I’ve been away for two weeks. The longest time since I moved onto my boat. When I got back from the airport it was high tide, which was just as well, because it made it much easier to get down to the pontoon. The gangway is rather steep when the tide is out.
Wobbling along the pontoon, the entire length of it, to get to my boat wasn’t so great. I had to wonder, if I had somehow lost my sea legs, but I don’t think so. The water was just a little rough.
Since I had no food on board and the heat wasn’t on either, I literally just dumped my stuff, set the time for the radiator and left again.
Upon my return the heater had been on for a while, so I wasn’t freezing when I started to unpack my suitcase. I also had some food and eventually I settled down to check on new houseboat listings.
Let’s be honest here. My boat is fairly basic and not very well insulated. It has everything I need, but now in the middle of winter, leaving my room is never a great experience, because kitchen and bath have no heating. I don’t think the owner of the boat ever spent a prolonged amount of time on the boat in winter, because he would have put some heating in otherwise.
As a result I spend most of my time in my room. I’m always warm there. I rug up when I leave my room and when I’m cooking it’s fine as well, because the stove keeps me warm and I’m not stationary, I move and that keeps me warm.
Cooking and showering creates a lot of dampness, however, that means I have to open a window or the door to get some of it out. Again, the insulation is not great and humidity is an issue. When I have my own boat, I’ll pay special attention to that particular problem.
Mind you, I want underfloor heating throughout, which would result in a much better climate on board. It’s the combination of moisture and cold that is less than ideal.
It’s January and the winter will be around for a while. I hope it stays as mild as it is right now. It’s colder on the water anyway, I’m not sure what would happen, if it got much colder than it is currently. I’m sure I can handle around freezing point, but below that?
At least the boat will be mine alone for a while longer. There’s no way another person would want to move in right now or even before winter is over. Once it gets warmer again it will be a whole different story.
It’s entirely possible to have a well insulated boat and be completely warm in winter as well, but that’s not true for the one I’m living on. I’ll make do. I’m always cozy in bed and sleep warm and snugly, which is most important. Beyond that I don’t spend much time on the boat anyway.
I want to spend a proper summer on it, before I go travelling again. So I won’t give up on it just yet.
2clouds 