woke me up in the middle of the night, I'd sobered up enough to decide we'd be mad to sell this place and live on a boat
I still think it's an amazing boat though

A wise owl.

 

[Treacle Toes]

This thread needs pics tbf. How else can we help you make an informed decision? Shirl

 

[Mumbles274]

Does anyone else fee the sensible turn this thread has taken would be helped by having 3 (or 4) pints of beer again?

 

[Mumbles274]

Bloody owls

 

[Shirl]

This thread needs pics tbf. How else can we help you make an informed decision? Shirl

I'll take photos next time i visit. It won't be for a while though as she leads me astray

 

[izz]

I'll take photos next time i visit. It won't be for a while though as she leads me astray

We like her already.

 

[Shirl]

We like her already.

 

[pinkmonkey]

She has a full size bath on the boat in a bathroom as big as ours at home. It's a wide boat not a narrow boat. Not sure how often she uses the bath because she also has access to baths and showers.
Anyway, big bath or not, I've had some sense and I'm not planning on buying now that I'm sober.

Once you've stood outside in winter, in the dark and rain, wearing a headtorch, untangling a hose pipe a few times, you'll understand why boaters who have baths onboard (we do too) make do with a prostitute wash.

 

[moose]

Doesn't take much, tbf.