Hello and WELCOME to the forum. Please use this section to let other forum users know a little more about you and what you want to get out of this forum. You don't have to write an essay (but if you do, try to make it interesting). Just a few details about your current circumstances and future ambitions is more than enough. 

For example; Are you just figuratively dipping your toe into the canal? Do you spend much of your time sitting at your desk dreaming about a nomadic lifestyle cruising without a care along tranquil waterways? Are you a seasoned narrowboat owner who just wants to spend some time online with like minded people, or are you somewhere in the middle.

Maybe I can encourage your fingers to move across the keyboard if I start first.

My name is Paul Smith. That's my avatar, my online graphic representation, on the left hand side. I've been living on narrowboat James for the last two years. I have to say, I haven't regretted a single minute of it.

I was married and living with my wife and three boys in our very comfortable house about two miles away from where I am moored now. My wife and I simply couldn't get on, so I moved out. I had just been through a disaster with my cleaning business. To cut a long story short, I tried to franchise a small but profitable local business, ran out of money and ended up bankrupt.

After the bankruptcy, I found a little part time job looking after the grounds at Calcutt Boats on the Grand Union canal four miles east of Southam in Warwickshire. The intention was to get back into the business world as soon as I had finished feeling sorry for myself. Best laid plans…

I loved the work at the marina. I was spending all my time outdoors where I love to be, and experiencing a whole new watery world that I didn't know existed. The marina owners, Roger and Rosemary Preen (lovely people) had a narrowboat moored in their new Meadows marina that they did't use. Quite frankly, it had seen better days. The cabin was masonite (oil treated) ply which had decayed to the point where an umbrella was really needed indoors during rainy spells. 

The back cabin floor was under a couple of inches of water which was a shame because the hundreds of spiders that inhabited the rest of the boat didn't like it. I could see the potential though. It was love at first sight.

I arranged to buy the boat (James) from Roger and Rosemary, left my marrital home and moved on board. I didn't know where the drinking water came from, where the gas and electricity supply was and I didn't realise how horribly cold a narrowboat can be in the winter if it isn't heated properly. On one particularly cold night I recorded a temperature of minus eighteen and quarter of an inch of frost on the inside of the engine room in the morning.

I searched for information online to answer the questions I had Although there were some excellent forums around, I found it really difficult to extract the wheat from the chaff. To keep my mind active (although I love my job, there's not a lot of thought involved when I'm cutting grass or pruning trees) I created this web site, and published what I hoped would be helpful articles about life on a narrowboat.

Two years after I moved on board, I have overplated the existing masonite with steel, sandwiched an additional layer of insulation between the masonite and the steel, blacked the hull and added five coats of paint to everything else. The inside is much improved but there's still plenty to do. Although James is much, much warmer now, the floor is still cold. The carpet is old and thin so has virtually no insulating properties. I've had a quote for carpeting but it was ridiculously expensive and I'm not sure that it's the best way to go anyway.

I have two dogs now. Two spaniels, Daisy and Charlie. One cocker, one springer, both daft as brushes. It's because of the dogs that I'm not sure of the carpet. Dogs aren't very good at wiping their feet so they can trail a lot of mud through the boat. On other hand, carpet absorbs the click, click, click of little doggy claws as they walk up and down the boat. So they jury's still out on that one.

So here I am, happy as can be. Two and a half years after a catastrophic business failure and an emotional marriage break up I'm living a simple life close to nature. I've just looked up from typing this post. Do you know what I can see? Gently swaying reeds, a mallard mother with her eight children, two proud swans with six cygnets, and Charlie the springer spaniel sitting on the bank with a smile on his face. He loves it here too.

Hi Rob,

Sorry to disappoint you but the WiFi you're picking up isn't mine. I'm in Calcutt Boats' Meadows marina which is at least half a mile from you. I don't know of any WiFi which would reach that far. And anyway, my WiFi isn't as well named as that. It's called something utterly unpronounceable.

What a coincidence on the carpet front. Mike Jerome quoted for my carpets too. Yes, I believe his work is very good but I couldn't afford the £1,200 he quoted for 62' James 47' cabin floor and the boat sides up to the gunnels. I'm saving for it now but I'm short of the total by about £1,150!

I have emailed your login details Les.