live on a narrowboat

How I did it: It took us roughly three months to find the boat, visiting marinas twice a week, looking at three or four boats at each one, finding a boat is probably the most stressful part! There are a great many pitfalls you could encounter, even if the boat appears to be perfect. If, like us, you need enough space to live onboard but don't have £40,000+ to spend on it, you will have to compromise on some things, overall size, the standard of the hull and engine etc. Thorough investigation on every aspect of the boat is definitely recommended, electrics, engines, water systems, all round maintenance. The most important thing to bear in mind is to make sure the hull and the engine are in good condition, problems elsewhere are generally easier and cheaper to fix.

Lessons & tips:

• When looking for a boat, test everything you can get your hands on! Ask to hear/see the engine running, test the lights and heating systems etc if you can. If they won't let you, be suspicious!
• Check the running water in an older boat for colour, if possible take a look inside the water tank. Older boats often have tanks built directly into the hull, most of which are likely to be severely rusted unless a stainless steel tank has been installed. Not a good environment for drinking water.
• Have a full out-of-the-water survey carried out, hull and all. It might be expensive but it's generally very unwise not to have one done.
• Spend as long as possible onboard when viewing, and test the everyday aspects of the layout like leg-room in the saloon, bed size, whether you can comfortably walk down the corridors without twisting your shoulders etc - any cramped or awkward areas of a boat's layout will become infuriating if you intend to liveaboard!
• I'd be happy to share our experiences and advice with anyone.

Resources:

• Nigel Calder's book; Marine Diesel Engines, Be Your Own Diesel Mechanic - helped us get to grips with almost every aspect of our engine, an essential buy I believe.

Jun 17, 03:32AM PDT | 0 comments