What would you think of someone if they lived on a boat?

[Newyounewlife]

I am considering leaving my partner for 15+ years, however it would be impossible for me to buy or rent independently even with my professional job due to the area in which I need to be based. The only options seem to be:

• move home with parents (not something I want to do at 35)
• sell my car for £15,000, buy a small houseboat and a runaround car to get me to and from work.

What would be your perception of someone who was in a well respected professional position who made this life change?

Do you think this would affect opportunities for promotion?

Would you think less of them for leaving a seemingly secure relationship and a house with mortgage for a house boat?

We have friends who have lived on the Kennet and Avon canal between Bristol and Bath.

Any visit to ours usually resulted in a request for a nice hot bath as their narrow boat on had a feeble shower.

I lived on a narrow boat in London in my early thirties after a marriage breakdown. I didn’t care what others thought of me (I have a professional job in the city) but mostly they just thought I was a bit quirky or interesting.

A lot of my neighbors were also professionals including investment bankers, management consultants, a pilot, teachers and a doctor. They had similar reactions from their friends and colleagues.

I did get fed up of people asking me if it was cold in the winter or if I had a flushing toilet. It was actually roasting in the winter once the fire got going (I had diesel central heating as back up) and I had a fully flushing macerater toilet (and a full size bath tub).

I would say just check your figures though, particularly if you want a reliable boat with some mod cons. I did pay a lot more than 15k and that was 10 years ago.

It was a great experience, and while I’m happily on dry land now and wouldn’t want to do it again l, I have absolutely no regrets. If you try and really don’t like it you can always sell the boat and find another solution.

Each to there own, I know a friend that lives in the local marina on a boat. @Newyounewlife

Living on a boat is a great life, but the maintenance essential to living on a boat requires skill and money. You don't have either (and I don't mean to be unkind by that just realistic). £15000 will not get you a move in maintenance free boat and car.

Watch YouTube there are tons of boat people on there. I highly recommend someone called Earlewrites. She boat a boat for similar reasons to you and although loves living in it- the difficulties, time, money, skill, adaptability and basic necessities that are lacking are sometimes hard to overcome.