Would you live on a barge?

deco nate · 26-05-2015 02:20AM

Pro tip... Don't rock the boat!

ThinkProgress · 26-05-2015 02:35AM

I'd prefer to live in something like one of those huge American RVs!

...or a secret underground lair. (RV definitely more practical though) lol

Dangerous Man · 26-05-2015 05:49AM

But what about electricity, broadband and ****?

This barge business sounds appealing. I would love to have a barge on the Grand Canal.

porsche959 · 26-05-2015 06:35AM

I follow a woman on Twitter that lives on a barge in the Thames.

Dangerous Man · 26-05-2015 07:06AM

There's a bar on the Grand Canal called The Barge. So what I'd like to do is get a barge and drive my barge to The Barge and go inside The barge and buy a nice drink and then go outside The Barge and bring my drink inside the barge and have a drink outside The barge inside the barge.

Barge.

BBDBB · 26-05-2015 07:45AM

Sheep Lover wrote: »

Like a pi.... itinerant of the sea then?

Like a pirate? Me too, shivering me timbers, splicing the main brace and not to mention all that booty......

Boom_Bap · 26-05-2015 09:35AM

MOD
Mint Aero and deco nate, can you please be civil to each other. Thanks much very.

whisky_galore · 26-05-2015 10:18AM

ROAAAR wrote: »

There'd be a lot of rats anyway. You wouldn't want to be overly squeamish or anal about such things.

Rats have been known to come into houses too.

Sleepy · 26-05-2015 10:27AM

I always fancied it. Richard Branson ran Virgin from a barge in London for decades.

Mint Aero · 26-05-2015 11:03AM

deco nate wrote: »

You need to Google live aboards. Cos it's plain to see.. you know nothing , Jon snow!
But it's Ok cos posting rolls eyes makes you an expert on the matter.!

I got my secretary to google that for me this morning first thing. We sent the results for a board review meeting and came to a unanimous decision that you were drunk on Carling and talking piss. :P

endacl · 26-05-2015 11:40AM

silverfeather wrote: »

What was the longest period you lived on one? Any issues?

I haven't lived on one. Friends do, though. Longest I've stayed on one would be a week or so.

Mesrine65 · 26-05-2015 11:46AM

Never lived on a barge, lived on a boat for 9 months in Lanzarote & loved it though.

BoatMad · 26-05-2015 11:55AM

Barges can have central heating , and all the mod cons, if that's important to you. You can stay in certain marinas ( including grand canal docks) with all amenities including mains power, security etc

There's a reasonable clutch of people living on boats around Ireland on a full time basis. , a good few around the Shannon river ( Athlone , carrick etc ) and on the grand ( sallins hazlehatch etc) waterways Ireland are committed to building more permanent houseboat berths around the system too.

It's a minority activity, but not an uncomfortable one

Harry Palmr · 26-05-2015 12:12PM

Did anyone watch a BBC Four film which was two hours on a canal, no words, no camera movement bar the occasional pan to the left or right. It was amazing to see just how many canal boats/barges were on that 10 miles or so, and also the sheer variety of them. There are clearly class distinctions on the water as much as dry land - one section was basically "ne'r do wells" as judged by the state of the vessels and the dogs on string. I'd say no one paid any taxes in that bit of the canal.

keithclancy · 26-05-2015 12:17PM

Definitely, many Living boats are really nice.

http://www.woonboot.nl/Ertskade-356-AMSTERDAM-201505181228351400

http://www.woonboot.nl/Prinsengracht-764S-AMSTERDAM-201505130848501400

Egginacup · 26-05-2015 12:17PM

silverfeather wrote: »

http://parismoviewalks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_0845.jpg

. You can just buy a boat and stay in one spot in a marina, where there's power and a water supply or travel around. You might not have heating etc. But it might be cool or it might be a disaster. Not sure ...

Would you live on a barge? It might mean ongoing work on it. Ireland is not exactly set up for it. The smaller space etc.

But you have a bit of freedom. Would it be mental?

Several friends of mine have house boats in Amsterdam and I've stayed over in their gaffs on several occasions. I still prefer my apartment though.

Summer wind · 26-05-2015 12:49PM

No I wouldn't. I lived in a caravan for 6 years when I was younger. It had no electricity or water. Lots of good times but much prefer living in a house.

TinCool · 26-05-2015 12:56PM

I've been living in the UK for the past 8 years and barges (narrow boats), as a way of life, is far more acceptable here as the infrastructure is all here to support it.

A mate from work sold his house and moved in to a barge. By no means seen as knackerish over here. Been on his a couple of times. Very highly finished with high quality wood through out, fully kitted bathroom with shower. They've got central heating via a small oil boiler and a wood burning stove for heating in winter etc. WiFi, inbuilt 32" TV, the works.

He had to seriously downsize when he sold his house as storage on it is at a premium.

Whatever floats your boat I suppose.

BoatMad · 26-05-2015 12:57PM

Summer wind wrote: »

No I wouldn't. I lived in a caravan for 6 years when I was younger. It had no electricity or water. Lots of good times but much prefer living in a house.

Barges are considerably bigger , typically are appointed with full bathrooms, showers , central heating, full kitchens etc. in Ireland we have considerably wider canals then the uk. So our barges are considerably wider

A new fitted out barge , wouldn't be a long way from a 3 bed house in costs. A big difference to a. " caravan" . Caravan are never really designed for long term liveaboard needs , properly designed barges ( and boats ) are.

BoatMad · 26-05-2015 12:59PM

TinCool wrote: »

I've been living in the UK for the past 8 years and barges (narrow boats), as a way of life, is far more acceptable here as the infrastructure is all here to support it.

A mate from work sold his house and moved in to a barge. By no means seen as knackerish over here. Been on his a couple of times. Very highly finished with high quality wood through out, fully kitted bathroom with shower. They've got central heating via a small oil boiler and a wood burning stove for heating in winter etc. WiFi, inbuilt 32" TV, the works.

He had to seriously downsize when he sold his house as storage on it is at a premium.

Whatever floats your boat I suppose.

Indeed ,and even better irish barges are considerably bigger . Our waterways are less crowded and less polluted too.

We have the infrastructure here too , it's just small numbers unfortunately. More are being added as finance allows

Summer wind · 26-05-2015 01:13PM

BoatMad wrote: »

Barges are considerably bigger , typically are appointed with full bathrooms, showers , central heating, full kitchens etc. in Ireland we have considerably wider canals then the uk. So our barges are considerably wider

A new fitted out barge , wouldn't be a long way from a 3 bed house in costs. A big difference to a. " caravan" . Caravan are never really designed for long term liveaboard needs , properly designed barges ( and boats ) are.

Still wouldn't. I'm building my dream house at the moment 2,500 square feet and I would prefer that to living on a barge. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

BoatMad · 26-05-2015 01:15PM

Summer wind wrote: »

Still wouldn't. I'm building my dream house at the moment 2,500 square feet and I would prefer that to living on a barge. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Absolutely. It's a minority activity. Suits some not others

silverfeather · 26-05-2015 06:01PM

porsche959 wrote: »

I follow a woman on Twitter that lives on a barge in the Thames.

Love those random follows!

wakka12 · 27-05-2015 12:58AM

I saw a cool 'barge' home on the Tiber in rome. It was less a boat more a floating house, it was a structure like a house, on a massive floating square board. With a big garden/eating area around the house . Pretty damn cool, just floating there in the middle of the river.

Would you live on a barge?

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