In the early days we hadn't started taking many photos so this post is a bit text laden. It will all change when we get to the Dotterel bit!
We went to the IWA boat show at Beale Park near Reading and it proved interesting.
We looked through a number of different narrow boats, and talked to the Association of Residential Boat owners. They suggested put your name down on loads of different moorings a year or two prior to building the boat. We also leant about stage payments to avoid a total loss if the company went bankrupt while building your boat.
Composting loos were sounded good, no pump out and no trying to find sanitary stations. Just empty the lower tray once per year per person.
At the moment we need 10 feet lounge, 9 feet workshop, 7 feet bath (we wanted a full size one), 10 feet bedroom, 5 ft front, 6 feet back, 5 feet kitchen and 8 feet snug, - 70 feet!
Ideas change, the gallery seems to be taking a back seat. Jo could display her art work on the edge of the boat or in a stall in the exhibitions. The fact that most boats at the IWA exhibition were well away from the crowds is a clue!
We went for a very nice holiday in a cottage called the Shrimp in Port Issac
It is tiny – one up and one down with a steep ladder between the two. We loved it. Maybe we can cope with living on a boat as it would be bigger!
On the way back we popped into Devizes Marina and chat with a very pleasant lady.
‘Don’t sell your house’, she said but then contradicted herself by telling us about an 87 year old moving off his boat and, in her view, likely to die soon as a result!
We looked round a boat for sale. It was 67 feet and a converted ex-Alvechurch hire cruiser with a cruiser style back deck. The galley was u shaped, the bedroom was conventional with a four foot bed. The bathroom the normal shower/pump out loo style. There was loads of storage space. One of the old bedroom had been converted into an open space for a dinning room and the other as dressing room. One loo had been converted into a utility room complete with washing machine and tumble drier. We spent time trying to see how we could modify it but the side corridor layout was difficult.
We need a centre corridor for the bathroom to have a full sized bath in minimum length. The work room would also benefit form a centre corridor; in a residential boat blocking the corridor when using a room has less impact with just the two of you than in a cruising holiday boat. We signed up for the boatyards mail list. It was a useful trip, we could see how to fit in what we want into 67 feet. We went home pretty tired and both a little nervous. Standing on a possible boat was a bit too close for comfort. Pipe dreaming is fine, reality makes you nervous but we both want to do something different and this still seems the best idea.
Cheers Graham