The Liveaboard Guide: Living afloat on the inland waterways

by Tony Jones

The romantic dream of downsizing, giving up the ratrace, and living life at 4mph on the inland waterways is proving more and more attractive to boaters. But for tens of thousands of people it is not just a romantic dream but a lifestyle.

Tony Jones is one of those people. He has lived aboard his 50ft narrowboat for over 5 years and in this very practical book he documents what the liveaboard lifestyle is really like, focusing on the practical issues of day to day living for those who want to know what living on a boat actually entails, to see whether they could do it.

Topics covered
- the pros, cons and costs of a residential mooring
- power usage and energy consumption (and how it differs from a house)
- how to stay warm - the choice of coal, electric, gas or wood heating
- boat loos - the pros and cons, and troubleshooting typical problems
- entertainment - TV, radio, internet, DVDs
- logistical problems - no postal address, GP access, vehicle admin

The aim of this book is to feed people's dreams by showing that every possible problem that could arise when living on a boat has a tried and tested solution. The dream is perfectly possible, and this book is the complete practical guide to achieving it.

Genres: Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2012

About the author

Tony Jones is the author of The God of Wild Places: Rediscovering the Divine in the Untamed Outdoors (2024) and an award-winning outdoors writer. He’s written a dozen books, including Did God Kill Jesus? and The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life. Tony hosts the Reverend Hunter Podcast, and teaches at Fuller Theological Seminary. He served as a consultant on the television show, The Path, and he owns an event planning company, Crucible Creative. He holds an A.B. from Dartmouth College, an M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary. Tony is married, has three children, and lives in Edina, Minnesota.

Reviews

[christina gowie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read. Good, honest, practical advice. i liked the comments and tips from other lovebirds too.i will definitely dip back into this book.

[Chris Hinchley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes me want to start this life tomorrow....

[James Farrant · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only two stars as it is so repetitive and virtually a carbon copy of his previous book

[Jayne Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Useful and Informative

I am not able to compare to other Guides, this being the first one I have read. However, this book was clear and easily understood by a novice like myself, non judgemental, and for more complicated matters it seems to me a good starting point. There is a handy list at the end for other sources of more in depth information.

[Elaine Hickling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was ready to sell up and by myself a little boat , but then I read this book (which is certainly a must have for anyone thinking of doing the same). A down to earth account of life aboard.