Downsizing - thinking of living on a boat instead.

Nosealegsyet · 27 Jan 2022

I live in the UK, and I have a home in Spain also where I keep my Searay 230. I spend equal amount of times in each place. Everytime I come home, the garden is like The Amazon, and its just never ending. My house in the Uk is going on the market this week, and im downsizing seriously, I do not need all the space anymore being on my own.First of all I looked at modern houseboats, but the problem with them is the size and I dont want to be living on a canal, I would need the security of a marina.So ive been looking at boats , which would be my home, not just a boat. I would keep it here in the UK, I live on the South Coast in Worthing at the moment, but I suppose I could go to any marina down here.I just wish that the boat manufacturers would increase the size of the kitchen and lounge as the boat got longer, rather than adding more berths and heads.But I suppose im the minority thinking on that one. Maximum budget about 300k, just me and my dog, Ive looked at Swift Trawlers, and Galeon,'s so far, I think it would have to be at least 40ft, to be able to live on it, albeit would only be a few months a year.Any idea guys, or do you think ive lost the plot ? lol....thanks for all your help

PlanB · 27 Jan 2022

Sorry to rain on your parade, but there have been several posts on here lately about the increasing difficulty of living aboard in UK marinas.
In your situation and with your budget, I'd think about a nice flat in a managed block - secure when you're not there and external maintenance taken care of.
Also the advantage of a UK postal address and an increasing asset (rather than the other way round with a boat).

syvictoria · 27 Jan 2022

Hi. There are also (secure) marinas inland on the canals and rivers, and you may perhaps find that a narrowboat provides a more comfortable residence if you don't have any specific travel/cruising requirements/desires involving the sea. They are (more often than not) designed explicitly for extended stays on board, with better insulation, heating, etc. from the off. You should also get a lot of change from your budget with a secondhand narrowboat of a suitable size.

Edit to add: In response to post #2, there's also a better chance of finding a residential mooring inland which will provide an address.

Tranona · 27 Jan 2022

Boats, particularly seagoing ones are not meant to be homes, and in the UK coastal marinas are not residential. While people living on boats still exist, the numbers are declining partly because marinas are being forced to abide by their planning permission which is almost always non residential. As suggested inland waterways are different in that some moorings and marinas are residential, and canal boats are more geared to permanent living, particularly the wide beam ones that can use small parts of the system, mainly in the north. However inevitably demand for permanent berths is high so actually finding one is difficult and sometimes requires buying a boat with the mooring.

Nosealegsyet · 27 Jan 2022

Thanks guys taking all that into consideration, which boat would you recommend for me to spend some time on, around 40ft or so, thankyou

Tranona · 27 Jan 2022

Nosealegsyet said:
Thanks guys taking all that into consideration, which boat would you recommend for me to spend some time on, around 40ft or so, thankyou

There is simply no answer to this. There is a huge range of choices of boats, but almost all geared to weekend/holiday use. Size for size, motor boats generally have more flat floor area but greater overall bulk and more complicated and expensive machinery. Sailing boats are better for moving around but generally the hull shapes (particularly on older boats) mean more cramped living space. As suggested earlier, inland waterways boats are more geared to living on board as they can be built essentially flat bottomed and straight sided, although for canals beam is limited and the volume comes from length.

wwalsh · 27 Jan 2022

for liveaboard and long range i would recommend adagio, grand banks, president

Seastoke · 27 Jan 2022

Caravan rent out when not here.

westernman · 27 Jan 2022

Something like this:-
Ready for viewing Star Gazer 65 x 12.6 Widebeam for sale

Travelling Westerly · 28 Jan 2022

Nosealegsyet said:
Thanks guys taking all that into consideration, which boat would you recommend for me to spend some time on, around 40ft or so, thankyou

For £300k, I'd look for a used N40 Nordhaven. Forget all the sensible advice, you only live once and its not a dress rehearsal so just do it. Fantastic small ships, go anywhere type use and far better than a swift trawler!
Wait for the barrage of abuse and counter arguments I get for this but who cares! You're on your own - enjoy it! ?

westernman · 28 Jan 2022

Cornishwesterly said:
For £300k, I'd look for a used N40 Nordhaven. Forget all the sensible advice, you only live once and its not a dress rehearsal so just do it. Fantastic small ships, go anywhere type use and far better than a swift trawler!
Wait for the barrage of abuse and counter arguments I get for this but who cares! You're on your own - enjoy it! ?

They certainly are not go anywhere types.
No way would you be able to get from Bordeaux to Sete on the Canal du Midi.

jordanbasset · 28 Jan 2022

If your concern is the garden, why not buy a flat or a smaller low maintenance house without a garden

Travelling Westerly · 28 Jan 2022

westernman said:
They certainly are not go anywhere types.
No way would you be able to get from Bordeaux to Sete on the Canal du Midi.

I just knew there would be one who thinks he's clever....
That was a worthwhile reply, I'm sure thats really useful to the op who wants a trawler type boat. Note to op Nordhaven aren't go anywhere boats ? Now Where's that ignore button......

westernman · 29 Jan 2022

Cornishwesterly said:
I just knew there would be one who thinks he's clever....
That was a worthwhile reply, I'm sure thats really useful to the op who wants a trawler type boat. Note to op Nordhaven aren't go anywhere boats ? Now Where's that ignore button......

The OP was talking about a live aboard.
I consider the feature of being able to use the boat on the canal network as well as on the sea to be much more useful than being able to cross oceans.

The OP is almost certainly not going to want to cross any oceans. It is worth him considering a boat to use as a liveabord on a canal or river vs looking at boats which can only be used on the sea. There are some boats which suitable for both - but not nearly so many.

Nosealegsyet · 29 Jan 2022

jordanbasset said:
If your concern is the garden, why not buy a flat or a smaller low maintenance house without a garden

Ive been thinking long and hard, made some enquires to the marinas, and im not going to be able to live on them full time, have others have said, so ive looked at the budget again, and I think I might have room for an apartment as well as my boat, once this house is sold. And there are plenty of apartments readily available. So its what to do next really, worried about buying and apartment in the wrong place and then I cant get a space in the marina that is close by, or get the boat first, and then I cant find an apartment .doh!

Nosealegsyet · 29 Jan 2022

westernman said:
The OP was talking about a live aboard.
I consider the feature of being able to use the boat on the canal network as well as on the sea to be much more useful than being able to cross oceans.

The OP is almost certainly not going to want to cross any oceans. It is worth him considering a boat to use as a liveabord on a canal or river vs looking at boats which can only be used on the sea. There are some boats which suitable for both - but not nearly so many.

I dont know what it is about canals, but for some reason and it might only be psychological, I would feel safer in a marina, as im female plus dog.I cant see me crossing oceans but going over to France, I would like to think I would be able to do that sometime.

Nosealegsyet · 29 Jan 2022

jordanbasset said:
If your concern is the garden, why not buy a flat or a smaller low maintenance house without a garden

You've nailed it !

Nosealegsyet · 29 Jan 2022

westernman said:
Something like this:-
Ready for viewing Star Gazer 65 x 12.6 Widebeam for sale

Funnily enough it was that brand I was looking for, but marketed under a different name, I think ive gone off the idea of a houseboat now, I think it has to be proper boat plus apartment.

Nosealegsyet · 29 Jan 2022

seastoke said:
Caravan rent out when not here.

I have a caravan in Plymouth, as my son lives there, it has a caravan site right next door, and when I go down there, they pull it out of storage for me and put it in the site for £7.00. And then put it back for me, set it all up. Its brilliant.

Nosealegsyet · 29 Jan 2022

wwalsh said:
for liveaboard and long range i would recommend adagio, grand banks, president

Ive looked at all these three, would have to get one pretty old in order for it to fit my budget so I dont want to do that.

Downsizing - thinking of living on a boat instead.

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