What's the appeal of living in a canal boat?

[MrMark]

Must be cold and damp this time of year? And when you add in the cost of maintenance, mooring fees etc it's actually not cheap.
Anyone enlighten me?

[Sysman]

No council tax or water rates must go a fair way.

For the winter months, if you can't get to somewhere to have the septic tank pumped out, you will be using public bogs.

[RichardCranium]

Must be cold and damp this time of year? And when you add in the cost of maintenance, mooring fees etc it's actually not cheap.
Anyone enlighten me?

The like-minded neighbours, the atmosphere, the potential to move, privacy, the pubs and small businesses that are glad to see you, the community.

Having a real coal/wood/any-old-tulip-that-burns-actually stove helps. As does good insulation and central heating. And liveaboards are warmer and dryer than rental boats.

(We owned a share in a 62' narrowboat for a few years. We did quite a lot of time on board in winter, sometimes for months at a time. I was talked out of buying a 70' narrowboat when I left school - that advice was wrong.)

No council tax or water rates must go a fair way.

Some councils charge council tax on moorings and the water rates are usually included in the permanent mooring fees and boat licence (indirectly).

For the winter months, if you can't get to somewhere to have the septic tank pumped out, you will be using public bogs.

In the winter, you moor up near a boatyard / long term moorings / permanent moorings so you can access the pumpout. More usually, you use the toilets in the pub / supermarket when out and about.

Getting gas, diesel, coal, water and pumpouts in the winter is really not a problem.

[MarillionFan]

I did it for a while. Quite liberating, but it was a little damp for me.

[Troll]

The Revenue / Authorities cannot track you down so easily?

[EternalOptimist]

The like-minded neighbours, the atmosphere, the potential to move, privacy, the pubs and small businesses that are glad to see you, the community.

Having a real coal/wood/any-old-tulip-that-burns-actually stove helps. As does good insulation and central heating. And liveaboards are warmer and dryer than rental boats.

(We owned a share in a 62' narrowboat for a few years. We did quite a lot of time on board in winter, sometimes for months at a time. I was talked out of buying a 70' narrowboat when I left school - that advice was wrong.)

Some councils charge council tax on moorings and the water rates are usually included in the permanent mooring fees and boat licence (indirectly).

In the winter, you moor up near a boatyard / long term moorings / permanent moorings so you can access the pumpout. More usually, you use the toilets in the pub / supermarket when out and about.

Getting gas, diesel, coal, water and pumpouts in the winter is really not a problem.

Sounds very liberating. I like the idea, wonder how it ties in with contracting? maybe you could use it to get to interviews. Like 'oh I have an interview in four days, we had better set off this afternoon

[d000hg]

Sounds very liberating. I like the idea, wonder how it ties in with contracting? maybe you could use it to get to interviews. Like 'oh I have an interview in four days, we had better set off this afternoon

I know that some people keep boats (not just barges) in central-London, as a cheaper way to live in the very midst of it all. With the right kind of sea-going boat, you can move it around the country as needed... although "I can't get there for next week due to a bit of a blow in Dogger" might not go down to well.

[EternalOptimist]

I know that some people keep boats (not just barges) in central-London, as a cheaper way to live in the very midst of it all. With the right kind of sea-going boat, you can move it around the country as needed... although "I can't get there for next week due to a bit of a blow in Dogger" might not go down to well.

No, im pretty sure you could do it inland, on the rivers and canals

[RichardCranium]

like the idea, wonder how it ties in with contracting? maybe you could use it to get to interviews. Like 'oh I have an interview in four days, we had better set off this afternoon

That conversation, and similar, have occurred many times.

[d000hg]

No, im pretty sure you could do it inland, on the rivers and canals

It depends. Do we have a proper connected network of inland waterways?