A woman who ditched her London bedroom for a 30ft narrowboat says she is “much happier living on a boat” and manages to save around £600 a month.
Shannon Lane, 29, was paying £900 a month to share a house in Clapton, but when she discovered her landlord was raising the price to £1,000, she decided she was done with renting and took out a loan to buy a narrowboat. £24,000. .
The independent artist and video producer now spends £300 a month paying for it and surfs the London canals with her pug, Gilbert, for company. Before taking the step, she said she “suffered from anxiety and depression,” but now she “wakes up happy every day.”
Making the transition from bricks and mortar to a houseboat requires some adjustments.
For anyone who wants to give it a try, Shannon shared with MailOnline Travel five do’s and five don’ts of living on a narrowboat, from how to keep your boat from capsizing to the very smelly task to complete and why it’s Better make friends with spiders.
Shannon Lane (above) ditched her expensive London room for a 30ft canal boat and said she is “much happier”. She revealed to MailOnline Travel the do’s and don’ts of living on a narrowboat.
Shannon took out a loan to buy the £24,000 narrowboat and lives off it with her pug, Gilbert. She spends £300 a month to pay back the loan.
To do
Say hello to your neighbors
Shannon urges other narrowboat owners to embrace the “tight-knit” community and get to know their neighbors. She says: ‘Every time I tie up, I knock on my neighbor’s door and say hello. Sometimes I’ve even met them before.
For those who don’t feel so safe, Shannon guarantees that “everyone is very welcoming.” He has even held barbecues with neighbors he just met.
Be considerate of nature
In addition to respecting their neighbors, Shannon insists that narrowboat owners need to keep nature in mind. After all, “you’re in their space,” she says, adding, “It’s important to make sure all your trash is contained and can’t fly away.” Also, do not pour any liquid into the channel. There are many ducks, coots, waterfowl and fish.’
Keep browsing the channels
For those who don’t pay a mooring fee, Shannon says it’s important to move every two weeks so other boat owners can “enjoy different parts of the canal.”
Shannon encourages boat owners to embrace the close-knit community, get to know their neighbors, and respect the nature around them.
For those who don’t pay a mooring fee and have a continuous cruising license, Shannon points out that the Canal and River Trust insists they move one mile every two weeks.
She explains: “It’s important to keep the canal system moving because it leaves room for other boaters to enjoy different parts of the canal.”
While the constantly moving places may deter some from considering a life on the water, Shannon explains that there are advantages. He offers you the opportunity to explore affluent areas of London that would have previously been unaffordable, such as Little Venice and Regent’s Park.
Stock up on firewood and charcoal
Keeping a good supply of firewood and charcoal is essential when living on a narrowboat. Shannon says, “Winters are very difficult, especially when everything freezes.” But he adds: “It’s nothing my wood stove can’t solve.”
Stock up on warm gear
While a roaring fire will keep you warm, Shannon suggests having a good stash of blankets and sweaters to keep you warm as the boat heats up.
Not to do
Don’t get obsessed with household chores
Shannon says owning a narrowboat takes a lot of work, but warns others not to “work too hard”
The photo on the left shows Shannon’s kitchen/living room area. To the right is her bedroom, which is located at the back of the ship.
While Shannon describes living on a boat as “a lot of hard work and getting your hands dirty,” she warns others not to take on too much.
She says: “It’s important not to work too much because then you’ll be working all the time and you won’t enjoy the experience.” You will become exhausted and not appreciate living on a boat.
“The best way to enjoy yourself is to make yourself a cup of tea or coffee and sit outside and watch the world go by.”
Don’t kill spiders
Narrow boats attract spiders, and Shannon says she finds at least three of them a week. While arachnophobes may be tempted to kill them, Shannon says, “They’re our friends and they get rid of all the stinging insects.”
‘Just leave them alone unless they are obstructing something you use. If this is the case, simply place them outside or elsewhere on your boat if you wish.’
Don’t tie the ropes too tightly, or you risk sinking
There are many things to learn as a first-time barge owner. Shannon found out the hard way when he tied the middle rope to the towpath and other ropes too tight. They took her out of bed in the middle of the night.
She explains: ‘I went out and the water level had gone down (this happens because of the locks) and my boat was leaning to one side. If this happens, too much water can get into places you don’t want it to and you could sink. Luckily I realized it, loosened the ropes and returned safely to bed.’
Don’t let it be too late to empty your bathroom
From personal experience, Shannon warns other boat owners not to let it be too late to empty the toilet.
Pictured on the left is Shannon’s wood stove, which she says helps keep warm in the winters. The photo on the right shows Shannon’s shower, which fits in a small bathroom.
One unglamorous aspect of life on a narrowboat is having to deal with the bathroom. Shannon says she has a cassette toilet on her boat and that she has to transport the slide cartridge to a point in Elsan, a community disposal area.
It’s not a good idea to leave it on too long, as Shannon learned from experience: “You can imagine the smell.”
Don’t leave food out
Shannon insists that it is important to properly dispose of leftover food and not leave anything outside the boat. She says: “Food from outside attracts animals, and we have many scavengers next to our boats, such as rats, foxes and birds.”
To learn more about Shannon, visit her on TikTok at www.tiktok.com/@thatweirdboatgirl or Instagram – www.instagram.com/shannonroselane/.
