Day One + the Boats' Details

At this most – how should I put it – interesting time in the affairs of the world, the Bloke and I have decided to plot a leap into the unknown and are putting our homes up for sale.  We join the many millions, though few homes are as unusual as ours:  Freyja and Christina are a pair of narrowboats on which we continuously cruise the canals and inland waterways of England and Wales.  Now into my fourteenth year afloat (longer than some, not as long as others), this is by far the longest episode of my sixty-three years on this earth, and that can only have happened because this lifestyle has been immensely satisfying.

We’re not holding our breath for a quick sale, most people are hunkering down, waiting to see what happens next, besides, we have no real plans for our own next, yet.  All I know is that all the-road[s]-less-travelled that I’ve taken over the years have been intriguing, and I have no reason to expect a cul-de-sac at the end of the next one.  I accept that we are probably leaving the canals at the wrong time:  licence fee, insurance and maintenance notwithstanding, life afloat is less costly than life ashore, and the sense of freedom is incalculable, here you can be a contradiction, a respectable drop-out.

So these are they:

FREYJA

57’ all steel narrowboat, semi-trad stern with full cover hatch, and tug foredeck

Built Stoke on Trent Boatbuilders 1986

AMC marinised BMC 1.8 engine, PRM gearbox

BSS certificate to October 2014

LAY-OUT

From the stern:

Semi-trad cockpit, with full covering sliding hatch

with shoreline socket, alternator battery manager, in-line Sterling battery charger, battery locker for one starter- and three domestic batteries, gas locker, storage, and engine access.

Steps down to living accommodation

To starboard, alcove and shelves for television etc., 600w inverter, 12v radio and c.d. player, 6’ settle (or side bed) with storage under.

To port, coat cupboard, under-gunnel shelving, space for dining table or free-standing furniture.

To starboard, 8’2” pine work surface, with inset four-ring gas hob, built-in gas oven and grill below, plus cupboards, shelves and fridge space.  Dresser-style shelving above.

To port, Jotul solid fuel kitchen range with strap-on back boiler and wood store under, full-size stainless steel 1½ sinks unit with single drainer, cupboard and washing machine below.  Full height cupboard with calorifier, airing (or home-brew) shelves above.


Bathroom and dressing area

Narrowboat bath with shower, inset hand-basin with cupboard under, portapotti, additional small hand-basin, two wardrobes 2’3” & 2’6” wide.

Bed-sitting room

To starboard, Morso Squirrel solid fuel stove with back boiler.

To port, built-in bulkhead book shelves, and desk unit.

Space for free-standing furniture.  4’ double bed (accessible from both sides and with storage under) can be slid under front deck, the foot of the bed doubling as a sofa.  Built-in unit each side of the sofa, and display cabinets above.  Further storage in bed-hole.

Outside, the tug deck is cratched and tarped and makes a suitable motorcycle stowage under canvas.  Storage locker under.

These details do not form part of the sale agreement.

And:

CHRISTINA

53’ steel hull, butty conversion with new wooden superstructure

Registered with BW 1971

BSS certificate to April 2014

LAY-OUT

From the stern deck-well:

Step and coal-box down to

Backcabin:  traditional lay-out and decoration, boatman’s stove, 4’ bed-hole, wardrobe.

Bathroom with narrowboat bath, washstand and portapotti space.

10’ Workshop, benched and shelved.

9’ Storage space under tarps.  Has been used as a shop.

7’ Greenhouse, benched.

The 6’4” space forward of the greenhouse to the cratch is tarped and currently houses an arc-style chicken coop, with storage under.

Gas locker in the bow.

These details do not form part of the sale agreement.

To view please telephone +44 (0)77 8023 9781

or email catcrept@gmail.com

And the price for this whole new lifestyle ?:   Well, I've removed a figure from here because it keeps changing, so, if you're even just hesitating about the boats, as a pair or separately, please do contact us and I'm sure we can agree a favourable price.