Living on a boat in UK near the port.?

Question

I would like to live on a boat in uK near to a port, maybe on a large boat or barge, and I am LOOKING for a Boat and a Mooring otherwise a seaworthy boat capable of making it regularly to France.
This is to sleep my family and also to entertain guests on board.
Please advise of options !
Thank you !

Answer 1

You are going to be fighting a constant battle with condensation if you live aboard. I'm not saying don't do it-just keep in mind that if you are showering, cooking and just breathing aboard a boat in a climate where you can't keep the hatches open all the time, it is going to be damp and/or too hot/too cold.

If you insist on living aboard, play close attention to what kind of heating system the vessel has. You are going to want a commercial grade system that is not dependent on the engine running and won't kill you with CO2. The typical yacht heater is meant to warm up cold crew members while underway, not make a boat with the hatches closed comfortable indefinitely.

Answer 2

If you want a seagoing vessel, then a barge is out, they have a flat bottom which gives them very poor seakeeping qualities.
However I believe a Dutch Barge does have a keel and can handle CALM seas.

If you want to live aboard and be sea going, you are looking at a 36 -38 footer as a minimum, A boat this size, unless it is a sailboat will have twin engines and all the expense that this entails.

Believe me, keeping and running a boat is VERY expensive and not to be taken lightly. A 36 footer will cost a fortune, just to keep in the water.

Oh and a final point, if you are living aboard year round and in saltwater, go for a boat where the props are on shafts. Avoid sterndrives like the plague, they will be too maintenance intensive if put to the usage you require.

Some quality sea going names for you to keep an eye out for are:

Fairline.
Hardy,
Broome,
Sunseeker,
Grand Banks,
Bavaria.

Answer 3

Have a look at some web sites.
One firm which springs to mind is "Sea Otter" from Chesterfield (they have a web site) - they have made boats which can cross the Channel, but don't know if they still do or if they have stopped "specials" because of production costs. I've seen a couple of their barges (wide beam) and they have made at least one houseboat. and they looked pretty good. They've also won loads of coveted awards for their boats.
Modern boats with the added advantage that they are made from a marine-grade aluminium alloy which means virtually maintenance-free and the hulls have a lifetime guarantee. I've been told that metallurgical tests by Sheffield uni gave them a life expectancy "in excess of 100 years"; I guess that will see you out?!

Answer 4

if your looking to live on the coast you will find it difficult to get moorings from Norfolk to Cornwall as most harbors have limited spaces or boat marinas have a waiting list as for the size of boat it depends on how large a family you have is it motor or sail displacement or semi the best ones cost lot of money i have a Flemming 70 foot motor yacht the likes of that would set you up

Answer 5

merry fisher