Let’s debunk some of those myths….
For anybody considering living on a boat, it’s safe to assume that most will have done a Google search on the subject. In our experience, the results will churn up a mix of advice given by individuals, boat builders and probably affiliated groups such as the Residential Boat Owners Association.
Generally speaking, authors will create balanced stories lauding the romanticism and freedom that living on a boat provides, but also pointing out the challenges too. After all, it’s not for everyone, or so they say. But could it be for everyone?
Myth Number 1: Finding a Residential Mooring
Without a doubt, the hardest thing for any prospective boat owner who wants to live afloat is to find a residential mooring. It’s very rare to find residential mooring vacancies. Demand far outstrips supply and many operators allow boats to be sold on the mooring. This means that the actual mooring is never released for sale or let on its own.
However, our boats are typically paired with fully residential moorings, so you don’t have to spend endless, un-productive hours of searching for the near impossible.
Our locations are also carefully chosen, being close to public transport, local attractions and amenities. It’s not only city centre locations either, as next year we hope to announce some new country and coastal locations where we’ll be continuing to bring that aspirational living in serene environments.
The residential mooring that you secure through your purchase of one of our boats is yours until you want to give it up (subject to you conforming to the site operator’s mooring terms and conditions of course). In some of our locations, the boats come with long mooring terms which means you can also sell the boat and the rights to the mooring in the future.
Myth Number 2: Is it warm in winter?
It’s the age-old question “but isn’t your boat cold in the winter?”
Waterspace Living prides itself on creating a warm and cosy home for our customers whatever the weather. Our double-glazed windows provide great insulation but are also easy to open when you need a little air-flow. Our concealed fin radiators are controlled by a central thermostat and timer which can be programmed to come on just before you arrive home. In the bathroom, as you’d expect there is the usual heated towel rail but it’s also the underfloor heating which creates that touch of boutique hotel elegance. Finally, in the main saloon, the addition of a clean and efficient, easy-to-light diesel or electric fire means you’ll always be warm in winter.
Myth Number 3: Emptying a portaloo
This is often thought about as a real hassle, having to put heavy portaloo, or ‘cassette toilets’, as they are sometimes known, on to a trolley and transporting them to the nearest discharge point.
Our boats are provided with a 550-litre waste water tank. For the majority of the time, when you are using your ‘home’ mooring, pumping out the tank is effortless and can either be done directly from your berth or at a dedicated service berth with a pump-out machine. When you go off cruising, there are many locations on the waterway network where you can pump-out in private marinas (where you might also stop for diesel and other supplies) or at locations along the way which are provided by the navigation authority.
Myth number 4: Being constantly on the move
For boat owners who can’t find a residential mooring, or choose to ‘continuously cruise’ around the canal network, local mooring restrictions will mean that they have to move on every few days. This can be a real hassle, with many people having to fit boat moves around work and then, of course, it’s the time it takes to find somewhere that you like. At Waterspace Living, your residential mooring allows you to stay at your ‘home’ mooring for 365 days a year should you wish.
Myth number 5: Relying on battery power
Our moorings are fully serviced with power and water. Most of our sites provide for 16amp or 32amp electricity which allows you to run multiple electrical items at once. There’s no need for you to run the engine to ensure that your batteries are constantly on charge.
