Bit of an odd one but this site solves and knows no bounds! so who lives on a boat or knows of someone that does.... any tips?
i cant help you with the info you need but i can say that i have not seen you post for a while and forgot about your avatar.
I kept watching it loads last time and its got me again. I have the same reaction with a few peoples avatars but they involve ladies bumps!
I used to live on a great big grey one with guns sticking out of it
lol yeah its quite a thing as are ladies bumps!
have been busy moving and trying to get a life together.... 
A boat designed for people to live aboard it. The liveaboard lifestyle has many attractions and many downsides. Most boats are much smaller than
nearly all shoreside residences, they are more exposed to bad weather, and require special maintenance skills. However, they are mobile, provide
inexpensive water access, and allow for integrated recreational, transportation, and housing costs. With the high cost of housing a liveaboard
lifestyle is becoming more popular with people around the world. Although it is generally regarded as being a cheaper way to live this is not always
the case. Liveaboard boats can be luxury vessels moored in expensive marinas or small vessels in need of restoration. One attraction of the lifestyle
is there is something to suit everyone. Because of this you find that liveaboards are very diverse people coming from many different backgrounds.
Canal boats?
Marinas here are expensive
Where you gonna put your locost if you live on a boat? Or are you thinking of just selling everything?
quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
Where you gonna put your locost if you live on a boat? Or are you thinking of just selling everything?
Med yes - Blighty Winters no
not recommended for people that sleep walk either!!
Which 'liveaboard'? - these generally come into 2 groups, the bought a yacht and cruise the Med and the day to day UK livaboard. I have had a couple of Dutch barges. One 42' and a cosy I bed flat, one 105' with 4 bedrooms, central heating, parking and a grand piano in the lounge! The main issue tends to be mooring, as in where, how much and continuity. I owned mine at the time but for others the mooring dilema is an on going drama. If you have any specific questions u2u me and I'll try to answer.
I considered it years ago and did a fair amount of research. Things I found (most obvious with 20-20 hindsight).
1. Try before you buy - rent a boat for a couple of weeks, although it's not quite like the real thing (especially winter) it will tell you if
you can't hack it before it's too late.
2. Finding a good spot to moor it is hard and can be expensive depending where you are. There are big waiting lists for permanent moorings on
canals/rivers.
3. Cost is definitely cheaper than buying a flat in a comparable area. A decent second hand narrowboat big enough for 1 or 2 to live aboard is going
to set you back around £30-70k (you could also buy a new shell and fit it out yourself for similar money). A marina mooring would be around £30 a
foot per year iirc (say £2k). While there are other expenses (inspections etc) these tend to be balanced by no council tax. Overall it will be less
than a mortgage if you are starting out.
4. Unless you get a big barge there is very little storage room (grand piano's aren't typical ) so it's not for hoarders or people
who like 'stuff' around them.
5. As said there's no garage space and you can't usually park close to any tools so even maintaining your own car is going to be
difficult.
6. It's best to find some way of having a permanent address because outside organisations aren't geared up for dealing with mobile people.
quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
Where you gonna put your locost if you live on a boat? Or are you thinking of just selling everything?