I live in a 20ft micro narrow boat… we’re terrified we’ll tip over in storms but hidden compartment keeps us safe
Pictures reveal how narrowboat owner makes most of small space
A WOMAN who lives on a 20ft micro narrowboat said she’s terrified it might tip over, but revealed a hidden compartment that keeps her safe.
Kat, known as Gentil Lentil’s Green Life on YouTube, shared an insight with her viewers about what it’s like to live on a small boat.
The content creator explained that she fears storms could tip over her 20ft micro narrowboat.
Fortunately, in the video, she revealed two compartments designed to help prevent it from tipping.
One of the compartments, located beneath her bed, contains a water pump that removes excess water from the bottom of the hull.
These are found on most boats and are an essential piece of equipment.
The other compartment holds weights, an anchor and extension leads which help keep the boat stable.
However, the YouTuber demonstrated how she can easily convert her living room into a bedroom, creating more space in the boat.
In the video, viewers can see her using two wooden slats placed between the two sofas on either side of the boat.
Once fitted, she adds three large cushions that serve as a mattress, followed by blankets and duvets to complete the bed conversion.
The content creator’s video has received hundreds of comments from viewers praising her transformation skills.
One user wrote: “That looks insanely cosy.”
“I wish I had thought about arranging the bed differently when I love in a two-berth caravan that is very much like your home,” commented another.
While a third said: “I love your narrow boat. I could happily live there.”
It comes after an artist shared what it’s like to live off-grid in a canal boat where she can save £600 a month.
Shannon Lane, 29, ditched her room in Clapham for a 30ft narrowboat which she cruises in with her pug, Gilbert.
She decided to move on the water after learning her landlord was raising the price of her rent to £1,000 a month.
The freelance artist and video producer took out a loan to buy a £24,000 narrowboat and now spends just £300 a month paying it off.
Pros and cons of living on a house boat
Houseboats can be cheaper than buying a home on dry land but doesn't come without risks.
You may be able to get a special type of mortgage for a boat, but it can be more difficult than getting a traditional home loan and have higher rates of interest.
You won’t pay stamp duty when buying a boat to live on, and you can move to a different location whenever you want without having to sell up.
You might even be able to live in a location where you wouldn’t be able to afford a bricks and mortar house.
But space can be more limited, and the value of houseboats can generally go down over time, like a car or motorbike.
A licence which you need from the canal and river trust can cost anywhere between £510 and £1,100 a year depending on the size of the boat.
There are likely to be ongoing costs for maintenance and mooring as well as fuel, a boat safety certificate and, of course, insurance.
There’s always something that needs to be done on a boat – from engine servicing to treating rust spots, not to mention emptying the toilet and filling the water tank.
Energy bills could be higher on the boat than a home as they are generally harder to insulate.
If your boat is moored permanently, it will typically be in the lowest tax band, with single occupants benefiting from a 25% reduction.
However, if you’re happy to move every two weeks as a ‘continuous cruiser,’ you won’t have to pay this
Ever since Shanon moved, her mental health has improved and she no longer suffers from “bad anxiety and depression“.
Nonetheless, the transition from bricks to a floating home takes adjusting to.
She told the Sun Online: “The first night I moved in I thought what the hell have I done.”
She couldn’t figure out how to get her electrics to work and at one point ended up blindly making her way through a 20-minute tunnel because her headlights didn’t switch on.
She added: “There have been incredibly stressful moments. I moved in in January and I had to learn how to use the stove fire.
“I’d envisioned this amazing life and suddenly everything was actually really hard.”
But Shannon was saving thousands.
She said: “My electricity all comes from solar panels and then everything else is normal household spending like food and toiletries.”
Shannon’s family weren’t surprised when she revealed she’d bought a boat after getting fed up of her £1,000-a-month London rent.
In fact, her mum told her her boat-loving granddad would be proud, she revealed.
She said: “My family weren’t surprised because I’ve always made strange decisions.
“My granddad actually had a boat and used to do a similar thing. I was so close to my grandad so I wanted to do this for his legacy.
“My mum says he’d be proud of me which makes me feel emotional.
“My friends think it’s amazing. When people come over and see the toilet they’re not keen because you have to open a valve and it’s not a normal flush.
“A lot of people know it’s not for them but who’s going to say no to drinking a glass of wine on the roof as we manoeuvre through the canal.”
