PabloPicasso
Well-known member
What type of boat would allow comfortable live abort all year round in Britain and Ireland? Two people, for cruising especially to NW Scotland
Live aboard in British isles
- Thread starter PabloPicasso
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Wansworth
Well-known member
Something well insulated with a dry source of heat and a proper wheelhouse so you can sit bad watch the world go by........ when its raining.......35 foot
Tranona
Well-known member
Only you can decide that - the range of boats that people use is huge depending on their personal preferences and particularly budget.
Just draw up a list of the features you think desirable, set a budget and do some searching.
Your answer is likely to be different from mine, and recommendations from others are likely to reflect their personal preferences or indeed the boat they own.
Kelpie
Well-known member
Something with heating and a good cockpit enclosure (to give you ssomewhere to hang up your olies)
ChattingLil
Well-known member
I agree with both the above. We live aboard (but hardly ever get to take the boat out unfortunately - so it's sadly become more like a static caravan). We didn't know just how important insulation would be until we now compare how comfortable we are compared with other boaters around us. We are mainly plugged into shore-power so have the luxury of using electric heating and dehumidifiers, but in the winter we still put the eberspacher on a couple of times a week as the dry hot air feels really good. With good insulation, the boat warms up very quickly and stays warm. We don't have a wheelhouse, but we have a fixed canopy and added a very large cockpit tent which acts as a wheelhouse and it's very handy - not just as a place to watch the weather, but as a place to hang wet things and store stuff we don't need below.
my only other tip is to make a list of EVERYTHING you will want to take with you and when you are searching make sure that there is enough stowage for it all.
my only other tip is to make a list of EVERYTHING you will want to take with you and when you are searching make sure that there is enough stowage for it all.
Carmel2
New member
A Fisher 34 would be my choice, but maybe not yours.
BurnitBlue
Well-known member
As said, the boat is a personal choice. However I was looking at Qweek Quay marina price and conditions yesterday.
The conditions were very demanding and required a meek attitude to authority. Do this, do that. Do not do this, and definitely do NOT do that. Worse than being in a military base camp.
To provide a place to store a BOAT is OK. But for a live-aboard it would not work for me. The charges were laughable. Everything had a price. Permission in advance had to be sought for many tasks. I expect they charge a fee to tell you the time (plus labour).
After reading through the various "pages" I understood why most live-aboards do so in the easy going Med countries.
The conditions were very demanding and required a meek attitude to authority. Do this, do that. Do not do this, and definitely do NOT do that. Worse than being in a military base camp.
To provide a place to store a BOAT is OK. But for a live-aboard it would not work for me. The charges were laughable. Everything had a price. Permission in advance had to be sought for many tasks. I expect they charge a fee to tell you the time (plus labour).
After reading through the various "pages" I understood why most live-aboards do so in the easy going Med countries.
blampied
Member
No boat will allow comfortable all year living in the UK,
Typically the weather is too cloud, too windy and too wet 7 months out of 12.
If your staying in the UK and want comfort get yourself a flat.
The alternative is head south to the Med, Spain or similar is very cheep and lovely and warm, most boats are suddenly suitable.
Typically the weather is too cloud, too windy and too wet 7 months out of 12.
If your staying in the UK and want comfort get yourself a flat.
The alternative is head south to the Med, Spain or similar is very cheep and lovely and warm, most boats are suddenly suitable.
ChattingLil
Well-known member
lol!
Tranona
Well-known member
Depends entirely on your expectations. clearly it is possible as thousands or people do live on boats, on rivers, canals, in marinas and even on swinging moorings.
The challenge for the OP will be deciding on a boat that fulfils his cruising expectations as well as being suitable for year round living at his preferred level of comfort in the location of his choice.
Generally speaking boats are not built to this brief so he (like many others) will have to make compromises.
blampied
Member
Yes it's obviously possible to live on a boat full time in the UK, but that is not the same as comfortably living on a boat year round in the uk
Tranona
Well-known member
So, all those thousands are not living "comfortably"?
May not by your standard but clearly they find it satisfactory. That is the whole point of these discussions - the individual needs to make their own assessment of what is acceptable to them, not what others think.
I lived for a year on an old wooden 26' boat without standing headroom and only heating when on the hard. Suited me at the time, but would not be my choice now!
jordanbasset
Well-known member
As no budget has been given or a preference for sail or power I would go for Timothy Spall's boat, a FCN 54.
Ludd
New member
Minimum 35ft. Blown air heating(keep it dry) or solid fuel(charcoal )stove. Wheelhouse, or full cockpit enclosure. From November to April, stick to areas where you can easily reach a marina to plug in when needed for example the Clyde.
I.ve done it, and enjoyed it.
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
I would be very uncomfortable living on a boat in Mediterranean temperatures; anything above about 25 C I find unbearably hot. So it is very much horses for courses.
LandM
Member
We bought a 12m Oyster 406 with the idea to sail as far around the world as possible (one day). In our first year, we sailed her to IOM, Northern Ireland and all round the Inner Hebrides before bringing her back down south, around Lands End and along the south coast. On board are the two of us AND three (yes 3) cats. We have a centreline aft cabin (centre cockpit) and two heads. We found the boat (although heavier than the newer boats) really easy to handle for two and the loss of saloon space taken with the larger aft cabin/cc suited us and the darker wood makes the boat rather cosy in winter (made cosier with an oil heater plugged into shore power and an eberspacher). it's also a deck saloon with large windows which makes her really bright all year round, although it was pointed out to us by a sailor friend that in the Med, those same large windows will make the boat roast! As others have said no boat will be perfect for everyone, but although we'd move somewhere warmer in the winter months if we could, we find our boat really comfortable and more than adequate for year round living.
Jock89
New member
If you're on a strict budget have a look at a Nicholson 38' & then go to Yachtworld.com or www.nicholson38.org.....they're absolutely ideal & tough blue-water yachts.
They were intended for the Northern Hemisphere climate. I've lived on mine for a few years now & since I insulated the hull from bow to stern above the waterline she's dry as a bone all year round.
You need an Eberspacher D4 & a Dehumidifier though to be comfortable in the cooler months, especially for Scotland.
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GHA
Well-known member
Each has their own definition of comfortably, but if the boat is warm with no leaks then why not? So much nicer feeling close the the world than stuck in a square cave shut away from nature, imho. Post 2 seems to cover the bulk of the bases
PaulRainbow
Well-known member
I recently brought a 33' Westerly Discus and am very comfortable thank you. I've got blown air heating, fridge, lights and water, what more do i need Just got my leccy bill for a month, 7 quid
Just got my leccy bill for a month, 7 quid 
pragmatist
Well-known member
Although we don't live aboard full time we have spent long periods on board in the UK - including having snow on the decks and sitting out the odd gale. There are 2 items we bought which have made all the difference - firstly a Dickinson diesel heater - puts out a huge amount of dry heat (sometimes have to open lots of hatches in spring and autumn but great for drying the boat out) and a cheery glow through the glass door. The other huge benefit is the completely covered cockpit - as others have said great for drying wet gear, extending the living space, catches the sun ... If I had a choice I would like a deck saloon but they do tend to be expensive.
Above all I think it's a great lifestyle most of the time - and if it's not perfect then perhaps living on land isn't either - when the poodles next door start barking and the local farmer burns manure and the neighbours have a party in the garden ...
In terms of the boat herself, there really is a huge choice so it probably depends what else you want to do (e.g. sailing - where, how ...). The other restriction we slightly regret is no longer being able to dry out (our last two boats were bilge keeled) and that she is a bit too deep for the French canals at 1.8m draught - though in Scotland draught is unlikely to be much of an issue for you ! Being able to take the ground does mean you can sneak into nice quiet places and avoid paying through the nose everywhere
Good luck !
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