This is my favourite one so far - it was so lovely hearing your back story and seeing the photos of you both - an absolutely wonderful video - throughly enjoyed it - thank you 😃🏴☠️❤️
Aww hope so, it’s a great life, we’re loving it and so glad that we’ve done it. It’s a big step, but the boating community is just wonderful, it’s like going back in time when everyone was nice to each other. Hope we see you out on the cut soon xx
It is wonderful to see you guys on your beautiful narrow boat with a beautiful life. I have lived both sides of the pond I now live in Arizona, but miss the good times of my younger days spent hiking around the Lake District, Carnforth and Lancaster Canal. I always wanted a Narrow Boat or a yaught or horses. I now have horses but live in the Sonoran desert. Since watching your beautiful Narrow Boat people and your way of life on You Tube, our desert weather has changed from drought to back to back storms with water everywhere. Rain , hail , snow and muddy horses. I don't know where destiny is taking me as only time will tell. In the mean time I can get on with my life and enjoy you beautiful vlog. Lots of 💘 from Arizona 🇺🇸.
You two are just lovely. I’m still watching from the beginning, but I happened to see the total of this episode and wanted to watch. I’m loving your channel. I’ve only been watching for a day, but I love you guys already. And I like your since of humor.
Ahh, such a lovely vlog, thank you! Finding out the how and why is great, could see that the blue was going to be an essential part, lol! I guess now you have a very practical home with the benefit of getting an ever changing garden space! Plus it is awonderful community to be part of too! Safe travels ❤❤
Thanks for introducing your self so beautifully that l just had to subscribe to your vlogs along with the other 18 narrowboat tails that l watch every week. I will look forward to your weekly vlogs from now on 😎😎😎
I really enjoy coming along with you on your excursions! You are both so laid back, so it is very relaxing to watch you. Thank you for sharing. I'm in Indiana in the United States.
Magic ! All the best you two , that elderly chap who gave you 'the best piece of advice' was so right. Enjoy your life together. Love the videos , are you sure your not professional as the quality sure is . Many thanks for sharing your adventures. ❤
Aww thank you Mike! xx Yes, he was so right, you never know what’s around the corner, always best to make the most of every day. Haha, definitely not professional, but thank you so much for the lovely compliment, and so nice to have you onboard xx
Hi there. I've just discovered your channel a few days ago and I'm absolutely loving it. There are no canals where I live so I live the narrowboat life vicariously through other channels. Thanks for vlogging and I look forward to enjoying many more.
"it does make you think" Re aging, losing friends, family and aquaintances. Time is short and how long does one wait? You two have grabbed the brass ring that most of us hope too but never do. :)
Yes, there was a lot going on at the time, especially with Covid, and although we had always intended to do this when we retired, we looked around and said ‘why are we waiting?’ and ‘what if we wait and then are not fit enough to do it?’ So we took the bill by the horns and just went for it! and we’re so glad we did. Thank you so much for your lovely comments Martin xx
@@JulieandMartinonRIB We are of the same vintage :) Without going back and super detailing your comments in a vid about when you got married and your ages, roughly i'm somewhere in between you two and i totally get the why wait do it now mentality. The narrow boat life and with all the canal systems the UK has to offer, to me is just a dream that i will never attain. All the best to you and your family
I have watched blogs from many. We are close to doing the same as you did. Your vlog resonated with us as we are your backstory. Our house is on the market right now and will hopefully sell soon. Then we follow your lead. Thank you.
I really enjoy your videos. I appreciate your sense of adventure coupled with reality and good planning. I can relate as I have planned to do this with RV's in the states. However, I have a boating background and these videos are so captivating as are watching the two of you "navigate" the entire process. Thanks for your genuine feeling and honesty.
Such similar ideas to us. we live on the Fens and like you bought a classic cruiser before our narrowboat. Then started to ;prefer living afloat, but unable to move onto a narrowboat, due to family committmemts. Now at retirement age my health has deteriorated and we are unsure if we could physically do it. I watch every vlog and ache to be on the water again soon.. Its the locks, that would be my problem. We still talk about doing it, but who knows !!!!! Enjoy every minute and keep vlogging. for us landlubbers x
Aww your story does sound very familiar to ours! Never say never, give it a go and see what happens, could your other half do the locks and you stay with the boat? If you still have your narrowboat, just try a couple of months, or hire one for a couple of weeks to see. The locks and mooring up etc certainly keep you fit and if you get an off day or two, you just stay out and relax. There’s often other boaters around to lend a hand if you found it tough, that’s what boaters do, the community is fantastic. Really hope you find a way of giving it a go, we only live once! Someone said to us recently ‘you only ever regret the things you didn’t do, never the ones you did’ and that is so true. Hope we bump into you one day on the cut. Thank you so much for watching our little videos xx
It’s wonderful of you to share your story. It all makes great sense to me. With your time around the water previously in your boats, and your time in your caravan, you seem to have already known a lot about what you were undertaking. I admire how you are living your lives. 🧡💚
Loved this vlog, godd on you for following your dreams. You said you would never go back to Bricks and Mortar, well why would you when you've got Crick's and Water. lol
Lovely video and your story is an excellent example to anyone thinking of narrow boat life yes you can keep thinking about it or go out and do it well done and good luck and health to you both
Aww thank you Alan, such lovely words xx Covid really hit home to us that you really don’t know what’s around the corner, in 5 years time, we may not have be able to do this, no-one is guaranteed tomorrow, so we just went for it …. and we’re so glad we did, we really feel as though we’re ’home’! Thanks again Alan, keep safe xx
Just happened onto your channel...I'm enjoying your story but will have to go back and catch up and looking forward to the boat tour as well. Safe travels...Claudie/Texas
Really enjoyed you vlog, I would love to do exactly this, but my wife doesn’t share the love of the canals: we had a holiday on a narrow boat with my daughter and son in law , I loved it
Aww you never know, have a couple more boat holidays, your wife may change her mind, it’s a lovely way of life, thank you so much for your lovely comment xx
I just found your channel and the name Rhapsody in Blue got my interest, listening to your backstory was great you both look like very nice friendly people so I decided to subscribe and will be going through your posts over the next few days to catch up ... thank you for posting.
Hi Susan, thank you for the lovely compliment, so pleased you enjoyed it. We have done a walk through of our narrowboat, it’s a couple of videos on, here’s the link, thank you! xx ua-cam.com/video/UknvFVAlyIo/v-deo.htmlsi=cVCa63jxaI-TobJx
Thank you for sharing your floating home it is lovely. It must have been hard to slim down from a home on land to the boat. I am happy you got your dream. Enjoy.
oh thank you Susan, yes, it took us a while to realise that we really don’t need all the things that used to clutter our home lol. we still turf things out now and again, especially clothes! if we buy a new item of clothing then we have to chuck another piece away, so we really only buy things if we really need them. thank you so much! Xx
So glad you’ve done this vlog. Everything you said is very ‘real’ for me at the moment. I’ve definitely had strange looks from people who don’t understand what or why I’m doing what I’m doing so your background story I can totally get. It’s so fantastic to meet like minded people who all have the love for canals and narrowboats. Hope to be able to cruise with you soon. ❤ x
So nice to hear your back story. We are exactly the same, covid changed us and thought why are we waiting, so going for it and just waiting for the house to sell. We will also be letting the car go 😂 xx
Live in the same town as you guys had your bungalow. Lived in a 70’ trad up by the Dog & doublet wave foot brigade for 5 years. Back on land at present waiting for our new boat to be built. Can’t wait. 👍🏼roll on end of May.
Lovely vlog, you're b oth living my dream. I am still at the caravan stage with a tourer on a seasonal pitch in the Peak District, but I am saving for hopefully to start with a GRP like you did. Looking forward to watching your future travels. Andy
Aww that’s great Andy, we loved having a touring caravan and it made us realise that we didn’t need all the space and ‘stuff’ that a house provided, we’re quite comfy in a small cozy space, in fact we prefer it. I bet you can’t wait to start your journey on the water, so exciting! Please keep us posted, you never know, we may see you out on the cut soon xx 😘
What fun to see how you began your narrowboat life, and a little bit of your lives as a lovely couple and family. I sometimes feel a bit voyeuristic, being allowed to see the private lives of boaters, but in watching you every week, I get to feeling like you are friends, and finding out a little bit about you on a personal level just somehow feels natural. You are very special people, and I thank you so much for freely sharing your lives with us. I'm really looking forward to seeing inside Rhapsody in Blue in the near future!
Aww what a lovely thing to say 🥰 We’re really enjoying making the videos and love receiving your comments, feels like we’re getting to know you as friends too xx 😘
Thank you for sharing your back story. We envy your life style and love your boat. We have hired a narrow boat from Cheshire Cat Narrowboat Holidays at the Overwater Marina for one month every year for the last 6 years. We will be back in September. Thoroughly enjoying your vlogs, Bryan & Donna
Aww so lovely to have you both with us Bryan & Donna, maybe we’ll see you on the cut one year, thank you for your lovely comment, we really appreciate it xx 😘
Such a great vlog, fabulous to learn more about you both and how you began your narrowboat adventures...ps It was lovely to meet you both last week when I was visiting Heidi 😀
Kudos to you for doing this and doing it whilst you're young enough. So many people make plans but never get there due to ill health etc. You only have one shot at life, you have to make it work for you!
This was so interesting to watch as we moved on to our boat end April 2022. We are a little older but our back story is very similar, we met in 1978 when I was 19 and my now wife was 16. Married in 1982 and had 3 children before we adopted our special needs son in 2005. In 2021 decided to sell up and ended up buying a boat because we couldn’t afford another house, (we did have friends who lived on a narrow boat), but this was going to be our first experience on one 🤦🏼♂️. We had the same experience as you with them being sold so quickly, and we even lived in our touring caravan for 9 weeks. As there are 3 of us, our special needs son is now 25 and requires permanent care, we had to buy a wide beam which is 70’ x 12’3”. This of course limits where we can travel so currently in our 2nd marina in Quorn, Leicestershire. The other similarity is the fact that it is the same blue as yours! As it was new we were able to name it ourselves ……….. Rhapsody in Blue 🤦🏼♂️
@@JulieandMartinonRIB - hopefully we will meet one day, we can only go north from where we are due to our size but we have every intention this year of going somewhere.
We have really been enjoying your vlogs recently, we both thought that the boat name and yourselves looked familiar. This vlog made us realise why. We must have seen you about at NKM where our boat is moored. Keep these wonderful vlogs coming.
Aww where were you moored at NKM Robert? I can just see half the name of your boat in your profile image, looks familiar. We may be coming into the marina for a brief visit around June time, so may see you then xx
Our boat is called Aria Mae and we were moored next to Silver Fox when Colin and Shaun were there and later when Derek and Pauline bought it from them. I notice you were moored next to our friend Colin on Tickin Along.
@@robertpearse9952 oh right, know where you were moored now 👍 we’re actually moored up with Pauline and Derek now, I’ll remember you to them 😊 We we’re moored next to Collin for a while before we moved round to D, please say hi to Gary and Mae for us. We loved it at the marina, it’s such a lovely place to call home xx
We've moved to J now as it was nearer a car parking area. We don't live onboard but get there are much as we can. We will pass on your greeting to Gary & Mae @@JulieandMartinonRIB
This was a very interesting vlog, with a great back story and photos. I must admit its something I would love to do but a narrowboat isn't really wheelchair friendly. Many have sad they join me and do the locks and leave me to drive , but I know their idea of help. Stay safe and have a good time
So glad you enjoyed the video Sid xx There are wheelchair friendly narrowboat holidays on this Llangollen canal, might be worth having a look, they’re called Lyneal Trust, here’s a link to their website www.lyneal-trust.org.uk/ Hope this is helpful, really hope you get to experience it, especially on the Llangollen canal, it’s so beautiful xx 😘
Another great vlog. Good to hear the "who" "what" & "why". Makes you both more real, if that makes sense, more than just another video of 2 people on a narrow boat, great job and good wishes for your continuing journey. I am looking forward to all the forthcoming episodes.
We’ve just started watching you, this is the first vlog and we have enjoyed it. Selling the car I can relate to. For us it was hard saying goodbye as it meant no longer being able to just go off to the shops, etc. for food or exploring far afield. We didn’t want to be one of those couples who had to keep fetching the car every so often and paying tax, insurance, MOT, servicing and repairs just to use it occasionally. For financial reasons, we had to wait until we were old 🥰 (69 and 68) but we are fit and healthy so, fingers crossed, we will get a few good years out of continuously cruising! Maybe we will see you one day on the cut. Happy cruising!
Aww yes, we feel the same re a car, it would be a bit of a bind. Would be lovely to meet you out on the cut, please let us know your boat name and we’ll look out for you xx
Great vlog. Great adventure. Will love watching your dream. I’m hoping health will let me do the same soon. Can I ask how long did it take you to get used to the boat wallowing about when moored ? Best wishes. Loving this journey.
Thanks Trevor, lovely to have you along! xx It really doesn’t take long to get used to the boat moving, after a day or so you barely nice it. Believe it or not, we notice it more if it doesn’t move lol, i.e. if the water freezes and you wake in the morning and the boat is solid, it’s very strange! xx
Questions for next episode ~ Did you pick the name of your boat? If not, what would you name her? Do either of you work from the boat or are you living from your retirement funds? Do your kids plan on visiting this year? I know this might be a strange question, but are you both born and raised in the UK? I ask because I swear I can hear a little Australian accent now and again. 🤔 Until next time, take care, be well ~ Lacy, Mike & Hamish🐾🇺🇸 PS. Looking forward to the 'grand tour' of 'Rhapsody in Blue'
Hi Lacy, Mike & of course Hamish, thank you for your questions, we’ll answer a couple now and the others in a future vlog. We don’t work from the boat at the moment, but I may do part time for a few months a year, we’re living from retirement funds at present. We are both born in the UK and have lived here all our lives, Martin is a cockney born in East London, and I was born in Rainham in the London Borough of Havering, perhaps it was Martin’s cockney accent lol 😂 Speak soon, take care xx
Lovely vlog, the narrowboat life really suits you both. We’ve got a narrowboat which we bought in May 2018, we’re not continuous cruisers but go out when we want for a few weeks. It was a pain when covid hit, the marina was closed with no boats moving & it was like that for well over a year but thankfully everything’s back too normal now. We’ve got three dogs & they love it, the only fly in the ointment is our little terrier has developed cataracts, his sight is virtually non existent, he can see light but nothing else so he bumps along, we’re worried about him all the time but he’s coping, he’s a tough little boy though. This is a very mundane question but what do you do if you need a Dr or repeat prescriptions? Happy boating xxx
Aww thank you so much Linda! Really hope your little doggy is ok 🥰 Repeat prescriptions are really easy, just call your regular doctor and tell them which chemist you want the prescription to be sent to and collect from there. I believe if you have it set up online, you can do it from there. So basically you keep your same doctor. If you need to see a doctor or dentist, then it’s often best to call 111 and speak to NHS Direct, they will get you an appointment in the local area. The only thing is, with the dentist especially, it will be private, not NHS, so will be a bit more costly. Hope this helps xx
Hi guys Great video but I would like to know what is the one thing that you would like to see done or changed on the canal network to improve your lifestyle you have chosen Take care 👍👍
@@crazyig4564 Possibly. Also possible is a ventilation shaft for a railway tunnel - although this one looks a bit small for that. Perhaps someone who knows will come up with the answer!
Sorry, I am subscribed, but I'm watching out of synch, so forgive me if my questions have been answered elsewhere! I looked at some narrowboats about 20 years ago, not knowing a thing about them. I quickly realised that my then husband was a really poor fit for NB living - literally! He is 6'4, & quite a hoarder. Now divorced, I found that ' tiny home' living appealled to me, but apart from caravans, & eco - homes [ self build, usually cob or strawbale] are almost impossible in England, although Wales is more forward thinking. Anyway, I've once again been drawn back to NB, & am in the ' planning & research' stage. I do watch vlogs, which have been great for detailing the nitty gritty, but I haven't seen this explained ; what made you choose two pack over blacking? What advantages are there to using this, & is it much costlier? Thanks.
Hi Debra, our boat was already two-packed, so we kept it the same. With two-pack epoxy, you get a little bit more protection and it lasts around 7 years before needing doing again. With blacking, it lasts 2-3 years, but you get to check your hull a bit more often. Hope this helps! And good luck getting your boat! xx
Thank you! I thought it might last longer but that is quite a difference. I'm just making a note of all these point! I'm almost at the point of selling my house, so hopefully [ boat Gods willing] it won't be too much longer.
Excuse what is probably going to be a dumb question..When you guys were protecting the hull how did you get to the underneath? The blocks seemed really low.
Hi, this is s as good question! 👍 Due to the marina’s health & safety policy, we were not allowed to do the base plate, but the boat was lifted and put onto high metal supports and a member of the marina staff then blacked the bottom. Unfortunately I didn’t get this on film as they were going to do it in the afternoon, but changed their plan, we went shopping and when we got back they had already done it! I do have footage of the boat up high, but didn’t use it as it probably wouldn’t have made sense to the viewer. Thanks! xx
We have a few, but the Shropshire Union canal, with its deep cuttings and high bridges is just stunning! We cruised both ways last year and covered this particular stretch in two videos, (a very early one, Ep4 early Autumn), and then again the other way in Ep34 early Spring. It is just so beautiful and unspoilt, you can only see this stretch of canal by boat or on foot, so it is full of the wonders of natures, especially in spring, you can hear all the birdsong, it’s just just stunningly beautiful. Oh, and then there’s the Llangollen canal, it has so many wonders, it’s gorgeous! Thanks Alan xx
Hi Peter, there are a few options, we have a registered address from ‘Ship to Shore’, there are others like ‘Boat Mail’ where our post is managed, but all our bank, cards, driving licences etc are registered there, you can use the post office Post Restante to have deliveries at local post offices where you are. We kept our original doctors and have phone consultations, or if needs be, a walk in centre or call NHS direct. For the dentist, NHS direct will get you an appointment with a local dentist, although this is usually a private surgery so not cheap. Hope this helps xx
I have a question for Martin, trying to find button fender with the rubber scrape around it like yours. Stops all the lock Jizz going into the button fender and causing moss to grow. Any recommendations where to get these from? Thanks in advance.
Hi Nick, we’re not sure if you can buy these things, ours is made from an old vehicle tyre. Martin said that old go cart tyres are the best, you just cut part of it out, leaving a curve to wrap around the fender. It also helps in locks, to avoid getting snagged on the lock gates, hope this helps xx
We did, but the marina did that bit, as for health and safety reasons the marina wouldn’t allow us to be under the boat. Some say you don’t need to do the bottom, but we think it should be done. 😊 xx
Greetings from Arlington, WA, USA. I also live on a river. You house was in such a beautiful location. It would have been nice if you could have kept it and rented it out and made payments on the boat with the rent money from the house. You could have also rented out your dock space to another narrowboat. Sorry but I just think about these things and am speaking out loud. What was the 10% that you didn't like? Do you think that I will be able to get a like kind boat easily or are they hard to come by? I'm a US citizen. Will I have an issue if I were to own a narrowboat and travel for about six months or so?
Thanks Robert. We no longer wanted the house, so renting it out wasn’t an option. There are boats out there, but you will have to keep an eye on the market and be quick when they do come up. There are many used narrowboat sales online you can check - Apollo Dick, ABNB Boat Sales, Rugby Boats (they also have a UA-cam channel with lots of walkthrough videos), Whilton Marina, to name a few, check these out. Thanks again xx
My new favorite channel!!! Isn't UA-cam WONDERFUL!! Over here in the States you either buy a huge class A motor home bus, or you buy a sailboat and do blue water sailing. You guys have the best of both worlds!!! We do not have a canal system like you do. We have freeways. I am very intreaged about this canal touring. Do you go all over the country??? Dave from Portland Oregon USA.
Hi Dave, yes, there’s over 2000 miles of navigable canal and river networks, which at 2-3mph will take a few years to cover, and lots of places we’ll want to see again too! Also, canals look so different from winter to summer, so each time you travel them you see different things. We can’t see ourselves ever going back to bricks and mortar! Thanks Dave xx
![Van Life | Laughing 'til You're Blue in the Face | Smurf Village [Ep 145]](/img/n.gif)
This is my favourite one so far - it was so lovely hearing your back story and seeing the photos of you both - an absolutely wonderful video - throughly enjoyed it - thank you 😃🏴☠️❤️
Aww thanks me hearty, that means a lot xx 😘
It must be a real joy seeing the country side every day xxxx
It is, it’s absolutely lovely! Does have its challenges along the way mind, not always rosy lol xx
Nice job on this video, shared with my wife in hopes she'll get the messge
Aww hope so, it’s a great life, we’re loving it and so glad that we’ve done it. It’s a big step, but the boating community is just wonderful, it’s like going back in time when everyone was nice to each other. Hope we see you out on the cut soon xx
Finally found the backstory video. Awesome. Thanks for sharing. ❤👌
Aww thank you so much Sally, glad you liked it! xx
It is wonderful to see you guys on your beautiful narrow boat with a beautiful life. I have lived both sides of the pond I now live in Arizona, but miss the good times of my younger days spent hiking around the Lake District, Carnforth and Lancaster Canal. I always wanted a Narrow Boat or a yaught or horses. I now have horses but live in the Sonoran desert. Since watching your beautiful Narrow Boat people and your way of life on You Tube, our desert weather has changed from drought to back to back storms with water everywhere. Rain , hail , snow and muddy horses. I don't know where destiny is taking me as only time will tell. In the mean time I can get on with my life and enjoy you beautiful vlog. Lots of 💘 from Arizona 🇺🇸.
Aww thank you Karen! Really hope your weather improves for you and the horses, lovely to have you watching our little videos xx
You two are just lovely. I’m still watching from the beginning, but I happened to see the total of this episode and wanted to watch. I’m loving your channel. I’ve only been watching for a day, but I love you guys already. And I like your since of humor.
Thank you so much! So lovely to have you with us xx
Such an amazing backstory ! Love seeing all the old photos and how you ended up with RIB . X
Aww thanks Steve, was lovely meeting you and Joe, hopefully we’ll see you again in another year or so xx
Ahh, such a lovely vlog, thank you! Finding out the how and why is great, could see that the blue was going to be an essential part, lol! I guess now you have a very practical home with the benefit of getting an ever changing garden space! Plus it is awonderful community to be part of too! Safe travels ❤❤
Hi Eric, yes it’s lovely to have a different garden every few days and you’re right, the boating community is the best! Thanks Eric xx
This is awesome, you two! Thanks for your backstory!
Aww thank you! xx
❤️Your backstory! Thank you.
Thank you Marion, and thank you for watching, we really appreciate it xx
Have a great day
Oh wow, thank you Bette! This means so much, thank you! xx
Thanks for introducing your self so beautifully that l just had to subscribe to your vlogs along with the other 18 narrowboat tails that l watch every week. I will look forward to your weekly vlogs from now on 😎😎😎
Aww welcome aboard! xx
What a great vlog. Really enjoyed learning the backstory.
Aww thank you, really pleased you enjoyed it! Thank you! xx
I really enjoy coming along with you on your excursions! You are both so laid back, so it is very relaxing to watch you. Thank you for sharing. I'm in Indiana in the United States.
Aww thank you Joyce, so lovely to have you with us xx
We always find it interesting to hear the story behind the people. Good video, we enjoyed it.
So glad you enjoyed it, lovely to have you with us xx
What a great vlog and a lovely couple you are. Enjoying coming along on your trip living in a boat. ❤
Aww lovely to have you with us xx
We’re coming along for the journey great job
Aww lovely to have you with us Ricky, thank you xx
Magic ! All the best you two , that elderly chap who gave you 'the best piece of advice' was so right. Enjoy your life together. Love the videos , are you sure your not professional as the quality sure is . Many thanks for sharing your adventures. ❤
Aww thank you Mike! xx Yes, he was so right, you never know what’s around the corner, always best to make the most of every day. Haha, definitely not professional, but thank you so much for the lovely compliment, and so nice to have you onboard xx
Wonderful back story, thanks for sharing, brave thing to do sell up and go, it’s certainly in our plans
Hi Bob, we had always planned on doing it, we just brought it forward, so pleased we did. Hope you get your dream soon too! Thanks Bob! xx
Hi there. I've just discovered your channel a few days ago and I'm absolutely loving it. There are no canals where I live so I live the narrowboat life vicariously through other channels.
Thanks for vlogging and I look forward to enjoying many more.
Aww lovely to have you with us Alan, welcome aboard xx
"it does make you think" Re aging, losing friends, family and aquaintances. Time is short and how long does one wait? You two have grabbed the brass ring that most of us hope too but never do. :)
Yes, there was a lot going on at the time, especially with Covid, and although we had always intended to do this when we retired, we looked around and said ‘why are we waiting?’ and ‘what if we wait and then are not fit enough to do it?’ So we took the bill by the horns and just went for it! and we’re so glad we did. Thank you so much for your lovely comments Martin xx
@@JulieandMartinonRIB We are of the same vintage :) Without going back and super detailing your comments in a vid about when you got married and your ages, roughly i'm somewhere in between you two and i totally get the why wait do it now mentality. The narrow boat life and with all the canal systems the UK has to offer, to me is just a dream that i will never attain. All the best to you and your family
I have watched blogs from many. We are close to doing the same as you did. Your vlog resonated with us as we are your backstory. Our house is on the market right now and will hopefully sell soon. Then we follow your lead. Thank you.
Aww that’s great Chris, good luck with looking for your new home/boat, it’s a great life, you’ll love it! xx
I really enjoy your videos. I appreciate your sense of adventure coupled with reality and good planning. I can relate as I have planned to do this with RV's in the states. However, I have a boating background and these videos are so captivating as are watching the two of you "navigate" the entire process. Thanks for your genuine feeling and honesty.
Aww thanks Oscar, such lovely words, so lovely to have you with us xx
Another great vlog
Hi Bette, we’re so pleased you are enjoying our videos, thank you! xx
Thank you for sharing your adventure! What a beautiful beginning. Cheers!
Thank you very much Dan, that’s lovely of you to say xx
@@JulieandMartinonRIB You're very welcome!
Such similar ideas to us. we live on the Fens and like you bought a classic cruiser before our narrowboat. Then started to ;prefer living afloat, but unable to move onto a narrowboat, due to family committmemts. Now at retirement age my health has deteriorated and we are unsure if we could physically do it. I watch every vlog and ache to be on the water again soon.. Its the locks, that would be my problem. We still talk about doing it, but who knows !!!!! Enjoy every minute and keep vlogging. for us landlubbers x
Aww your story does sound very familiar to ours! Never say never, give it a go and see what happens, could your other half do the locks and you stay with the boat? If you still have your narrowboat, just try a couple of months, or hire one for a couple of weeks to see. The locks and mooring up etc certainly keep you fit and if you get an off day or two, you just stay out and relax. There’s often other boaters around to lend a hand if you found it tough, that’s what boaters do, the community is fantastic. Really hope you find a way of giving it a go, we only live once! Someone said to us recently ‘you only ever regret the things you didn’t do, never the ones you did’ and that is so true. Hope we bump into you one day on the cut. Thank you so much for watching our little videos xx
This was so good - amusing and entertaining! We really enjoyed that! Thank you for the video. Best of luck from us in Japan!
Thanks Ian, so pleased you’re enjoying our videos xx
It’s wonderful of you to share your story. It all makes great sense to me. With your time around the water previously in your boats, and your time in your caravan, you seem to have already known a lot about what you were undertaking. I admire how you are living your lives. 🧡💚
Aww thank you Ann, that’s such a lovely comment xx
Loved this vlog, godd on you for following your dreams. You said you would never go back to Bricks and Mortar, well why would you when you've got Crick's and Water. lol
Love it, ‘Cricks and Water’ lol, thank you for commenting, really appreciate it xx 😘
Lovely video and your story is an excellent example to anyone thinking of narrow boat life yes you can keep thinking about it or go out and do it well done and good luck and health to you both
Aww thank you Alan, such lovely words xx Covid really hit home to us that you really don’t know what’s around the corner, in 5 years time, we may not have be able to do this, no-one is guaranteed tomorrow, so we just went for it …. and we’re so glad we did, we really feel as though we’re ’home’! Thanks again Alan, keep safe xx
Lovely hearing your background thank you for sharing x
Thank you for your lovely comment xx
You’re welcome, so glad you liked it xx
Just happened onto your channel...I'm enjoying your story but will have to go back and catch up and looking forward to the boat tour as well. Safe travels...Claudie/Texas
Aww thanks Claudie, lovely to have you on board! xx
Nice one 🙂🦆✌️
Aww thank you! xx
Really enjoyed you vlog, I would love to do exactly this, but my wife doesn’t share the love of the canals: we had a holiday on a narrow boat with my daughter and son in law , I loved it
Aww you never know, have a couple more boat holidays, your wife may change her mind, it’s a lovely way of life, thank you so much for your lovely comment xx
Thanks for sharing your story very interesting. Well filmed as usual
Aww thank you Ruth & David, lovely of you to say xx 😘
I just found your channel and the name Rhapsody in Blue got my interest, listening to your backstory was great you both look like very nice friendly people so I decided to subscribe and will be going through your posts over the next few days to catch up ... thank you for posting.
Aww thank you Marian, so lovely to have you with us! xx
An enjoyable vlog. We are on a similar journey on Idle Days having moved aboard at the start of 2021, only a website so far.
Aww that’s great, we’ll look out for you on the cut xx
Best vlog to date. Loved hearing your story. I would love a walk through your Narrowboat. Thank you so much for sharing your journeys with us.❤
Hi Susan, thank you for the lovely compliment, so pleased you enjoyed it. We have done a walk through of our narrowboat, it’s a couple of videos on, here’s the link, thank you! xx
ua-cam.com/video/UknvFVAlyIo/v-deo.htmlsi=cVCa63jxaI-TobJx
Thank you for sharing your floating home it is lovely. It must have been hard to slim down from a home on land to the boat. I am happy you got your dream. Enjoy.
oh thank you Susan, yes, it took us a while to realise that we really don’t need all the things that used to clutter our home lol. we still turf things out now and again, especially clothes! if we buy a new item of clothing then we have to chuck another piece away, so we really only buy things if we really need them. thank you so much! Xx
Lovely, I’ve just discovered your channel.
aww so lovely to have you on board xx
Great vlog. Thank you for sharing the start of your dream. 👍
Aww thanks, lovely comment xx
So glad you’ve done this vlog. Everything you said is very ‘real’ for me at the moment. I’ve definitely had strange looks from people who don’t understand what or why I’m doing what I’m doing so your background story I can totally get. It’s so fantastic to meet like minded people who all have the love for canals and narrowboats.
Hope to be able to cruise with you soon. ❤ x
Aww thanks Phil, really looking forward to seeing you out on the cut soon, not long now eh! Can’t wait to see your new boat xx 😘
What a lovely volg! Very nice to know where it all started. I really enjoyed watching and you both have the right about it. do it while you can!
So glad you liked it Steve, thank you xx
So nice to hear your back story. We are exactly the same, covid changed us and thought why are we waiting, so going for it and just waiting for the house to sell. We will also be letting the car go 😂 xx
Aww that’s brilliant! Hopefully we’ll meet one day on the cut 😃 I wonder if you’ll find the car the hardest to part with too lol 😂 xx
@@JulieandMartinonRIB probably 🤣
Living the dream...good on you 👍
Aww thank you xx 😘
Live in the same town as you guys had your bungalow. Lived in a 70’ trad up by the Dog & doublet wave foot brigade for 5 years. Back on land at present waiting for our new boat to be built. Can’t wait. 👍🏼roll on end of May.
Aww fantastic, a new boat, bet you’re so excited! Hope we get to meet you on the cut one day, thanks! xx
What a wonderful vlog! So inspiring! ❤
Aww thanks Pete, so glad you liked it xx 😘
Lovely vlog, you're b oth living my dream. I am still at the caravan stage with a tourer on a seasonal pitch in the Peak District, but I am saving for hopefully to start with a GRP like you did. Looking forward to watching your future travels.
Andy
Aww that’s great Andy, we loved having a touring caravan and it made us realise that we didn’t need all the space and ‘stuff’ that a house provided, we’re quite comfy in a small cozy space, in fact we prefer it. I bet you can’t wait to start your journey on the water, so exciting! Please keep us posted, you never know, we may see you out on the cut soon xx 😘
very enjoyable
Aww thanks Julie xx
Watched 2 videos, now subscribed. It's nice to see some more genuine people doing something they love! Keep going guys, love it.
Aww thank you, lovely to have you onboard! xx
We both really enjoyed watching this video and hearing your story. You both come across as so likeable, real and down to earth as well as great fun xx
Aww thank you, what a lovely comment, hope we meet up again soon xx 😘
What fun to see how you began your narrowboat life, and a little bit of your lives as a lovely couple and family. I sometimes feel a bit voyeuristic, being allowed to see the private lives of boaters, but in watching you every week, I get to feeling like you are friends, and finding out a little bit about you on a personal level just somehow feels natural. You are very special people, and I thank you so much for freely sharing your lives with us. I'm really looking forward to seeing inside Rhapsody in Blue in the near future!
Aww what a lovely thing to say 🥰 We’re really enjoying making the videos and love receiving your comments, feels like we’re getting to know you as friends too xx 😘
Lovely video, great life choice
Aww thank you xx
Great video and a nice potted history. Hope to see you on the cut when passing you on our boat Whereareya
Aww thank you, that would be lovely! Love your boat name lol 😂 hope to see you soon Les xx
Great video guys, i live about 5 miles from the Pontcysyllte aquaduct near Wrexham love watching canal video's. Keep them coming thanks.
Thanks Alan, glad you liked the videos xx
Thank you for sharing your back story. We envy your life style and love your boat. We have hired a narrow boat from Cheshire Cat Narrowboat Holidays at the Overwater Marina for one month every year for the last 6 years. We will be back in September. Thoroughly enjoying your vlogs, Bryan & Donna
Aww so lovely to have you both with us Bryan & Donna, maybe we’ll see you on the cut one year, thank you for your lovely comment, we really appreciate it xx 😘
What a Wonderful vlog, you two are truly amazing xxxx
Aww John, that’s so nice of you to say! 🤗 Hope you’re well xx 😘
This was just wonderful and so interesting. Loved EVERYTHING. So glad we both decided on this crazy life and crossed paths ❤
Aww thank you! Yes, we feel the same too xx 😘❤️
Such a great vlog, fabulous to learn more about you both and how you began your narrowboat adventures...ps It was lovely to meet you both last week when I was visiting Heidi 😀
Aww thanks Jaxs, was lovely to meet you too, hope we see you again soon xx 😘
Great video giving us an insight as to who you are and how you came to the decision of moving onboard a narrow boat.
Aww thanks Nicholas, that’s lovely xx
Kudos to you for doing this and doing it whilst you're young enough. So many people make plans but never get there due to ill health etc. You only have one shot at life, you have to make it work for you!
Aww thank you, that’s exactly it, no one knows what’s around the corner, grab like while we can xx 😘
Did u mention what age u started?
Actually done the maths about 57 to 60
This was so interesting to watch as we moved on to our boat end April 2022. We are a little older but our back story is very similar, we met in 1978 when I was 19 and my now wife was 16. Married in 1982 and had 3 children before we adopted our special needs son in 2005. In 2021 decided to sell up and ended up buying a boat because we couldn’t afford another house, (we did have friends who lived on a narrow boat), but this was going to be our first experience on one 🤦🏼♂️. We had the same experience as you with them being sold so quickly, and we even lived in our touring caravan for 9 weeks. As there are 3 of us, our special needs son is now 25 and requires permanent care, we had to buy a wide beam which is 70’ x 12’3”. This of course limits where we can travel so currently in our 2nd marina in Quorn, Leicestershire.
The other similarity is the fact that it is the same blue as yours!
As it was new we were able to name it ourselves ……….. Rhapsody in Blue 🤦🏼♂️
Oh wow, our stories are so similar, even the boat name too! Hopefully we’ll meet you out on the canals one day xx
@@JulieandMartinonRIB - hopefully we will meet one day, we can only go north from where we are due to our size but we have every intention this year of going somewhere.
We have really been enjoying your vlogs recently, we both thought that the boat name and yourselves looked familiar.
This vlog made us realise why. We must have seen you about at NKM where our boat is moored.
Keep these wonderful vlogs coming.
Aww where were you moored at NKM Robert? I can just see half the name of your boat in your profile image, looks familiar. We may be coming into the marina for a brief visit around June time, so may see you then xx
Our boat is called Aria Mae and we were moored next to Silver Fox when Colin and Shaun were there and later when Derek and Pauline bought it from them.
I notice you were moored next to our friend Colin on Tickin Along.
@@robertpearse9952 oh right, know where you were moored now 👍 we’re actually moored up with Pauline and Derek now, I’ll remember you to them 😊 We we’re moored next to Collin for a while before we moved round to D, please say hi to Gary and Mae for us. We loved it at the marina, it’s such a lovely place to call home xx
We've moved to J now as it was nearer a car parking area.
We don't live onboard but get there are much as we can.
We will pass on your greeting to Gary & Mae @@JulieandMartinonRIB
This was a very interesting vlog, with a great back story and photos. I must admit its something I would love to do but a narrowboat isn't really wheelchair friendly. Many have sad they join me and do the locks and leave me to drive , but I know their idea of help. Stay safe and have a good time
So glad you enjoyed the video Sid xx
There are wheelchair friendly narrowboat holidays on this Llangollen canal, might be worth having a look, they’re called Lyneal Trust, here’s a link to their website
www.lyneal-trust.org.uk/
Hope this is helpful, really hope you get to experience it, especially on the Llangollen canal, it’s so beautiful xx 😘
@@JulieandMartinonRIB Thank you very much for the information, i will have a look at the website. That canal does look very nice
I was an April baby in 1966. Looks like Julie and I are the same age.
Aww I’m a tad older, but only just xx
Who's that young couple? 😘😘 you guys have certainly had some fun times and adventures 😊 thank you for sharing your story xx
Aww thanks matey, glad you enjoyed it xx 😘
Me and hubby have our 40 th wedding anniversary this year xxx
Aww congratulations! 😃 xx
Another great vlog. Good to hear the "who" "what" & "why". Makes you both more real, if that makes sense, more than just another video of 2 people on a narrow boat, great job and good wishes for your continuing journey. I am looking forward to all the forthcoming episodes.
Aww that’s lovely, thank you John, it’s lovely to have you on board xx
good vid thanks lee
Thanks Lee xx 😘
We’ve just started watching you, this is the first vlog and we have enjoyed it. Selling the car I can relate to. For us it was hard saying goodbye as it meant no longer being able to just go off to the shops, etc. for food or exploring far afield. We didn’t want to be one of those couples who had to keep fetching the car every so often and paying tax, insurance, MOT, servicing and repairs just to use it occasionally. For financial reasons, we had to wait until we were old 🥰 (69 and 68) but we are fit and healthy so, fingers crossed, we will get a few good years out of continuously cruising! Maybe we will see you one day on the cut. Happy cruising!
Aww yes, we feel the same re a car, it would be a bit of a bind. Would be lovely to meet you out on the cut, please let us know your boat name and we’ll look out for you xx
@@JulieandMartinonRIB “Enjoy Every Moment” and thank you.
@@wendycrooks875 wow, what a lovely name! xx
@@JulieandMartinonRIB thank you 🥰
Great vlog. Great adventure. Will love watching your dream. I’m hoping health will let me do the same soon.
Can I ask how long did it take you to get used to the boat wallowing about when moored ?
Best wishes. Loving this journey.
Thanks Trevor, lovely to have you along! xx
It really doesn’t take long to get used to the boat moving, after a day or so you barely nice it. Believe it or not, we notice it more if it doesn’t move lol, i.e. if the water freezes and you wake in the morning and the boat is solid, it’s very strange! xx
Questions for next episode ~
Did you pick the name of your boat? If not, what would you name her?
Do either of you work from the boat or are you living from your retirement funds?
Do your kids plan on visiting this year?
I know this might be a strange question, but are you both born and raised in the UK? I ask because I swear I can hear a little Australian accent now and again. 🤔
Until next time, take care, be well ~ Lacy, Mike & Hamish🐾🇺🇸
PS. Looking forward to the 'grand tour' of 'Rhapsody in Blue'
Hi Lacy, Mike & of course Hamish, thank you for your questions, we’ll answer a couple now and the others in a future vlog. We don’t work from the boat at the moment, but I may do part time for a few months a year, we’re living from retirement funds at present. We are both born in the UK and have lived here all our lives, Martin is a cockney born in East London, and I was born in Rainham in the London Borough of Havering, perhaps it was Martin’s cockney accent lol 😂 Speak soon, take care xx
Love this vlog. Such a good job!
Aww thank you very much xx
Lovely vlog, the narrowboat life really suits you both. We’ve got a narrowboat which we bought in May 2018, we’re not continuous cruisers but go out when we want for a few weeks. It was a pain when covid hit, the marina was closed with no boats moving & it was like that for well over a year but thankfully everything’s back too normal now. We’ve got three dogs & they love it, the only fly in the ointment is our little terrier has developed cataracts, his sight is virtually non existent, he can see light but nothing else so he bumps along, we’re worried about him all the time but he’s coping, he’s a tough little boy though. This is a very mundane question but what do you do if you need a Dr or repeat prescriptions? Happy boating xxx
Aww thank you so much Linda! Really hope your little doggy is ok 🥰 Repeat prescriptions are really easy, just call your regular doctor and tell them which chemist you want the prescription to be sent to and collect from there. I believe if you have it set up online, you can do it from there. So basically you keep your same doctor. If you need to see a doctor or dentist, then it’s often best to call 111 and speak to NHS Direct, they will get you an appointment in the local area. The only thing is, with the dentist especially, it will be private, not NHS, so will be a bit more costly. Hope this helps xx
Hi guys
Great video but I would like to know what is the one thing that you would like to see done or changed on the canal network
to improve your lifestyle you have chosen
Take care 👍👍
Great suggestion! Thanks Ron, we’ll answer this in a future Q&A vlog if that’s ok xx
Thanks for sharing your story. It was great to hear it. Is it possible that the "chimney in the field" could be an air vent for a tunnel below?
That’s what I think Ruth, potentially what I believe is called a “Stink Pipe” for underground sewers to vent.
@@crazyig4564 Possibly. Also possible is a ventilation shaft for a railway tunnel - although this one looks a bit small for that. Perhaps someone who knows will come up with the answer!
Aww thanks Ruth, quite a few possibilities, we’ll have to see if we can find out xx 😘
It's the right pace to meat old age
Absolutely! Thanks Edward xx
Sorry, I am subscribed, but I'm watching out of synch, so forgive me if my questions have been answered elsewhere! I looked at some narrowboats about 20 years ago, not knowing a thing about them. I quickly realised that my then husband was a really poor fit for NB living - literally! He is 6'4, & quite a hoarder. Now divorced, I found that ' tiny home' living appealled to me, but apart from caravans, & eco - homes [ self build, usually cob or strawbale] are almost impossible in England, although Wales is more forward thinking. Anyway, I've once again been drawn back to NB, & am in the ' planning & research' stage. I do watch vlogs, which have been great for detailing the nitty gritty, but I haven't seen this explained ; what made you choose two pack over blacking? What advantages are there to using this, & is it much costlier? Thanks.
Hi Debra, our boat was already two-packed, so we kept it the same. With two-pack epoxy, you get a little bit more protection and it lasts around 7 years before needing doing again. With blacking, it lasts 2-3 years, but you get to check your hull a bit more often. Hope this helps! And good luck getting your boat! xx
Thank you! I thought it might last longer but that is quite a difference. I'm just making a note of all these point! I'm almost at the point of selling my house, so hopefully [ boat Gods willing] it won't be too much longer.
Aww good luck, keep in touch, let us know how you get on, hopefully see you out on the cut xx
Excuse what is probably going to be a dumb question..When you guys were protecting the hull how did you get to the underneath? The blocks seemed really low.
Hi, this is s as good question! 👍 Due to the marina’s health & safety policy, we were not allowed to do the base plate, but the boat was lifted and put onto high metal supports and a member of the marina staff then blacked the bottom. Unfortunately I didn’t get this on film as they were going to do it in the afternoon, but changed their plan, we went shopping and when we got back they had already done it! I do have footage of the boat up high, but didn’t use it as it probably wouldn’t have made sense to the viewer. Thanks! xx
Would love to hear about costs
Thanks Apollo, we’ll try and cover that in a future vlog xx
Nice one Martin
Your selling it to me😂
Lol Lea, it’s a great life! 👍 Martin says ‘How’re you doing?’ Xx
@Julie & Martin on Rhapsody in Blue I'm good, got my boat going up for sale soon. Still into your photography.?
Yes, always taking photos and videos 😃 Oh no, why are you selling the boat …. or are you getting a narrowboat? 😜 xx
Do you have a favourite part of the canal network and why ?
We have a few, but the Shropshire Union canal, with its deep cuttings and high bridges is just stunning! We cruised both ways last year and covered this particular stretch in two videos, (a very early one, Ep4 early Autumn), and then again the other way in Ep34 early Spring. It is just so beautiful and unspoilt, you can only see this stretch of canal by boat or on foot, so it is full of the wonders of natures, especially in spring, you can hear all the birdsong, it’s just just stunningly beautiful. Oh, and then there’s the Llangollen canal, it has so many wonders, it’s gorgeous! Thanks Alan xx
Hi I was just wondering how you cope with mail, doctors and dentists if you are continually cruising. Thanks.
Hi Peter, there are a few options, we have a registered address from ‘Ship to Shore’, there are others like ‘Boat Mail’ where our post is managed, but all our bank, cards, driving licences etc are registered there, you can use the post office Post Restante to have deliveries at local post offices where you are. We kept our original doctors and have phone consultations, or if needs be, a walk in centre or call NHS direct. For the dentist, NHS direct will get you an appointment with a local dentist, although this is usually a private surgery so not cheap. Hope this helps xx
I have a question for Martin, trying to find button fender with the rubber scrape around it like yours. Stops all the lock Jizz going into the button fender and causing moss to grow. Any recommendations where to get these from? Thanks in advance.
Hi Nick, we’re not sure if you can buy these things, ours is made from an old vehicle tyre. Martin said that old go cart tyres are the best, you just cut part of it out, leaving a curve to wrap around the fender. It also helps in locks, to avoid getting snagged on the lock gates, hope this helps xx
@@JulieandMartinonRIB that’s fine I have a go cart wheel supplier near Grantham. Go kart track. 👍🏼
@@nickevans1698 Perfect! 👍 xx
@@JulieandMartinonRIB cheers 🍷
I see lots of boaters blacking the sides but do any black the underneath?
We did, but the marina did that bit, as for health and safety reasons the marina wouldn’t allow us to be under the boat. Some say you don’t need to do the bottom, but we think it should be done. 😊 xx
I’ve always wanted to live on a narrow boat but hubby is not wanting to xxx
Aww see if you can have a Narrowboat holiday, you might be able to change his mind! xx
Greetings from Arlington, WA, USA. I also live on a river. You house was in such a beautiful location. It would have been nice if you could have kept it and rented it out and made payments on the boat with the rent money from the house. You could have also rented out your dock space to another narrowboat. Sorry but I just think about these things and am speaking out loud. What was the 10% that you didn't like? Do you think that I will be able to get a like kind boat easily or are they hard to come by? I'm a US citizen. Will I have an issue if I were to own a narrowboat and travel for about six months or so?
Thanks Robert. We no longer wanted the house, so renting it out wasn’t an option. There are boats out there, but you will have to keep an eye on the market and be quick when they do come up. There are many used narrowboat sales online you can check - Apollo Dick, ABNB Boat Sales, Rugby Boats (they also have a UA-cam channel with lots of walkthrough videos), Whilton Marina, to name a few, check these out. Thanks again xx
@@JulieandMartinonRIB Thank you
My new favorite channel!!! Isn't UA-cam WONDERFUL!! Over here in the States you either buy a huge class A motor home bus, or you buy a sailboat and do blue water sailing. You guys have the best of both worlds!!! We do not have a canal system like you do. We have freeways. I am very intreaged about this canal touring. Do you go all over the country??? Dave from Portland Oregon USA.
Hi Dave, yes, there’s over 2000 miles of navigable canal and river networks, which at 2-3mph will take a few years to cover, and lots of places we’ll want to see again too! Also, canals look so different from winter to summer, so each time you travel them you see different things. We can’t see ourselves ever going back to bricks and mortar! Thanks Dave xx