What is it like to live on the water?

[nich0las]

Dear sirs,
I am a student a Coventry University studying my masters degree in Transport and Product design. I am researching into the alternatives to living on terra firma, namely living on the water.


Can we live on the water? I have posted some questions below which will help me gauge what it is like to live on the water. Any feedback will be of great help, even if it highlights issues that I haven’t questioned as yet.

If you would like to help, could you please send your answers to my e-mail address nicholashoughton1@hotmail.com


Please note. These questions were initially posted on Canal and Houseboat forums. It has since been suggested to post them on this site, therefore some question might not seem relevant to your situation. However please answer them in the context of your situation.



What do you feel, are the most important aspects of living on the water?



How have you adapted to living on the water?



What kind of person does it take to live on the water?



How can living on the water be improved?



What are the least enjoyable aspects of living on the water?



What were your main concerns of moving onto the water?



What aspects of your houseboat could you not live without?



What aspects of your houseboat could you discard, live without?



What restrictions do you have living on a houseboat?



Compared with a land based home, you have relatively little space. How has this changed the way you live?



How do you overcome the issue of space?




How has your social life changed.?




Thank you once more for your time, your input will be very valuable.

Regards

Nicholas Houghton
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[Abigail]

Dear Nicolas - not all of us are sirs!

What do you feel, are the most important aspects of living on the water? - where to start; wildlife, weather, ability to move when you want (subject to state of boat and weather)
How have you adapted to living on the water? - with great ease!
What kind of person does it take to live on the water? Self-reliance, patience, romanticism, arrogance ...
How can living on the water be improved? Cheaper mooring fees. Better pump out facilities. Cheaper wifi.
What are the least enjoyable aspects of living on the water? ice on the pontoons (bit alarming in the dark). Everything you want is always under something else.
What were your main concerns of moving onto the water? making my primary relationship work in different circumstances. working out how litle money we need to earn in order to spend most of the year sailing.
What aspects of your houseboat could you not live without? heating (g) in UK. Sails (and engine) to get about. Good anchoring set up and dinghy.
What aspects of your houseboat could you discard, live without? got rid of most of them already.
What restrictions do you have living on a houseboat? can't live far from the coast (we draw two m ofwater and 15m air draft) - of course less space.
Compared with a land based home, you have relatively little space. How has this changed the way you live? less stuff! Fewer books. V computer based storage of info.
How do you overcome the issue of space? Have less stuff. Be clever about dual use of things.
How has your social life changed.? Socialise with other boaties but also land friends. Make good friends and one or both of you move on, which is fact of cruising life. Meeting people from other countries more. Some good email friendships.

Best of luck with it and do post a summary of the results.

 

[Kilter]

Don't wish to flame you but is this not a very limited view of living on the water? There's more than houseboats out there.

 

[Abigail]

Re: What is it like to live on the water? (not in a houseboat)

I agree - most (probably all) of this forum aren't houseboats. But taking into account the general thing of living on the water, it seemed the results might be interesting.

 

[winship]

Re: What is it like to live on the water? (not in a houseboat)

The questions appear to be formulated by someone who had Houseboat and Canal dwellers in mind. i.e a city worker living aboard a converted barge sort of thing. So far as living aboard a sea going yacht spending leisurely time in harbour between voyages IMHO based on many years experience, Abigail.s post is a fairly balanced precis.

 

[trouville]

Re: What is it like to live on the water? (not in a houseboat)

There are lots of reasons for becomeing a liveaboard, Many go crusing and as the years pass become by default a liveaboard!

Many good thing such as being in the center of town or in a bay near a town/village if you prefer!

Its amazing just how its possiable to adapt,I miss my old Hillyard with hot & cold water large aft cabin But now with a smaller boat there are moor places to stay and the present size dosent encourage me to "stay at home" reading books or varnishing etc, but rather get out and about see the suroundings spend more time in cafes or useing the savings in port charges to eat out.

Get to meet locals understand the place learn the language properly!

 

[Sea Devil]

I lived in a houseboat on a canal in central Amsterdam for a while - had mains running water, mains gas, electritiy telephone, central heating - sat tv etc,
Hull was steel rest wood with insulation and then wood interior.
Perfect - home from home - warmer than a house. Great for skating in winter - out of the back door onto the ice.
Actually no difference from living in a house - at all! Only nicer!

Lived aboard a cruising boat for about 10 years with none of the above mains - most important item was a good tool kit and a book to tell you how. Stay in the tropics or near by the tropics. Have to limit posessions.
regards
Michael