So, as you know by now, this website was created to link people together and provide helpful little interesting information etc.
I wanted it to provide a place to go and have a short read on things that might be of interest or could prove useful for you the reader 🙂
I started strongly and posted a few blog entries but things in life took a turn and I now find myself afloat on the Kennet and Avon river / canal system.
While that particular story is long, complicated and full of injustices, I won’t detail it but sufficed to say – I am now a “water gypsy” aboard our family boat “Phoenix”.
What’s Phoenix?
Phoenix is a 37 foot narrowboat that we have owned for a decade or two now.
The original boat was called “Jade” and started life in 1972 as a hire craft. Yes, that meant that she spent most of her time either moored up doing nothing or was being bashed from pillar to post by some under experienced holiday boaters.
After her career as a holiday boat, she was sold on and eventually became someone’s home for a spell.
Sadly, as the story goes, the owner pulled up to a pub and went inside for his daily “rest”.
Little did he know that just before he arrived and moored up, the boat in the mooring spot before him captain had already been in the pub and started an argument. The argument ended and the boat left.
“Jade” was wrongly identified as the boat the argumentative captain was on and someone smashed her window and threw in a lit petrol can.
At the time, “Jade”, her owner and his dog were living aboard but only the dog was aboard during the fire. Happily, the dog jumped out the broken window to safety but “Jade” didn’t fair as well.
Due to the costs involved in making a narrowboat, “Jade” was fiberglass from the gunwales up (The bit folks walk on) and sadly after multiple gas can explosions on the boat, she was completed topless and full of burnt history when my Father purchased her.
Over the years we have seen her given a new roof and she was renamed to “phoenix” as it was the most fitting name for a boat reborn from flames.
Another important decision made was to make Phoenix an electric drive vehicle and we have spent much time and effort (mostly my Father as he is an amazing mechanical engineer) and she now travels mostly silently until she needs to regenerate electricity.
The generation process currently is a huge diesel generator that has to be run to put charge back in the drive batteries but it is without a doubt the most enjoyable way to travel on water.
What’s the plan?
The plan is simple. In order to reduce the amount of time to regen the electrics, solar has been ordered and should be being fitted over the next couple of weeks.
This solar power will trickle in and put charge back into the batteries while in daylight so this will help during the summer months.
So far, Phoenix and I have been from Newbury to Hungerford and I am hoping that this will extend as more power can be generated.
Down sides
The biggest downside to an electric boat is range. As with all electric vehicles, the recharge process is the bit that takes the longest time but as technology improves it is getting better.
There is no fridge really. That causes the odd visitor a bit of an issue if they like milk in their coffee or tea as I don’t currently have a reliable way to run the fridge yet. As my Father says “A fridge on battery is just a short circuited battery and that wont last long” He is right and even with a more efficient fridge, the power still needs to come from somewhere.
Post Conclusion
The idea of living aboard a narrowboat and changing your view whenever you like is a powerful draw but the practicality of emptying porta-loos, finding a water supply and the work required to get to these things (not to mention shops etc) isn’t as simple as it would be by road etc.
I AM SUPREMELY LUCKY! to have a wonderful family to support me and not a day goes by without them being heard in my heart and thoughts.