The WORST Things about LIVING and Cruising on a NARROWBOAT
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2020
- After living aboard our boat Alba for 18 months we decided to talk to you about the problems and challenges of living life afloat. We are covering the things that trouble us the most and a few additional potential challenges that you should be aware of when thinking of getting a boat. We hope you find this useful!
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We’ve always wanted to find an alternative way of living and the idea of moving onto a canal boat came to us in September 2018. In January 2019 we bought Alba! Watch the full story here: bit.ly/AlbaEpisode5
▶ Watch the tour of our boat Alba bit.ly/AlbaEpisode1
▶ Watch all our vlogs in order: bit.ly/CruisingAlbaPlaylist
▶ We RESCUED a bat | Part 1 bit.ly/AlbaEpisode8
▶ Bat RESCUE Part 2 bit.ly/AlbaEpisode11
▶ The first time on the river • We Swapped CANAL Life ...
▶ Rainbow at the source of the Thames • Made it to the SOURCE ...
▶ We almost had a fire! • We Almost Had a FIRE o...
▶ Boating in a storm • What It’s Like to Be o...
▶ Getting on the Oxford canal • Young Couple Travels t...
▶ Scary story & narrowboat life Q&A bit.ly/AlbaQnA
▶ The story of getting our boat bit.ly/AlbaEpisode5
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Leave your comments and questions below, they mean a lot to us! If you would like to support the episodes join our crew on Patreon www.patreon.com/cruisingalba to get early access to the videos, bonus content and the chance to meet in person and come on board!
Security would be my number one concern. Well done highlighting the side of boating that we never normally hear about.Good health and happiness to you both. Xxx
What a charming couple I am totally hooked.
Oh wow, thank you so much! So glad you are enjoying our films 💕
Thanks for the great video, we're looking in depth at this sort of lifestyle so this video was super helpful!
Great vlog. I've been watching narrowboat UA-cam for a year and I was not expecting to learn so much today. Thank you.
Hi Nigel, so glad that you found this video useful! Big hugs 💜 xx
Hi Guys ,missed a few vlogs as I've been real busy closing my cottage, taking boats and dock out of the lake and blowing out the waterlines and adding antifreeze. Loved catching up with your happenings, swimming with Swans and making friends with the bullocks, That miraculous sunrise and Marina 's dulcet voice. You guys are so much in sync with your life space I love it
.Take care Cheers from Canada
Great vlog guys, thank you xx
Really helpful video; thank you! xx
Thank you for the lovely chilled vlog with lots of information. Have a great week 😊
Thank you! You too! 💜 xx
Great words of wisdom, yep ! Definitely for me .keep up the good videos 👍
Thanks for sharing!
I love that you all recycle ♻️ it’s too bad there aren’t more drop off places for you. We’re in a home in Oklahoma in the US, they cut back our recycling pick up a couple years ago. We recycle everything we can. But now I realize how lucky we are to at least still have pick up. It could be worse.
Hi Guy's excellent video and very comprehensive. I have just stumbled across this and since i have been watching Canal Vlogs for the past year this has been one of the best.Thank you.
Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to let us know, it means so much to us! 💜 xx
Excellent video and some very useful information about narrow boating , your definitely going to see me out there some day ☺👍
What a superb video
Im thinking of buying and living on a narrow boat and this has certainly pointed out things I had never thought about but its certainly not put me off having one in any way
Keep posting videos ,,Im looking forward to watching them and take care
I can't get enough watching you. My little visits with you makes my day. Thanks.
Hi Bob, oh wow thats such a kind thing to say! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoy our films so much!!! Sending you our love 💜xxx
Very useful info - thanks guys 👍🏼
I'm currently in quarantine even though I've tested negative so I've been looking for a new narrowboat channel to watch as I've caught up with my others. I'm so glad I chose yours. I'm 20 vlogs in and the only one that didn't hold my attention from start to finish was the time-lapse. You guys have a fresh way of vlogging I really like, maybe it's more your personalities, I'm not sure. Can't get enough, well done 😊👍
So wonderful, and more happy times to you both.
Thank you so much Sharon! So glad you enjoyed the video 💜 xx
Great stuff, thanks very much.
Great info❤️
Hey guys! Thank you very much for your contribution. You make such a cute couple and it´s good to see people like you living the dream! Well done! Much appreciated! xxx
Aww thats so kind! Thank you so much lovely xx
Another great vlog x
Thanks for all the tips. I’m learning a lot from your experience with canal life.😊
You are welcome, glad you enjoyed it, have a lovely day! 💜 xx
Some really good information here👍 Thanks.
Thanks Karen, so glad you found it useful 💜 Have a lovely day! Xx
Best information I’ve heard. Thank you
Thank you so much! Glad you found it useful 💜 xx
Great advice guys thanks so much! Take care
Our pleasure!
Very interesting with useful information.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video, thanks for all the advice. 😀
Glad you found it helpful 😀
Brilliant vlog. Very useful, thank you
Hi Davif! Glad you enjoyed it, have a lovely day! 💜 xx
Informative, thank you guys.
So glad you found this useful! Have a lovely day ❤️xx
Thanks guys, really enjoyed this information. We hope to meet you one day as we begin our journey as continuous cruising.....thanks again.
So glad you found this useful Paul, maybe we will who knows 😊
Great thought provoking video
Thanks for sharing
👍🏻
Glad you enjoyed it Michael, have a lovely day! 💜 xx
Really useful video. Thanks to you both
Glad it was helpful Royce, thank you so much for watching!
Great video guys, lots of good information 👍
Glad you found it useful 👌
Very informative and interesting please take care both of you and thankyou
Thank you Nelson, glad you found this useful! Have a lovely day 💜
How Nice great content (That is how we live here in Central Milo Maine winters) life is what you make of it. 100 points
What an informative video thank you.
So glad you found it useful! 💜
Great info, thank you.
Hi Mick, so glad you found it helpful! Thank you for watching 💜 xx
Very interesting video folks. Have watched quite a few narrowboat videos over the last two or three years as have always been interested in narrowboats having lived near the canals and enjoyed hiring one last year. Always interesting to hear about the common issues from the perspective of living on one. Thanks for sharing, all the best, Paul
Our pleasure Paul, glad you found it informative 💜 xx
Great information especially about space as we are in the process of downsizing at the moment ready to move onto the boat next year.
Glad it was helpful, good luck to you! 💜 xx
Great video,lovely couple,
Great vid guys !!
👍👍
Thank you so much Rich! 💜❤️💜
very interesting , graet practical advice . i have noticed that the majority of boat windows over looking the tow path have the curtains drawn together for privacy , its weird but people will look in . you covered so much and im sure so many people will be grateful , is there going to be a video on how to deal with geese ?
Some good points, another great video keep it up guys
Thanks for watching Ricky and taking the time to leave a comment, really appreciate it! Have a lovely day 💜 xx
@@CruisingAlba the only point I'd add is don't have the roof stacked to high I learnt the hard way 😂🤣 have a good day
Great vlog guys xx
Thank you Jules!! 😊 Glad you found it useful 💜 xx
Great vid..very intresting info...GREAT people you are....
Thank you kindly, what a lovely thing to say! 💜 xx
Very interesting. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it, have a lovely day! 💜 xx
Hope you both appreciate how lucky you’s are? I’m so envious of your life
After watching, I'm not envious at all.
For me it's the non native Canada Geese, mess noise though they do not like laser lights, as my neighbour has proved. Loo no prob as I used to go around swage works to hover up the scum on the water to pump into a drying tank! plus scrap out the ladies towels (helps if your sense of is limited, like mine), but overall good points for people to follow. One bonus is you learn many new skills, which you bypass in a house.
Hint for you about security and safety for items which are exposed and you don't want nicked. It's very simple, get a light weight opaque tarpaulin and cover things up. A cover is the cheapest and easiest way from stopping prying eyes. I learned this from long distance motorcycle travel. If I cover the bike up at night with a cover the. Ike just sort of disappears. No one touches it, but if things are left out on display, they will disappear.
A very important piece of kit is a good pure sin wave inverter. With this you can run an ordinary mains voltage domestic fridge or better still as we have a small top opening freezer. It stays fridge cold if only run a total of one hour a day. The inverter also provides power for the TV and most of our lighting. You are right about loos, there is no ideal solution. We have a large holding tank and as a back-up a portapotti. You're right about cold feet. If i'd known then what I know now I would have devised an under floor heating system. Enjoy the cruising life ; these little things are part of what makes it so attractive.
I think you are brave to live on a narrow boat and have a top knot, most people only have the guts for one or the other.
I didn't know about the batteries, very interesting! This is our first winter afloat so I'll definitely have to get some guest slippers soon :)
Your guests will thank you 😊
Well done u guys keep cruisin
Glad you enjoyed it John, have a lovely day! 💜 xx
Cracking video and tips guys and thanks for the info
Hope to meet you on the canals once I’m up and running
It’s still in the early stages of planing and convincing the wife at present that 300 pairs of shoes aren’t necessary! 👍😂🤣😆😂👍
Haha 😂 wow that must be a lovely collection! Good luck! Xx
wow, what a fantastic young couple, we old gits need to take a page from your book.
a typical example that we never stop learning.im just thinking about getting a boat, with help from you im looking forward to it.
take care the pair of you and thanks.
Your comment made us smile, what a lovely thing to say! Good luck on your journey! 💜 xx
Good information. I learned in China where personal space can often be at a minimum is there's a way to just kind of turn off everyone and everything around you and thereby create private space. I can't really explain it, you just do what you're doing and don't think about what anyone seeing you thinks. Homeless people seem to have learned this.
I'm very sensitive to light. Those eye-shades like the ones you give you on an airline? They all have light leaks, even the very expensive ones. So I just use a black t-shirt, even when I'm on a flight. To stay warm: I bought an inexpensive fleece sleeping bag liner on Amazon. It had a zipper, which it didn't need. I sewed the whole side closed and after two nights decided it was good I removed the zipper. So you could just buy some fleece and run it through a sewing machine. Buy different fabric weights so you can meet the various temperatures and even layer them. I love being warm and snug while breathing cold fresh air. Something else about liners. Even my thin liners I bought for staying at the youth hostel. When the entire bottom is enclosed you sleep better. I think that even in a good bed with good covers there are still little annoying drafts around your feet that can interfere with sleep. Bags solve that problem.
Some models of cassette toilets you can buy extra bottom tanks so you can fill up a couple of them before you need to dump.
Watch your lithium battery devices. These can catch fire. The only problem I've had is when my Anker battery got wet, but it was sparking and getting super hot. Lithium batteries catching fire probably caused a boat full of scuba divers to burn up last year in California. I'd say have a place for your devices. Phone next to the bed, make a shelf so if you spill water it won't get the connection wet. Be wary of new devices for a few first charges. Keep spare batteries by themselves in separate plastic bags.
And it would be best to have two ways out of the boat in an emergency, bow or stern. (This safety stuff also applies to houses).
Thanks for the video.
I love this dames voice. I could listen to her read the phone book. So soft and soothing.
That’ll be Marina then
Thanks for the interesting video. I've been living off grid in a steel shed in Australia for the past 4 1/2 years while waiting to build a house, and nothing you've mentioned holds any terrors for me. It gets down to around 1 degree C during winter nights and I have no heat. My front door is 3m wide and always open to the weather so my dog can get in and out. I have no water other than what I collect in a 15 L bottle in town every week or so, and my toilet is a bucket and bag. I never expected to be living here this long but I've always considered it as an extended camping trip.
All in all I think I've learned to cope with pretty much everything I expect to encounter on a narrowboat. The worst part of living in a steel shed here is the summer heat, which can be pretty uncomfortable above 25 and up to 40 or more, but I don't expect to get much of that in Britain. So thanks for putting my mind at ease! Maybe run into you soon (not literally!)
Hi Richard, sounds like you are perfectly suited for living on a narrowboat, good luck finding your perfect one 🥰 xx
I’m subbing anyway.... love this way of life wish my partner felt the same
Thinking of doing this when my kids leave the nest, got a few years yet
Good vid. Perhaps you could do another on working on-board as a continuous cruiser.
Nice idea, we definitely will 😀
Very good . Only thing I found after 16 years liveaboard was the less you know technicaly the more it costs .Blacking was always best done by myself as no one would clean the hull like I did but craneage or dry dock can be pricey. Electrics were always seen to by someone else but not always well.£1000 pa licence. I was paying mooring fees to which didnt help! It could easily take one persons wages , in my pay scale anyway.
hats off to you for been pro active in recycling..... you would have thougj the local authorities would supply some sort of collection schemes for this material.... given how much is fly tipped or litter dropped along the canal paths
Hi Guys, great "doco" The worse things... good presentation and in my opinion professional presented. John in NZ. kia-ora
Wow, thanks so much! ☺️ xx
Love your roof bench. Have you done a video on how to make one?
Hi Andrea, not yet. Good suggestion though! Big hugs x
Really informative, thank you. How do you feel about locks ?
Locks are part of the activity of Narrow boating. They are fine you get into the swing of them. However, some days when you have a lot can be a bit tier some.
Guys, can you make a video about leaving in a narrowboat during bad weather, especially during storms.
Just subscribed. Your boat is gorgeous and really enjoyed this video. Would love to live on a narrow boat at some point, think the spiders might put me off though, they absolutely terrify me, If I can’t see them though they are more than welcome to stay. Have got a narrow boat holiday booked tho so will see how i fare 😬
Hi Sally, thank you so much for watching! We really appreciate you taking the time to leave us a comment too 😊 Spiders are tiny here you might not even notice them, well its not essential to keep them in if you don’t want to. Good luck on your journey! 💜xx
I think the geese made the video better and the flock of ducks in the background; divine! For me living on a boat with the wilds of nature around you is the best medicine.
Thanks Chile, so glad you enjoyed it. Can’t agree with you more 💜 Sending you hugs from the river xx
@@CruisingAlba Thanks, hugs too. It occurred to me moments ago, after seeing some vlogs showing polluted areas of canals or rivers that groups set up for:
Clean Canals Campaign - Only Dummies Dump
Boaters for Rubbish Free Rivers
Save the Bees; River and Canal Wild Flower Preservation , stop the indiscriminate mowing of tow paths etc.
Marina Reserves - Attracting wildlife to Marinas and maintaining a marine garden, the benefits.
would be a good thing, maybe some exist, but I think the CRT and boaters should do what they can in these respects.
We face similar issues on "Popeye". We're fortunate being able to hold 1000L of water and have a watermaker, one benefit being in the ocean. Out toilet can be pumped overboard in most places. I'd say the biggest issue we have is rubbish. Keep up the good job guys. Cheers #sailingpopeye
Thanks for a very interesting video, could you tell me where you empty the compost loo?
definitely no help from waterways here! nature takes care of compost.
Another great video. No issues with spiders but my 12 year old daughter freaks out over them so I have to evict the obvious ones before she visits. It’s the earwigs I don’t like!
Thanks very useful and enjoyable vlog. Are your bikes padlocked or do you put them inside when you leave the boat ?
Tripple locked!
Hi guys! Where do you empty your compost toilet waste please??
Really good episode full of advice & info.
I'd love to live like you but being a bit older than you & with a hubby (both of us vegan for many years) with serious health issues it's just a dream.
Keep living it for us please! X
Thanks for your kind words Annie, big love to you both 💜 xx
Thank you, he's unexpectedly just been admitted to hospital! X
Thanks guys, really useful. Can you recommend any good groups or forums for newbies? I don't have a boat yet but want to do plenty of research before buying. Your comments on battery health and toilet options make me want to investigate further. Thanks.
Hi Graham, search for London Boaters on Facebook, it has a ton of useful info 🙂
Brilliant video x. Do you still work?
Morning that was very interesting and u mentioned l few things l hadn't thought of, talking of bugs etc do u get any problems with rats getting on board from ur guide lines or any other wild aminals? How big are ur food cupboards can u keep a large stock of food on board? No u haven't put me off getting a boat lol. Hope u have a great week coming stay safe. 😊 Simon.
Hey Simon 💕 We haven’t had any problems with mice although once we though we had one, we still not sure (there was some suspicious noise). And our cupboards are full size like in a house, definitely can fit everything in. Glad we didn’t put you off 😊 xx
I would like to know how it will b when is time to see your doctor ? I guess we go back to the same address issues! Or if u are far way from the family doctor and u need to come back in a hurry ? Loads of question marks and complicating situations! But in the other issues definitely I found very informative your definition in what is living a boat life thank u f your answer !
Hey lovely. We are in good health so we rarely need to go to GPs but if we were to do so we could yes go back to the registered clinic or register nearby temporarily and use a new doctor wherever we need to. Hope that helps 👌
So me and my partner are wanting to move out into a narrowboat in spring time and we’ve viewed some boats last weekend and what I noticed is that there were spiders everywhere, lmao I didn’t realise how bad it is until we went there and there were webs everywhere inside and out, I just assumed that because they’re constantly moored up with hardly any people maintaining it by going in and out, they just find it comfortable there. When we eventually get one I’m making sure to put up fly nets on every window so nothing can get it :/ I have a masssssive spider fear :(
Great video very informative looks a great way of live could be a better option than renting a flat but challenging due to work as you have to move every 14 days I am based in Cheltenham think closest marina Tewkesbury unless anyone on here knows a better option between Gloucester and Tewkesbury
Hi Stephen, thank yo for watching! We hope you could find a solution. Have a lovely day! 💜 xx
Hi thanks for info my wife and I holiday on narrowboats yearly, Being both in our 60s the only problem we see in selling our house to live on a boat is? Doctors or lack of them plus repeat prescriptions, Love your channel we watch most nights dreaming! Christine and Tone. Stay safe.
Thank you both so much for watching! We hope you can find the way to get prescriptions somehow 💜 xx
The Geese are Awesome!!
Great videos.... but I have a question... what do you do for internet...? Is it possible to get reliable internet on a boat and moving around…?
Long time liveaboard here, holding tanks are much better than you think. they take minutes to empty and have huge advantages over other types of sanitation systems. yes they clog, by only after a decade or more. how old are most cassette toilet or composting heads??
Marina you have such a lovely smile and love the accent We’re can you hire these boats for a few days
We live on a 65ft nattowboat and have an invertor that allows us to run a fridge and a freezer and tv etc. Our invertor is 2500 watt and with yours at 3k it would not be a problem. We have 2 x 280 watt panels and 5 x 160 watt batteries. Everything is possible.
Interesting video, thanks. Just a suggestion, no need to cut out all the blank space from your commentary. It just make it glitchy for the watcher. No need to rush, you're on a narrowboat!!
I’m luckier with some things due to being moored, but when I do start continuously cursing I’ll have to reassess some of the things on my boat. Keep those videos coming :) x
Hey Roger, when are you planning to set off? 😁
Cruising Alba oh not until I retire ! And I’m only 25 ish now 😂
I highly recommend living in a marina for a couple of years before continuous cruising. It's giving me time to get the boat in order, taking care of tasks like painting, repairs and adapting the inside to my requirements. Time on the boat is different to time 'on the beach'. I've become accustom to taking my time and doing a little bit when I can. Besides, the sense of community in a marina is brilliant. For me, continuous cruising during the summer is a viable option but not the only option.
PS: and congratulations on 5,47K subscribers and 4,461 views john
Thank you John! 💜
Its never long till off gridders start talking about their poos! Hey- two weeks ago I dropped a comment with a link that would help you guys- It diddnt get read so I posted a message to you on your face book page with the same info- that too hasnt been read!- This hack would be really valuable to you guys - please get in touch. Stu.
Hi Stu, thank you so much for sharing the link. We will have a look again for your message 💜 xx
Very useful information.
Do you drink the water from your tank or it only for washing and dishes?
How do you stop the water growing bacteria in the tank?
Thanks.
Hi Colin, we have a water filter under the sink, we wouldn't recommend drinking the water from the tank. When we bought Alba the watertank was painted so it should be quite fresh.
Love this. Very very useful. Do you two have a washing machine ? And can you give your opinion and comments about that for me please and Thank You !!
Hey Leslie, we made a whole video about it, look for How we do laundry on a boat title, hope it helps! Marina 💜
@@CruisingAlba excellent. Will do. Thanks guys !!
Hi I'm contemplating becoming a liveaboard, one thing I need to know is damp, is it a damp environment inside the boat, you have an older boat , what are your experiences. By the way great video the first negatives i have seen thankyou for the information.
Hi Tom, thank you for watching! Yes it can be damp but in winter we have the stove on for 24hrs a day and keep opening windows. In the mornings and when we do laundry the windows get very wet so we use a window vac (watch our last video you’ll see it in action). Hope this helped 💜 xx
You both go to work and leave boat, I live near Bradford it would be robbed and trashed what about security? Great video thank you. Subbed. People who pinch your stuff need battering and throwing in a lock.
Loved the sound of the geese. Didn't bother me.
Hi guys, I am brand new to your channel. I am in my 50's and looking to semi retire. Maybe buy a cheap condo in asia, a static caravan in spain and Narrowboat in Uk (had a great holiday on one). Simple question, but how does an average joe keep a job when they are constantly on the move? or...should they purchase a mooring?
Hi Keiran, welcome to the channel, so glad you found us! We both work online so we are lucky we don't need to be tied on to one spot. Cruising in certain areas like London is possible too, we did that for a year, although it's a very very different experience to being in a country. Hope you can find a way to make your dream come true 💜 xx
Hey... could you do this with a six month old baby do you think? On maybe a 42ft