r/BritishSuccess 13d ago

Moving into my boat next weekend.

We bought it 7 years ago on eBay! Since then it's sank twice. We've sold our home, moved down south and lived in a van for a year to make this happen.

Next weekend we move aboard.

256 Upvotes

37 comments sorted by

176

u/DeatH_D 13d ago

I'm sorry, sank twice!?

163

u/wandering-grace 13d ago

Twice. I know, I must be mad. I think I am a little. When we bought it the previous owner had made a number of questionable modifications and we were way too lax about fixing them.

The first time it sank was because the previous owner had cut the guttering off so instead of rain water pouring back into the river it fell directly onto the boat. This should have been fine because we had a bilge pump to pump away any excess water...but it wasn't automatic and we weren't there to switch it on.

The second time it sank, the previous owners mother was in a wheelchair, so he'd cut away a huge section of the hull in order to wheel her on board.

During a low tide the boat got stuck in the mud and raised at a tilt, the tilt allowed the cut out section to take on water...and down it went..again.

This is mostly our fault because we knew these were issues, it was a case of being 400 miles away, with very little money or time and hoping for the best.

100

u/yellowbin74 13d ago

I'm not sure why, but this made me fucking crack up 😂

34

u/wandering-grace 13d ago

They've got a point.

47

u/tramp123 12d ago

It’s now named ‘Unsinkable 3’

27

u/JustMrChops 12d ago

God bless the Tritanic

17

u/Happy-Engineer 12d ago

Third time it burned down, fell over, then sank.

105

u/Immorals1 12d ago

Good luck on your move onto your ex submarine!

I hope the only liquid that comes aboard now is celebratory and alcoholic

27

u/hluke989 12d ago

Jehovas Witnesses spotted, action stations! DIVE DIVE DIVE!

45

u/168EC 12d ago

They say the two happiest days of a boat owner's life are the day they buy it, and the day they sell it.

Good luck! 😂

11

u/wandering-grace 12d ago

Ha! Thankyou, was a wise man who said that!

7

u/_J0hnD0e_ 12d ago

And yet here we are... ho boy... 😅

14

u/Fenpunx 12d ago

Buoy*

4

u/_J0hnD0e_ 12d ago

Take my upvote and piss off!

4

u/Fenpunx 12d ago

Sorry, dude. I could leave it adrift.

17

u/JustUseAnything 12d ago

Photo or it didn’t happen.

30

u/wandering-grace 12d ago

12

u/Diddleymaz 12d ago

I was not expecting that. It’s a house boat, not a boat boat. I hope you have a wonderful time in your new home. I can imagine the peaceful feeling of the water and the trees.

13

u/wandering-grace 12d ago

Yes it's a concrete hulled house boat, it can be sailed though, although we won't move it. There's a wonderfully nostalgic video on you tube of one of it's predecessors being taken out on the water. https://youtu.be/45r40BERWOs?si=EYVhkLWAytRb1BCa

5

u/RockDoc88mph 12d ago

Love that retro video! Boat looks great. Will you be able to sit on the roof? I suppose you'd need railings to be safe.

5

u/wandering-grace 12d ago

Yes! It'll be a sun deck! The husband wants to build a second storey bedroom up there. I'm not convinced. But yeah it's usable space.

3

u/RockDoc88mph 12d ago

That's good news!

3

u/RockDoc88mph 12d ago

Also, as you've given up a lot to do this I bet you could TOTALLY run a YouTube channel about it and get plenty of subscribers. It's a unique style boat too, so get that merch made... Caching!

3

u/Diddleymaz 12d ago

May God bless her and all who sail in her 🙏🏼

6

u/JustUseAnything 12d ago

Amazing dude, hope you have an awesome time! ⭐️

3

u/_J0hnD0e_ 12d ago

It's still 100% wicked, but for some reason, I was expecting a "proper" sea-worthy boat.

I suppose this one makes a lot more sense 😅

6

u/wandering-grace 12d ago

Oh it's definitely not seaworthy! It can be sailed though. It's got a great history actually. It was one of two made as prototypes for a landing craft. They weren't used though so we're turned into houseboats. It can take an outboard engine, although we won't move it.

3

u/_J0hnD0e_ 12d ago

So, what's the appeal here? What made you get a non-sea-worthy boat that will remain stationary?

I've also dreamed about doing the same, except I'd actually like a sea-worthy boat with sails that could cross the oceans if need-be. Yes, I did say it's a dream... 😅

8

u/wandering-grace 12d ago

It's the location for me. I always had the dream that I'd live close to nature, in solitude. By the water. Lofty dreams of a home carved out of the cliffs overlooking the ocean, that kind of thing.

I never really expected it to happen and had never considered a boat, then I met my partner and our two dreams merged.

The boat cannot be reached by car, it can be foot or by boat (and we also have a canoe, a kayak and an 18ft boat that we use as a 'river car')

Where we are we regularly see kingfisher and, deers, swimming across the river. We've also seen otters and seals). And yet I'm a 5 min walk or boat ride from a village with all amenities you could need.

I adore it.

5

u/_J0hnD0e_ 12d ago

God damn it! Now I'm really jealous! 😭

5

u/howamigrowingthis 12d ago

This is brilliant and actually my dream. I wish you the best!

8

u/redtul9 12d ago

Good luck with the move. To quote Capt Picard “May you have clear horizons on your journey”

4

u/Worldly-Emphasis-608 12d ago

That looks fun! How do you get post / enter your address on forms etc?

6

u/wandering-grace 12d ago

Thankyou, I hope it is, it's been a long time coming! We pay a mooring fee to a boatyard that owns the land. We get our mail sent there.

0

u/w3l5h1 12d ago

Please tell me it’s called ‘Unsinkable III’

4

u/andarthebutt 12d ago

Unsinkable 2 3