River life floats their boat

Messing about on the water is an increasingly popular short-break choice for Shropshire families, writes Phil Hynds. But for one couple, it’s become their entire way of life.

When Bruce and Sheila Napier took their first boating holiday back in 1975, they could never have guessed it would lead to them selling their house and choosing a life afloat nearly 30 years later.

After taking numerous boating holidays aboard hired craft, they eventually went into shared ownership six years ago, which led to the ultimate decision to sell up and buy an £80,000 narrowboat in 2004. And they have never looked back or regretted their decision.

I caught up with them on the Shropshire Union Canal at Norbury Junction, near Newport.

Increasingly, our inland waterways are becoming populated with couples just like Bruce and Sheila. Some retain their properties and rent them out; some buy a property abroad and alternate between Britain’s waterways in the summer and sunnier climes once winter sets in. In some parts of the country where property prices are prohibitive, it is even being seen as a viable alternative for first-time buyers.

However, Bruce advises caution for those thinking of taking the plunge. “We always say to people who are thinking of living on a boat, and have no experience of it, hire a boat in the winter. As with everything else, retirement isn’t just an extended summer holiday. Many couples take to the water without sufficient forethought or experience, and can end up losing a lot of money.

“You have to think about the ordinary tasks of daily living,” says Bruce. The range of home comforts available aboard ‘Sanity’, the Napier’s 60-foot narrowboat, is impressive. They have central heating, a washing machine, fridge-freezer, shower, gas cooker and an internet connection. Water is contained in a 630-litre tank, which is refilled every week or so.

The only thing missing is a television, and this is by choice. The Napiers choose to spend their free time on other pursuits. Sheila excels in counted cross-stitch and crochet work, while Bruce is the on-board chef, fan of science fiction, and keen volunteer for The Waterway Recovery Group, an organisation dedicated to the restoration of Britain’s canals and waterways.

Having no TV appears to be no hardship. Bruce is able to get all the news he wants from the radio, and is now able to read his newspaper all the way through every day.

In terms of running the boat, there are expenses involved, but none as onerous as with house ownership. A waterways licence has to be purchased annually (currently £600 for a 60-foot boat) which includes all fresh water and use of ‘pump-out’ stations for disposing of waste matter.

Insurance has to be purchased at around £300 per year, but this does include possessions, and a boat safety certificate, similar to a vehicle MoT is also an annual requirement at £100. The onboard stove can burn smokeless fuel or wood, and Bruce only burns wood when it happens to come floating down the canal.

“Living this way forces you to be environmentally conscious. We don’t leave lights on, as using electricity means we have to leave the engine running to generate electricity. We don’t waste water as we have a limited supply until the next filling stop.”

Electricity on board Sanity is generated by an 1,850cc four-cylinder diesel engine, which has to be run for three to four hours daily if the boat isn’t in motion. The boat uses 1.3 litres per hour while cruising at two or three mph.

Day to day problems are also overcome with a little experience and nous. Post can usually be delivered to a nearby post office via the ‘Post Restante’ system whereby it is addressed to the post office in question and collected within 14 days. The Napiers have retained their own GP, but can visit local NHS doctors as temporary residents in much the same way that holidaymakers can. Dentists are a little more difficult, even with the couple having insurance, though this is more of a logistical problem.

Bruce says the rise of the supermarket has had an adverse effect on waterways life: “While you can buy routine groceries still from waterside outlets, we do see the effect of the large supermarkets as more and more small shops close down. Getting good quality meat is a challenge - we have a map detailing where the best butchers are in each area, and restock the freezer whenever we’re near.”

Winter on board brings its own problems, and being ‘iced in’ is the top of the list. The Napiers were once ice-bound near Milton Keynes for five days. It is possible for these boats to break ice of no more than half an inch thick, but not advisable unless in an emergency. There is also a ’stoppage programme’ of maintenance work carried out through the winter which restricts movement at certain points - these are published well in advance and the well organised boater normally avoids any inconvenience.

So what’s the best thing about being afloat? “If you’re in a hurry, you shouldn’t be boating,” says Sheila, while Bruce adds: “A bad day on a boat is better than a good day at work.”

They were both in agreement that their chosen lifestyle could not be beaten in terms of variety, freedom and a relaxed lifestyle. The only downside was the occasional intrusion of the local yob, but so far this has never been anything more serious than drunks deciding to rock the boat or throw bricks at it. Hotspots for this sort of thing are well known and avoided by the boating community.

Bruce and Sheila have my admiration for taking such a bold step and making it work. Relaxed and carefree, they tell a tale of a lone 92-year-old boatman who was asked how he coped with locks (normally a two-man job) on his own. “Simple,” he replied. “I wait for somebody to help me.” And how long could that be? “Never more than three days.”