IN MY eight years experience of living aboard, speaking to hundreds of fellow boaters, a common conversation often relates to the number of towpath walkers who ask 'aren't you cold in the winter?', writes John Howard.
To date, every single liveaboard boater I have spoken to has confirmed my experience that oft times I'm too bloody hot, and end up opening another window or in a few cases, where I was too lax in shutting down the air vent on my Squirrel, I have had the side hatch open in order to release some of the excess heat!Insufficient or inappropriate solutions
Understandably there will be some liveaboards, as there will be for those who live on land, who either have insufficient or inappropriate solutions for keeping warm in winter, and of course there will be the seemingly increasing number of boaters who struggle to afford the fuel—let alone a well configured heating solution for a boat they unwittingly saw as a cheap housing solution (this is not meant as a criticism of those who are doing their best to support themselves and are trying to keep a roof over their heads, where the 'system' has failed them).
Therefore for those who cannot afford, or understand the need for, a reliable, safe and sufficiently powerful source of heating in the winter, it seems like we have yet another 'professional' broadcasting an opinion with a very narrow understanding of the ways and workings of life afloat.
Should be supported
This is not about boats. If two retirees are found living in a flat with a stove or boiler that is insufficient to heat all the radiators attached to it, do we raise concerns about people living in flats? No. Instead we should be looking at how the boat owners (and perhaps the 'system' can assist those boat owners who cannot afford it) can be supported in installing a solution that provides for their basic needs.
It's not an easy fix. But it's not a boat problem. I have seen retirees living in caravan parks, having to fork out hundreds of pounds a month in butane in order to keep warm in the winter, as these vans were often not designed for winter living. The same should therefore be considered when buying a boat. If you want to live aboard through the winter, you need to think about investing in better insulation and checking that your heating source will sustain you through those colder months.
Focusing on more information
So don't have a go at the boats, or those that choose to liveaboard. Instead we should be focusing on how more information and independent advice can be made available to those who may be looking to purchase a boat to live aboard, and some costings on the true cost of living on a boat. It's not the 'buy it and forget about it' investment that alas I think some people think it is, and so when things break down and there's no spare cash to repair or upgrade, that's when you start to see a boat go very rapidly down hill.
Perhaps this is a cause that CaRT should take up, by seeking input from experienced liveaboards and a couple of responsible boat engineers, in compiling a check list and basic budgeting document that ensures that anyone looking at buying a boat can read and hopefully fully understand the benefits vs the pits and falls of owning a boat before they launch themselves into what I consider is a fantastic way of life.
[The doctor (and her partner) who expressed concern at the insufficient heating in the two cases has been known to me for some 12 years as shared narrowboat owners—Editor.]