Negative thread on another forum

[MrsB]

Hello everyone, this is my first post on the forum. I have been a guest for some time learning as much as I can about living on a boat and came across another forum with a lengthy thread a lady had written about the pitfalls of living aboard. I realise there was counter arguments but the article left me with 3 main concerns:

 

1. Privacy,

2. Vandalism

3. snakes!! Are they common and do they get on board??

 

I realise this is bit vague but could I have your thoughts on these areas, good or bad on any issue surrounding my three main concerns.

 

Many thanks in advance

 

MrsB x

[carlt]

1. Draw the curtains.

 

2. It happens. It's rare. No more a problem than on dry land.

 

3. We had a grass snake nest near our mooring but they never ventured on board. The Moorhens didn't like them very much and watching them do battle was very entertaining.

[the grinch]

1. don't tie up in popular visitor locations like Foxton Locks etc.

2. again unless you are tying up in known problem areas its rare

3. never seen a snake in over 40 years of boating

 

 

so don't worry! perhaps you read a diatribe on narrowmindedworld.com!

[Mac of Cygnet]

What an odd collection! None of them are any different to living in a house (in an urban area for the first two, and rural for the third.)

 

You'll perhaps have gathered from these forums that the real concerns you should have about living on a boat are:

 

Space

Toilets

Electricity

 

Would you like to tell us where you found this fascinating article?

 

And welcome to CWDF!

 

Edited to say that I've only seen one snake in over 30 years of boating - at Rawcliffe Bridge this summer. On the other hand, I've come across about a dozen (all adders) near my house in that time - one in the compost heap!

 

HANG ON! I've just remembered this which I saw on the GU south of Rickmansworth last year:

 

Edited September 30, 2012 by Mac of Cygnet

[cheshire~rose]

Welcome to CWDF

 

Vandalism can happen anywhere - don't let it concern you because unless you choose to tie up in a hot spot then it is unlikely to happen to you.

 

Privacy - portholes are more private than windows and combined with houdini hatches you still get plenty of light in. Failing that net curtains work well! - Just have ones you can draw across when you are in a place where it is busy though. Unless you worry about swans peeping in!

Snakes - I was fortunate to see one once. It was swimming along the edge of the piling on the edge of a built up area. It swam around 6" from the edge of the piling and right underneath the fishing rods of a couple of lads sitting on the towpath. It was hidden to their view by tufts of overhanging grass. It was never going to be any danger to them, me or anyone else in the area. In fact I suspect if I had been unfortunate enough to fall in at that time it would have made a hasty exit. They do tend to be fairly shy creatures

[John Holden]

I thought you said "Piracy"

[luctor et emergo]

I remember news of a giant python being spotted somewhere in the midlands, about two years ago? If that slithers up into the sink outlet....

[Athy]

3. snakes!! Are they common?

Some are really quite refined, proper lounge lizards.

 

Welcome!

[blodger]

You'll rarely see a negative thread on this forum unless it's about BW but they have gone now

1. Privacy can be a problem if you are packed into a marina or are breasted up with another boat. Towpath walkers can be inquisitive/nosy but can easily be deterred.

2. You will probably do more damage to your boat yourselves using it than others do to it & you.

3. Snakes are a very rarely observed; Spiders and vermin are more common. There are occasional reports of Weils Disease which can be fatal due to infection from rats urine in the water.

[Tam & Di]

Hello everyone, this is my first post on the forum. I have been a guest for some time learning as much as I can about living on a boat and came across another forum with a lengthy thread a lady had written about the pitfalls of living aboard. I realise there was counter arguments but the article left me with 3 main concerns:

 

1. Privacy,

2. Vandalism

3. snakes!! Are they common and do they get on board??

 

I realise this is bit vague but could I have your thoughts on these areas, good or bad on any issue surrounding my three main concerns.

 

Many thanks in advance

 

MrsB x

 

A very odd selection of concerns.

 

Privacy - unless you are moored in a marina with lots of other (and very nosey) livaboards I can't see why this would be more significant than a terraced house on a busy road. You shut your doors, and if you are sufficiently concerned you lock the doors from inside.

 

Vandalism can happen anywhere. More likely if you choose to moor near a busy pub perhaps or at the poor end of town, but there are precautions you can take. If vandalism includes boats being cast adrift, you can moor in such a way this is extremely unlikely. What else is going to happen - graphiti sprayed on the side of the boat? If it's Banksy that will put the value of your boat up 100 fold.

 

Snakes????????? Spiders, maybe, if you suffer from spider phobias (there must be a word for that). Even rats, though if you don't leave rubbish around to encourage them they are not likely to knock on your door. Vipers/adders are not even poisonous for god's sake, and I'd be more excited to actually see one than frighrened that they might be around.

 

This other forum must have odd contributors.

Edited September 30, 2012 by Tam & Di

[Guest]

Mmmm snakes funny you should mention them - we found this last week outside our rented Gite. Never came across it's previous wearer though...

 

 

No where near our boat though....

[cariad]

A very odd selection of concerns.

 

Privacy - unless you are moored in a marina with lots of other (and very nosey) livaboards I can't see why this would be more significant than a terraced house on a busy road. You shut your doors, and if you are sufficiently concerned you lock the doors from inside.

 

Vandalism can happen anywhere. More likely if you choose to moor near a busy pub perhaps or at the poor end of town, but there are precautions you can take. If vandalism includes boats being cast adrift, you can moor in such a way this is extremely unlikely. What else is going to happen - graphiti sprayed on the side of the boat? If it's Banksy that will put the value of your boat up 100 fold.

 

Snakes????????? Spiders, maybe, if you suffer from spider phobias (there must be a word for that). Even rats, though if you don't leave rubbish around to encourage them they are not likely to knock on your door. Vipers/adders are not even poisonous for god's sake, and I'd be more excited to actually see one than frighrened that they might be around.

 

This other forum must have odd contributors.

 

 

vipers/adders are poisonous, grass snakes aren't.

[John Holden]

 

Vipers/adders are not even poisonous for god's sake, and I'd be more excited to actually see one than frighrened that they might be around.

 

 

Oh yes they are!

They will easily kill a small animal, but humans are pretty safe as long as you wear ankle boots and don't scrat around in long grass. Children are at more risk because they tend to be smaller and move faster.

Having said all that an adder would rather not bite you and will only do so if cornered.

We had an adder on the doorstep of the caravan for several hours and constantly stepping over it only caused it to watch.

[steven wilkinson]

arachnaphobia?

[Caprifool]

Yupp, adders are poisonous.

[Dorlan]

I've seen more grass snakes swimming across the cut than I've seen water voles in the last ten years!

 

I once watched one swimming around in one of the Calcutt locks and then disappearing into a hole in the brickwork.

 

I saw this one a couple of years ago!...

 

[MrsB]

Thanks for all your replies so far. I know it sounds a bit of a random 3 main concerns but after years of using a camperavan, space and toilets aren't really an issue. I have a real phobia of snakes and would simply die if I discovered one on board, lol. I have been happily doing the usual research about living aboard but this article really seemed negative. The snake issue was something I hadn't thought of and then I read that grass snakes are also water snakes and can be found in and around our canals.

 

This is the article, what are your thoughts?

 

livingonanarrowboat.co.uk/living-on-a-narrowboat-articles/its-not-all-roses-and-castles/

 

Many thanks for your time everyone

 

MrsB

[nb Innisfree]

I often used to wake up with several adders in my bed, several in the shower and when I got dressed there would be a couple in each shoe.

[Guest]

Thanks for all your replies so far. I know it sounds a bit of a random 3 main concerns but after years of using a camperavan, space and toilets aren't really an issue. I have a real phobia of snakes and would simply die if I discovered one on board, lol. I have been happily doing the usual research about living aboard but this article really seemed negative. The snake issue was something I hadn't thought of and then I read that grass snakes are also water snakes and can be found in and around our canals.

 

This is the article, what are your thoughts?

 

livingonanarrowboat.co.uk/living-on-a-narrowboat-articles/its-not-all-roses-and-castles/

 

Many thanks for your time everyone

 

MrsB

 

Sorry but mine are I got bored with all the negativity after the first 2 paragraphs....living abourd can be problematic yes - those that do it on here will tell you that too but so can living in a house.

 

There are many benefits to it too.

 

If you are a practical person with a degree of resilience, resourcefulness and a sense of humour you will be fine - if you want to wallow in all that could go wrong it's likley not for you.

 

That sounds a bit blunt - but it's not meant to be.

 

ed to add - PS we don't live aboard but boat a lot and I have yet to see a snake of any description whilst boating.

Edited September 30, 2012 by The Dog House

[blodger]

I often used to wake up with several adders in my bed, several in the shower and when I got dressed there would be a couple in each shoe.

Your addled

[chazzy]

I was told grass snakes like water, and here is one I saw near Barrow deep lock.

 

 

I'm sure they wouldn't find their way onto a boat.

[Kwacker]

I regularly see grass snakes in the cut as they live in/around water, but they are inevitably heading in the opposite direction as fast as they can. Can't imagine one wanting to come aboard though.

[Ray T]

I often used to wake up with several adders in my bed, several in the shower and when I got dressed there would be a couple in each shoe.

 

I used to have an adder on my desk at work:

 

 

 

 

[bizzard]

A Boa-constricta Python would be ever so useful for wringing out the washing on Mondays, and if your lonely a loving squeeze now and then.

 

they are not poisonous.

Edited September 30, 2012 by bizzard

[John Holden]

Thanks for all your replies so far. I know it sounds a bit of a random 3 main concerns but after years of using a camperavan, space and toilets aren't really an issue. I have a real phobia of snakes and would simply die if I discovered one on board, lol. I have been happily doing the usual research about living aboard but this article really seemed negative. The snake issue was something I hadn't thought of and then I read that grass snakes are also water snakes and can be found in and around our canals.

 

This is the article, what are your thoughts?

 

livingonanarrowboat.co.uk/living-on-a-narrowboat-articles/its-not-all-roses-and-castles/

 

Many thanks for your time everyone

 

MrsB

 

Oh lawks, why doesn't she live in a house! The poor dear, I bet she jumps at her own shadow.

 

I think after years of using a camper van, if you had no snakes in that you are even less likely to get snakes on a boat. How would they get aboard for a start.