The Liveaboard Guide

Book excerpt: The romantic dream of downsizing, giving up the rat race, and living life at 4mph on the inland waterways is proving more and more attractive. But for tens of thousands of people it is not just a romantic dream but an actual lifestyle. Tony Jones is one of those people. He has lived aboard his 50ft narrowboat for over 14 years and in this very practical book he documents what the liveaboard lifestyle is really like, focusing on the practical issues of day to day living for those who want to know what living on a boat actually entails, to see how to manage it for themselves. Topics covered include: · the pros, cons and costs of a residential mooring · power usage and energy consumption (and how it differs from a house) · how to stay warm - the choice of coal, electric, gas or wood heating · boat loos - the pros and cons, and troubleshooting typical problems · entertainment - TV, radio, internet, DVDs · logistical problems - no postal address, GP access, vehicle access or use This second edition has been comprehensively revised to include updated or new information on costs (moorings, license, insurances etc), license fees for different types of craft, composting toilets and ecological living in general, living aboard in London and other cities (suddenly very popular), postal services, boat stretching, butty boats, and so on, as well as more anecdotes and profile stories about liveaboard life. The aim of this book is to feed people's dreams by showing that every possible problem that could arise when living on a boat has a tried and tested solution. The dream is perfectly possible, and this book is the complete practical guide to achieving it.