Narrow Boat or Camper Van

[Justadreamer]

I’m just wondering there seems to be an influx of people who are living on Narrow Boats, or Camper Vans/ Motor Homes. I always wonder if it’s actually achievable, or is it just something for social media. I would like to try it. It’s whether it lends itself to the job I have which is an Electrical Engineer.

[marcella]

Of course it's achievable, it's just down to the individual as to whether it fit's your lifestyle or not.

I've know a couple people that have lived in a campervan for a couple years to save up money for a house deposit. I guess with the cost of living etc, it is potentially more of an option now to many than ever before.

I looked into tiny houses before, but unless you can get land cheap then it didn't seem worth it to me.

[croyde]

I always wonder how you get the van insured if it's your actual home?

[Shooter McGavin]

croyde said:

I always wonder how you get the van insured if it's your actual home?

Most use someone else's address as their registered address. Bank statements/phone contracts etc.

[Shooter McGavin]

Vanlife is discussed in great detail here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

For every #Vanlife person "living their best life" as a digital nomad on Instagram I am sure there are probably ten more touring the industrial estates of Kettering and the like to find somewhere to park up for the night and crapping in a bin bag.

I'm sure it can be an inspiring lifestyle choice for a temporary period and helps younger people navigate the horrific cost of housing but it's not without its drawbacks and shouldn't really be considered to be a permanent option.

There's a significant number of Vanlifers in Bristol, which has led to various issues as reported here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62vxr0vky5o

[croyde]

There's one parked in a rare free carpark near me. It's not moved in years and the windscreen and windows are covered from the inside.

I see it almost everyday as I walk past except 2 days ago there was a chap sitting on a camp chair out in the street with his feet propped up on the open door step.

Maybe he'd come to visit it to get it ready for a trip, or it's actually his home.

I was tempted to ask and have a chat but didn't want him to think that I was a NIMBY.

[mart 63]

We use our motorhome for 5/6 months of the year, we started a 3 month trip on Tuesday. Thats long enough for us in one trip and we live in Spain, I think we could only do a couple of weeks in the UK with the weather. You see quite a few full timers on the sites around Spain, but mainly caravans with awnings or 5th wheelers.

[POIDH]

I think the social media representation is pretty false, usually with a click-baited female bottom being included in as many shots as possible, and is not a fair representation of life in a van or boat. There is a huge amount of inconvenience - washing yourself and clothes, shopping and food storage, maintenance such as water collection and tank emptying etc. Challenges around post and deliveries, account registration needing an address etc. And if you are living in Aviemore it is rather different from Stoke...

There is a reason the vast majority of us aspire to live in a permanent building...

[croyde]

Yep, just try a week on the Norfolk Broads in either a heatwave or a very chilly Easter

Done it as a child, as a youth, as a middle aged get together, with my own kids....

I keep going back but a week is enough.

One lads holiday turned into a survival film, actually waking up in the morning with ice in our beards

[mart 63]

croyde said:

Yep, just try a week on the Norfolk Broads in either a heatwave or a very chilly Easter

Done it as a child, as a youth, as a middle aged get together, with my own kids....

I keep going back but a week is enough.

One lads holiday turned into a survival film, actually waking up in the morning with ice in our beards

We are making our way upto Norfolk from the Med for 5 days, then on to N.Wales for 10 days. That's long enough for us, then Northern Spain/Portugal for a couple of months.
Hoping there is still a heatwave in the UK, probably more chance of winning the lottery.

[Truckosaurus]

POIDH said:

I think the social media representation is pretty false, usually with a click-baited female bottom being included in as many shots as possible...

It is funny because it is true!

It also seems that all the full-time influencer vanlife types have to spend their time constantly moving from spot to spot grabbing footage and pretending to be living their best lives (ie. the half hour stroll on the beach is representative of the whole day) that it isn't any sort of relaxing lifestyle at all.

(Don't forget to use the code TRUCK10 for a discount on your next order of Holy, or new Chinese Powerbank (£1000 worth to power your £5 Tesco toaster)).

[Ste-EVo]

I cant help but think that there won't be many who do it out of anything other than necessity. Maybe the odd single person who wants a very simple life/loves boats may do it through desire.

Stayed in a static caravan for 3 night recently, brand new, modern, but id had enough after 3 days, couldn't live in one never mind a van.

The Instagram #vanlife thing is just bo**ocks and everything i hate about social media. Currently in Mallorca, visited a restaurant my wife seen all over 'insta' and was mediocre at the very best, over priced and over hyped, full of 'insta-types' pretending its amazing, #vanlife will be the same i bet.

I always think it must be unbelievably claustrophobic, washing properly must be a nightmare, cleaning clothes, relaxing properly, keeping warm in the winter all must be a PITA.

[RizzoTheRat]

As an electrical engineer you have a possible advantage. A friend of my inlaws, who is a now retired electrical engineer, spends several months of the year cruising in the electric narrowboat he converted himself. Apparently they have several tonnes of ballast, so plenty of scope to fit a lot of batteries, and moorings with electrical hookups are plentiful.

If you plan to live in one permanently, rather than just use it for holidays, a narrowboat makes more sense to me than a van as it's bigger and can take way more weight. The lack of places you can take it is a lot less of a disadvantage if you're living in it full time, and you can moor up in loads of places for a couple of weeks for free.

I used to know a guy who lived in a narrowboat, but his job was on a military base and he'd live in the mess 4 nights a week and on the boat the rest of the time, he liked it and reckoned it saved him a fortune over renting a house, but then again I wouldn't want to rent all my life either.

Truckosaurus said:

It also seems that all the full-time influencer vanlife types have to spend their time constantly moving from spot to spot grabbing footage and pretending to be living their best lives (ie. the half hour stroll on the beach is representative of the whole day) that it isn't any sort of relaxing lifestyle at all.

Clearly you have a different social media feed to me, most of the vanlife videos I see are people using their Unimog or ex military 4 tonner campers to tow people out of mud

Edited by RizzoTheRat on Thursday 28th May 13:24