Water comes from the tap, the lights turn on, and the heat kicks on whenever needed in a house. This is all taken care of for you. On a boat, you are responsible for all of this. This is the biggest adjustment for most people when they make the move to living on a boat.
This isn’t hard, you just have to do it. Making it a habit is the only real challenge and the first winter is when you see if this has become habit.
Water is stored in a tank on the boat. This tank is then filled along the canal or at your mooring. The length of time a tankful lasts is determined by your use and the size of the tank. Most people become a lot more conscious of their water use within a few weeks and take shorter showers. Filling up the water tank becomes part of your routine like filling up the gas tank.
Battery power runs everything on a boat, and this can be a surprise to people. You have to be mindful of how you use your battery power. A lot of the power is generated in the summer by the sun. The rest of the time you are running the engine. A battery monitor is a good investment so you know how much power you have.
Heating is usually a multi-fuel stove with a diesel heater or both. A stove provides a nice, dry heat and will keep a boat warm through the night, but it needs feeding with coal or logs and the ash needs removing. Diesel heaters draw their power from the battery, so they need servicing and switching on. Many liveaboards have a multi fuel stove for the evenings and a diesel heater for mornings.
Toilets are either cassette, pump-out or composting. A cassette is a tank that needs emptying. A pump-out is bigger and longer lasting, but still needs emptying at a boatyard or marina, which costs money. A composting toilet needs neither and is better for the environment, but has a steep learning curve.
Rising damp, condensation, is the problem nobody mentions on the viewing. A steel boat gets cold on the inside of the hull and moisture is added when cooking and showering. Keeping vents clear and windows open while cooking helps, and windows and mirrors should be wiped condensation free in the morning. For a boat that is well insulated and has good ventilation, it will stay moist free. Otherwise mold will grow in the cupboards by spring.
Some things take a little organising. Post is one. Many liveaboards use a friend’s or relative’s address, or a mailbox service. Internet usually comes from mobile data, and signal varies a lot from one mooring to the next. Laundry means a launderette, unless you have a small washing machine and the power to run it.
The mooring has an effect on all this. A marina will have water, electricity, toilet emptying, and laundry on site, and can make daily living a lot easier, but it will cost more. Choosing the Best Marina Community and Is Living on a Boat Cost Effective? cover some of these costs.
For keeping the boat itself in good condition, see our Boat Ownership section.
A week on a hire boat in January will show you the realities of boat living more effectively than any amount of reading.