Houseboats

By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics and access other forums reserved for members. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today by clicking here.

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:51 pm

Does anyone have experience of living on a houseboat? After years of dreaming about it, a relative of mine may soon be in a position to do so. Not sure if he actually will or if he's just fascinated by the lifestyle, but any pointers on things to look out for/beware of, good areas for moorings etc would be appreciated. Is it a suitable life for a healthy 66 year old?

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 10:12 pm

I met an old guy once on a steam train who'd lived with his wife on a canal boat since he retired, moving from time to time, and loved it. I guess it depends where you can park it, and if you can move it if you wanted, many houseboats are permanently plumbed in though.

Sonny Crocket had it nailed in Miami Vice, living on a sailboat with a pet alligator, Elvis.

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 10:24 pm

Common sense would be buyer beware.

The "How & What" to Look For?
When visiting potential houseboats to buy, most educated buyers will be prepared to look in everywhere to really see the workings and condition of the boat. Better to do it before placing an offer to purchase, than after the sale has taken place. Look and try everything to see if it all works.
• Try and visit the houseboat during the day light hours to really see it.
• Get a free Pre-Plan Checklist to track the condition, equipment, options.
• Make an offer conditional on a Survey, and you pick a Marine Surveyor.
• Offer is conditional on a Sea-Trial to see how it handles and operates.
• Bring an experienced boater to evaluate the condition & repairs costs.
• There's plenty of used houseboats for sale, so don't get stuck on one.
• Be sure to consider the transport costs when looking at distant boats.
• Be sure to have a dock slip available before purchasing a houseboat.

The above from this site.

http://www.all-about-houseboats.com/houseboat-questions-and-answers.html

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 1:26 am

^^Great list!

I would add
♠ Talk to neighbors

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 1:33 am

Well now.. Here is a thread about a certain deckboat that was involved in a bit of "Hanky Panky"

My friends over on RiverDavesPlace are laughing their buttocks off..

http://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55411

Enjoy..

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 1:52 am

125 pages in a couple of days....don't have time to trawl thru it.

Sex-starved Tikka Masala Joined: 04 Mar 2011 Posts: 259

Houseboat. \/\/\/\/\/\/

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 5:23 pm

I did not live on a houseboat, but lived on my 38 foot Island Trader ketch rigged sailboat and had lots of stuff I did not want to get damp.

A vacuum food saver/sealer was a blessing.

I would be glad to offer any suggestions as to what I did.

I was not moored out but lived at a pier at a marina.

Where I live now many of my neighbors live on houseboats. Quite a few of the houseboaters here are in their 60's. There is a small bridge they cross to get to some of the houseboats, and if the residents are drunk they have been known to fall in the water. Of course we have 'gators around here so that makes houseboat living "interesting."

If someone is considering living year round on a houseboat up North, they will need to "bubble" around their houseboat in the very cold, snowy weather. Bubbling is keeping warm water around the parameter of your boat to prevent freezing.

Here is Island Thyme (one of the only pictures I have left of her thanks to Hurricane Katrina and the loss of many photographs)

Edited about bubbling.

Baiting Guru Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2163

this is what happens to your houseboat if your country wins the football championships

i dont know what that last pic is doing there

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 5:32 pm

Houseboat:

Thanks for the tips Fo and Noid. And Roy, but I'll not mention the gator if that's okay. Laughing

Will, that board you linked to. I have to ask. Are they normal? All they need is the Deliverance soundtrack. Shocked

Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 1:26 am

I used to have a waterbed, sort of gave the house boat effect.

Sex on it was interesting, so were earthquakes (this was in California)

Sex-starved Tikka Masala Joined: 04 Mar 2011 Posts: 259

^^^^This may be kinda personal, but did you ever have sex on your waterbed during an earthquake? Cuz that'd be weird! Shocked

Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:07 am

A narrow boat used to be a cheap way of living here in the UK. Now there are so many charges and licences required, it's becoming the more expensive option to an alternative way of life.

I have friends that live on boats. My tip is deal with any problems when they are small. If you leave them, they grow out of all proportion in no time.

Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 2:11 pm

Beefcake wrote:

^^^^This may be kinda personal, but did you ever have sex on your waterbed during an earthquake? Cuz that'd be weird! Shocked

Nope, never could get the timing right!! Confused

Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 2:26 pm

Klaasvaak wrote:

Hmm, Rijkaard shampoo, maakt uw haar gegarandeerd Völler!

Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:35 pm

We looked at getting a narrowboat, talked to a few owners, and frankly went off the idea. Unlike houses which typically appreciate in value, narrowboats are more like cars in that you seem to keep spending money on them and they are worth less for it! At some point you may/will need to re-plate the whole bottom if it has rusted, the wood rots, etc.

That said as a lifestyle, if you don't mind your lifestyle being long thin and vertically limited, it has upsides. If you don't like your neighbours, you move. To another city if you like.

Don't forget most decent mooring points close to cities are premium things and you pay for the privelege. And emptying your bucket and getting water are regular chores you take much for granted in a house!

Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:21 pm

Boats/houseboats/etc are more money pits than regular landed houses. I don't have to scrape the bottom of my house every year! Laughing

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 5:09 pm

manbiteslion wrote:

If you don't like your neighbours, you move. To another city

I've been reliably informed they follow you. Laughing