Canal boat engines: daily checks
I suspect it’s safe to say that with modern cars, few people bother to check the oil or water levels unless a light flashes on the dashboard to indicate a
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Electricity on canal boats: nerdy detail
After you’ve read this page about the basics of boat electrics, let’s delve further into the technical detail of batteries and all things electrical. If this is the stuff of
Continue readingElectricity on canal boats: the basics
It’s not something you have to think about in a house – other than paying the bill – but on a boat, the electricity supply will be something you really
Continue readingGas (propane) use on canal boats
Whilst it is certainly true that there are several gas-free boats on the canals, by and large, most boats do still use propane in some form or another, mainly for
Continue readingToilets on canal boats
Let us now turn to the most popular subject of discussion amongst canal boaters: the toilet. Being on a boat means dealing with power, water and waste when away from
Continue readingWater aboard a canal boat – fresh and greywater
There are three categories of water you’ll have to get to grips with on a boat: clean water, grey water and black water. The first is self-explanatory, it’s the fresh
Continue readingDepreciation costs for canal boats
Perhaps the biggest cost factor of buying a canal boat will be depreciation. Whilst not as bad as cars, boats do generally depreciate from the moment they’re launched, with the
Continue readingFuel costs on a canal boat
The majority of modern canal boats are diesel-powered. Even electrically-propelled ones tend to have a diesel generator on board as well as lots of solar panels since there’s insufficient sun
Continue readingCanal boat maintenance costs
After buying a boat, licensing and insuring a canal boat, you might be forgiven for expecting to sit back in a tranquil life of bliss with nary a care in
Continue readingCouncil tax for canal boats
A question often asked by non-boaters is “do you pay council tax?” and the answer in most cases is, quite simply, no. If you live on a boat, you’re not
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